Discovering Ballard and Other Tales

We have had such a mild winter, and the days have been quite pleasant, perfect for getting out and exploring my new neighborhood.  My friend who lives across the hall from me in this "adult dormitory", met me at Miro Teas on Friday, and we had a great time.

I ordered a pot of Gingerine, which is, of all things, ginger and tangerine!  It was yummy, and enough for both of us to have two cups each.  The picture below is what happened when we added a bit of soy milk.

Still delicious.

 

This is the view from the corner table we sat at.  That is Ballard Avenue out there.  On Sundays, this street is blocked off for the Farmer's Market.  I'm not there today since I woke up with a nasty cold.  I know that is redundant.  Cold says it all.  Anyhow, I love to sit and watch all the activity outside.  I don't like going to restaurants or coffee shops alone, but I think I could enjoy this place by myself.  Their tea menu is a one inch thick three ring binder.  It will take me awhile to get through that.

Coffee just isn't cutting it for me lately.  Tea seems so much more. . . .civilized.

 

 

Meanwhile, I have been working on a needle felting project, a picture for my living room wall.  I seem to have a tree theme going on, so this will fit right in.

 

 

Now, yesterday I received a phone call from a producer of a Reality show, asking me to be at my friends' alpaca farm in Snohomish for the filming of a new Pilot.  I'm not sure about the details, I just know I high tailed it out there to help her out and to enjoy the fun.  I was part of a group of people who were supposedly attending an open house.  I was asked questions and voiced my opinions on things.  OMG me on camera~!  I'll let you know when I know more.



She's Up and Running

Well, it has been a long while since I have posted here, but I'm back and ready to go.

First of all, I need to share with you a picture of my grandson, Cadel.  Yes, I am in love.

 

He's coming over for dinner tomorrow night to celebrate his Dad's birthday!!

 Now, here is a picture taken from my deck.  I now live in Seattle in a neighborhood called Ballard.  It is traditionally a fishing center.  Fisherman's terminal is right across the canal from here, and the Hiram Chittendom Locks are just two blocks away.  I can see the ships moving through the canal all day.  If you ever watch "The Deadliest Catch", you have visited this port and some of the local watering holes.

The very top of the space needle is visible at the top of the hill in the distance, and I was able to watch the fireworks display put on atop the needle on New Years Eve right from the comfort of my living room.

Whenever someone visits, we take a walk to the locks.  Here is an interesting little boat making it's entery into the first stage.

If you were wondering, yes, I love it here.  I feel so content.  Contentment is the word of the day.  I haven't felt like this in a long time.

I have been a vendor for the past two weeks at the Ballard Farmer's Market.  Above are a few of the scarves I have for sale there, and below are a few of the yarns.

I'm really enjoying the market here.  It's only 6 blocks from my apartment, and in a very upscale neighborhood.  So far, business has been good.  The first week, I sold 4 green hats to 4 red haired women.

Funny.

 

That's it for now.  I will be posting more regularly, now that I know how to retrieve my pictures from my Smart Phone.  The darn phone seems to be smarter than me.

A MOST WONDERFUL DAY

My son came to get me this afternoon so I could spend some time with Cadel.

My other son, Chad, and his partner, Harry, took turns with me holding the babe.  Chad is just beside himself with delight at being an Uncle.

We stayed for a couple of hours, and then decided to go to the Freemont Street Fair.

We walked for over a mile along the Burke Gilman Trail.

Formerly a rail road right of way, the trail runs for miles.  Here it runs along the Ship Canal.  About 35 years ago, I did the Title research on the property that became this trail.  Eeweeee, what a job.

I love this tree.  Think I will have to find out what it is.  I need plants that provide color year round so I can always have my bouquets in the house.

I would love to live in this apartment.  Is this Artsy Fartsy, or what?  And such a view. 

Chad and Harry kept getting ahead of me and having to wait as I took pictures.  They are so patient with me.

I love this nude hanging on the fence at the Canal Coffee Company.

Finally, we arrived at the Street Fair.  This is an exceptionally eclectic event that is held every Sunday, year round.  You never know what you are going to find.  The only thing I was interested in was a rest room.

After looking at all the vendors, we went to catch the bus to downtown Seattle.

If you click on this picture to enlarge it, you will see that the people waiting at the bus stop across the street are actually statues.  Residents of the area dress them to celebrate different events.  I'm sure tomorrow there will be an Abe Lincoln.

The boys accompanied me to the underground bus tunnel to catch my bus back to Mercer Island.  By this time, my feet hurt so bad.  I have walked the trail through the woods to the shopping center every day for the past week, and today's walk resulted in blisters.  I was dreading the walk back up the hill when I remembered that I had met a friend of my brother's who had told me to call her if I needed ANYTHING.  Hallelujah, she was just coming home and was five minutes away.  I walked to the Starbucks and arrived there just as she was driving in.  When I got home I had to soak my poor feet.

This is a view from my brother's kitchen, showing the woods I walk through each day.  Bald Eagles live in the tops of these trees, and I hear them calling in the mornings before the sun comes up.

It's nice being here, but I'm missing my little place.