Friday Harbor at San Juan Island.

On our second day in Washington we drove to Anacortes to take the ferry to San Juan Island. We did some sea kayaking, with no Orca luck. Ricky was a little sad that we didn't get to see the whales, but there will be plenty of opportunity the next time we're up that way.

In front of Cattle Point Lighthouse.

Cattle Point Road.

On the ferry.

The ferry trip over. So beautiful, and it's nice going to San Juan because you get to see all the islands on the way. This was just past Lopez, I think.

A table with a view, at Downriggers.

Cattle Point again.

........

The lavender farm on the island. It smelled amazing!

A black-phase red fox. Didn't know that they went through a "black phase?"
Me neither.

Thank you Washington for taking my breath away.
=)

snapshots from Seattle, Ocean Shores, and Seaside, Oregon.

old friends ♥

Gracie and I. I've missed this girl, she was one of my very first and very best friends in Granite Falls. I think we were trying to look pretty?

That's better.

TJ, also trying to look pretty, haha.

Me and my friend Nathan. It was really nice to see him and TJ, and to meet Nathan's great girlfriend Laura.

Gracie's dog Vincent. When I met her, he was a tiny puppy. How the time flies.
Especially in dog years.

Mariners v. Red Sox.

My sister turned 23 on the 15th, so on the 14th we all went to a Mariners game to celebrate, since the 15th was a Monday and she had to work.
This is pretty much how we always look.

Safeco Field! I love this place.

Almost as much as my sister loves this guy. It wasn't a coincidence that we were sitting right behind right field. ;)

Finally a good picture.
I love these faces.
♥

Day 1: Hiking Pilchuck.

Ricky and I spent August 10-19th in the wonderful Northwest. It was good to be home, to see my sister, and to get to do some outdoor activities, as Florida is a hell hole and I never want to go outside here. First on our agenda was to drive from Seattle to Granite Falls, where I spent my junior and senior year of high school, to hike up to Lake 22 on Mt. Pilchuck. I knew Ricky would enjoy it, and it would be nice and nostalgic for me. Here are entirely too many photos from the hike.

That's me doing my best Sasquatch walk.
It's not very good.

This is a Pika. I had no idea they inhabited the mountain, but they were all over the place. Cute right?

Friendly, too.

Beautiful Lake 22 at the top. Well worth the sweat.

I was happy.

Extremely happy.

Domenica in NOLA.

A little while ago Ricky's father came to visit us. He flew into New Orleans, so after we picked him up I wanted to eat somewhere fun. Being in Northwest Florida doesn't really give you the restaurant options that I so very much like to have.
I decided that I wanted to eat at one of John Besh's restaurants, and between the three of us we chose Domenica. It was outstanding, and here's the proof!

My oxtail ragu over house made pasta with fried chicken livers.
Yes. Chicken livers.
Don't knock it 'till you try it.

Ricky's pizza with prosciutto and arugula. I love that the arugula was just piled on after the pizza was cooked.

The lovely dining room.

This tasted like Christmas. They called it "the velvet fig," it had fig vodka, orange juice, and something else wonderful... it was spicy and sweet and delicious. It honestly did taste like Christmas, almost like a mulled wine. It is now my lifelong mission to recreate this drink.

Dessert was a pistachio semifreddo in chocolate sauce with cherry compote.
More please!
If you're ever in NOLA, I highly recommend Domenica. It's upscale dining in a casual environment with reasonable prices. Who doesn't love that?
Read more about Domenica and the other John Besh restaurants here.

in case any of you forgot, I love my job

These are all the same little guy, an orphaned raccoon that I ended up fostering for a little longer than anticipated. He screamed in the middle of the night, pooped everywhere, attacked my dogs and cats, ruined countless towels, and was the pickiest eater I've ever met.

And I miss him very much. I'm so glad that he ended up getting a good home, he was taken in by some people who had the outdoor space and the time to give him constant care. Special needs raccoons are no joke.

River otter. They smell weird and are squeeky.

Sulfer-crested cockatoo. Weird.
PS- Blogging in IE sucks.

omg

Seriously. Tomorrow. I swear I'll post SO much crap. GOSH!

I suck

Seriously. I haven't actually posted something in forever.

FOREVER. (you have to say it like the kid in The Sandlot)

Maybe it's because I work later into the day now. I'm not home until 5:45 pm and turning on the computer is the last thing on my mind.

Whatever the reason, I hate it and it's lame. I have so many posts I want to make! I promise, things have been going on in my life!

Soon I'll sit down and post like 15 things and it's going to be pretty annoying, but at least I'll be caught up. Right now I'm in Washington (SQUEEE!) visiting my sister and doing some state travel with Ricky. Once I get back there will be quite the photo montage indeed!