Henia, my husband's sister from Florida, sent an adorable Christmas wall hanging. For quite awhile we could not figure out how it was suppose to hang because the snowman in the center was upside down. It would work if you laid it in a circle, but even that looked odd. So the only logical solution was to cut the snowman free and sew him back right side up. Now, if I can only get that cute moose at the bottom to look in the same direction as the others...

Windy, rainy, sleety  (is that a word?), but still beautiful on Orcas Island. The village at night lights up like one huge Christmas tree. The nativity scene in front of the Community Church reminds us to not take Christ out of Christmas. Shopping at the wonderful little gift shops beats Walmart any day. Most of the items are locally made or at least made in the USA. Not that I never buy other goods, but I would like to think there could be equality in the market place. Besides, what could be better than actually knowing the creator of that beautiful hat and meeting the sheep that the wool came from?

I love the cards we are receiving that have small villages, snow...cozy written all over it and without words says, "Peace unto you."

The year 2012 is not over and we are getting reservations for next summer at the Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast! Weddings are being organized and rooms are being booked. We are optimistic that this coming summer will be the best ever. We say that every year and it gets better every year. Any reason to stop saying it now?

This picture was taken by one of our guests. We love our 101 years old house on West Sound Bay!

Vision and seeing what can become, is a gift given to some fortunate people and these people, I am convinced, are the ones who find purpose and joy in their lives. Whether you believe in God or your own self-independence, moving ahead with vision takes great courage. Let me give you an example. Here is a lot in Tijuana where our missionary friends are going to build a church. They are asking for prayers to even be able to purchase this lot for around $10,000. Then they will build a church. Do they have reserves? No. Do they have a wealthy congregation? No. Are they foolish or do they believe that God will provide? I am certain of the answer and so we join in excited anticipation for a wonderful little church here on this exact lot.

 

This the lot. The house is not worth saving.

 

 

This is the street. Great faith will build this church.

I have been away for an amazing time with my sister on Coronado Island at the Coronado Beach Resorts (San Diego) and then in Palm Springs (92 degrees...yahoo!) with my brother and sister-in-law. Being used to the Pacific Northwest temperatures of 40 to 50 degrees, I darted from one air conditioned building to another, except for the 2 hours I spent in the pool at my brother's complex. It was the most time we have spent together in probably 50 years and it was really enjoyable.
While I was away, a friend sent me the most perfect photos for our pet-friendly bed and breakfast here on Orcas Island.

It is great to be back. I hit the ground running with  all our rooms booked for the Veteran's Day holiday. I'm not complaining. Being busy this time of year is a good thing!

I love history and I love old churches. Actually, I love the old, grandiose cathedrals, but they are few and far between here in the West. On a recent trip to BC, Canada, we were walking around Hope, (such a great name of a little town that has an historic church) and ran across a tiny church in the woods. With my new Nikon camera...yes, I did finally get a decent camera...I got some nice shots of Christ Church.

Focusing on the tiniest details, finding magic in even the smallest inspirations, embracing the briefest moments—that's where passion is.

 

Rarely do I find anything of real significance on Facebook. It's not that I don't enjoy seeing pictures and learning the latest in people's lives, it's just there is a lot of foolishness and harsh and sad commentaries. However, once in awhile there is something that touches the heart...my heart, anyway... and I want to share it. It could be my deep abiding love of cats, the mention of magic, or the powerful word, PASSION. Whatever invokes the feeling of Ahhhhh...I'm all for it!

The Barn Tour today on Orcas Island was a huge success for the Historical Museum. It is definitely a journey to the past just to step into these old barns, some that have been standing since the early 1900's. There are approximately 120 barns on the San Juan Islands and many remain today on working farms holding hay and as stalls for livestock. We learned about the different structure and uses of barns...a dairy barn is different than a fruit barn...and how organizations are trying to preserve and restore these unique historical structures.

The only indicator that Fall is here are the leaves turning on the trees amidst the most unbelievable weather for October! You can sit out in the sun and get all the Vitamin D you need and a sun burn to boot! In the middle of July, we got a booking for a week long kayaking trip in and around Orcas Island starting September 29th. I thought at the time that the couple was being very optimistic about the weather going into October. But here they are putting off this morning from our dock at the Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast. Boy, doesn't this look like a wondeful activity on a beautiful day?

One of my favorite places is the Orcas Island History Museum. And one of my favorite activities is when they do an historical tour of some nature on the island. The Blue Heron B&B was one of the historical lodgings among several available to tour two years ago. We researched past owners and got copies of all the deeds. We discovered that the property had first been homesteaded in 1898 by French Canadians. A well known island family, the Flahertys, lived in the house the longest and built a playhouse on the water for their children. Lucky kids!

 San Juan Garden Club is selling bulbs to plant this Fall. Can you imagine having these beautiful flowers come up in the Spring throughout your garden? I can! So I ordered a variety and will probably forget what I planted and it will be a wonderful surprise in my garden in the Spring of 2013!

http://www.flowerpowerfundraising.com/campaign?campaign_id=12494

It was a sad day to lose April...

R.I.P. — April has mooooooved on

from Joann Frances

April in May. Her best pose.
1994–2012

Benevolent Eastsound icon and former Mayor, April D. Bovine, died peacefully Tuesday September 18, 2012. Her 18-year residence was the field in the middle of Eastsound’s educational hub. It was here the quadruped watched over her beloved biped children going to and from school.
She showed her devotion to the children when she jumped, with all four feet, into the 2011 mayoral contest. People’s love and admiration enabled her to raise several thousand dollars for her favorite children’s charity.
April was always outstanding in her field, showing her love for bipeds big and small. It became apparent that her life’s mission was to bridge the gap between bipeds and quadrupeds with love and compassion. She wished the spirit of peaceful co-existence would be her legacy. We can make that happen in return for the love she has shown us!
April is survived by her adopted family, the inhabitants of a small island called Orcas.
She will be greatly missed, yet, during a full moon, if you look closely, you may see her jumping over that moon looking down and mooing with delight.

I could not resist taking a picture of this t-shirt. The fellow in the t-shirt may have been a little miffed that I didn't get his face, but I was quite taken with the shirt!

In my limited time, I scan my Facebook page, try to Tweet something, respond to Linkedin requests, and now...Google +
And every once in awhile, I come across something that makes me pause and think...get quiet...stop the incessant buzz of communication...something that begs me to ponder it. I don't even know where I saw this now and it was supposed to be posted several days ago, but I got repeatedly interrupted by life.
But I really like this and wanted to share it.

Using the picture from Rachel, it was time to create a new display for her incredible cards for sale. Her work generates a lot of interest and people are surprised and pleased to be able to purchase a card here at the Blue Heron B&B for friends and family.



I just received this beautiful print from Camp Smartypant's owner and artist, Rachel Beyer. It now frames the area where we sell Rachel's cards. How can you not 'Be Happy' when you see this amazing array of bold colors and patterns! Camp Smartypants has a whole line of products at Etsy online. Check out the website for more info...campsmartypants.etsy.com

I love Craigslist! I needed a small closet upstairs with shelves to hold cleaning supplies, extra glasses, towels, etc. It couldn't be too wide or guests would not be able to manuever their luggage around it. And look what we found in Portland! It totally looks like it came with this 101 year old house and the price was unbelievable. For 5 years, we hauled up cleaning supplies or made a zillion trips up and down the stairs for one extra glass or one extra towel. This saves so much time and so many trips! Brilliant move...absolutely brilliant!

Every time I drive into Eastsound Village, I experience our local hardware store. In fact, you drive right through piles of lumber and small machinery. Visitors to the island are not sure how to interpret ths sign:

Yes, there are 2 old gas pumps and sometimes a cash discount. You will also see some handmade signs for popcorn...last chance for lumber...slow for congestion. Really? LA is congested, Seattle is congested...but Orcas Island??

There is a promotion here on the San Juan Islands each year in October called, "Savor the San Juans". At the Blue Heron B&B, we will be having chess tournaments on the weekends in October. If you stay here, your entry fee is waived and you get a 10% discount on the rooms. Here are 3 of the sets that will be used in the Savor Competition Chess Tournament at the Blue Heron.

There is great excitement when a little killer whale is born in the San Juan Islands! The naturalists are astounding the way they can identify these whales and even name the parents.This was just too cute not to share (from Tom Averna with Deer Harbor Charters)...

Here's the "official" photo from the Center for Whale Research of little J-49, born yesterday around noon on the west side of San Juan Island. The mom is J-37, Hy'sqha.

The saying that "it's the small things that can make us happy" is very true in the case of my new reading glasses. I tried keeping my 20+ years' frames together with duck tape. However, they slid down my nose, hung crooked on my face, and generally made my favorite thing in the world to do...reading...a bit of a challenge.

Not having any vision insurance was the primary reason for the delay. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I got a 25% discount for using cash (credit card actually) and the optometrist did one $90 test for free. Then I scurried over to Costco for new frames and lenses and wa-la! My world is once again expanded by the written word on the page of a good book!

Despite the predicted heat today (I know, 80 degrees is considerd cool in a lot of areas!), the morning here at the Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast was filled with baking for the day. First, we started with homemade baked granola as the first course for breakfast followed by Eggs Florentine and Blueberry Banana bread. The Orange Pecan muffins are prepared in advance for another breakfast and the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies are for later in the day. It did occur to me that sometimes I feel like the witch in Hansel and Gretel fattening up our poor unsuspecting guests for who knows what!

It's always fun to set up a room for a special occassion. We provide balloons for birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings. Often, we will get friends or family members wanting to purchase wine or flowers to surprise someone. In this case, a couple from Ashville, NC, are coming here for their honeymoon and staying in the Walrus Room. Their friends wanted to surprise them with a bottle of champagne. I really wish they would get here soon...the ice is melting in the bucket as I write!

These magnificent flower boxes are on loan for the summer to the Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast. When you are having breakfast in the dining room, you are looking out the window at these vibrant colors and beyond to the bright blues of West Sound Bay and the white sails of the moored boats. Truly spectacular!

I couldn't resist sharing these photos! It has nothing to do with our bed and breakfast other than we allow pets and have had dogs of all kinds stay here with their awesome owners.I hope you enjoy these as much as we did!

This is the busiest summer that we have had here at the Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast since we opened in 2005. We feel very fortunate to have such wonderful guests and be so full! However, we are not sure that the help will make it through the season...

Pulaski, Pet Host, is already exhausted.

Max is one of our special guests this summer at the Blue Heron B&B. One blue eye, one brown eye; this short little charmer scampers around inspite of old age and a noticeable thyroid condition. Oh, that we should all have so much joy, even in our infirmities!

There is a new lawn mowing service at the Blue Heron B&B. This was taken this morning. By evening, there were four young bucks in the backyard. They are very bold and just look at you when you approach them. Some of our guests love them, some are wary, but everyone gets their cameras out to take a picture of nature on Orcas Island!

Who does not like a garage sale? How much better does "estate sale" sound? After breakfast, we rushed to our neighbor's house to see what they were selling in an impromptu sale that only this side of the island knew about.We were half an hour after the sale started and folks had trucks backed up loading the goods. When is the last time you saw things for 5 or 10 cents? How about nice wooden chairs for $5?
I am doubly thrilled when I buy something I actually need. I spotted a heavy green metal signpost that I thought our entrance sign would look great on. I tentatively asked, "How much do you want for this?" and held my breath. She hesitated and then said, "How about $2?" I couldn't believe my ears! Later I realized that she probably thought no one in their right mind would buy an old heavy green metal signpost, but I love it!!

While organizing brochures, maps, and various publications concerning travel and activities, I ran across "Orcas is for Families". They have a very newsy website that is kid friendly and interesting if you want to know what's happening on Orcas Island, WA. Check it out at http://orcasfamilyfun.com/

One of the most amazing experiences in the San Juan Islands is to go whale watching. Our favorite tour operators are Dan and Denise from Eclipse Tours orcasislandwhales.com. The boat is large, warm, and well-equipped. It was another wild and carzy day on the water which meant that the wonderfully kind naturalists, Deb and Mary, had to issue me wristbands that prevent you from upchucking. We were informed that if you get sick, go out on the side with the wind blowing away from you. YUCK! Unfortunately, the little baby didn't get that message and what a mess! But then, a peaceful sleep overtook the baby and I was kind of envious.
Speaking of babies, the cutest thing we saw was the new baby playing with her family. She actully looked kind of orange. Very sweet! Looked like mom, dad, uncle, aunt, etc. You know...black and white, fin on the back...
We took tons of video, but pretty much this is the best shot. I like it becasue it's unique. It looks like the orca is waving at us.

Creepy Caterpillars

In tonight's "Orcas Issues",  an online local newspaper, there was an article on the tent caterpillars that are invading Orcas. They are doing harm to trees, roses, raspberry bushes...just about anything their little tiny teeth can bite into! So far, here on our property on West Sound Bay, we have seen very few. However, according to Lin McNulty, the writer of this story, there are places on Orcas were they are like a plague.

I love McNulty's last lines, "There is a soft sound that accompanies this blot on the landscape. It sounds like rain. It’s not. It is the caterpillar waste dumping on the ground."

Creepy.

I received a wonderful poem today, If Once You Have Slept on an Island, by Rachel Field. I immediately put it in a frame and placed it in the living room. It is about never being the same after sleeping on an island..."you'll see blue water and wheeling gulls" and "hear ship whistle and lighthouse bell." How true!

And how changed are us who have now chosen to live on an island?

This summer, when it is so crazy busy here at the Blue Heron B&B, you will find me taking ICE CREAM breaks at the Deer Harbor Marina. They have the best hand-dipped ice cream on the island!
Yes, I was there today having my first cone of the year...peanut-butter fudge! YUM!

We were able to get away before our busy season begins here at the Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast. We took our RV to Lopez Island and I do believe we were the only campers in all of SPENCER SPIT STATE PARK. We stayed 2 nights, bicycled into Lopez Village, had a chocolate malt at the Soda Fountain, toured the museum, cooked dinner over a campfire and hiked in the rain.