Wednesday, September 26, 2007

A September Wedding in Maine


Congratulations to the happily married couple! Here's to Kim and Caleb Dubois!!! May your lives be long and filled with laughter and love.


Rob and I traveled to Maine for the wedding of our good friends Caleb and Kim in September and from the moment we stepped off the plane to the last day there we both agreed it was GOOD to be back!




As with all of our Bowdoin friend's weddings we have been attending over the last year, we were so excited to be with them all again and to see how the personality of the bride and groom would shine through the details of their wedding weekend extravaganza!






Caleb and Kim's wedding location could not have been more perfect for them! Set against the beautiful Maine coast, sitting atop a hill overlooking an apple orchard, we all gathered for the ceremony under a bonnie blue sky and a big yellow sun....needless to say, we were blessed not only with good company, but great weather! The whole weekend had been filled with laughter, jokes, and general debauchery, but most of all, everywhere I looked there was a smile on some one's face.



Pretty much the whole lot of us stayed at Jed's family's summer home in Christmas Cove in Damariscotta, Maine. http://www.damariscotta.com/



Thank you again Jed! What a spectacular view we shared there from the sweeping porch overlooking the sea. I loved sitting out the morning of the wedding looking over the rocky coastline of Maine, so like my Orcas Island in Washington State. The whole weekend brought me back to a combination of home and Bowoin. Well, both were my homes for many years and it was wonderful to be able to think of that during our time up in Maine.


As always, we teared it up on the dance floor and it certainly seemed some young ladies had the upper hand! Rob and Scott certainly enjoyed their time out with these lovely flower girls!




After a long night of dancing, jumping in the ocean, and who knows what else, Rob and I found ourselves on the road again headed down through Brunswick and decided to stop and say hello to the Polar Bear.




We will miss our beautiful Maine, our friends, and our school, forever and always in our hearts....Beautiful Bowdoin.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Orcas Island Visit Home

Orcas Island looking out from Turtle Head Mnt.



Rob and I were both lucky to be able to visit my family home this August...and what a spectacular visit West it was to sunny Orcas Island! No rain you say? Well, not anything worth mentioning. It is easy to forget in our sticky Virginia summer climate how refreshing and cool it is on the coast of Washington State.


My Sister - Val - Posing in Kirkland



Going back home for Me went a little like this: Sitting in the ferry landing with my sister, I look out on the cool ocean water of the Puget Sound and remember as my eye moves across to the mountains and a towering sea of green on every peak and valley. The breeze picks up and a flock of sea gulls coast by the line of cars ... I feel calm and clean with the grit of yesterday's travel washed away. Bustling summer adventurers weave in and out of the ferry lanes, but I think I recognize one family and a man with a large dog. The casual flowing shirt and loose, worn khaki shorts walk past me in an easy going gait that I immediately associate with people and life on Orcas Island. I don't really know the person or family, but they seem so familiar..... I was lucky to have grown up here.

Val, Pete, Me, and Noah...all grown up, sort of

After a full day meeting my Mom and picking Rob up from the Mnt. Vernon train station, stopping at our favorite Co-op with it's crunchy granola awesomeness, we finally made it across the sound on Orcas! I think the most captivating sight for me coming home is watching the ferry come in to the Orcas Island ferry dock and then the drive up and around the hill, twisting down and through the dark evergreens lining each side of the two lane road that leads to home! It's always so beautiful and green, no matter what time of year.



Val, Rob, & Mom in front of the new Turtle Back Mnt. trail sign

Mom and Me on Turtle Back Mnt. enjoying our view


The four days home were not nearly enough time to be with family and friends again. Taking advantage of the beautiful weather, we went for our hike up Turtle Back Mnt. Rob, Val, Mom, and Myself enjoyed the physical exercise and the chance to talk about life, family, and plans.


Rob & Me on top of Turtle Back Mnt. Enjoying the view!



Rob and I try to make it up Turtle Back Mnt. every time we go back to visit Orcas. I took Rob on a Turtle Back Mnt. hike the first time he came to visit me on the island...It will forever be a special spot for us!


Dad, Me, and Rob on the job site


We visited Dad on the job and while there took the opportunity to take some action shots of the workers. With his trusty summer worker, Noah the boah, work on the house had never been so swift! They were hammering along when we arrived after our hike and the sun was beating down, but neither seemed to notice! So, we decided to distract them with the camera in the hopes of leaving for lunch soon...



Noah and Dad standing on the second level of the job, men hard at work!



After a great lunch on the boat with Dad and Anna they set sail for the afternoon as we headed back for a bit of a party Mom and Jocko were throwing for Rob and Myself....but not before a quick dingy rescue to get Noah's keys he left on the boat during our boat docked lunch!



Chester's Grave in the garden


It was beautiful coming back home to Mom's carefully tended garden. To stand out there, watching Noah and Rob play ping pong, take in the tall sunflowers poking their heads over the gate, seeing Chester's little cat grave sitting quietly near one of the garden trees, well, the whole scene made me stop and never want to leave the island again. I felt so happy to just be home again.



Mom's Garden



The party was a blast with family friends and delicious food. Rob and I are now proud owners of a beautiful hand made pottery plate with two Orca Wales encircling a ferry in celebration of our 1 year anniversary. Thank you Mom and Jock!!

Gallivanting from one place and one event to another was certainly challenging, but Rob and I managed to fit a lot in. Sailing with Dad and Anna on Saturday was great even if the skies were not picture perfect....We set sail around the island and had a bit of a thrill as the boat leaned over this way and that, Dad, Anna, and Noah working hard...Julie, Rob, and I not so much. It is wonderful to see Dad so in his element. Both he and Anna love to sail and I look forward to a long over night trip on the boat with them maybe north of the San Juans one of these summers. (Photos to come from Noah of the boat trip!).



Rob and I were able to witness the wedding of Alana and Jim that evening on a romantic spot near Deer Harbor. The skies parted just in time for the wedding and as dusk rolled in a big beautiful moon illuminated the festivities.



Rob, Noah, and Pete at Alana & Jim's wedding


Jock and Mom at the wedding




The last day on Orcas was very special for me. I spent a wonderful morning at Church with Dad. Noah, Pete, and Mom met us there and we heard an energetic sermon from one of the missionary workers in South America who spoke of stepping outside ones self and putting others first, loosing the selfish shroud we so often throw on....And then off to more outdoor activities. After catching an afternoon concert put on by the choral society in town Noah, Pete, Val, Julie, and Moriah and I trooped out to Cascade Lake to go fishing.




Val, Me, and Julie at Cascade Lake


It's amazing how we suddenly we slip back into former roles, the past comes rushing back to meet your present state, at least that's how I felt tramping through the forest trail in Moran State Park towards the Cascade Lake bridge. I suddenly felt as if I was back in Camp Orkila, Val struck up an old camp song and everyone followed suite as I captured it on video. The line of us marching with ores, plastic boat and fishing rods above our heads tugged at something in me and I suddenly did not want to leave this place! I wanted to stay at home and be a little girl again walking off into the woods thinking up grand schemes for elaborate forts, daydreaming about my grown up life as I go slipping through the woods pausing every now and then to examine a tree root formation that might catch my eye....Again, It was a great feeling to be home again.

Pete getting ready to launch off into the Lake



Noah Caught a Fish!! Wait, nope it's seaweed.




The real fish Noah caught!



And we all went merrily on our way. Many great moments and many more to come upon my next visit home.

Adios my dear readers.