Uncategorized | Love, Laughter, and Life

June 24, 2016
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Going to the Beach in Washington

Hayden, 7, at Owens Beach, Pt. Defiance, WA. The gray? Rain. Sheets of.

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

When in Washington (the state), going to the beach may look different than going to the beach in other locations.

For instance, one may need to wear a winter hat at our beaches.

Hayden, Audrey, and Khloe sporting layers, hats (including winter), and beach tools.

Sweatshirts may be required.

You will get wet. With rain more than salt water.

Barnacles and tiny crabs abound.

Picnics are held under shelter. Or you eat wet food.

Picnics under shelter keep the food dry.

Seagulls will peck open unattended packages and ruin the cookies.

Sand will be discovered in odd and stayed-in-the-van-how-did-sand-get-there places.

You will bring too many things in order to plan for any type of weather.

Gage, 1. The same beach and same age when Hayden first went to the beach.

You will take home more than you bargained for. Some of those things will smell after a day or so.

Laundry and deep cleaning will be necessary once you get home.

He who wanted to throw himself into the water. Or eat sand. It was hands-on-Gage for one adult at all times.

Wet, cold, damp, briny kids smell just like that in the close confines of a van. Wet. Damp. Cold. Briny.

Umbrellas are often in use.

Can you see the little feathery barnacles? The openings are ones that are feeding.

One might wear a camera around the neck, but it will be covered with a plastic grocery bag that is tied tightly to keep out the rain. And sand. And stuff.

Water sandals are the perfect shoe. Waterproof and protective against stones.

Seals will wonder what you are doing. Bald eagles will soar, seagulls will annoy, ferries will pass, squirrels will steal, raccoons will beg, deer will graze.

Looking at wildlife.

Those dead looking rocks with barnacle crusts are not dead. Just put them in a bowl of ocean water and see what happens.

Strangers are kind. They may even bring a new crab specimen and seaweed clump for investigation.

Our barnacle and crab observation project.

On rainy days, you will mostly have the beach to yourself.

You can still get sunburned if it’s raining and cold.

If you want to go to the beach, go. Sunny or rainy, windy or stormy, the beach is a wonderful destination. Just know that our beaches will not resemble southern beaches (most of the time). The water will not be warm. Body extremities will turn blue. Noses will run.

But it will be the beach.

The group – minus the photographer who quickly unwrapped the camera for a quick shot.

Layer up, my dears. Or at least plan for a variety of beach weather. This is the life of Washington beaches.

June 22, 2016
by Angie Leave a comment

What’s Your Fragrance?

Lavender, my signature flower

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

A few days ago, I was reading in 2 Corinthians, chapter 2. Immersed in the words, it took me a moment to realize that I was reading with a scent in my nose.

Tantalizing wafts of fragrance swirled through my thoughts.

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,” (2 Corinthians 2:14-15, ESV).

As the words I read floated through my mind, they were accompanied by the memories and aroma of lavender.

Lavender.

In my heart, Christ (and therefore God) has the refreshing, calming, soothing, and beautiful fragrance of lavender. He smells like lavender! The Peace that fills my soul and permeates my life is that of lavender.

Quiet. Peace. Reverence.

Is it no wonder that lavender is one of my favorite blooming herbs? I am drawn to lavender as the bees, seeking scent and beauty. I gently brush my fingertips along the flowers and attempt to capture the faint scent. Or I crush and bruise petals and stem between these wretched fingers, forcing the flowers to release their fragrance. For my benefit.

Isn’t that what happened so long ago? He was crushed and bruised, all to release the gift of His life, the fragrance of salvation. But that was not just for me. Rather, it was for all of us.

The fragrance of lavender.

Do you read with your nose? What fragrance is God to you?

Oh, to smell like lavender to those around us.

June 18, 2016
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Cherry Picking Time!

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

It’s cherry picking time in the Yakima Valley.

A total of 7 children and adults plus our tour guide Mr. T. visited a local fruit ranch to pick not-quite-full containers of fresh ripe delectable cherries.

Not only did we have fun traipsing through the cherry trees and orchard rows, the young fruit pickers learned several new things.

Picking cherries is harder than it looks.

It’s takes lots of cherries to fill even tiny buckets. Lots.

It’s more fun to visit and play than pick cherries.

Don’t use the port-o-potties (as advised by Mr. T.).

It was a great outing. Plus I have a big bowl of the yummiest cherries just waiting to be gobbled up.

Fresh and raw, pitted and baked. Any way, any time.

Cherry season!

June 16, 2016
by Angie 2 Comments

This Is My Dollhouse ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

This is what a homemade dollhouse looks like.

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

This Is My Dollhouse

By Giselle Potter

(Schwartz & Wade Books, 2016)

I’ve always loved dollhouses, so I was instantly attracted to This Is My Dollhouse.

A young girl uses an old box, craft materials, and toys to create and decorate her own dollhouse. Her imagination is in full swing as she makes food, clothes, and props for the little family that lives in her dollhouse.

Her friend, Sophie, also has a dollhouse. It is a fancy store-bought dollhouse with pretty furniture and a family. When the girl goes to visit Sophie and play with the dollhouse, their imagination is stilted and comes to a stand still.

After seeing Sophie’s dollhouse, the girl is afraid of showing her own dollhouse to her friend. But one day, when Sophie came to play, Sophie discovered the hidden house and was delighted. Many hours of creative play followed and the girl was once again pleased with her own dollhouse.

I don’t think this book is against store-bought dollhouses at all, but rather This Is My Dollhouse celebrates creativity and ingenuity of those who build from scratch.

It was so much fun to see the creativity of the young girl and the way she used her imagination to create scenarios and adventures for her little family. This book will inspire little ones to create from miscellaneous materials found around the house.

This is a little sewing room I made in a wooden box. Can you find the tiny mouse?

KID KANDY:

Make A Dollhouse

Materials: box (any size will work), cardboard, paper scraps, fabric scraps, ribbon, markers, scissors, tape, glue, toy figures, wood scraps or blocks

1. Make a dollhouse. You can use ANY type of container to make a little house. I once made one from a teapot! Cut cardboard and paper to make walls and floors. Ask for help in cutting a door and windows.

2. Use craft scraps and other materials to decorate your house. Add curtains, rugs, furniture, and whatever else you want. Use markers to add color.

3. Make your little family comfortable. Cut blankets, clothes, and other household necessities from your supplies.

4. Give your family (and their pets) names. You are now ready to imagine adventures for them!

P.S. This would be a fun activity to do with a sister, brother, or friend!

June 15, 2016
by Angie 5 Comments

How a Garden Transforms a Backyard

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

These are before and after pictures of our backyard. The after pictures are really just snapshots of specific moments in time, as gardens are always changing and evolving.

Nearly 7 years ago we purchased our home. Putterers by nature, we have planted, chopped down, removed, added, painted, built, dug up, relocated, and generally wrecked havoc (or as I like to say, made improvements in accordance to our tastes) with the yard. Front and back.

The above photo shows what the triangle garden looked like when we moved in.

This is the patio door overlooking the old cement triangle garden.

Here is Kevin digging out the cement to create a new garden area.

Here is a view of the new triangle garden, after many years of growth.

This is the view looking out over the old gravel bed.

Here is our view.

The old backyard view while standing at the house.

The same view a few years later.

The garden shed without any sunflowers or privacy fence.

Our well worn garden, including a privacy fence and garden beds.

My garden and backyard today.

What we’ve added: a dogwood tree, a brick patio (covered now by the sunflower forest), 5 garden beds, a flower bed, hundreds of plants, cedar privacy fence, a clothesline (behind the shed), underground sprinklers, shade curtains around the patio, and lots of love.

That’s my garden. What changes have you made in your garden?

June 14, 2016
by Angie Leave a comment

The Typewriter ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

What a vibrant cover!

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

The Typewriter

By Bill Thomson

(Two Lions, 2016)

There are not many words to read in The Typewriter, but oh, what a story they tell!

Three children out riding bicycles discover an old-fashioned typewriter on the back of a merry-go-round bee (the merry-go-round is not working). Fascinated, they place the typewriter on the ground and start to type out words. Very few words.

That’s because each word that is typed instantly becomes reality.

Beach. Ball. Ice Cream. Crab…

Each word does not come to life in the size one would imagine. Some are much larger. Imagine what would happen if a crab the size of an elephant appeared?

The children discover the ways of the typewriter and finally decide enough is enough.

I was enthralled by the illustrations and story line of this simple yet complex picture book. Readers will be surprised and enchanted as they read The Typewriter.

KID KANDY:

Typewriter Exploration

Materials: an old typewriter (the kind with a ribbon, not a printer), paper, crayons

Hint: Borrow an old typewriter or find one at a thrift store.

Welcome to old-fashioned computers!

1. First, you have to roll a piece of paper between the rollers on top. Turn the knob on the right side to advance the paper.

2. Now you are ready to type words or write a story. Start by typing your name.

3. Explore what each key does. Can you find the shift key? Punctuation marks?

4. To go to the next line to continue typing, you have to advance the paper again with the handle on the right side.

Fun, isn’t it?

5. Try typing single words like in The Typewriter. Use your crayons to illustrate your own story.

Dog. Cat. Cactus. Bee. Rain. Lightning. Car. Wind. . .

Anything could happen!

June 14, 2016
by Angie Leave a comment

What’s in the Garden? Edible and Not

Almost bursting open sunflower. As Kevin says, my sunflower jungle is alive!

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

I’m amazed at how quickly the garden is taking over the backyard.

I’m sad that several icky pests are winning and eating as much as they can (slugs, earwigs, pill bugs, and aphids). Since I prefer not to spray my garden with pesticides, it’s a daily battle to find those critters. Loss is expected.

Strawberries are still blooming, though they are exhausted!

But mostly, I’m happy to see this dirt produce food and beauty for our eyes, nose, hands, and tummies. I supposed I could add ears to that list, as the bees are a humming, though they classify as beauty not food. At least for us. The cats love to snatch and gobble them up.

Here are some things growing in the garden.

Oregano, much loved by bees, is heading towards full bloom.

Tea roses – beautiful though they were plagued by aphids early on in the season.

Creeping thyme, a walkable plant (you can walk on it). But watch out for bees!

Edible thyme is blooming.

Radishes are tasty and almost gone. Mmmm

Sunset lily. I love the color of these blooms.

Ripening Roma tomatoes.

The pumpkin plants that are threatening to take over our tiny backyard. Soon, it will be true.

Poor, sad, dwarfed okra. I’ve replanted 4-5 times. This is the best so far.

Wax beans love my back yard. Green beans? Not so much.

Dill entices more bees and is ready for canning.

Part of the sunflower jungle.

Lavender and friend.

Raspberries are coming on strong, much to the delight of the icky pests.

Baby zucchini.

The parsley is blooming. Those tiny sweat bees love this stuff.

Garlic. I have no idea when it is done!

Kale.

Baby yellow squash. If you squint, you can see someone else was impatient to try it. Go away, bugs!

Sage. This is also in bloom. But there is more than enough to go around. Five times around.

That’s my garden so far, all from the backyard. I’d be happy to share, especially the herbs. Has anyone else grown okra? What trick am I missing (other than heat, which I think it really needs)?

Happy tasting, smelling, seeing, touching, and hearing in your garden today!

June 10, 2016
by Angie Leave a comment

$125 Bucks Later …

Monet in one of her favorite napping spots. In her favorite position.

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

The first hint that something was wrong was the sound of the cat door furiously flapping.

The next hint was the flash of gray darting across the floor to the cat box. Monet had the kitty runs. Eww.

I mean the nasty smelly potty stops. While I’ve been there myself (though I don’t use the cat litter box nor do I go through the cat door), I’ve never seen a cat make a mad dash to the toilet!

Poor baby!

The dash and go lasted all evening and we were getting concerned. But since she continued to eat, drink, and play with her toys like a wild thing, we figured it would pass.

But this morning there was blood.

That definitely meant a trip to the vet. There was initial interest in the cat carrier by both girls, but the second I grabbed Monet to put her in, Mabel dashed off for hiding, afraid she would be next.

$125 bucks later, Monet was home. Colitis. Who knew cats could have that?

Cats eat all sorts of things. Especially Monet. She’s the wild girl and she very aggressively hunts, consumes, and shares her prizes. According to the vet, this is common.

No fever, healthy teeth, eating and drinking, playing, good fur, no temp = colitis and maybe a some worms (from eating before mentioned outdoor treats).

“Are you able to give her pills?” he asked.

“My guess is no, though we’ve never had to give them to her before,” I said. “Monet is our more intensive cat and pulls no punches when she plays. I’m guessing I would earn a bite or scratches from any attempts.”

This idea was confirmed when the vet came back with Monet after a little visit to the back room. “I did manage to give her a pill, but I had a technician and an assistant helping me. I gave her a shot. It’s not my first choice, but to prevent bites and scratches, it will be best for her.” (And me!)

As I thought.

How Monet loves to sleep.

So, guess what $125 buys? A vet inspection. A very strong antibiotic injection. One pill. Worming medication.

And a very happy-to-be-home cat who has already brought me a moth.

June 9, 2016
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Chester ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Chester

By Melanie Watt (and Chester)

(Kids Can Press, 2007)

Chester is a cat.

Not just any cat, but a very talented, imaginative, and creative cat.

Chester loves to be in the limelight. He also has ideas about what type of limelight and focus he wants.

And while Chester is all of the above, he is also – gasp – somewhat NAUGHTY!

Meet Melanie Watt, the author who is trying to tell the story of Chester, a very large calico cat who carries his own red correcting pen. At all times.

Meet Chester, the star of the book, who repeatedly hijacks the story and turns it to his own purposes.

Chester and Chester’s Back! are delightful, funny, and imaginative picture books. The voice of Chester interacts seamlessly with the author’s voice of Melanie. Kids will love Chester and his antics.

But beware, kids might get some ideas from Chester!

KID KANDY:

Make a Paper Plate Chester

Materials: wax-free paper plates, construction paper, scissors, glue, markers, crayons

1. Draw a cat face on your paper plate. Include eyes, nose, whiskers, and mouth.

2. Color your cat Chester colors (or any color you like – that’s what Chester would do).

3. Cut ears, paws, and a tail from construction paper. Glue them in place.

4. Cut a pen from construction paper. Make sure it is red! Glue it to Chester’s paw.

Now you have your own Chester. Both of you can make up your own stories!

Meow!