Baking up a storm!

After a very busy weekend, full of sun and music, today was definitely a get to work day down on The Funny Farm. The back yard garden patch needed weeding and watering, and most importantly of all, harvesting! The tomatoes are turning, and the summer squashes are spewing forth. So much so, it was time to bake up a storm this evening.

Luckily  for heat wimp me, it was cooler today. First, I baked up a batch of curried eggplant slices for tomorrow's dinner (thanks greenhouse). Next, it was time for a double batch of cheesy zucchini mini breads with parsley and chives (all from our garden patch). Then, it was on to two trays of chocolate chip cookies, just because the oven was already on and the bread was still rising. Finally, we needed some breakfast breads, so, into the bread machines went orange currant bread and buttermilk apricot bread with almonds. I like to use the dough setting for these sweet breads and then form them into small loaves to be baked in the oven. After all the baking, the house is warm and smells incredible!

It felt good to escape the sun today. Ari and I got a little too toasted by it while attending the Blue Grass Music Festival on Bainbridge Island on Saturday. We'd never been to Bainbridge before. It was a lovely ferry ride over, and the island is pretty, lots of green and trees. We'll be back.

On Sunday, the whole clan went to the Highland Games in Enumclaw. There were pipe and drums and lots of marching about. We saw many mad Scottish athletic events and loved the modern bands playing at the main stage. Our favorite for the past few years is a band called Brother. These three guys combine the didgeridoo with page pipes and a bit of punk - awesome fun! While haggis was an option, we opted to dine on mini shepherd's pies instead. Mixed in with the tartan clad crowd were assorted fairies, pirates, and recent escapee from the ren faire. We had a terrific time!

Beauties and the Beasties

Anni and Ari picking pumpkins at South 47 Farm.

Anni being a sunflower.

Another sunflower (not as cute as Anni)

Male red wing blackbird on top of dying sunflowers.

His mate a few flowers over.

A very friendly little Nubian goat.

And we all loved this little chocolate alpaca.

We took a walk along the Sammamish River trail last week before the sun disappeared. We saw this extra large turtle soaking up the rays on the embankment.

The Canada geese were also out in force.

The foliage is beginning to turn and the berries brighten. All was beautiful until....

Someone let the rain fall AND the beasties out, the scary beasties, the ZOMBIES!

Saturday was Thrill the World when groups around the globe combine to try to break the world record for dancing Thriller for charity. Can you spot me?

Here's another chance. Our group was raising money for the 2nd Story Rep children's theatre education program.

EEK! Ari is about to get her brain eaten.

Day Tripping

Today, Alex, Ari, and I went day tripping to the Port Townsend area

with our friend, Lisa. We had a delicious lunch in town, and then headed out to Fort Warden to explore.
The old batteries are full of stairways

doorways,

nooks and crannies.

Captivity.

Freedom.

Who can be found in a repurposed circle?

Ari and Alex.

And who is hiding behind the patina door?

Demon boy!

And a special treat way up in the tree.

Bald eagle in big nest!