Learning Clipping Masks

Buttefly from the Butterfly House on Mackinac Island

1st Day of Kindergarten

Parish Picnic

Digital Designs By Lisa

Template #6

Neutral Paper #1

100% Boy Kit

For Your Information

This is Salal and it has these little black berries. They apparently are good to eat. At least my 2 year old thought they were. It is a native to Washington plant.

According to King County: The single best ground cover for northwest gardens, salal is a do it all plant. Long recognised as one of the best foliage plants for flower arranging, it is also one of the most adaptable in the native repertoir. It can be grown short, if pruned back, hedged into wave like drifts, allowed to grow rampant and irregular to five feet or more. It will also grow where almost nothing else will, in deep understory forest groves, moist or dry soils, in full sun or deep shade. It does have a harder time in full sun, but if well watered or near the coast, it can survive. It does not transplant well, but it is generally available at garden centers.

It is edible: Its dark blue "berries" (actually swollen sepals[1]) and young leaves are both edible and are efficient appetite suppressants, both with a unique flavor. Salal berries were a significant food resource for native people, who both ate them fresh and dried them into cakes. They were also used as a sweetener, and the Haida used them to thicken salmon eggs. The leaves of the plant were also sometimes used to flavor fish soup.[1]
More recently, salal berries are used locally in jams, preserves and pies.[1][3] They are often combined with Oregon-grape because the tartness of the latter makes up for the mild sweetness of salal.

My Fall Wishlist

Coldwater Creek $24.99

Coldwater Creek $49.99

with shell $24.99

Frustration

I am trying to plan at least one night, preferably a whole weekend away without kids or husbands....where does a single person go? I can't find anyone to go with me or meet me someplace relatively inexpensive. So, now I am looking for someplace to go by myself. Where to go...I probably won't do anything by myself other than sit and read...maybe I need to find a state park that rents cabins and just go there...at least I would be away.

Maybe I should go to Cama Beach State Park - it is only $62 per night + tax...hmmm

Deluxe Cabins - There are seven deluxe cabins. Each is 14'x28' in size with a living room and kitchen area, bedroom and small bathroom with shower, toilet and sink. Deluxe cabins have one double bed and two twin-size beds and sleep 4 to 5 people. Cabin amenities are electric heat and lights, refrigerator, microwave and sink. The cabins are set above the beach, with a view of the water. Linen service is not currently available. Guests need to take along their own bedding, pillows, towels, cookware, dishes and utensils.

Photo Shoot

My friend Rose over at Rosemary Wagner Photography took my boys pictures today. If anyone knows anything about my boys it is that they never both cooperate at the same time. The weather was iffy, so we opted for an inside photo session at her studio on First Hill. We arrived and she had brought her kids with so they immediately started playing, putting my boys at ease in the space while Rose and I set up. (For those that don't remember, I also work seasonally for Dorian Studio with the schools for homecomings and PROM and I work with Rose (who moonlights), which is how I know her.) We then got the boys together in a little radio flyer wagon I had brought (Thanks Tina!!!). I can't wait to see how the pictures turned out...the boys were dressed in blue jeans, white shirts, and bare feet. Couldn't have been cuter, except for the second outfit I brought...Wyatt a blue/red airplane shirt and Connor a plain red shirt. We got the boys individually and then together without the wagon and then with a desk. Can you tell, I am super excited about this...I can't wait to see them....alas, it will be up to a month because Rose is so super busy mom and photographer with a growing business. Which is actually quite standard....so in the meantime I will just wait and recommend her to anyone wanting some high quality photos of their family. Check out her website to see some of her work...tell her I sent ya!!!