Ready or Not, Here Comes Seventy

 

My birthday breakfast bash

Back in the 1950s I was once a very sick, hospitalized baby. 

In 2016 while vacationing in Central Europe I was blissfully unaware I was not in stellar condition. I returned home, to discover my gall bladder was merrily rotting away in my abdomen. Surgery followed.

In 2018, in order I had the flu, that morphed into pneumonia that took me to the land of sepsis. Everyone but me was concerned for my existence. My doctors said they were amazed that I pulled through. 

And in 2019, in the wee hours one night a plummet down my stairwell may well have 'done me in'. I got off with only a broken arm, a cracked rib, an eggplant colored face and a few weeks of PT.  

My pulmonary doctor, back in Sacramento some years ago, post my sepsis adventure, read my med records. He tsked, then told me, 'You have more lives than a cat.' So... I guess I have 5 lives left to squander.

To celebrate those remaining lives, my friend Barb decided to celebrate my 70th birthday with my favorite meal, which is breakfast. So she baked fresh cranberry scones and buds Judy, Diane, Ingrid and Nita came by to help celebrate. 

Seventy. Hell, my inner Claire isn't a day over 35. She lives in her 'Happy Place'. 

Lavender Season in Sequim

There comes a time in every S'quimer's heart when the urge to forage overwhelms, and one must go out to pick sweetly scented lavender. This was my first time picking lavender at a couple of the numerous lavender farms around Clallam County. It wasn't possible last year because Covid happened so all farms were closed. 

So with friend Barb, we headed just up the road a bit to Jarden du Soleil, a lavender farm I've had my eye on for ages. I mean, they have chickens and goats to pet. And ice cream... lavender ice cream. 

Loved the suggestions on how to spend one's time.

It was mid morning so the air was crisp and cool, perfect for lavender picking. First I picked up a green twistie and a pair of scissors in the cute little farm shop seen above. Barbara checked out all the lavender essential oils which are made on the farm. She chose one that had the sweetest scent to her
nose. I went for a small lavender infused chocolate bar (oh, you'd have gone for one too!), a cute embroidered sheer lavender sachet bag and a cunning little light switch plate featuring lavender swigs. Shortly thereafter I headed out to the lavender fields to pick to my heart's contentment. 

Acres and acres of purple beauty

 The farm has honey bees, but there was a great contingent of bumblebees also digging around for lavender nectar. I wish the farm sold lavender honey, freshly made by their honey bees. 

Barb, dressed in lavender for her shopping spree

I was quite happy with the lavender I picked. There were several different varieties, some in different shades of purple, and there were several bushes with white lavender buds as well. 

B&B Family Farm

Next we drove over to a second lavender farm, the B&B Family Farm. Didn't do any lavender picking there, but did stop into their farm store. Both Barb & myself found some goodies to indulge in. I went overboard in purchasing some lavender woods scented mini-candles. There will be additional Lavender Farm exploring before the season ends, 

You can find vast fields of lavender all over Sequim. Take that France!

Not a bad haul for five bucks

Up Top - Deer Creek Road

Up a'top Deer Creek Road, Olympic National Park

For no good reason drove on up to the top of Deer Park Road. It is a lesser known fragment of Olympic National Park. The road is steep, curvy and guaranteed to scare the crap out of anyone with a fear of heights - specially if they hate being able to stare out the car window and see a mile long drop through the pines. Thankfully, I was born, height-fear-free.

Mountaintop signage

Tiger Lilies

Delightful to find the wildflowers are still to be found at these elevations. My favorite was Tiger Lilies. Haven't seen any since visiting Del Norte County in California, a zillion years ago. 

Indian Paintbrush

Another gorgeous wildflower was scarlet and yellow Columbines.

Harebells

At the mountain top I spent some time birding, but the little buggers were so fast, and so far off it was all I could do to identify a few chickadees and a crow or three. At times like that, you can appreciate photo targets that are not only close by, but that hold the hell still, like the blue Harebells on the left. 

This was my second drive up Deer Park Road. This time at the top, I took a road I haven't noticed on my first visit. Drove up to the very tippy top from which I could view the Dungeness Wildlife Refuge at the Salish Sea's edge, and even the area where my property is could be viewed. 

Several other cars were also up on the mountaintop, all sitting and gazing at the scenery. 

The Salish Sea, edged by Dungeness National
 Wildlife Refuge, way out there in the distance

Eventually I headed back down off the mountain. You know I took even more photos of wildflowers on the long drive downhill. 

Lupines

Penstemons

It is wonderful having a National Park as an elaborate extension of my own backyard.