The Harvest Begins

We are land lubbers once again!

We arrived in Minnesota on Saturday September 26. We've come to help with the harvest and field work on the farm.

Sunday we attended church with Dean, Elizabeth, and Ethan, followed by a family dinner (noon meal) with an aunt, uncle, and cousin. I'll add a photo later if my cousin sends one by email.

Al spent a lot of time tinkering on machinery, anticipating the start of harvest soon. Silage cutting had been completed before our arrival.

I have visited the chicken house, tried to tame a few cats, patted Gus the dog, and made trips to both Worthington and Windom. Most activities involve chatting with my sister-in-law Elizabeth. We have taken the shutters off the house and primed them and will paint them tomorrow. I dug carrots and picked tomatoes from the garden. I've helped with dishes and laundry, and most evenings I cook supper while Elizabeth does chores with Dean.

Today the main event began -- combining!

Al rides along with Dean while clearing the end rows

Al unloading the first soybeans

Amy and Mike's Visit

Amy and Mike came west to celebrate their 30th Anniversary.  They were with us from a Sunday evening, through a Friday morning. During this time we cruised through the heart of the San Juan Islands, did the hike to the Turn Point Lighthouse, had cheeseburgers AND donuts at Roche Harbor, and had a walking tour of Friday Harbor.

We threw a crab pot over the rail, and picked up the biggest catch ever! (One of their daughter's sent t-shirts for them to wear. This was THE DAY of their Anniversary.)

Every one was a keeper! We kept them fresh in the 'crab prison'.

They were cooked and eaten the next while underway (Kristi at the helm)

Relaxing in Friday Harbor

Sister Time!

1 year ago - today

Maynard Johnson

Blake Island

We signed up to be volunteer park hosts for a week in August. But when we emailed to confirm our arrival, the Ranger tells us that there isn't a host there and we can come anytime! So we headed in a couple of days early.

Then we learned that there wasn't a new host coming until the Thursday after our planned Monday departure, so we extended a few more days.  The Ranger's wife even brought us some fresh foods, which made our extension a bit more comfortable.

Once our hosting duties were taken over by the new couple, we stayed on as guests, waiting for the ship carrying son Micah to hopefully return to port.

Lots of small fry in the water alongside the boat

A friendly host at the store

Deer graze peacefully

A helpful host on the dock.  He makes sure all boaters get 'the Raccoon Speech'  

Al claims that Blake Island is the Ninja Training Ground for Puget Sound raccoons. Park Aide Brandon drew this for us, after a conversation where we said we wouldn't be surprised if the local raccoons would soon be 'rolling' the campers, dressing and coming to the window of the store to buy ice cream.  That day, one HAD run off with a lady's fanny pack!

Deer 'at home' on the foundation of the Trimble Estate.

The Argosy lunch cruise boat arrives, a Ranger boat approaches, a Navy tug is available for the oiler coming around Restoration Point

We spent 12 days as hosts on Blake Island, and stayed another four as guests.  There was a very significant storm on Saturday.  Luckily for us, the worst of the winds occurred during low tide, which had us tucked down into the bowl of the breakwater.

We went to Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island to re-provision and visit the coffeeshops.  Today we learned that USS John C. Stennis is back in port!