More about Port Townsend

 I always bring good weather to Port Townsend.  Otherwise the best weather only is in 2 1/2 months of the year.  It really doesn't get tons of rain like Seattle because it is in the rain shadow of the Olympia Mountains.  But the mountains don't stop the overcast, fog and wind which is especially prevalent at my sisters house since it is right smack dab on the edge of the Puget Sound.

So we had all 10 days of wonderful weather!

City Hall

Old Town Lighthouse

My very favorite of the Victorian buildings in town.

Near where we ate lunch.

You can see by the shadows that we ate lunch late.

The Fountain

A gentleman in the 1800s put up this statue to honor the memory of his father and brother.  Through the years she has been dressed in all different kinds of dress to commemorate holidays and events.  I think the times are more sedate lately, it was 4th of July weekend and she wasn't dressed up in bunting or something.

Fort Warden is an old fort that has been decommissioned and is used for all sorts of classes and events.  The lighthouse is at the northeast tip of the fort property.  They even have an RV campsite there.

The lighthouse and Marine Science Museum near Fort Warden

Fort Warden

Wildflowers along the road

In the art garden behind an art gallery

Farmer's Market in Port Townsend

Every week they have a wonderful Farmer's Market in Port Townsend.  It was pretty crowded so didn't take many photos inside the market.

 Lots of beautiful plants for sale.

 And lot of fruit and veggies!

 There is lots of different kinds of cooked foods and lots of art and craft displays.

And a lot of organizations represented!  This photo is from the display at "The Gathering Place" booth.  The Gathering Place is a special place for adults with mental challenges.  It is really a special place.  They have many classes for the "clients" to learn all kinds of activities.  And they have lots of fun with their fundraiser which is making doggie treats to sell.  It is a great organization and I wish we had one like it here.  They also sell calendars every year with paintings from the town artists, of which there are many.

They have a band playing some great music and other forms of entertainment.

A little park area adjacent to the market

Another bit of entertainment

One of the side streets.


More photos tomorrow, too!

Back Home from Port Townsend, WA

I have returned from my trek to Port Townsend, WA to help my sister and her husband pack for their move to Tucson, AZ.
 

Seattle's waterfront from the ferry.

The Space Needle always reminds me of "Frasier".

Lots of space on the ferry on such a beautiful day.

 

A few pictures of their yard to set the scene!

From the master bedroom

A cruise ship from Seattle leaving for Alaska

We worked really hard packing boxes but we did take time off here and there. 

We had to visit the Farmer's Market and I'll post photos tomorrow.

Coming Home!

Today, I am flying home from Port Townsend.  I hope to post pics tomorrow!

Japanese Plate

I use this plate a lot for pot lucks.  It is so colorful!

There are two maker marks underneath, both of them characters.  I assume this plate is Japanese, but for all I know it could be Chinese.

Hobnail

I have never really appreciated hobnail glassware until lately.  Maybe I saw so much of it growing up that it just wasn't special to me.

 But this is a very pretty little vase.

Spoons

These are some little spoons I have been given through the years.

Isn't the little teapot spoon the cutest thing!

The white spoon is ceramic and very pretty but just doesn't want to take a good photo.

Got Eggs????

This Chicken was my great great grandmother Maxon's.  I was always told it was for storing eggs.

In 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay Area.  The chicken was on a curio shelf in my Aunt's home.  The whole curio case came down and the bottom of the chicken was cracked.  We glued it back together since it is a family heirloom and now she sits on her eggs in my china closet.

What are these for?

 I assume these little bowls are have a particular use.  The Japanese one is probably for soy sauce or ginger?

The little Japanese bowl does not have any maker marks on the bottom but has characters on the top side.

The little aqua bowls are very delicate and have a Japanese or Chinese maker mark.

Cups again!

This time we have 2 cups and saucers and little salt and pepper shakers.

 This one is another little lady cup.  I just can't picture a man trying to look dignified holding on to that little cup handle.

Estd 1875, Queen's, Fine Bone China, Made in England, "Moss Rose" Countryside series

 This one was made in Japan and looks like it would be used for tea.

 It has little round legs on the cup.

Hand Paint, Nippon

 These little salt and pepper shakers were my Grandma Daisy's.  Each one is different and very small.

No maker marks on them

What are you doing for the 4th of July?

My favorite holiday at Ardenwood is 4th of July.  But often I am off traveling on that day.

 This year I will be up in Port Townsend which I LOVE on 4th of July.  They load all the fireworks on a barge and tow it out in this little bay off Fort Warden, Port Townsend, WA.  All the townspeople gather with picnic dinners on the beach of this bay, some of them take their boats and are out in the Puget Sound behind the barge, and all ohhh and ahhh all the fireworks!

Ardenwood may be a bit different this year.  There are never fireworks permitted there and they close around 5pm.  Families all gather on the lawn to hear the speeches against the right for women to vote, play tug-of-war, bucket brigade, pie eating and watermelon seed spitting contests.  And of course, there are tours of the house.  And tons more.......

But this year the East Bay Park District employees are talking about going on strike..... That will mean no organized outdoor activities.  But the house is owned by the city of Fremont and 99% of the labor involved is volunteer so it will be open.

I hope the families come with balls and ropes and buckets and croquet sets and have a great old fashioned time without the park employees.  So there.

Travel Day!

I am off to the airport to go up to Port Townsend, Washington to help my sister and brother-in-law pack for their move to Tuscon, AZ.

Even normally it takes a bit to get up there.  20 minutes to Oakland airport, air travel to Seattle, shuttle to the ferry, ferry across the Puget Sound (wonderful ride) to Bainbridge Island.  Then they will meet me and 90 min trip up to their place in Port Townsend.  This time it will be a little bit more of an adventure.  Yesterday BART, Bay Area Rapit Transit, is on strike.  I wasn't planning to take BART to the airport, which is a very good system, because my dear hubby wants to see me off personally.  But, since all the people that use BART to get to work will now be finding a way on the roads.....the question is:  HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD I ALLOW TO GET TO THE AIRPORT??  and then add in the "4th of July everybody else is flying"factor.....HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD I ALLOW TO GET THROUGH SECURITY??  So I'm listening to the radio this morning to get a sense of how it will go tomorrow morning.


This will be a bittersweet trip.  I will probably be saying goodby to Port Townsend, since my sister won't live there any longer.  I do love the place and the people and will miss them.

It will be hard on them moving from their home; both the move itself and leaving friends.  (Although their good friend will have a guest room for them whenever they want to visit!)  How perfect, when it gets too hot in Tucson, it will be perfect weather in Port Townsend!

I will be back in a 10 days and should have lots of pics!  But in the meantime, I have some more cups and saucers that will post while I am gone.

And some more cups and saucers!

Three more cups and saucers!

This is very pretty but a little ostentatious for me

The design on the inside of the cup

Aynsley, England, Bone China, C878

 This one is such a pretty blue.

Floral, Bone China, Staffordshire, England

 This one is so Grandma Daisy!  She loved violets.

Bone China, D4,Colclough, Made in England, A product of Ridgway Potteries LTD.  The pattern is "pastel violets".