Skagit Delta

John and Lori take Julia and me down the Skagit Delta on their boat yesterday to escape the heat.  Beautiful waterways, and with low tide, thousands of acres of sandy beach with no one near.  Oh, and a cooling breeze.

Charles at Cain's Lake

C and M are back from Michigan, still involved in selling their house back there and getting their possessions shipped, but taking a small break in their cabin nearby.  For Charles that means sunning, swimming, and painting.

Last week: Cleaning Spencers Rooftop Deck

Fir Island, Haying at Sunset

Lori shares a photo of the old tractor from the family farm still putting in the hours under a wild sunset.

A couple more photos from Mt. Baker

Ladder

The boys look industrious installing a new ladder on Charles's dock, but it was Melanie in the water, holding the crescent wrench under the dock who brought it home.

Snowater at Glacier WA

We are staying up by Mt. Baker on the Nooksack River with Spencer, Sally and Eddy for a couple of days.

Diablo Sunday

We make a Sunday journey up to Diablo Lake with the Bayview Hurds for blueberry picking, a boat tour, and a walk through old cedars.

Midweek camping

Our campsite in the woods -- best site in the park!

Walkin' the log . . .

Always Eason's favorite activity . . .

Tidal pool crab hunting.  There were billions!
Eason teamed up with a couple of other children for the hunt.

At the Antique tractor show.  This one announces that it runs on all grades of Kerosene.

This lucky guy (Eason said) was driving his tractor round and round the exhibition.

John Deere at the tractor pull. He didn't win.

Eason and I camp out at Birch Bay State Park, hunting crabs and toasting marshmallows,  then catch an antique tractor show over in Lynden, complete with tractor pull competition.  There were hundreds of tractors, steam powered, kerosene powered, gas powered, many over 100 years old.

Family Gathering for Julia's Birthday and What the Hey

Missing Kyra, Dustin, Allison, some Michigan Hurd's and all the Pennsylvania Hurd's.

Yay and Wah, wah!

Fun for Family from Lynne

In celebration of our big family picnic at our house last Saturday,
Lynne posts some botanical fun on her art blog!


We missed the Pennsylvania Hurd's.


(Ed: Event photos coming . . . . . . . . . . . .. )

Church Photos rom Slavko

Slavko donates his time for repairs to the Milna church. This last
time, after some work, he was alone in the church with his camera and
took advantage of that opportunity. Here are three photos he took that
I especially like.

Slavko writes: "As a redeemer for my soul I do some no paid work inside the church,
tomorrow will finish, and with the doors locked take some time to
photograph it whole, bit by bit. Strange feeling, locked inside, doors
and windows shut, people occasionally try to peek in."

Projects

Just finished the rain barrel that Julia got for Christmas.  Now, just need some rain.

Charles is: Finished for now

Seattle Lilacs #1:
The Adoration of the Chosen One

(Ed:  C & M are moving back to Seattle from their exile in Ann Arbor Michigan.  They show up in early August.  Charles has over 40 new, good sized paintings -- this is one -- that he needs to ship home.)

Artiste!

Eason gets those creative juices flowing!

Eason and I scribbled some fancy line work on this one!

Annual Stone Sculptors Event at Camp Brotherhood

Distance shot:  exhibit in foreground, working tents at rear

Wearing Eddy

Spencer and Eddy strike a pose . . .

God Provides . . .

In your Hour of Need.  Up Thunder Creek.

Thunder Creek

Julia pauses on our hike up Thunder Creek by Diablo Lake in the North Cascades.

The Last of this Year's Poppies

But what a lovely color.

Sunday walk

G'ma

Slavko is Finally Back in Milna

Hey John, finally got to the Ozzibozzo, as one English guy would
pronounce it, fresh morning, only a few people there! . . .
Milna at heat, some people died in meantime, some get born,
again,cycle of life at full spindle. Heat wave coming our way soon.

Eddy, Our New Grandson!

Sally and Spencer write:

"He is finally here! Redding Robert Conifer Holiday Hurd

arrived on Saturday July 2nd, 10:32 a.m..

We call him Eddy for short, not that his name is long or anything.

He came into this world at 8 pounds and 11 ounces and 20.5 inches."