Tag Archives: Leavenworth WA

Oct28

A Shuttle, Two Planes And A Bus

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A Shuttle, Two Planes And A Bus

Last week was a week of goodbyes and last times for 6 months. This was intended to be my last post from Leavenworth but has turned out to be my first post from Aguascalientes.

Saturday night was the last music night at the senior center. I will miss my group of friends there and the music we enjoyed throughout the season.

I went to church on Sunday and had one last brunch at the golf course with friends.

Monday night was my last life group for a while. This is the fourth year I’ve been in the group and will really miss our weekly times spent together.

Tuesday was farewell day to Wenatchee. Karen and I spent the day there and on our way back we hit the drive-thru at Wendy’s for one last frosty. We also had one last apple fritter from the bakery in Cashmere that day.

Wednesday was my last lunch at the senior center and my last bridge game with Hilda, Karen and Betsy.

Thursday Linda and I had one last lunch in Cashmere at Agave Azul. And I said goodbye to my tree, which has lost so many leaves.

On Friday I finished packing and went for one last walk with Joyce and Coco. I will miss our evening walks when I am back in Mexico.

On Saturday Ann took me to Peshastin to get the shuttle to Sea-Tac. Then a flight to LAX and then a flight to Guadalajara. The last leg was a bus ride to Aguascalientes.

It’s now Monday afternoon here in Aguascalientes, temperature in low 80s, bright and sunny.

I had breakfast at my favorite gordita stand. The lady who runs it welcomed me back. A 96 year old neighbor was there and we enjoyed a lively conversation. Apparently I haven’t forgotten my Spanish.

Tomorrow I look forward to spending the day with my friend Iracema and her one year old son.

Time for a siesta now.

Oct12

Into The Home Stretch

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Into The Home Stretch

Two weeks from today I’ll be on the Wenatchee Valley Shuttle headed for Sea-Tac. It feels like only yesterday it was the reverse. The past few months have passed by in a blur. The older I get the faster the time flies by.

Just the other day I told one of my friends that I don’t want to leave yet because there is still so much I want to do here. But the Reindeer Farm and an Amtrak trip will have to wait until next summer.

October is one of my favorite months here. The leaves on the trees are a glorious sight as they change color. The Autumn Leaf Festival and Apple Days are most enjoyable. Three weekends of Octoberfest are a bit much for my liking but are good for the tourism industry.

I’d like to share some of the beautiful fall colors here in Leavenworth.

And here is my favorite tree in Cashmere.

Jul20

I’m Always Packing

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I’m Always Packing

Another day, another suitcase to pack.

This past week was fabulous! Vacation Bible School was amazing. I immensely enjoyed doing craft and play with the preschoolers. We colored, glued, painted and played games. Each day the activity was geared toward the Bible point of the day.

I also spent the past week with friends in Dryden. We commuted to Leavenworth for Vacation Bible School. Of course that meant packing last weekend to spend the week in Dryden.

Today I am packing again. This time it’s a little more complicated.

I take the shuttle to Seattle on Monday where I will check into a hotel for the night. On Tuesday I fly to Kelowna to see my granddaughter. Maddie is 17 months old now and I haven’t seen her since she was 6 weeks old. Am I excited? Can’t wait to hold her in my arms!

Back to the packing. I’m also moving here in Leavenworth. If I get my act together I hope to move everything else over to my new home before I leave on Monday. It’s astonishing what I’ve collected in the past 3 months. Of course I did leave a few things here when I returned to Mexico last fall.

I’ll be back in Leavenworth in August and hope to begin posting more regularly. Until then, enjoy the summer and don’t even attempt to compete with my packing adventures.

Jul11

A Memory

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A Memory

I was sitting at the 76 this morning waiting for the 22 to head into town. I had a great view of Highway 2 here in Washington and the traffic going by.

It was the semis and the campers that caught my eye. And a memory that felt like yesterday.

My son was about 2 at the time and we were staying at a hotel on Highway 2 in Michigan. He sat staring out the window and was totally mesmerized by all the vehicles passing by. He clutched a handful of his own little trucks and cars, thoughtfully comparing them to the ones he saw on the highway.

It’s hard to believe that 37 years has passed by since that day……….

Jun23

Solstice Time

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Solstice Time

The summer solstice happened this week. To me it was just a day like any other, although some people engage in ceremonies to celebrate this event.

There was nothing too earth shattering in my life on June 21st, although thank you Amazon Prime for the timely delivery of my pastels and my sketchbook. That program I attended at the library really impacted me. Now I just needed to stay home long enough to create a masterpiece.

Yesterday morning I ventured down to the gazebo to watch the accordion parade. The International Accordion Festival is going on this weekend in Leavenworth. Later on today I’ll be attending a dinner outdoors with a view of the river. It’s a perfect venue where we will be serenaded by accordionists.

I enjoyed a leisurely brunch at the golf club today with my friends. We were disappointed that we didn’t see any deer today. Perhaps they’re hiding from the bears and cougars who have more than made their presence known in our town this season.

Cascade High School was the place to be yesterday afternoon when we attended a performance of The Jungle Book. Upper Valley Connection’s Icicle Players did a superb job.

Last night it was open mike at the senior center. Somehow I have become one of the regulars this year. Last night I sang only in English although I have done other selections in Spanish and in French.

Tomorrow we’re off to Ellensburg and then I’ll be working on crafts in preparation for Vacation Bible School.

Perhaps on Tuesday I may find time to play with my pastels after I teach a fitness class.

I was in Peshastin the other day and took photos of a beautiful rose garden.

Enjoy!

Jun4

Leavenworth Wildlife

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Leavenworth Wildlife

Spring is well underway and the warm temperatures bring with them animals that have been in hibernation all winter. The starving creatures have taken to venturing into the town in search of food.

Bears have ravaged through garbage cans and have sought out chicken coops. There are signs out warning people of their presence.

Waterfront Park has the above sign up. When you cross over the bridge to Blackbird Island, you come to an area that has had numerous bear sightings recently.

Bears have also been spotted up the Icicle near where I’m living right now. They are quite brazen and roam in the daylight as well as in the darkness.

Enchantment Park is close to where I live as well. I walked through it on Saturday just hours before a child was attacked by a cougar at dusk. Fish and Wildlife tracked the animal. I heard gun shots at around 1 am and was told that this particular cougar would not be prowling around our neighborhood anymore. But the warning signs are still posted everywhere.

Coyotes are also a nuisance and a friend saw a fox on their doorstep last week.

Image result for photos of coyotes

At least the carpenter ants and wasps have taken a break……

Jun2

Leavenworth Wildlife

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Leavenworth Wildlife

Spring is well underway and the warm temperatures bring with them animals that have been in hibernation all winter. The starving creatures have taken to venturing into the town in search of food.

Bears have ravaged through garbage cans and have sought out chicken coops. There are signs out warning people of their presence.

Waterfront Park has the above sign up. When you cross over the bridge to Blackbird Island, you come to an area that has had numerous bear sightings recently.

Bears have also been spotted up the Icicle near where I’m living right now. They are quite brazen and roam in the daylight as well as in the darkness.

Enchantment Park is close to where I live as well. I walked through it on Saturday just hours before a child was attacked by a cougar at dusk. Fish and Wildlife tracked the animal. I heard gun shots at around 1 am and was told that this particular cougar would not be prowling around our neighborhood anymore. But the warning signs are still posted everywhere.

Coyotes are also a nuisance and a friend saw a fox on their doorstep last week.

Image result for photos of coyotes

At least the carpenter ants and wasps have taken a break……

Jun1

My Calendar

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My Calendar

It’s Saturday June 1st already and I’m finally finding time to breathe again after a flurry of activity since I arrived in late April. This past week I was back to my Mexican plan of putting just one activity a day on my calendar and letting spontaneity happen.

Monday was Memorial Day and I was in writing mode. But the day dawned sunny and warm after several days of rain. I opted for a short walk instead.

Did I say short? Somehow it was two hours before I arrived back home. I walked up the Icicle and meandered through quiet streets. I walked along Highway 2 and was relieved that I wasn’t in the traffic going at a snail’s pace trying to leave town after a long weekend. I gave tourists directions and talked to people walking their dogs.

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I never did get around to writing much. But I did sort through photos, catch up on emails and make a few phone calls. Netflix eventually lured me and I thoroughly enjoyed that day to myself.

Tuesday morning I taught a fitness class and had lunch with a couple of friends. I was headed for home when a Link bus came into view headed in the opposite direction. Why not go to Cashmere and spend some time at Spirit of America? Of course I also stopped at the bakery for an apple fritter and signed up for an event at the library. I finally left Cashmere at around four o’clock.

I stayed in Leavenworth on Wednesday. Ann stopped by in the morning and we decided to pick up her dog and go for a walk at Sleeping Lady. I love the flowers and the river and the mountains, but another favorite is this spectacular glass sculpture by Chihuly.

After lunch at the senior center I went to the Leavenworth Library. I printed out a new exercise routine that I had collaborated on with the other instructors and then leisurely strolled through the stacks and selected some books to read. Books in English!

On Thursday I taught another fitness class and had lunch with friends. Then Linda and I decided to go to Walmart in Wenatchee. We got sidetracked on the way and stopped at Chavo’s in Cashmere for some agua fresca.

On Friday the only thing on my calendar was lunch at the senior center. However Linda, Karen and I wound up going into Wenatchee to see Rocketman.

Other than music at the senior center tonight, nothing else on my calendar for today…..YET!

290

May19

Community Bike Party

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The Chelan County Fire District 3 in Leavenworth was the place to be yesterday morning for the Community Bike Party. The sponsors of this event were Cascade Hospital and Cascade Medical Foundation.

My friend Linda is a board member and I volunteered to come along and help fit kids with helmets.

Both parents and children were most appreciative and excited. Over 200 helmets were given away, a huge increase over the 60 that were given away last year.

Children could also register for a raffle with bicycles as prizes. An outdoor hot dog barbecue was also popular.

This is a wonderful project that will greatly enhance the safety of cyclists in the area.

Apr30

Adios Aguascalientes Hola Leavenworth

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Adios Aguascalientes Hola Leavenworth

The three months in Aguascalientes flew by. The Feria had just begun when I found myself on an overnight bus bound for Puerto Vallarta, home of my favorite airport in Mexico. Interesting how I now consider this city to be a commute to an airport rather than a beach destination.

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My direct flight to Seattle was uneventful other than we arrived an hour early, I breezed through Immigration and my bag was the first off the carousel. The drive through the pass to Leavenworth was snow-free with minimal fog.

Wednesday was my first day back. My friend Ann and I ventured into Wenatchee to do some shopping. We stopped back at her home on the river where I snagged this photo of the view from her deck.

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After a fitness class and lunch at the senior center on Thursday, my friend Karen and I spent the afternoon together. First stop was the Sure To Rise Bakery in Cashmere for an apple fritter. J C Penney in Wenatchee was next where I found a new pair of New Balance track shoes. Then off to AT&T to get a phone chip.

On Friday Jessie picked me up and we drove out to Ingalls Creek Enrichment Centre for Camp Heartbeat. 31 4th-6th graders attended this event hosted by Leavenworth Church of the Nazarene. It was an amazing weekend bustling with activity. In addition to the chapel sessions, the kids did everything from zip line to cookie decorating. The first photo is the group of girls who were in my cabin. The second photo gives you an idea of the beauty that surrounded us. The third photo is the chalet where we stayed.

My friend Christina and I went out for dinner on Sunday when I returned from camp. Monday morning Karen and I were back in Wenatchee doing a CPR refresher course. This morning I taught a fitness class and had lunch after at the senior center. Then I was off to the library to pick up a book for book club.

Here are some photos of the trees in their spring glory.

Of course there is still snow up on the mountains………

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