Summer comes and goes quickly… As I mentioned we are back to school and ‘the routine’ while folks on Orcas are still enjoying the last scraps of summer till Labor Day. I’m enjoying our own last weeks of summer vicariously through our large roll of photo imports and the thankfully persisting warm days and evenings. So get comfy cause I got some highlights of summer photos to share!
Waking up at 4.30am at the Anacortes Inn, (it’s no Hilton but is clean and does the job) the day after landing in Seattle, patiently waiting for day break and letting my DOD (81yrs old) sleep till we can’t take it anymore… The first glimpse of summer from the Anacortes ferry landing.
The first ferry ride from Anacortes to Orcas…
A chilly 4th of July spent on a cliff watching fireworks with friends in Deer Harbor...
It was a full moon 4th. Photo by Chloe.
Warm, drizzly summer evenings…
…that turned into the most unusual lightning turn electrical, power outage kind of storms…
Loads of juicing after watching Sick, Fat and Nearly Dead…pineapples, kiwis, watermelon, pear, onion, broccoli, parsley, ginger… if it was fresh, we juiced it.
Homemade gluten free pizza… not too shabby- Made by Kellie Creamer, dear friend, nutritionist and partner in Pretty Stick, for poison free body care and makeup on Bainbridge Island.
A visit to our friend’s at Black Dog Farm for a little caprine time.
We milked a few goats…
so we could make fresh chevre…SO Simple… just goat milk and a ready to go culture from New England Cheesemaking or the likes.
Broccoli starts at Maple Rock Farm ready to go into the ground for fall harvest…
Nature taking care of the rubbish…
Summer wedding feasts… the portable smoker proudly produced one full size porcine…
Keg of hot water for the shellfish…
Enter Charleston SC… O dips his toes in the Atlantic… The next day at Folly Beach is his first swim. Laughter rose as he was cradled by it’s warmth…
Kids cool off from the cloak of heat and humidity…
Southern food pleases the soul… not the heart. Fried pickles… come to mamma.
Husk, 76 Queen Street, Charleston does indeed celebrate locally resourced southern ingredients.
Buttermilk fried chicken… save me. At Grill 225, Market Pavillion Hotel.
Back to Orcas for a couple more weeks…
Back on the farm, time to wander to the pond…
Sit and appreciate the stillness… listen to how nature spends it’s time…
Psychic chats with the deer… jk. Love them as long as they stay out of the garden.
The grill got it’s summer work out… My favorite method this year was laying a baking pan on top of the chicken with a few bricks. The meat was so tender. Here’s a recipe I didn’t use but looks good. Some people wrap a brick with foil and set it directly on the meat, but I liked using the baking pan.
An evening ferry back to the mainland, where we spend what has become a traditional evening before departure night with friends in Phinney Ridge.
And then we say …. until next time.
Wendy's Place 
I never tire of looking at your pictures. I feel like I just went on a mini-vacation… xox
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I love hearing that. thank you.
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Oh my, Wendy! It is really heaven, isn’t it? Your photos are beautiful and make me want to go now. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live there all year round? And yay you milking a goat! And making goat’s cheese!
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Thanks Jamie… I’m thinking about the workshop you could hold there:-) For whatever reason I do love goats. They are just so funny and sweet.
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Lovely photo memories of your busy summer! And the food .. looks delicious, the BBQ, the shellfish .. everything. Yummmmmmmmm 🙂 and the tranquil setting in the woods is beautiful ..
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Thanks so much. I’m grateful for the community and space. It is a very special place. Great local food too!
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What a fabulous summer. It looks fantastic.
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It was a good one. Busy… but not hit me over the head crazy!
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Beautiful…the pond is lovely…
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Thank you… We had the new little dock built this spring along with some hefty tree trimming and it really took it up a few notches. It’s a tranquil spot to sit and contemplate life or just be.
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Well done, it looks beautiful and fits in very well…Looks like a Magazine shot (IMHO)…
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Oh Wendy, while enjoying your great pictures I understand how hard it must be for you to leave this paradise….
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Yeah… it can be. I’ve had times of frustration where I was at the point of saying – let’s sell it and make life easier. Fortunately, that never happened. This place is a paradise- it just needs the right TLC.
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OMG! Wendy, how much more wonderful can life get? I mean, like, gluten free pizza and goat milking. All of the pics, all of the food looks simply fantastic!
Lucky you!
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Right… those goats. God I love ’em!
It’s pretty damn sweet there. We are lucky campers! And absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder.
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Wendy, what a fantastic way to end the summer. Beautiful!
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Thanks 🙂
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Reblogged this on Seattle and Orcas Vacation Homes.
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Wendy, I think we must be global sisters in a former life! I too have milked a goat and Once upon a time I lived in Charleston, SC. Of course your pictures took me right back. Since living in Japan, no microwave (which has been refreshing) but also no grill (not so nice, but do-able). Love your personal touches to your beautiful pictures. I want to go to Orcus Island now. It reminds me so much of what I saw in Maine.
Keep blogging sister!
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I love Maine too and would like to visit there again.
Did you know that my mother lives in Atlanta in midtown? We were there twice this year.
You guys can come stay at our vacation rental! I just put up the page for it up top 😉
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Just beautiful. What a wonderful summer holiday and you have so many fantastic memories and photos to keep from it. All the food looks delicious. I recently watched “Sick Fat and Nearly Dead” and wanted to start juicing too. I have been buying a brand here in the States that is supposed to be like making my own. Probably isn’t. We also just watched “Forks Over Knives”…both hubs and I are now trying to go vegan…at least vegetarian. My husband is usually a hard one to convince about changing up the diet or going to “extremes” but he said after watching this documentary, “I’m convinced”….whoa.
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I actually have Forks over Knives also… but haven’t watched it yet. I bought about five of those documentaries. You must also see Food Inc. if you haven’t already. It will certainly convince you to eat local, pasture raised meats if not be completely vegetarian.
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Wonderful of you to bring a your summer to us … wonderful photo with lot of joy and … holiday. Fantastic photos like always … wouldn’t expect anything else for you of course. The pond is magical and I suppose it’s Mount Rainer – thank you so much for sharing.
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This pic is actually Mt Baker a little farther north near Bellingham. That was a gorgeous ride.
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Mt Baker, I knew about … but it’s always Mt Rainer that dominates on photos arournd Seattle – beautiful photo.
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A perfect summer. Wow. I am in love with the farm. Stunning! And way impressed with the making of the goat cheese.
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Thanks Lora.
I tell you… I could live on that stuff. I’m anxious to try some soft rind cheeses but I think I need a little more controlled atmosphere.
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are you milking a goat???? I at once impressed and intimidated LOL Great pics 🙂
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Sometimes I fantasize about having goats. The difference between 24 and 44 years old though is I’m not going to start checking out the bulletin boards for ‘Goats for Sale’ just yet. I get my yaya’s out surfing and bookmarking for now!
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You have a great eye- Your photos draw me in..I feel like I am vacationing vicariously! and what a great vacation area that must be…! That crab going into the pot is one of my faves…
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Somebody once told me it’s good to create a story… I’m working on it. Nice to see you back in circulation. cheers 🙂
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Wendy, yours was the first blog to read this morning and what a delight! I definitely will have to travel to visit your area next summer. It’s the sort of place I could fall in love with. Your farm and its pond and so peaceful looking. I’m glad you’ve made lots of memories this summer to last all winter long. But you’re off to the farm this weekend? So perhaps there are more to come! xx Smidge
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We had a little turn of events… My daughter will be going back to school now on Orcas Island and I will be back and forth to Hamburg. Learning to integrate personal life on the blog! Should be interesting.
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Beautiful photos! Looks like you had a great summer. 🙂 I am so sad that it is coming to an end soon!
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It was a fantastic summer. We had a bit of a re-route from Germany and my daughter and I are actually back on Orcas. We’ve had an exceptional 11 days of Sept. Literally sun everyday. I’m almost forgetting we are in the Pacific Northwest!
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