5 years in The United States of America!!

Today we complete 5 years in this country.
Kirkland -Seattle, Washington, The United States of America.
Words. Very Many.
Four Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.
Green, green, green and more shades of green in Spring and Summer.
Evergreen Trees: Western Hemlock, Douglas Fir, Sitka Spruce, Ponderosa Pine, Western Larch.
Squirrels, Marmots, Chipmunks, Bunnies, Ducks, Deer.
Corrugated Boxes, Cartons, 40' Container, Furniture, Apartment, Home.
Trick-or-Treat and Jack-o'-Lantern on Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year.
Thanksgiving: Apple Cider, Pumpkin Pies, Golden Glazed Squashes, Roasted Turkey.
Christmas: Fairy Lights, Wreaths, Mistletoe, Reindeer, Jingle Bells, Carols, Eggnog.
Art Fairs, Garage Sales, Yard Sales, Flea Markets, Thrift Stores, Antique Stores, Farmers' Markets.
Cheese, Yogurt, Sour Cream, Whipped Cream, Milk (Whole, Skim, Soy).
Chocolate Chip Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, Brownies, Cakes, Cupcakes, Muffins, Doughnuts and Bagels.
Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Pizza.
Gallons, Quarts, Pints, Fluid Ounces.
Stop, Right of Way, Yield, Merge, Freeway, Left Hand Drive.
Coupons, Coupons, Coupons.
Kale, Chard, Collards, Bok Choy, Mustard Greens. Parsley, Cilantro
Herbs: Basil, Chamomile, Chives, Lavender, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Spearmint, Thyme.
Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Huckleberries, Raspberries, Salmonberries.
Clementines, Tangerines, Mandarins, Grapefruit, Oranges.
Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Apricots, Cherries (Bing and Rainier), Persimmons, Pears, Kiwi, Melons.
Duvet, Comforter, Sham, Twin, Queen, King.
Sparrows, Chickadees, Robins, Crows, Woodpeckers, American Bald Eagles.
Sunny, Mostly Sunny, Partly Cloudy, Partly Sunny, Mostly Cloudy, Cloudy.
Overcast Skies, Scattered Showers, Fog, Snow, Sleet, Flurries, Freezing Rains, Frost.
Skiing, Snowmobiling, Sledding, Snowshoeing, Snowboarding, Snow Tubing.
Ben Franklin Crafts and Frames, Michaels, Home Depot, DIY.
Road Trips, Day Trips, Weekend Getaways.
Regional Parks, State Parks, National Parks, National Forests.
Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish, Lake Chelan.
Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond.
Cuisines: Italian, Mexican, Mediterranean, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Brazilian, American.
Fred Meyer, Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's, Costco.
Starbucks, Jamba Juice, Coffee, Green Tea, Fruit Smoothies, Hot Chocolate, Dark Chocolate.
Blossoms: Cherry, Apple, Pear.
Summer Camps, Sleepovers, Playdates.
Super Bowl, Baseball, Basketball, Soccer.
Series, Seasons, Episodes.
Walking, Running, Hiking, Swimming.
IKEA, Pottery Barn, Sur La Table, Amazon.
Tulips, Rhododendrons, Lilies, Orchids, Dahlias, Peonies.
World, USA, India.
Hispanics, Caucasians, African Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders.
Classical KING FM 98.1, KUOW-FM 94.9 National Public Radio, KRWM Warm 106.9 FM Today's Soft Favorites.
Obama~Obama~Obama
iPod, iPhone, iPad.
Facebook, FaceTime, Twitter.
HYD - SEA.
2 Feb 2008 - 2 Feb 2013.
A Lifetime.
From and including: Saturday, February 2, 2008
To and including: Saturday, February 2, 2013
Result: 1828 days.
It is 1828 days from the start date to the end date, end date included
Or 5 years, 1 day including the end date.
Alternative time units:
1828 days can be converted to one of these units:
157,939,200 seconds
2,632,320 minutes
43,872 hours
1828 days
261 weeks (rounded down)
Words. Very Many...

Din Tai Fung Dumpling House

"There is no love sincerer than the love of food." ~George Bernard Shaw

Choosing a good restaurant can be an adventure by itself but when in doubt, out of options and the poor stomach is calling for some true food I invariably end up in Bellevue’s super popular Din Tai Fung Dumpling House. I have been to this place several times and I love the freshness of the hot steamed dumplings that arrive in bamboo steamers.

Reservations are not taken and there’s usually a long queue that waits not less than forty five minutes to get a table. The famous dumpling house with roots in Taiwan and with franchises throughout Asia is highly praised by the media including being selected as one of the top ten restaurants in the world by the "New York Times". Foodies who are constantly in search of the next best thing for their palate just love the Xiao long bao - the ethereal soup dumplings that some say have no equal.

And while you are on your wait, dumpling lovers like me get a firsthand look at the fleet-fingered process in dumpling-making station when those "dumpling chefs" put their intricate and delicate culinary craft on display behind a glass storefront in the restaurant. A couple of people are cutting and weighing the dumpling dough, while many others roll them out, shape, pleat and fill them to perfection. I also watch dumplings being loaded into bamboo baskets amidst hot clouds of steam. It’s a fascinating production process. This time I carry my camera along with me to capture the making of these plump beauties while we wait and whet our appetites.

Dumpling Chef deftly making dumplings with nimble fingers and expert hands.

 Dough shaped by hands, filled in with the filling and pleated...

Dumpling chefs in the dumpling-making station filling the dumpling dough.

Rows and rows of freshly handmade dumplings sit ready for orders.

Tray of dumplings ready for steaming...

Dumplings being loaded into bamboo baskets ready for steaming.

Fresh dumplings laid out in the bamboo basket ready for steaming.

Steamed dumplings neatly spread out on top of a cheese cloth in a little bamboo basket.

The lady at the reception also hands us a menu so we can pre-select our dishes ahead of being seated. After reviewing the options we make our selections on the order form. The time just flies and we are then called to be seated. Our server then retrieves the form and places the order. We prepare our small dishes with the dipping sauce adding one part of soy sauce to three parts of vinegar and fresh ginger slivers in anticipation of the plump beauties soon to arrive. The dishes arrive in random dim sum-style and are checked off the list, so there’s constant activity of new plates being delivered while finished items are cleared away.

Here are some snapshots from the den of dumplingfied deliciousness…

We savor the whole dumpling in one mouthful enjoying the tang of vinegar, the salt of the soy sauce and the bite of shredded fresh ginger. The dumplings hold all the delicious flavor of the moist chicken filling inside and have just the right amount of softness and chew. It just feels perfect in the mouth!

Get your chopsticks on the delicious chicken dumplings steamed to perfection and dipped in a sauce made of soy sauce and vinegar topped with fresh ginger slivers.

Some other dishes on the menu...

 

The bustle never stops in the Dumpling Mecca as tables are cleared, wiped down and reset like clockwork, ready for the next wave of hungry diners who are already waiting in line outside. We come out satisfied and satiated having devoured the best dumplings ever!

~ Manasi

Peanut Laddus

Food for me is a connecting link to my grandmother, then to my mother, to my childhood… to my past. Food is what connects us to our roots, to our past in different ways. It gives you identity, it gives you a profile of who you are, where you come from and what you become over the years.

The sweetened and scrumptious aroma of roasted peanuts, sesame, cardamom and dry ginger that fills my kitchen as I recognize, is so similar and as intoxicating to the ardent aroma coming from my mom’s kitchen whenever she prepared these ‘Peanut Laddus’ and the mind brings back to me the signs of recognition, old memories and old connection. Her love infused creations of all the traditional delightful sweets always unfailingly filled my heart, and later my tummy, with joy. I miss her a lot and her sweetmeats a big time. As kids, we would tip toe and quietly sneak into the kitchen and gobble up these Laddus. They would vanish in a single day after my mom made them.

Years have passed since, and my fascination with these traditional home made sweets continues the same way, the differences being that I now make them myself!

When you are looking for something to satisfy that sweet tooth and a quick burst of energy, the Peanut Laddus are sure to satisfy that craving. They are tasty snacks and super-easy to assemble, require practically no cooking and are so simple to make. The wholesome goodness of jaggery and the protein rich peanuts pack in quite a powerful punch!!

Laddu comes from the Sanskrit word transliterated as ‘ladduka ‘or ‘lattika’ meaning a small ball. In India, Laddus come in many varieties. A delicious Indian sweet common in every household, ‘Laddu’ is made of flour and sugar with other ingredients that vary by recipe.  Laddus are often part of the traditional recipes prepared for festivals like Sankranti, Naga Panchami, Rakhi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali et al. or family events and celebrations such as weddings and births, or given as offering to the deities during worship in the temples.

Common flours used for Laddu include Besan (chickpea flour), Rava (wheat semolina). They can also be prepared with ground coconut, peanuts, sesame seeds, dry fruits. These are combined with sugar and other spice flavorings, cooked in ghee (clarified butter) and molded into a ball shape.

Peanut Laddu Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups Roasted Unsalted Peanuts

2 tablespoons Sesame Seeds

¾ cup Jaggery (Jaggery is a traditional unrefined non-centrifugal whole cane sugar consumed in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It is a concentrated product of cane juice without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in color)

½ teaspoon Cardamom Powder

½ teaspoon Dry Ginger Powder

Method:

1.    Arrange the peanuts on large, flat baking tray and roast the whole unsalted peanuts in the oven at 350ºF for 15 minutes until they turn golden brown and then cool.

2.     In a pan dry roast the sesame seeds till the color slightly changes to pale brown.

3.     Skin them. (An easy way to skin: Take peanuts in a large plate and gently rub the nuts with both hands. The skins would come away very easily. Now blow away the skins into the sink.)

4.     Grind the whole, roasted, unsalted peanuts without skin in a food processor Long with cardamon powder and dry ginger powder. Work in short pulses and give the peanuts a few seconds to cool between each pulse or else you’ll end up with a sticky mass.

5.      Now add jaggery and grind it coarsely (5 - 10 sec).

6.      Transfer the mixture into a bowl and add the sesame seeds.

7.      Shape the mixture into small round balls.

Makes about 24 delicious bite sized Laddus.

Enjoy them!

Delicious Strawberry Almond Coffee Cake - A Guilt Free Indulgence!!

I have a sweet tooth and this is the reason why I am constantly and consciously looking for some healthy fun dessert recipes to try at home. I have come with a healthy coffee cake recipe of mine. This very easy and fun cake made from scratch is a moist, light cake good as a dessert, breakfast or brunch. A berrylicious delight which can satisfy a baker's ache to bake! Your home will just smell wonderful while it is baking and cooling.

Prep Time:20 min      Cook Time:45 min      Ready In:1 hr 15 min

Ingredients:

                    1 cup fresh strawberries

                    3 tablespoons brown sugar for the strawberries
                    11/2 cup all-purpose flour
                    1/3 cup brown sugar
                    1/2 teaspoon baking powder
                    1/4 teaspoon baking soda
                    1/8 teaspoon salt
                    1/2 cup vanilla honey yogurt
                    3 tablespoons butter, melted
                    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
                    1 egg
                    1/4 cup chopped/sliced almonds
                    2 tablespoons of milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees). Grease and flour an 8 inch round cake pan.
2. Mix strawberries and brown sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl combine the yogurt, butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and egg, and add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist by adding the milk. Spoon 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Spread strawberry mixture evenly over the batter. Spoon remaining batter over strawberry mixture. Top with almonds.
4. Bake for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
5. Run a knife around the edge of pan before transferring the cake onto a serving platter.
6. This simple berrylicious cake just tastes wonderful with your coffee.
         

Fall colors from my patio at Montebello!

Evening just before sunset after the rains... Montebello, Kirkland comes alive with sun kissed light and a glorious rainbow creating that Autumn magic no one can deny.

This enchantment would have been missed had it not been for Rohit who called up as he was in Kirkland for work... and asked me to get out on my Patio to take the delivery of a rainbow he had just ordered for me!!

Fall is such a gorgeous time of the year. Our gilded season in Washington, as the autumn brings low, slanting light and that fleeting feeling, knowing the blue skies and gold light will too quickly fade to our long season of grey…  Leaves by hundreds fall by. You see piles and piles of this golden colored leaves fallen everywhere making a bewitching carpet on the streets to walk on.

Cool it off!

Seattle is seeing some glorious days filled with abundant sunshine... It is beautiful in Pacific Northwest this time of the year where the sun is shining bright and the skies are blue. The weather is really summery so far and hope we have several more days of warm weather in front of us... Till then let's enjoy every sip of my very fresh Watermelon Punch!

Watermelon chunks, a couple of clementines and just a dash of lemon juice ... let it swirl in a blender for a while and have a good summer cool drink!

Images: Mine. Please do not reuse without permission.

Turquoise is Always Beautiful...

"I’ll write the word blue in green and when I ask you what color it is, the proper response is turquoise."
  

It started out as a day where I was supposed to do some house cleaning, water my plants, do some laundry... and as I was cleaning my shelves I found this old rustic jewelry box of mine which stored this turquoise treasure for some time now... I love turquoise! What can I say, my madness for turquoise perked up and I had to get my camera out. A quick snick-click and all the mundane chores were happily forgotten !

 
Images: Mine. Please do not reuse without permission.

Ah... Afternoons Are For Baking!

Ah...baking... I love poring over recipe books....:-) though I always end up making some version of my own! Baking is a constant need. What would it be like to be without a oven ? This has caused me to do a lot of thinking. I've discovered the reasons why I, and people like me, bake. It's as important as breathing is to our survival.  For me, every step in the process of baking requires me to be in the moment. When I do that, everything comes out just right. Not perfect. But just right.

Baking is relaxing and therapeutic. It helps relieve stress and it can be a meditative experience. With our busy lives, it does the soul good to get into the kitchen and create something beautiful and delicious which you can be proud of. When I'm having a bad day, I just put on some good music and start baking. I make whatever I can with the ingredients I have on hand.

Baking is creative. It is taking things and putting them together to make something.  You’ve probably heard it several times, baking is a science. I think it’s true. Each recipe calls for specific ingredients and in specific amounts; everything has to be mixed in a certain order; and everything must be baked at a certain temperature for a specific amount of time. Although, baking is an exact science, certain ingredients must be in the correct amounts and yet... you can do some manipulation to create something different. Make it your own version each time.  It's molding and shaping. Anytime you can use your hands it's creative.

Baking is soul lifting. The smell of baking alone can lift your soul. The since of accomplishment you get when you present one of your creations is also soul lifting. Being creative lifts your soul.

Baking is something you can do for others. There's no doubt about it; people just can't resist homemade baked goods. It is a definite crowd pleaser. When there's a family in need with a new baby, an illness or a death, what do you do? You take them a baked good to lift their spirits.

Baking is something you can do just for you. Just creating something warm and fragrant from the oven, can lift your spirits, too. You never need an excuse to bake; just do it. It can be a gift you give to yourself, because you're worth it!

Well, I don't know about you, but I'm ready to bake something wonderful. I don't know what it is yet, but I know it'll be wonderful.

Enjoy!

My Own Terrarium

Experience the fun of growing plants in a terrarium! My humble attmpt of building my own just made me super happy. By grouping small indoor plants together in a glass or plastic container, you create an eye-catching miniature greenhouse where plants thrive with very little water or care.

Here's how to go about making your own.

What you’ll need:

• A glass or plastic container
• An assortment of indoor plants (suggestions listed below)
• Professional Potting Mix
• Gravel, glass rain rock, or pebbles (optional)
• Horticultural charcoal (helps absorb excess moisture and keep soil sweet)

Instructions:

Step 1: Choose a container. Get creative with your terrarium container. It’s important the container does not leak.
Step 2: Choose your indoor plants. You’ll want to select plants that thrive in high humidity and share the same light and water requirements. You’ll also want to choose varieties that grow slowly or are naturally smaller so they do not quickly outgrow the terrarium. Molbak’s suggests choosing a theme for the terrarium and selecting plants within that theme. Ideas include:

• Carnivorous plants (such as Sundew, Pitcher plant and Venus fly trap)
• Tropical rainforest plants (such as Chamaedorea palms, Hypoestes, small ferns, and Fittonia)
• Other great ideas: Ferns, Creeping Fig, Polka dot plant, Prayer plant, Parlour Palm, Aluminum plant, Ivy (green or variegated), Neanthe Bella Palm, Pepperomia varieties, Fittonia, Spider plants, Selaginella moss.

Note: It’s generally best to use cactus mix when planting cacti and succulents.

Step 3: Prepare your soil. Choose a sterile indoor plant mix. Molbak’s Professional Potting Mix is ideal for tropical plants. For carnivorous plants, use a special soil mix of peat and sand, top-dressed with sphagnum moss.
Step 4: Build a base. Layer the following materials in the bottom of the container in this order:
Horticultural charcoal: ¼ to ½ inch
Gravel (optional): ½ inch
Soil: 2 inches
Step 5: Place your plants. Create pockets in the soil and place each of your plants in its pocket.
Step 6: Cover the roots. Add soil as needed to cover the plant roots.
Step 7: Water. Add water to the soil until moistened.
Step 8: Put a lid on it. Tighten the lid on your terrarium and you’re done!

I have decorated my Terrarium with seashells. You can add some whimsical touches... I have some ducks surrounding it and a macaw perched on the glass container!

Light: Place the terrarium in bright, indirect sunlight. Avoid direct sunlight.

Water: When the terrarium is first planted, add only enough water to moisten the soil. Within the enclosed terrarium, the water recycles itself; it’s taken up by the plants, then transpired into the air. The transpired water moistens the soil, and the cycle continues.

Ventilation: Condensation will build up if too much moisture is present. To reduce condensation, remove or open the lid for a few minutes until the condensation clears.If your lid has vents, take note that leaving vents open will allow moisture to continually escape. In this case, check the soil regularly and moisten when dry. Avoid overwatering and add only enough water to moisten the soil.

Melt In Your Mouth Blueberry Cake

I love cooking. I am a complete foodie, but I was never the kind of person who would bake. I never baked cakes... My mother is a fantastic cook and she used to bake a lot when we were kids. As far as I can recall our refrigerator used to be stocked with eggs, butter, food colours, silver balls, and tiny bottles of vanilla, pineapple, rose essence and the store room filled with baking dishes, moulds, weighing scale etc. The cakes for our birthdays were always baked by her with interesting icings and decorations. The Plum Cake that she baked was my favorite!  Strangely I didn't show that kind of passion for baking while I was growing up. I occasionally helped her in beating and whisking all the ingredients together. That was it. I majorly contributed in scraping off the cake till the very last bit :)! I am sure my mother would be happy to see that I have developed a new hobby - Baking!

With cloudy skies and rain being our constant companions in Seattle, we (hubby and I) decided to bake.

But what to bake? I realised I had some blueberries in my refrigerator... so searched the 'World Wide Web' for the perfect Blueberry Cake recipe. If there exists such a thing! I came across this amazing recipe from the Allrecipes.com which in my opinion is a fun couple activity to indulge in and which results in an unfailingly yummy labor of love each time! 

Here you go, for the yummy 'Melt In Your Mouth Blueberry Cake'

Ingredients
 1/2 cup butter
 1/2 cup white sugar
 1/4 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 2 egg yolks
 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
 1 teaspoon baking powder
 1/3 cup milk
 2 egg whites
 1/4 cup white sugar
 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
 1 tablespoon white sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
2. Cream butter or margarine and 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy. Add salt and vanilla. Separate eggs and reserve the whites. Add egg yolks to the sugar mixture; beat until creamy.
3. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and baking powder; add alternately with milk to egg yolk mixture. Coat berries with 1 tablespoon flour and add to batter.
4. In a separate bowl, beat whites until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle top with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
5. Bake for 50 minutes, or until cake tests done.

Enjoy baking the cake... and the sweet smell that lingers on after!

Images: Mine. Please do not reuse without permission.

Perfect Holiday in San Juan Islands

I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright. ~Henry David Thoreau

Nature is ever changing, so every trip out is an opportunity to see something new and explore something different! Say "San Juan Islands" and images of ferry boats slipping between emerald isles beneath a deep blue sky, one of the best places in the world to see orca (killer) whales will likely form in one's mind. Once here you feel there’s no place more beautiful for recreation, relaxation and rejuvenation. I feel so lucky and amazed to be living in such a wonderful corner of the world!

We started off on a Saturday morning on over an hour drive to Anacortes for the Washington State Ferries.The San Juan Islands exist not only as gems in Washington’s state "Top 5 islands in the continental U.S. and Canada", but also as a state of mind. An island culture borne of geographic seclusion and resilient spirit. The San Juan Islands are emerald gems that contain magical forests, breathtaking and exciting wildlife, long swept rugged beaches, mountain peaks with incredible vistas, towering cedar trees, and quiet bays. The sea within the Islands is known as the Salish Sea which is named after the original first peoples of the region, the coast Salish. They were seafaring people who fished, carved totem poles which told of family histories, whose history is steeped in legends. There was a thick fog as we reached the Friday Harbor in the San Juan Island which eventually disappeared into a beautiful deep blue sky as we reached Orcas Island on an interisland ferry.

That was the first time in my life I was ever Island Hopping and I absolutely loved the experience. The first destination island was the Orcas Island.  Lovely Orcas Island is the largest of the San Juans. The horseshoe-shaped island is a magical mix of lush forest, farm valleys, tranquil lakes and stunning mountains, all wrapped around a beautiful fjord. Orcas Island is made up of several hamlets and villages. Eastsound offers casual to fine dining, boutiques, galleries, a performing arts center, a first-run movie theater, and a history museum. We rambled around that area a bit and then bumped into the Community Labyrinth at Emmanuel Episcopal Church which I walked in and out of it. Generally synonymous with maze, the labyrinth is an archetypal design - a universal divine imprint - an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness, combining the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path.The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.

The biological clock struck and we knew we were hungry. We browsed around a couple of places and then settled with a restaurant called 'Allium' which treated us on the bounty of simple, fresh Pacific Northwest flavors and for a sumptuous lunch. The restaurant itself was adorably cozy, set on the second floor of a waterfront former home with great views of waters.  I can say the food was very refreshing, fresh and very gourmet.  Off then we drove to the Moran State Park looking for camping sites. The ranger at the Park offered us a very private and secluded patch atop a real woodsy area uphill reachable by a short trek. 

The panoramic view of islands, water and mountains from atop 2,409-foot Mount Constitution is a must-see...

Beautiful reflections of this verdant area on our drive to Eastsound Village on Orcas Island

We took around twenty minutes to set up the tent on that hot afternoon and then after a pleasant siesta drove to see Cascade Falls, a small but impressive 75-foot-high waterfall in Moran State Park. We then drove to the top of Moran State Park to see panoramic views of the islands and surrounding mountains. Atop the 2,409-foot-high Mt. Constitution, the highest point on the San Juan Islands, there stands a stone observation tower. The tower offers panoramic views of the surrounding islands, the Cascade Mountains and a variety of Canadian and American cities. We then drove all the way out of the Park towards the Eastsound for an early dinner as we wanted to spend some time by the Cascade Lake at night inside the Moran State Park where we had camped. We captured some lovely reflections of a beautiful verdant area on our drive to Eastsound Village on Orcas Island. We then headed towards a fine dining restaurant called 'New Leaf Cafe' which served simple, fresh cuisine highlighting the finest ingredients the island had to offer in an intimate water view dining room. I had Mediterranean mussels with cream, pesto, garlic, and sun dried tomatoes and quite honestly it was one of the finest mussel preparations I have eaten. I was told that the mussels were straight from the Buck Bay on the Orcas Island and they were as fresh as they could be! Local fresh seafood served with whole grains and seasonal veggies. It was a beautiful and relaxing experience on the Island. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, Orcas Island restaurants offer an amazing range of delicious eating experience. Like I said we returned back early to our hide out after spending a little while by the Lake and then called it a night.

Baby whale named "Se Yi Chn"

Next morning we drove to the ferry dock for our interisland ferry to Friday Harbor. Friday Harbor is a town located on San Juan Island and it is the major commercial center of the San Juan Islands archipelago. The Doctor's Office Café 'A Treatment Cafe' is one of the first places that you see when you get off the Ferry. Great veggie sandwiches, coffee, pastries and service! Done with breakfast we looked around to see lots of interesting boats out in the Strait- sailboats, ferries, tugs and power boats in every direction on Friday Harbor. We  drove into the American Camp of San Juan Island National Historical Park for a quick glimpse of the San Juan Island before getting onto "Odyssey" for our Orca Whale watching trip at 2:00pm. The experience on San Juan Excursions' "Odyssey" was more than overwhelming on 12th of July 2010. What a perfect day to be out on a boat, exploring the protected inland Salish Sea. The two naturalists on the vessel were erudite and provided a sea of information on marine life. They spoke at length on the Orca (Killer) Whales - history, types, description, life cycle, range and habitat, food habits, behavior, giving us a very holistic whale watching experience. The crew was tracking three pods of whales that afternoon. First sightings of the orca (killer) whales, If you look you can see the dorsal fins of the whales and also "blowing" caused by a cloud vapor produced by whale's exhalation and mixing with sea water. Among the many Orca Whales we saw the "Granny "and also a year old baby whale named "Se Yi Chn" on our trip. And what more the baby whale was breaching on his mother and the sight was pristine, full of emotion and wonderful to watch! We also saw harbor seals and bald eagles.

Getting out of the boat we trotted towards a gourmet handmade icecream and coffee parlor. Licking the creamummy icecreams after that long boat ride left us with a wow feeling. We then drove directly towards the southern tip of San Juan Island known as Cattle Point. It was like driving into the picture and we loved this marvelous drive to the lighthouse. The larger American Camp’s 1,200 acres of prairie and forest also boasts five miles of beach and views of whales, porpoises, seals and sea lions. American Camp’s prairie was an unexpected delight, what with the cloud-sunshine color play on the blue waters and wild summer flowers. Into and beyond - the scenery was awesome. We drove the entire place drinking in this scenery and beauty. We then drove to Pelindaba Lavender Farm and saw diverse range of lavender plants spread in lovely lavender. Delicate, exquisite, therapeutic and just beautiful!!

Then we headed towards Lime Kiln Point State Park - the place on San Juan Island to watch sunsets and hopefully spot some of the 80-plus Orcas who make the waters of Haro Strait their summer home. We spent good amount of time there and got some beautiful shots of the lighthouse against the breathtaking skies at sunset.

And then the worst part at the end of the trip was to bid adieu to all the beauty and serenity. The scenery around was breathtaking and the holiday very rejuvenating - simple pleasures... holding hands, stealing a kiss, beach combing, watching birds, skipping rocks and sharing the joy! All this was coming to an end! It was a fun trip and we had a wonderful time. I must say this was by far one of the most memorable trips in our life time and very dear! Beautiful moments to cherish for a long long time to come.

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in. ~George Washington Carver

Travelin' Thru

I love this song "Travelin' Thru" written and performed by Dolly Parton. This song is about a journey on the road to find home and identity. Enjoy!

Well I can't tell you where I'm going, I'm not sure of where I've been

But I know I must keep travelin' till my road comes to an end

I'm out here on my journey, trying to make the most of it

I'm a puzzle, I must figure out where all my pieces fit

Like a poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song

I'm just a weary pilgrim trying to find what feels like home

Where that is no one can tell me, am I doomed to ever roam

I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' on



Questions I have many, answers but a few

But we're here to learn, the spirit burns, to know the greater truth

We've all been crucified and they nailed Jesus to the tree

And when I'm born again, you're gonna see a change in me



God made me for a reason and nothing is in vain

Redemption comes in many shapes with many kinds of pain

Oh sweet Jesus if you're listening, keep me ever close to you

As I'm stumblin', tumblin', wonderin', as I'm travelin' thru



I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' thru

I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' thru



Oh sometimes the road is rugged, and it's hard to travel on

But holdin' to each other, we don't have to walk alone

When everything is broken, we can mend it if we try

We can make a world of difference, if we want to we can fly



Goodbye little children, goodnight you handsome men

Farewell to all you ladies and to all who knew me when

And I hope I'll see you down the road, you meant more than I knew

As I was travelin', travelin', travelin', travelin', travelin' thru



I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin'

Drifting like a floating boat and roaming like the wind

Oh give me some direction lord, let me lean on you

As I'm travelin', travelin', travelin', thru



I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' thru

I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' thru



Like the poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song

I'm just a weary pilgrim trying to find my own way home

Oh sweet Jesus if you're out there, keep me ever close to you

As I'm travelin', travelin', travelin', as I'm travelin' thru