Barrett Browning Daffodils

Planted Barrett Browning daffodill bulbs today:

Full Moon Kayaking

My better half and I had taken a one day L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery School for kayaking earlier this year and we thought that it might be fun to do the Full Moon Kayak Tour at Lake Nockamixon in PA. We were not disappointed! Our instructors, Gary and Bruce, are knowledgeable, highly experienced kayakers and are also trained in medical emergencies. It is clear that safety is a priority and as a new kayaker, this is comforting to know (especially since I was a bit nervous about falling into the water at night). We were equipped with life vests and taught how to tighten them properly, headlamps and glowsticks.

This tour is great for everyone including absolute beginners. We were given the basics of how to use our paddles properly even before getting into our kayaks. Refreshments were also thoughtfully provided during the middle of the tour when we took a break at another site at the park.

Pictures do not do the experience justice though. You really have got to get out there and try it for yourself!

Un Bracelet de la Mer des Salish

After starting ArtBead's Salish Sea Bracelet before dinner last night, I just completed it today and could hardly wait to tell you about it...

Contents of the Salish Sea Wrap Bracelet Kit

Lots of thread - careful not to get tangled!

Voila! Un projet complet!

I was really taken by the beachy colors that jewelry designer, Cynthia Kimura, chose for this project that I decided to splurge on the kit. It is my first 5 wrap bracelet and the instructions were fairly straightforward for the most part. I was a bit confused with the instructions for continuing with new thread... something about pulling it through the bead and then tying it. Seemed to make more sense to tie the new thread first before pulling it through the bead... Anyhoo, was you can see, it came out more or less like the example in the picture. Very happy with my project and looking forward to making similar ones for my friends. :)

Note: Since I never heard of the word "salish," I decided to wiki (yes, I made that into a verb) it since I was wondering about its origins. There is, in fact, a place called the Salish Sea. It is a confluence of several bodies of water in the northwestern US states and the southwestern Canadian provinces, most notably the Strait of Georgia, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound. The word "Salish" itself is used to categorize groups of indigenous peoples in that area. There! Now you know...