Whidbey Kite Festival

 Watching kites,

 Making kites,

 Flying kites!

Meet Gloria

Two hikes in one day... kind of

 So the only other hike I remember ever turning back during was when Joe and I tried to hike up to Church Mountain (I think it's about 8 miles round trip) after I had already worked a half day teaching in Sedro-Woolley in 1999 and it started to get late...  Today we had grand plans to hike up Gold Rush Pass to gaze upon gorgeous Mountains Baker and Shuksan and look down on Tomyhoi Lake. I was SO wanting the views today! We turned back about 200 yards into this hike because there were SWARMS of flies. Think: the plagues that God sent to the Egyptians when Pharoah wouldn't let His people go. It was disgusting. At least we didn't have gnats and locusts, too. And we did get to see the mountain for a moment (as we were practically running back to the car, which was also filled with flies once we opened the doors. Did I say, disgusting?)

 You'll have to enlarge this one to count the flies hanging out on Joe and Elsa's clothes. I don't think that's a smile on Joe's face; it's a grimace, and he's valiantly trying to kill them one by one.

 Hike #2 was delightful, a nice easy few miles along the Nooksack River (the hike is called Horseshoe Bend, for those that know Mt. Baker Highway well). Notice the darling new hole in Elsa's mouth here!

 After dunking our heads in the icy cold water - it was a hot day today! - Joe and Elsa successfully built a six rock cairn, or Karen as Elsa called it.

 Thankfully we found nary a fly at the lower elevation.

Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa...

 ...for providing us with such a cool place to vacation!