Canada/Alaska 2019-1: And We're Off! - Part 1

     Finally, we were off meandering, a year and two canceled trips after our last trip! Doug drove to Washington in late May and spent wonderful days with his children in Seattle and Bellingham.

View toward Puget Sound from Doug's daughter/bonus son 

Katie and Javier's apartment.

Katie and Javier at Volunteer Park.

Katie and Javier's amazing balcony garden.

Bellingham Bay

Doug's son/bonus daughter Drew and Devon in San Diego, where they flew to visit her family after Doug's visit in Bellingham.

      Meanwhile, I went to Morro Bay with my book group.

Book group lunch at Bayside Cafe in Morro Bay.

 San Simeon Beach from San Simeon Bay Trail, 
across Highway 1 from Hearst Castle.

 Marilyn pointing the way to the wandering BGBC (Bad Girls Book Club, a name we somehow acquired a few years ago...).

San Simeon Beach and Pier

The plan was for me to fly to Bellingham from San Luis Obispo--a great deal on Alaska Airlines at only 12.5 K miles--and we'd be off to Canada and Alaska for the summer.
     Except, our dear friend Don, who valiantly battled lung cancer for so many years, passed away. We both returned home, Doug driving back home from Bellingham, to support Don's wife Jonnie as best we could. 

    The extra time at home was a mixed bag. Lots of my favorite flowers bloomed, but the summer heat set in. Doug had maintenance done on the van, but smogging the VW bus gave him conniptions, yet hopefully it will be a "done deal" when we return.

A favorite hemerocallis (day lily) given to me years ago by my son Stephen and bonus daughter Jessie and since split.

 Russian Sage

Another favorite day lily, for both the color and the double bloom.

Lavender grosso (Provence).

We had our first tomatoes, which Katie and Javier helped plant during their February visitin the new raised bed Doug built. We told the neighbors to enjoy while we're gone. 

We finally have a decent succulent garden after years of trials.

A trio of young scrub jays who live with their parents in our yard entertained us morning and evening with their 

explorations and flying lessons.