Change of Venue

We left for a week in Washington the Thursday before the election.  We had wanted to get up there last month to visit with a family member recovering from open-heart surgery but needed to delay until she felt better.  When you've reached the status of senior citizen there's a greater urgency when illness strikes, but there's another urgency this time of year in the form of ice and snow on the Cascades passes - making the trip without getting caught by the weather.  We were successful on all fronts!  It was lovely to sit in front of hearth, listen to music and visit.

Music is part of the DNA in this household.  The violin on the left was my grandfather's, made about the turn of the century.  I had it restored and took it up on our last visit.  Allison has been taking lessons since then and the luthier where she goes thinks it was made about 1903.  My grandfather was a fiddler and called square dances.  I love seeing it like this.

I love hearing it played like this.  Allison played for us, as did the kids who also have violins and take lessons.  But this fiddle is extra special to me.

Halloween day Jason set out a table in the front yard and the kids carved pumpkins unsupervised for the first time. The pumpkin goo was pretty chilly on their bare arms but they did a super job.

The weather held and the pumpkins glowed.

With the pumpkins carved we took Friday afternoon to do a little sight-seeing in downtown Tacoma.  First stop, the Washington History Museum and I can tell you that next time we visit we need to allow at least a half day to see all five stories.  I thought this collage was an apt representation on the content in some of the displays as we walked through Washington history.

Each era is beautifully curated. I loved the humor in this one.

Second stop was Museum of Glass.  We didn't have much time left, so instead of walking through the galleries we spent our time in the Hot Shop, watching glass artists make art glass.

Like this piece.  It's on display in the Hot Shop, along with three others that are spectacular.

We finished Halloween watching a movie outdoors - Para Norman - with a couple of friends and pizza.  

Sunday morning found us in line for the Vashon Island ferry and the other half of our visit.  To be continued.