Happy Birthday Mom!

Mary Floyd

July 22

Age 15

So Much Love

We have been the recipient of so much love

We have been abundantly blessed in many, many ways

Six young women from our congregation came to visit one evening

They brought love, sparking conversation (my mother's phrase), 

and chocolate chip cookies

New People in Kirkland

Public art is a wonderful part of Kirkland

This new installation opened July 13

“Pareidolia People,” created by engineer and artist Ed McCarthy, ... The six steel structures explore the relationship between people and their environment. The metal ‘people’ are a family of individuals that are shaped by city objects and nature. The public art exhibition on Park Lane in downtown Kirkland is expected to inspire visitors to reflect on their place in urban dwellings as well as their relationship to each other while navigating the city. The steel structures will remain on Park Lane through July 15, 2019.

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According to Wikipedia, Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon in which the mind responds to a stimulus, usually an image of a sound, by perceiving a familiar pattern where none exists. Examples - seeing the man in the moon; seeing animals in cloud formations

A Rose

 The rose gelato tastes just like a rose smells!

Music in the Air

Marina Park is an excellent venue for Kirkland's summer concerts

 CremeTangerine, “Seattle’s premier Beatles tribute band, was playing this evening

Walking home I was entertained by musicians playing at George's. The restaurant's windows are garage doors that open on beautiful evenings like this.

Happy Independence Day - The Bahamas

Happy Independence Day

to our Bahamian brothers and sisters

July 10

The Bahamas became an independent nation on July 10, 1973. They are still a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Read about Bahamian history here. 

The country and people will always be dear to us. We were missionaries for Christ and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1996-97. 

These wonderful women are from Haiti, Philippines, Jamaica, United States & Bahamas - September 1996

Every Saturday morning members of the congregation gathered at the meetinghouse to clean the building and grounds in preparation for Sunday services. Joe & Adolfo Rabasto man the mops. Often someone would climb a tree and cut down coconuts for snacks. 

Serving as full time missionaries for the Lord Jesus Christ changed us and our lives. 

The Bahamas and its wonderful people also changed us - and gave us a lifetime of stories to share. 

July 10 - Happy Independence Day to our Bahamian brothers and sisters

Rushing the Seasons?

Evening of Peace

 I basked in the love, peace, and instruction

 found in the temple, 

the House of the Lord

We were greeted by a glorious sunset

Independence Day Festivities

in middle of picture - barge with the fireworks

at the ready - chairs set up the night before the parade

early morning set up for prime spots for the fireworks

I walked in the children's parade with some friends

I missed the big people parade because a friend came to see me

It was probably similar to last year's. Click here.

In addition to our own fireworks, we could see fireworks 

in several locations on the other side of the lake

the morning after

Happy Independence Day

Seattle Time With Grandson

Jack came to visit

In between time with Joe we took the bus to Seattle twice

Here's our trip to 

 Chinatown-International District

Chinatown Gate

 Chinese family associations usually have an ornate balcony on the top floor of a building. The family name is displayed so newcomers to town can find their family association. These associations were based on family surnames from the home village in China. The family association was a community center and social service agency. wikipedia

Tower in the distance - King Street Amtrak station

Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience was our first stop

“…the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience offers an authentic perspective on a unique version of the American story. Nationally recognized for our work in creating dynamic, community-driven exhibitions and programs, we put our community at the heart of each exhibition we create. The stories you see and hear within our walls are their authentic experiences and perspectives. From the struggles of early Asian pioneers to accomplished works by national Asian Pacific American artists, their contributions give us a look at what it means to be uniquely American." (http://www.wingluke.org/about/)

Jack 

The Yick Fung Co. was one of Chinatown's longest-operating stores, open for almost a century. When it closed in 2008, the family donated the contents to the Wing Luke Museum. The store was reconstructed inside the museum.

Mahjong

Green Hornet exhibit - Bruce Lee played Kato, the Green Hornet's assistant, in the TV series. Bruce Lee spent some "formative years" in Seattle and is buried here. Joe is a huge Green Hornet fan from the radio days of his childhood. 

Unnamed Lake by Megumi Shauna Arai -  40+ people shared their stories as they stitched this piece. The stories were recorded "come out" of the tapestry. The stitching style is sashiko and was used in Japan to reinforce worn areas of clothing.

The Klondike Gold Rush Museum is a national park

After surviving a devastating fire and an economic depression, Seattle flourished with the Klondike Gold Rush. As a key port city, merchants supplied would-be Klondike Kings and Queens on their way to Alaska. This cemented Seattle as an anchor of the Pacific Northwest. (source)

 King Street Amtrak Station