How Aunt Blanche Met Uncle Bud

"Bud and I met at a house party (dance).  He asked me how I learned to dance.  I thought to myself, City Slicker!
We saw each other again at Earlington Dance Hall.  Mary Weber (neighbor) wanted to be Bud's partner for the prize dance. Mary pushed me out on the floor to dance with Mike Klepach  (another neighbor).  We all changed partners and when I was dancing with Bud, the judge said, "Stop the music, we have our winners." "

Blanche and Bud went on to win many dance contests e.g. Fox Trot contest on floating dance ship at Golden Gardens and were Renton Junction dance champions.
I asked Aunt Blanche if she watched "Dancing With The Stars".  Her answer." Bud and I were better."

Bud had various jobs. He traveled around to different fairs with his ponies.  Blanche  sold tickets for rides on the Shetland ponies.  Bud used to round up wild horses in Yakima.,take them through the Yakima river. He sold the horses.

.Later on in their marriage, Bud built their home.

Aunt Blanche loved motorcycles. Mike Albenesa (friend) would bring over his Harley Davidson for her to see. It wouldn't surprise me if she rode it.

Aunt Blanche loved to dance. They would dance from 2:00p.m. in the afternoon until 7:00a.m., then take the 35 cent round trip ride from Earlington to Seattle to work at the macaroni factory. Blanche would put her name in the macaroni boxes and servicemen  (WWI) would write to her. Two soldiers showed up at the factory so Blanche brought them home to Nonna's ( This was before Bud). They slept in the barn. I'm sure Nonna cooked them a good meal and Nonno supplied some of his home made wine.

When did they sleep?

Conversation With Aunt Blanche 2005

Conversations with Aunt Blanche are mostly reruns of former conversations. Blanchie is 103, still lives on her own and deserves the right to repeat herself.
Last night was different. In the middle of our conversation she said, "I wish I was sitting at the table in Mama's kitchen".
I paused for a moment, then told her that maybe heaven will be Nonna's kitchen.

Heaven is described in many ways..The dictionary e.g. " The abode of God, the angels, and the souls of those who are granted salvation". is one description.
A condition or place of great happiness, delight or pleasure, is another.

Each Sunday the family gathered for a simple supper. The sight of Nonna pouring the polenta into a cloth, the smell of her sauce, a salad bowl  filled with fresh greens from her garden, a feast for the eyes as well as the palette

Aunt Blanche wants to visit these times and experience again the love that was shared by the family.
Why not "Mama's Kitchen" for Aunt Blanche..

Photos taken at Aunt Blanche's 100th. birthday.

Aunt Blanche died in 2008...age 106

Little House on MacKenzie's Acres

 When we moved the shed away from the house, it brought back memories.  Joe built it years ago using wood salvaged from our barn.  I loved the old barn but it was getting to be a danger. Children  thought it was fascinating ( like" The Secret Barn") and would sneak in to have a look.  It was beyond repair so we had no choice but to bring it down.
We used it to store items we didn't want in the house. Right now it has garden tools, shoes etc.
I think it is very charming.  We thought about putting a half moon on the front but decided we'd be taking a chance that a garden gnome might leave souvenirs
.
The side of the garage shows the need for cleaning.
All the sedum in the photos is from one small plant I received from my Aunt Blanche years ago.

A Fruitful Day

We are in the process of readying our house for a paint job. We won't be painting until Spring but have a lot of preparation before the house will be ready.  I say "we" but it will be mostly Joe.
I moved everything away from the house today and am exhausted. Joe said the house looks naked.
 I didn't realize how many planters, pots, potting stands,decorative paraphernalia we had around and about the house.
I've been working on a yard project but that will have to wait.
In the morning I'll be going to the dentist to get my new crown. Looking forward to getting that finished.
Joe has been working on some leaks in the roof of the deck. Busy, busy busy.

This morning I took photos of spider webs on the deck.  It is amazing to me how quickly spiders spin their webs. Last night I moved a planter from the front of the house to the deck. This morning a new webbed creation
stretched from the railing to the planter.

Just think of all I could accomplish if I was as productive as a spider!

Surprise!

We never expected to see a family of turtles. What fun!

Lake Washington Boulevard

We decided to go for a drive along the Lake.  The weather was perfect.  There is much to see amid the lily pads.

Mama & Piglets.... Puyallup Fair 2010

Unfortunately, these little piggies will be goin' to market.