Hungry for Wood

The time came for us to say goodby to Sequim and start heading south to The Valley of the Sun or should I say The Valley of Captives!!!  You feel a captive inside your home in Buckeye because it’s so hot you don’t dare go out.  But we will take our time heading that way and hope that the weather takes a turn to temperatures that are going below triple digits!  It took us about five hours because we had to go the northern route do to construction and slow traffic.  It was up toward Port Angeles, Forks famous for the Twilight Series and alongside Crescent Lake.  

We did go to one last concert in Sequim with our friend Ruth Macy and were able to say our goodbyes.  While we were preparing to leave we noticed a couple passing by us… I looked Dan and said” We know them!”.  It was a couple we met on the Grand Africa!  Our eyes locked in on each other as I asked if they remembered me!!! It was a fun and unexpected reunion.  They invited us all to their home for dinner!!! We tried to decline as it wasn’t anything they had prepared for but they insisted wanting to visit etc.   So Dan and I said yes.  Ruth graciously declined as she had previous obligations.  We missed her and having her in on our conversations and dinner but we understood.  Dan and I probably stayed too long but we got the tour of their lovely home, yard and gardens and Dons man cave.    And then we had a delicious salmon dinner with salad and lime pie for dessert! Who could turn that down other than my son in law who hates salmon!! Ha ha  

So next morning as I said we went the long way. It’s heavily forested if you haven’t been that way.  There are few opportunities to see lakes or the ocean. We got to our next two week camp ground Hoquiam RV Park right along the the Hoquiam River.  We were in a location close to the river and the river path that had benches, scenic overlooks, a mowed trail and shady areas.  Lots of campers including us

walked the path for exercise, doggie walks and just to take in nature.  It was extremely dry there and no green grass anywhere. It’s sister city, Aberdeen was the same. Hoquiam is an old fishing and logging town.  Now they have about 9000 population but at one time it was up to 13,000.  The pulp and paper mills were its lifeblood.  Most all the homes around town are old, small and tightly packed together. There is a hill side with many newer homes but even at that they are still older.  The library there was lovely and helpful.  I needed to print things and it was all free!  Everyday we were there there were many homeless looking folks there online or reading.  We even had an ambulance call for one and he went out on a stretcher.  

There’s a fairly large hospital in Aberdeen and nice library there.  The town is laid in a strange fashion.  Same situation with old homes and many empty buildings along streets and in strip malls.  We had a few Smokey days there from the fires from northern WA and BC Canada.  But for the most part our park was quiet and secure. We met a few very nice campers and had sone good visits. We did meet up with a couple we had met in the Grand Africa, Michael and Mary Ann OBrien in Elma.  They live in STEILACOOM so we both an hour and met up at The Rusty Tractor, a very fun place to enjoy a meal and good visit. They are such an interesting couple but that’s another long story I won’t go into. We all had boxes to take home the huge portions that were left over.    I’ll stop boring you all there and tell the rest with photos!!!

A selfie with our friend Ruth at the last summer concert in Sequim the night before we left. 

Ruth’s lovely home where she entertained us with a delicious three course meal and dessert!!

Her home from the corner. Her parking is in the back. She has a view of the bay!! 

A poor photo to share but I celebrated my birthday in Sequim so we went to a Chinese restaurant and this was my good tune cookie!!  Ha ha 

Crossing into Aberdeen to get to Hoquiam. 

This is our spot with shade for our chairs where we have our 3:00 cocktail time!! Ha ha.  The path is where the rock ledge is and the river just past it. 

Just another view but you can see it’s very dry 

Here is our shady path that’s so well taken care of. We even found wild blackberries here to nibble on as we walked. 

A day trip to Westport where we toured the Coast Guard Museum along the jetty near the marina.  This is the giant crystal prism that used to be in the lighthouse.  Fascinating!

Coast Guard Museum. Our son Todd was a Rescue Swimmer in the CG so we have a sincere interest in the history. The gal working at the desk here looked him up on you tube as he is in a documentary about JFK Jr as he was the first swimmer out on his crash. It was done at the 20 year anniversary called Rescuer. You can watch it 

Entrance to museum 

Giant crabs they used to harvest in this area regularly 

Blue King Crab

I’d love to catch one that big!!

All the different mollusks we have of which are prawns that we eat.  Who knew there were so many !!

This is for Todd my son. They make a corn hole game with the rescue helicopter and the rescue boat!!!

We didn’t realize the Coast Guard uses dogs to for many purposes.  They even give them sun goggles when on boats!!

A historical photo of the lighthouse and our buildings .  Now they have volunteers who are at the light house which you are able to climb up. Dan made the trek but not for me!!

We walked around the jetty … there’s a barge out past Dan. 

Along the jetty which was lovely. I guess there are many feral cats here..

What a great idea!  This warmed my heart as I am a pet lover.  

Inside a protected box was good and clean water. I looked for cats but saw none. Folks say they are very wild. 

We were told this was a wonderful restaurant so we took advantage of a beautiful day and a bit of spoiling ourselves to indulge.   

Very homey atmosphere and great food in fact we had leftovers to take home!!  They close at 3 and don’t open for dinner till later so we just made it in time. The hostess was an older lady and we enjoyed a very nice chat with her. 

This was the Grays Harbor Light House Tour Schedule in Westport . 

What a lovely location. But very dry here too. 

So after a very nice excursion and adventure we headed back to our home on wheels where it was cool and cozy and no need to cook dinner!!

More photos of the trail path by our camper

Benches to sit and reflect 

Old pickings from days gone by everywhere when logging was king 

Moss covers everything even when the drought is in full force. Goes to show you that temperatures allow for cool moist weather the rest of the year. 

And now for that title….that is the meaning of Hoquiam in English as Hoquiam is a Native American word.  Because so much drift wood would come in from the tides they called it “ Hungry for wood”!!!  So now you learned a new tid bit!!

My Favorite Musical 🎵 Barn

v Some of you know that music has been one of my greatest loves since I was a young child. I remember hearing my mother play a few times on an old beat upright in our basement. I was enthralled with the sound and I wanted so much to play like that. I used to go downstairs and just pretend I was playing astonishing musical scores and would run my small fingers all over the keys up and down making no music at all but having the best time.  When my parents divorced I begged for a piano but I knew my mother had little money, no car and got no alimony.  Those were the days when women really got nothing and the man got it all.  But we did get the house and the worst part was we could afford to be there one month…..we had to sell within that month because as an RN she didn’t make enough to make the house payment.  So with the little money she got she went to Columbus Ohio to the music store and bought a brand new Baldwin spinet for me!!!!!  Then she put a down payment on a new Mustang and had enough for a few pieces of furniture.  We moved into the house meant for the Methodist minister which had an apartment with two bedrooms and one bath.  I was ecstatic and then wanted lessons.  A local divorced piano teacher took sympathy on me and offered her services at a greatly reduced price. I lived on that piano playing everything I could get my hands on. Over the years I found my safe haven in the piano which eventually got moved to a small room where I could shut the door. My social life was my piano. I could spend hours in that small room and never get tired or playing as time went by unnoticed.   When I moved west to go to school my mother made sure at one point that I had that piano.  Then I married and was talked into giving piano lessons. By that time I was playing at church on Sunday’s and playing for funerals.  I decided if I could give piano lessons I could contribute to our earnings even if it wasn’t much.  At one time I had 33 students.  I taught every night after school and had a few adults who came during the day.  Too much babbling on????? Ok, well I used my musical skills then to direct a community nondenominational choir which performed twice a year and sometimes three.  We even traveled a few times to other communities.  Sometimes we had up to 50 singers.  So now you know I love music of all kinds. I miss music in my life.  But my good friend Ruth Macy in Sequim told us about Concerts in the Barn!  She invited us to go with her and offered a picnic too!  How could we turn that down.  Anyway the experience was inspiring and thoroughly enjoyable. The history around the barn and location is bittersweet.  A Japanese American family owned the property, the Iseri’s.  They built the farmhouse, barn and milking parlor. For decades they provided dairy products to locals along with berries and cattle. When we entered WWII they were sent to a concentration camp and after the war were unable to regain ownership of their farm. The property passed from owner to owner but was never the same. Alan Iglitzin and his wife Leigh Heston both professional musicians bought the property in 1976. They bought the neglected property looking for a venue to showcase world class musicians.  It’s a long story but basically they transformed it to a beautiful location/destination where musicians from all over the globe could come and offer free concerts to the patrons locally.  In 2018 Alan retired from management and deeded the farm to his wife.  It is now in a land trust where it can only be used for cultural and educational activities for perpetuity.  

Another astonishing thing we realized when we read the program was that the front cover was created by Midori Vance. She attended an iconography class at St Gertrude’s Monastery in Cottonwood, Idaho.  This class spoke to her and gave her confidence to pursue her artistic side.  We know this monastery well.  It has played a deep and passionate part of our lives along with many of the sisters.  How wonderful for us to see this influence touched Midori’s life and reached out to us to appreciate and affirm. Thank you Ruth for the fun and delicious picnic and the the experience of hearing inspiring music in such a barn full of history, love and joy .

The program cover by Midori Vance 

Perpetuity…..

Picnic tables spread out across the mowed areas with beautiful flowers 

Entrance to the Barn along with the opportunity to donate to the Concerts in the Barn foundation 




The back side of the barn which has speakers outside!

When you enter there is a snack bar and they do have intermission 


There is a foyer type before you actually enter the barn. Sone sit here if all the seats are taken. All concerts are free. 

The old barn not really changed too much from the original barn except for wiring for lights and of course speakers. Old church pews are used along with chairs. Nothing fancy at all. A beautiful grand piano takes center stage. 



It’s filling up and most seats are gone in no time!! No one dresses up. It’s informal even for the performers. 

There is also a balcony!!  That’s a new addition 


So be it….. forever. 

It’s All About Joyce!!!

So who do you know named Joyce?  It’s kind of an old name. I don’t hear many parents now a days make their children Joyce but maybe I’m not in the flow.  I know a few Joyce’s from grade school and high school and some I still connect with on Facebook.  But this Joyce was more one of a kind!  To get to this Joyce you need to go about 25 miles from Sequim north of Crescent Lake.  She’s popular every year at this time for her Blackberry Festival!!!  Not ever having been there we decided it would be a good opportunity to take in some tasty blackberry treats and of course all the activities.  To give you a perspective on Joyce I’d say it’s mostly a grocery/hardware/post office/deli/gas station with a fire station across the street.  I’m not sure I remember a bar there but possibly.  And there was a very very small museum about the size of a one room cabin. Now that doesn’t mean that we regret the trip or the festival. In fact we enjoyed ourselves listening to the thigh clapping old timers play and sing , watching the parade and having some black berry scones and pie along with a good ole greasy burger!!  So feast your eyes on some of the unusual photos and enjoy it like you were there!!

Yummy!

This store is still owned and operated by the original family.  It was a hoot to go in and walk around. It’s full to the brim. 

This poor old clown was doing a fine job of entertaining the younguns even with his bad foot and crutches. 

Now, I saw these two guys dressed in a bit of an unusual fashion mode.  I watched awhile trying to figure out if this is  Joyce thing or personal preference or if they were low on cash.  I didn’t see anyone else dressed like this so maybe they were out of towners or part of an elite motorcycle group.  You choose! 

Inside the grocery store is the actual post office and the old boxes are still used.  I hope they keep these in working order. Aren’t they awesome?!

These are parts of the store. It had everything!!  And a very large old fashioned candy section too. I missed that so just take my word for it 

The safe works!  So does the old chest cooler and there are more mail boxes here and some shady hats too!

Here’s a full on picture of the post office counter and more boxes!!  

The old coolers here are still cranking out cold beverages and food!

And here is Albert the store cat!!  Lots of folks thought he was a stuffed cat!  I stopped to give him a pet.  He was tired of folks poking and prodding him and gave me a bat with his paw. I asked about him and the granddaughter told me he was a stray that wandered in about 7 years ago. She gave him a few treats and he never left and he never leaves the store much either!  He stays there all night. He chooses a spot to hang out during the day and it might even be at the check out counter..

Folks were enjoying a snow cone, burgers, music and just visiting.  Lots of tents were set up for crafters to see their wares too.  Something for everyone for sure 

Now this photos is a one man operation. This old timer makes his own batter, while taking your order and then cooks it while taking another order and his name is Fred!  He was very popular and had a long line of customers too.  I have a feeling he’s a regular food vendor every year. 


Here’s Fred’s sign with just a few spelling errors.  But I’m sure they don’t affect the taste of the food! 

Most music groups played for an hour.  Some were single entertainers and others a small group. They brought back some songs from way back in my memory bank of songs 

Uh….. Bigfoot made an appearance and why??? Ha ha. It was to pass out candy to all the kids that didn’t run off screaming like Dan!

 And then some wanted to know where the rest of his family was and why he only comes out of hiding during Joyce Days?

This giant salmon offers more than meets the eye!  You can crawl up inside it clear to the tail. Inside are painted pictures of the life cycle of the salmon. Kids loved it and parents had to threaten them to get them out or offer them ice cream!!




Here’s one of the little ones coming out of the mouth. No shoes allowed :)

Do you know this song??!!  

Even free crafts for the kids which makes mom and dad happy. 


And after the big parade of fire trucks, five processed lumber trucks loaded, old cars, motorcycles, one bike not decorated, politicians, karate group, royalty for Lavendar Days in Sequim and one for a Chamber of Commerce,  lots of candy was thrown, riding clubs and a pooper scooper, it came to an end for us and this little girl.  She was totally tuckered out. I asked her mom if I could take her photo and she laughingly said sure.  Mom was happy she was tuckered.