Arrived in Moscow, Idaho Safely

It's been quite a journey getting here but I wouldn't have missed it for anything. Eastern Washington is as dry and devoid of trees as western Washington is the absolute opposite. What a contrast. I am still thinking of Sherman Alexi's descriptions and I definitely see many exceptions to the rule as well as nuance and beauty of a very special sort. But there are some pretty dry regions along the way to this inviting little place that was our chosen destination.

In a town not far from Pullman we stopped for a quick rest and I walked Bobby to the edge of a cliff overlooking a river only to have the biggest Great Blue Heron I've ever seen fly off down the river. That reminds me so much of the Heron we used to see as we paddled up the Noyo river. It would fly off just as we came around the bend and wait for us to reach the next one. It was almost like a game.
I've seen other birds including some Robbins, but I'm not good enough to know whether the flocks of black birds I've seen are Starlings or Ravens. They look like Ravins and not as plump as crows. Maybe someday I'll get it right. But it's fun to check out what I do see. I'll have a little more time to stop and watch or photograph the birds on my way home. I've been told by Sarah Swett that there is a very nice alternate route I can take to return to northern Oregon where I hope to have a short visit with Larkin and Elena if their schedules permit.

Last night we stayed in a campground near Vantage right above the mighty Columbia river. The wind there lasted all night, breaking sturdy branches of trees just above us. I told JP and Yael that we can have winds as strong or stronger at Echo. That was a huge surprise to them. So I guess it is possible to go to Echo and Desolation and not ever witness the kind of winds we all know to be frequent enough visitors to that area.  Timing is everything, eh?

Moscow is an inviting town with  very cozy neighborhoods. Quite individual houses with  somewhat of a feeling like Berkeley. It is a university town, so maybe there is a connection between college towns and individual architecture.

We arrived at Sarah Swett's home in the late afternoon after several false approaches. Sarah's husband, Dan made a delicious dinner for us, including bread he had just baked. There's something very special about men who cook at home. I know many of the best chefs in the world are men but husbands who cook for their wive's guests get a special gold star from me.

I'll try to get photos posted very soon. I'm sure I can take the time to get caught up on the way home.
Hoping everything is good with all of you. All's well here.  JP and Yael do their presentation tomorrow and will probably head for Bamff and Lake Louise the next day.  I'll head the other way and return to the coast within the next week probably.  Hugs to all,   Jackie

The Trip Is Going Well

View of Mt. St. Helens on the way to Seattle (Long way round)

Classroom in Damascus Textile Arts

Damascus Center

The Damascus Textile Center

Dear Ones,  I've been at remote locations or out of wifi range for the last few days. Sorry not to have reported in. The Larochette book presentations have been going very well and I've encountered wonderful old friends at almost every site. Saw Dora Green and Mary Zicafoose in Seattle yesterday as well as other friends. Lolli, Michael Rhode says he'll come up and help us with the fine points on the Bexel Crangrook loom.

I haven't been posting during the trip yet. Too far off the grid so far each night. And there have been long days of driving so it just hasn't happened. But I have been hand writing a short journal each day to keep track of the essentials. I'll try to transfer that to the blog as soon as possible.

We left Seattle late yesterday afternoon and camped out in a remote forest along a deeply rutted road with some of the worst potholes I've ever crossed with the poor Rialta. I'm sure it was cussing at me during that one. We made our way safely out of there this morning and returned to Highway 90 in Washington. We're headed for Moscow, Idaho now. Currently stopped and a sparse and very windy location just off of 90. I think that tomorrow we'll break off of this highway and join Highway 26 which ends up near Pullman. Moscow is really just on the other side of the Washington — Idaho border. Eastern Washington is quite like I thought it would be from the descriptions I've read. Went right through the Winachee (sp) area and thought of the various descriptions of that region by Sherman Alexi. His words seemed to be full of truth.

Where we are staying tonight is sparse and very windy. A few trees become an important part of the scene. Bobby was free to run yesterday evening because it was so remote. This afternoon I've let him have a few little runs. He's really very good about returning with my call. Good little traveler.

The book tour is going very well. Lots of books sold and lots of old friendships rekindled. We had a gorgeous lunch with Kathy and Danny in Trinidad and then stayed in  a no service part of Patrick's Point campground. Took a lovely hike along the cliffs. Sea was wild and exciting.

This wifi connection is from my phone hot spot. But the service it connects to is the slowest I've ever experienced. It took me five minutes to download one email. So I'll bring this to a close with a promise to attempt getting some pictures posted soon. I suspect I'll be able to catch up in the Moscow area.  Just want all to know that we're having fun exploring along the way and in fact had a fantastic view of the south side of Mount St. Helens Saturday as we wound our LONG way from Damascus, Oregon to Seattle.

Love to all,   Jackie

I've been away from this blog for so long I've forgotten the setting particulars. You'll have to bear with me as I ease into it again.  Ease into I feel I must. And really want to. One of the big things that has stood in my way for so long has to do with huge setbacks in my camera situation. As of today, I think I have made great strides toward fixing all that. For the sake of upping the quality of the photos I place in the PTArts newsletter, I have brought my big old Canon back to life — I hope. For the last year I have depended on a series of those light weight but easy to drop or lose little pocket cameras. Dropped the first Nikon off onto a tile floor at a restaurant in Oaxaca. Bought a backup substitute. It won't work now and doesn't tell me why. That might be about all you need or want to know. So I am now equipped with a new little refurbed Nikon for easy carrying and, as I said, I have resurrected my trusty old (and larger) Canon. So at least for a while there's no excuse other than finding the time. Wish me luck.

Much water under the bridge since last we talked. Pacific Textile Arts (PTArts) has made great strides in the last year. We used the grant money from the Mendocino Community Foundation to build the wonderful arbor over our courtyard and laid a fine concrete slab over the whole courtyard space. Just recently, Greg Tregoning installed four  tall vertical windows in the storage building which is going to become our new tapestry studio by sometime next year.

We've been conducting classes in the new classsroom and that has been more than exciting. It's like a dream come true. Check out our wesite for more news of what is going on there.  pacifictextilearts.org 
Mylife has been going well though there are never enough days in the week or hours in the day. I feel happy to tell you though that I still am a great believer in stopping to smell the roses. I try seriously to pace myself each day. To me, that is a key formula for living a good life. My friend Art has lured me into the world of bird watching. I used to joke about "those guys" but here I am. I have placed a hummingbird feeder on my back porch and a wild bird seed feeder on my porch rail nearby. Both feeders are only a few feet from me as I gaze out the window while sitting at my kitchen table. It's actually mezmerizing. Ii've been learning so much. A month ago I saw my first grossbeaks eating from a hanging little cage filled with sunflower seeds. Then the Steller's Jays began coming to the wild seed feeder that has four places to stand. The last few days I've been watching the interesting relationship between the very gentle looking Mourning Doves and the Jays. When the doves first arrived I was sure the Jays would route them out in no time. Much to my surprise, the Jays bow to the wishes of the doves. Still can't believe it, but it happens over and over again.  I can't see any "Hold fast" gesture on the part of the doves. Their very presence seems to have an effect on the Jays who will stamp their feet and wait behind the doves until they've had their fill. Who knew?

Since I've written we've had tow remarkable festivals in Mendocino. The Film Festival was well attended and much appreciated. I was away for part of it but went as soon as I returned.  The second festival was the very exciting Mendocino Music Festival which began with a four day concentration devoted to Bach. Susan Waterfall did a fantastic job composing that part of the event. Lectures, beer introductions and musical concerts made the four days fly by. After that we went to an opera dress rehearsal, several great jazz performances, a big band concert and finished with a rousing Delta Blues concert.The slick program for this festival was almost a half in thick. This festival has come a long way over the last few years. Think about coming up for it next year. You won't be sorry. Google Mendocino Music Festival sometime during the fall or winter.

Over and over through the empty blog period I've had moments when I've wanted to share wondrous sights or moments with all of you. I guess I've just reached the point where I MUST get back to writing. Can't imaging anyone even looks to see if I'm here for quite some time. So I may be writing to the wind for a while. That's OK. It's time for me to get back to it and see where it goes.

Yelapa was heaven!

Green Parrots on the huge Green Bamboo at the Oasis in Yelapa

I waited two days before I could post this. So I'm at Pascal's at Marina Bay for mid-day brunch and some wifi catch-up. Our trip from Vallarta was smooth and uneventful. Just the way we like it. We're joining Chuck, Steve, Susan and Mira for dinner at Italian Colors and hoping Mike and Jenny can join us. Still don't know if Mike is playing tonight. It's Susan and Steve's anniversary today, so hope we can all be together. Had a good check-in talk with Kathy this morning. Sounds like Larkin is a joy for Mary to have living with her while he's back at San Jose State. I can only imagine what a joy that must be.

Here's the entry I started when the wifi wasn't working at #5 in Yelapa when I wanted to say goodbye and announce that we were about to leave:

Here it is already. Monday, the 10th. Art says it's the first day of the rest of your life. Actually, it's the day before we leave beautiful, magical Yelapa. For some reason, we seemed to think Wednesday was  our day of departure, so we're in a momentary state of shock and surprise. But that won't last long. We've had a gorgeous stay here as well as wonderful time in Oaxaca, Puerto Vallarta and El Tuito before this, so we truly can't complain. And since we feel we're returning from one paradise to another………. So be it.

Yesterday we met my Santa Fe friend, Lynn at the top of the trail to the cascade in the village. We waited long, but had a delicious brunch with her while listening to the sounds of the waterfall landing on all the facets of rock behind the falls. Saw a few birds on the way home in the village. Particularly some hawks and vultures of interest. This morning the bird book lying on the breakfast table seemed to attract all sorts of people. One man from Victoria BC sent his mother to our table because she has a growing interest in birds. We had a delightful visit with her and Art did his best to convince her to join  a serious bird group when she returns to Canada.

The wifi here has chosen today to be missing for the first time in our stay. Of course I came back to our porch and set up the computer just outside the door on a little night stand so that I could do a blog entry and watch for two friends as they para-sailed down. Sighting the flyers worked out, but blog entry will have to wait 'til who knows when. And just as I wrote that, one of the flyers arrived at our door front.  You know me, always feeling like esp is everywhere or just around the corner.

The bottom line is that birding here in Yelapa has been lovely. I took a very long swim in the pool late this afternoon, met people who were lovely. We had dinner and conversations with Luke, other regulars and some new friends. That also was lovely. Need i say more. I hate to leave but leave we must and it will be great to see  our own coast and all that it means to us in a very short while. 

The wifi icon says it's on but the dialogue box says it's not. Let's hope I can publish this after we get through the system at the Vallarta airport. In the meantime it will be preserved on my desktop in Text  Edit. Time will tell. —  JW

Happiness is a round house

Many good subjects along the river trail, but these top the list

The cheerful and peaceful atmosphere of the Oasis Restaurant

Happy to be at the Larochette's,  out of the airplane and the hustle and bustle of Vallarta 

Art enjoying the "fish of the day" at the Oasis restaurant

There is something about living in a round space that affects my spirits every time I experience it. I once helped run a textile program at Arcosanti called Haystack at Arcosanti. During my one month stint I lived in two round spaces as well as on the roof of the library where I could see lightning storms hundreds of miles away. That experience is etched in my memory bank and I realize that it's part of the reason I keep asking for number five at Hotel Lagunita in Yelapa. I think I need a yurt in my yard so I can recreate that feeling at will. It really does something for me that I can't quite put my finger on, but which is as real as anything I know. Kathy, you'll be pleased to know that #5 (The round #5) has had a complete sprucing up. The woven windows and wall sections have all been redone and there is a new front door. A brand new toilet and regrouting or cement brushing is in evidence throughout the room. Might not overwhelm you if you were here for the first time, but quite a spiffy re-do if you've been coming to the same room  for years.

Art and I stayed with Jean Pierre and Yael for two nights before coming to Yelapa. Time whizzed by with a breakfast at Mario's on the Plaza and a fantastic lunch conjured up by Yael for us, Pat, Bonny and Carlos. What a joy to see those lovely old friends and have a long and relaxed and conversation rich, late lunch with them. The day's plan included lunch on the porch at the Larochette's followed by a short rest, and before we knew it, Pat was calling to tell us that the birds were out in full force at Rancho Primavera. We rushed out there and saw incredible birds at the main house and then drove to the adobe overlooking the pond where we saw a ton of birds. My expectation was that we'd show Art the exciting event I had grown used to in previous years. At about 6:00 or a little later all the Cattle Egrits, some Cormerants, a few ducks and a Heron or two would always come swooping in on the pond and the Egrits would fight over that night's place to roost in one of two trees overlooking the  inlet of a small stream  which enters the pond at the eastern end. Well, time moves on and the routine seems to have changed completely. No big Egrit battle for limbs and branches but just about every other possible thrill more than made up for it. We saw a troop of Ibis, at least eight Black bellied whistling ducks, Nightherons, Egrits, Cormerants, a Ring Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher and more.  A Magpie Jay, Night Herons, a Military McGaw and others whose names escape me at the moment blessed us with their presence while we were at Pat's house. All in all an amazing bird experience for me. We were joined at Pat's and at the adobe by a visiting birder and tour leader from Bend, Oregon.

We arrived in Yelapa yesterday mid-day and settled into #5 after it was finally vacated and cleaned. This morning I took Art for a walk up the main river trail to the foot bridge where Art insisted that we  go up river for just a little while even though we have a walk planned for there tomorrow.  When we finally turned around and went toward the village, we began seeing birds everywhere.  On the way in, we heard a sound we first thought was from a construction site, but I finally decided it was coming from a stand of giant bamboo-like stalks. We looked up and, Wow! It turned out to be a Pale billed Woodpecker who was working overtime and making a huge racket. When we reached the village dock and sat down to observe the carnival of shore birds in the harbor, we saw different gulls, pelicans, Terns, huge winged Frigate birds and much more. We stopped for an orange juice on the way back to the Oasis Restaurant where we planned to have dinner, and when I looked up in a tree overhanging the stream that comes down from the village waterfall,  I saw three birds that looked and acted a little like chickens, the way they were walking along a high, horizontal branch. Art thought for  barely a moment and said they might be an unusual bird with a name I also can't remember but which I will insert when I feel I can disturb the authority, who is working at trying to maneuver his way around his new IPad. We reached the Oasis and saw at least thirty Black Vultures and a troop of Ibis marching along a sand bar next to the river. Before we left, the waiter told us there were more of the chicken like bird whose name escapes me and then a huge flock of green parots flew into the tree in front of the restaurant. We watched them, inthralled at their chatter and movement, when, all of a sudden they flew off in a marvelous, spiraling movement in unison and were gone. What a great way to finish our first day in Yelapa. More to come, I'm sure. 

On the move again

Jackie and Art at "Arabia Cafe" shortly before we moved on to P.V.

I'm hoping to back up and fill in the gaps when we get to Yelapa in a couple of days. We've had wonderful birding trips to Llano Grande with a local guide who grew up there as well as a trip with "Diego" to Teotitlan, also to a mountain trout farm, "Casa", the great  museum in San Augustin, Etla and many other wonderful bird oriented activities. I took Art to Archie's Wok Friday night. Delicious, creative dinner as usual. No real time for writing.

We're in Puerto Vallarta and preparing to take a bus up to El Tuito after visiting the Botanical Gardens half way up the hill. We walked to the island where the river splits and saw all kinds of birds as well as at least five iguanas in the trees along the way. I may find time to write from JP's but if not, I promise to do so when we get to Yelapa. I'm looking forward to the quiet of that lovely getaway. All's well and we're both healthy. Much love to all,   Jackie

Pacific Textile Emergency with Ravens — Can you help?

Several days ago I received several emails from Elaine T. regarding the roofs at Pacific Textile Arts. We have a serious problem with ravens pecking holes in our roofs. I'm passing the following email along to the outer world in the event that someone out there will know the answer to our dilema. If you have any knowledge that will help us, please respond, OK? Many thanks. — Jackie

Email from Elaine Todd:

I'm sad to relay this information, Dave from Lifetime Roofing came to PTA while I was attending the spinninggathering this morning. The results of the classroom 

is the seam is pulling apart (Henry's patch job isn't working) and there are at least 200 holes from the ravens, and this could have been there when we bought the
modular. To replace the roof we are looking at about 

$4800. I asked him to clear the gutters on the librarybuilding and there aren't any. There is a dip in the center of the roof where the water pools, the drain 

that we see from below is roofed over so no water willfall into our water catchment system. This roof also 

needs to be re-roofed but it needs to be built up so the water will run off the roof. This is upsetting that this wasn't detected before we spent the money on catching water from that roof. There is samples on the 

desk in the office and literature Dave left with
us. He said he could give us a deal if we do both roofs at one time. Dave will put together an estimate for us listing the buildings separately. Nancy keeps 

saying that we should have been informed and what recourse do we have from Fort Bragg Electric for not doingthe job correctly! When I asked about the raven 

problem he suggested a sensor with a sprinkler system
that will chase the ravens away when they land.
So this is a brief description of our roof problems. 

I'm sorry to have to report all this. Please share 

your responses for all board members to discuss this 

matter. Thank you.