PUGET SOUND

Puget Sound is a large inland waterway stretching from Olympia to Vancouver BC. It's teeming with wildlife, waterfowl, and fish. It's an important shipping lane to major NW ports. Mt. Baker in the distance.

I have kayaked over 400 miles in inlets, bays and harbors. The Puget sound is a wonderful water sports area.

SALISH MOTIF

Salish art is rich in culture. Each motif portrays a spiritual being. Many legends are passed down from generation to generation. This is the life-giving Salmon Spirit.

Carved cedar masks inside longhouse.

NW SALISH CULTURE

Before the settlers arrived in the Northwest, Native Americans lived in longhouses. They hunted, fished and gathered shellfish from the abundant Puget Sound. Tillicum Village is a dinner theatre that portrays cuisine, customs, dance and art. 

WORLD STORYTELLING EVENT

Fireside Story League of Tacoma is hosting a World Storytelling Event. It will be from 6-9 at Antique Sandwich in Ruston, Wa.
I will be the MC for the evening.

I've told many tales from storytelling manuals at Toastmasters for the last four years. I had enough to fill one book. Shortly after publishing it, I created an instruction edition. Toasties Teacher has over two dozen hints on writing and publishing.

I finally published four manuscripts that have been collecting dust. They're now on Amazon.

It's been a great year for  Toastmasters achievements. 

#1 President of Puyallup Valley Voices and we were Presidential Distinguished. 

#2 Area 44 Director and my five clubs attained Select Area Distinguished.

#3 Charted Sumner Lifelong Learners and our Division became Presidential Distinguished. 

$4 Formed NW Comedy Club and received a Triple Crown award. 

#5 The biggest award is a culmination of all: I received the highest award in Toastmasters.

        DTM (Distinguished Toastmasters)

GOLD SPEAKER'S AWARD

7 MANUALS

50 SPEECHES

6 INSTRUCTION MODULES

7-PART PRESENTATION

DEER HARBOR MARINA

KAYAKING IN SAN JUAN ISLANDS

NEW KAYAK HAULER AT ROSARIO RESORT

Storytelling in the mansion's library at Lakewold Gardens.

BLARNEY STONE

Kissing the Blarney stone may give the kisser the gift of eloquent speaking. However, it isn't east. The kisser has to lay down and lean over backwards. Notice the people 130 feet below the tower?

BLARNEY CASTLE

Blarney Castle

STORYTELLING

Storytelling at the Puyallup RV show. They created a picnic area with fire ring. It was called S'mores Center. Kids could roast marshmallows and listen to tall tales. 

TOASTMASTERS SPEECH CONTEST WINNER

TOASTMASTERS CONTEST WINNER

Toastmasters speech contests are a great way to hone your public speaking. Two years ago I never would have gotten in front of a group to speak. Toastmasters has taught me a lot. 

Hot off the press!

Over 13 short stories on backpacking trips  in the Pacific NW.

Presents! Lots and lots. Whee! It's going to be sooo much fun opening them. Did I say presents?

I'm helping Grams wrap presents. Oooo...is this ever fun. I promise to keep my lips sealed what's in them. Don't ask me now.

Today is Gram's birthday. Oh, how I love birthdays. Especially chocolate cake and ice cream. And did I say presents? Oh yes! Lots of presents.

Today is the shortest day of the year. Horray! Now it will get lighter. I jumped out of bed before the sun came up and rushed outside. I danced around until sunrise. Oh what fun!

I went back to the North Pole to give a report to Santa. He hired a new elf. EEKS! I was scared half to death when I first saw him. He's a nice guy when you get to know him.

Wheee! Gramps has a fun house. I just found a merry-go-round. When I get dizzy, I fall to the ground. Don't worry. It doesn't hurt my fuzzy body. 

Look what I found! Great Grandma's antique cedar chest full of my old friends. Lots of Teddy bears that came from Santa's workshop. Grams just couldn't let them go. They have sooo many memories. What fun to get reacquainted!

I helped Gramps draw this year's Christmas card. It's called 'Four calling birds. They originally were Colly birds. They're Eurasian blackbirds about the size of a robin. Gramps has each Colly bird singing parts of a song; Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass. 

ELFIS AND THE FOOTBALL

We watched the Seahawks play football. They played the Baltimore Ravens and won! 35 to 6. We decided to play some football ourselves out in the yard. I caught my very first catch. OOF! A football is really heavy. It was also my last catch. Now I'm on the injured list with multiple fractures all over my body.

FIRESIDE STORYTELLING

I'm performing at Fireside Storytelling party tonight. Gramps is accompanying me with his guitar. This is so fun. Party, party, party.

ELFIS AND THE CAMERA

Gramps is always taking pictures of me. After he went to bed, I thought I'd try my hand at the camera. Whoa! It was heavy. I fell over and it pinned me to the table. Good thing Gramps heard all the racket. I'd still be squished under the camera.

SUPER-FRUITCAKE

More Goodies! Gramps makes yummy fruitcakes. They have all kinds of dried fruit and nuts in them. There's figs, dates, blueberries, cranberries and three kinds of raisins. Plus, maraschino cherries and candied pineapple. It like cherries the best. Fruitcake goes so fast; he has to make four or five each holiday season. 

BAKING COOKIES

Today Grams made cookies. She made snicker doodles, ginger snaps and chocolate crinkles. I was the taste tester. Have to make sure they're good enough for Santa. They are. Gramps helped me test them out too. He thinks they're great. 

HAMMER DULCIMER

Christmas music is ringing from Larry Krackle's log house. He purchased a hammered dulcimer. Drummer Bear decided to try his hand with the hammers. Can you guess what song he played?

TERRIBLE STORM

Last night a huge windstorm blew in. Trees were swaying in the wind. Rain poured. All of a sudden, lightning flashed and thunder boomed. Chrismouse and I came straight out of bed. I grabbed a flashlight real quick. The power didn't come back on until 6PM. I sure like electricity.