Gardens and God's goodness

OK! Due to technical (no internet hook up at some of my overnight stays) and timing difficulties (my days so full of activities I'm too tired to blog) I am seriously behind in keeping you up with my travels. So lets start with last Wednesday, May 6 and go through today, Monday, May 11.

May 6

I took my car onto the ferry at Port Angelo, Washington this morning at 8:30 for the 90 minute trip over to Vancouver Island, Canada. The ferry is huge, with space for semi trucks, more than 100 cars, and goodness knows how many motorbikes. In spite of that, the boat swayed a great deal, shifting the level of the deck about a foot (it felt like 3 feet!) up and then down. One walks like a drunken person, lurching along. I found a seat near the front of the inside lounge, where I observed some newlyweds walking hand in hand on the outer deck. They went to the prow of the boat, and began to use the photo technique my sister Jacquie taught me: they held their camera out in front of them, pointed toward them, and leaned close to get a photo of them cheek to cheek. However, just then the boat shifted and they banged into each others head! The other ladies on the row inside with me looked at each other and then me, and all of us broke into laughter at the same time. By then the young couple outside had also finished laughing and rubbing their heads, and took the picture sucessfully this time.

By the time I cleared customs in Victoria, minus the mango, apples and an orange I had aquired in the three western states, it was 10:30 a.m. I drove the 25 miles to the Buchart Gardens, thankful that Peggy Sue (my GPS) works in Canada also. I took about 100 pictures of the gardens there, beautiful in their spring mode. I wish I could see that garden several times a year, in all its' seasons.

Only a couple miles (kilometers?) from there are the butterfly gardens, an enclosed rain garden with lush tropical foliage and THOUSANDS of butterflys, flitting and flirting all over. There were also numerous kinds of birds, singing and twittering, almost invisible. However, one of the birds was quite visible. I think it is called a stilt, but it seems to have a shoe fetish, and follows you around trying to peck your feet while you are trying to take pictures! I was also surprised to meet some flamingoes there, and while they weren't as up close and personal as the stilt, I did get pictures of them from about 6 feet away. I never was able to get a picture of the brilliant blue butterflies that swooped very close to me sometimes, but never lit for a photo op. It wasn't until on my way back to the hotel that I remembered I also have a video option on my camera. If that is the only wasted opportunity on this trip, I'll count myself fortunate. When I got back to Victoria, I did a little shopping for souvenirs. Peggy Sue directed me to the hotel for the night, where I fell asleep as soon as I got to the room, I was so tired from all my garden viewing.

May 7

I got up early and got the car packed, then went to see and photograph some of the totem poles, then out to the Government House public gardens, open from dawn to dusk. These were dedicated by the Queen of England when she was there, I think it said in 1998, but I may be remembering the date incorrectly. These were also beautiful, but less organized and tended than the world famous Buchart Gardens of the day before.

The ferry back to the USA left at 10:30, after discharging its incoming passengers. Of course, it was 12:30 by the time I got through US customs, so I had to race at 35 mph down the penninsula to pick up Jiffy before the kennel closed for the evening. Since Peggy Sue refused to recognize the address of the kennel, Jacquie had directed me to it from her computer as I came on Tuesday. Today, Jacquie was at work, so I called Jeannie in Georgia, and she performed the same service for me, so that I could get back to Jiffy in time. I did get there by 2:30pm, and Jiffy and I began the journey up to Seattle then on Interstate 90 through Snoqualamie Pass and down to Cle Elum, where we turned north to Wenatchee, the Apple Capital of the country. Jiffy was suffering separation anxiety, and wanted to be in touching distance every second. He got upset when I'd leave the car to get gas or go to the restroom. He loves to travel, but does NOT like to be left behind. The hotel in Wenatchee was the poorest accomodation so far. They lacked many of the amenities I've come to take for granted, but the lack of WIFI was most annoying. Oh well, I can stand anything for one night, and I was really tired anyway.

May 9, Saturday

The really big river beside the highway we came in on is the Columbia! I hadn't thought about where the Columbia originates. This morning, I did laundry at a coin-op place before we started for Spokane. We went through some more of the coastal range of mountains, the Cascades, before decending to flat rolling plains reminiscent of Kansas. Very small towns where the price of gasoline was almost double. Fortunately, we filled up before we left Wenatchee. Peggy Sue directed us right to my cousin Dennis's house, where he hugged me and introduced me to Helen, his warm hearted wife, who made me feel instantly at home. They have two dogs and a couple of cats, so we got all our animals sorted out and assigned space. Since Dennis and Helen love to find and restore antiques, their home is as lovely and as comfortable as a Bed and Breakfast, with the bonus of being family! We visited and played games, and ate a wonderful lasagne that Helen prepared. Dennis showed me his collectors den/office downstairs, and we took the pictures I brought of Grandma Berry to make copies. We talked almost non-stop! It is so good to see Dennis happy.

Sunday, Mother's Day, May 10

This was another red letter day for Divine Appointments. I went to the church in Greenacres where my mother and Dennis's mother (sisters, adopted by Grandma Hattie Berry) grew up and accepted the Lord. Grandma Berry was a member of that church for over 60 years of its 104 years of existence. I spoke to the church briefly, telling them of how much it has meant to the lives of our families, several generations removed from Grandma Berry now. Dennis and Helen have returned to that church, where Dennis is now an elder and Helen accepted the Lord and was baptised several years ago. Wow!

After we ate out, we came home and I called our cousin Dave, and told him I was in town and visiting Dennis, and we would like to see him. He immediately invited us over, and said we could also see his mother, if we wished. Aunt Evie is still living! Dennis was as shocked as I was, we both thought she had died several years ago. She is now 92, and looks like grandma did when she was in her 90's--bright and sweet. Of course, she doesn't remember us, but I assured Dave that I did not want to try to make her connect us to her past, I just wanted to hug her. We did meet Dave, whom I have not seen for 50 years (he looks a great deal different, but recognizable) and his wife and some of his children and grandchildren, one of whom is expecting their great-grandson soon. Dave had a triple bi-pass heart surgery a couple years ago, thankful that he did not have to experience a heart attack before the problem was discovered. It is difficult to catch up on both sides of 50 years of living! But so good to get reconnected after all that time. Dave also gave me the phone number for Glenda, his sister, my other cousin I wanted to see if possible.

First, we visited Aunt Evie. Her face is so familiar looking. I think it is the Bryant heritage, and my sisters and I will probably look exactly like her when we reach the 90's. But her lines have settled into laugh lines, as grandma's did, and I'll be satified if my wrinkles look exactly like that. Aunt Evie still lives in the same house she grew up in, lived all her married life in, and still will live there until she dies. I find this to be an incredible fact.

Then we went on to see Glenda and meet her husband. Among the other 5o-years catch up facts, I learned that Glenda is a recent survivor of cancer. She is a beautiful and interesting person, and I wish I had more time to get reaquainted with her.

Well, after that, Dennis took me to two of the Spokane cemetaries, where he and his brothers had been part of Grandma's cleanup crew every memorial day. He knew where some of the graves of my family are, and I took pictures of the gravestones. We couldn't find the graves of my twin sisters who died two weeks after they were born, but Dennis is sure they are there. He will find them and send me pictures of their markers.

Dennis said he will remember this day for the rest of his life, and so will I. I think God arranged all these meetings not only for me, but for Dennis to share them with me. I found out a lot more things about the past and my family than I ever knew, new insights that illuminate things. How good our God is, the one who sees all, and weaves new patterns in our lives. I am humbled by the way He has continually been working things out. What will be next? I am eager to see what else He has planned.