Viva Village Picnic 2025

 

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/vv.html

Replacing carpet after 27 years

 

After 27 years, it's time to replace the carpet, this is the end of the project. Eric from Project Floor is the owner and the master of anything "floors".

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/carpet.html

 

Sherwood - Robin Hood Festival

 

A friend who lives in Sherwood told us about this annual festival, as always we come early to get the parking spot that is close to the venue. We also found a decent Mexican restaurant nearby. The first festival was in 1954.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/robinhood.html

Carriage House Lavender - Sherwood

 

We know the existence of this beautiful lavender farm from the Robin Hood Festival yesterday, I checked it out on the Google Map and it's open at 11:00 on Sunday.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/carriage.html

    

Chehalem Cultural Center - Lavender Festival 2025

 

This festival always in mid-July, with that it comes with warm temperature and sometimes it's down hot and miserable, we prefer cooler weather to explore an outdoor event like this one.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/ccc.html 

Durant at Red Ridge Farms

 

The weather is getting warm, too warm for our bodies to enjoy the farms and the views, buy I managed to get a few nice one.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/durant.html

Skyshows

 

The sunsets for over the last three days have been spectacular, but the opportunity is only minutes on the sky shows, I was running between the front bedroom and the bedroom facing the backyard.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/sky.html

Wayward Winds Lavender Farm

 

Early July is Lavender Festival time here in Portland area, this time we go back again to this farm, it is sill rustic, not much improvement. I like it that way.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/lavender.html

Backyard Flowers by Pokie

 

The flowers in the backyard are blooming like crazy, so I asked Pokie to take pictures yesterday and I took some today, Pokie likes her "CLOSE UPS"

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/backyard.html

 

Seattle Waterfront

 

We decided to go to Seattle by Fast Ferry Kitsap, it's only half an hour from Bremerton, it's a new experience and Pokie likes it very much. We walked to Starbucks Reserve, it is going uphill, next time I will call UBER then walk down.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/seattle.html

Bathroom Remodeling and New Carpeting

 

This website is made on day 2 of remodeling, at the end of day 2, I do not recognize it anymore. I am glad that the demolition is done and we are on framing on day 3, I try to have a normal life (if I could) during the eight week.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/bathroom.html

Peonies - Close Ups

 

I am glad that we came today instead of yesterday, the after rain and cloudy makes a perfect lighting, I could not ask for a better time.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/peonycu.html

Trolls by Thomas Dambo

 

Summary page of all trolls by Thomas Dambo, a Scandinavian artist.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/dambo.html

Port Orchard Farmers Market

 

It's Saturday, it must be the Farmers Market, but in my opinion it is more like Arts and Craft than selling fruits and vegetables.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/orchard.html

Ferry Life

 

Doing a bit of research will save us some money, as senior citizens we have advantage when it some to tickets - HALF PRICE. So, we apply ORCA cards, it does not cost us a thing, other than replacement card when it got lost then it would be $3.00

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/ferry.html

St. Nicholas Catholic Church - Gig Harbor

 

We had a mass here on the home from Bremerton, after extending our stay by one night. We came for the second mass at 11:00.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/nicholas.html

Poulsbo, Washington

 After finding the last troll in Bainbridge Island, we stop here and explore this Norwegian town.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/poulsbo.html

Bremerton

 

We stay here for three days and extended one day for Pokie, I take pictures on different days with many different lighting condition.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/bremerton.html

 

Finding the last two trolls

 

Finding the last two trolls in Vashon Island and Bainbridge Island, with these two, I have completed the trolls in the Pacific Northwest by Thomas Dambo.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/troll.html

 

 

Gig Harbor

 

On the way home from Bremerton, we stop at Gig Harbor that had a mass at St. Nicholas Catholic Church, then we drive around before heading to Lakewood for lunch.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/gig.html

Peonies at Glencoe Farms - Hillsboro

 

Close up by Pokie

On a cloudy morning, we went to this farm as suggested by our friend Joan. I was like a kid in a candy store, this farms have been in business for five year.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/peony.html

Joseph Arts - Two Parts

 

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/joseph.html
 
https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/joseph2.html

Little Switzerland of America

 

Joseph Oregon is also known as Little Switzerland of America, we spent two nights here, what a scenery.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/wallowa.html

Stream - A photography Study

 

While I was taking pictures on the upper streams, I saw Pokie in this area, I joined her and spend sometime in the section of the stream.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/stream.html

Red Barn, a Photography Study

 

We visited this barn as part of my Photography Study. I always wanted to take a photograph a red barn. Finally my wish came true,

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/barn.html

Elgin - Future Train Rides and Highway Scenery

 

We left Enterprise, Oregon after breakfast, stopping in Elgin, rest area and Hood River for lunch, we got home around 3:00 PM

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/elgin.html

Red Carpet

 

An invitation for a picnic and a chance to photograph "Red Carpet" (Crimson Clover) excite me to go and capture the scenery before the field is plowed again.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/red.html

Fernhill Wetlands

 

Again the sun is very strong and I have to be selective to have minimum shadows, we walk for about 1.1 miles around the Fernhill Lake.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/fernhill.html

Riverfront Park - Salem

 

Bright and sunny day always a challenge for me to position the camera to get the optimum image capturing without too much compromising the shadows.
  

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/river.html

 

Garden Palooza at Baumans

 

We woke up at six in the morning to beat the crowd. True enough we were the firsts to arrive and park at our favorite space, close to the main building. This is the first time for us to come to Garden Palooza, I see more plants and flowers, I was told there are forty vendors.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/palooza.html

Flowers - Spring 2025

 

With the promise of no rain, we ventured to Bauman's Farms, EZ Orchards, In-N-Out Burgers, Costco and Wilco, We got home tired, but we used the day well.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/flowers.html

Commonwealth Lake Park

 

"Let's come to the church one hour earlier", I asked Pokie. The purpose is to walk this lake and the clouds did not disappoint me at all, they add beauty to the images.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/common.html

 

Chasing Sakura

 

We were outside almost the whole day, first we went to Washington Square Mall then to Sanchez for lunch and then we went to Wilco in Hillsboro, then back to Al's Garden Center and the last stop was at my favorite retirement bench.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/sakura2.html

Orchard Park in Spring

 

We continue to Orchard Park, thanks to Pokie (The Queen of Instagram). We are chasing the cherry blossoms as today if the last sunny day before the temperature is falling back to mid 50s,

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/orchardpark.html

Pretty in Pink - Sakura

 

The weather called for "Thunderstorm and hail the size of gold balls" in the afternoon, I am glad it did not materialize, we we venture to this place (Scholl Ferry Road and Barrows Street),

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/sakura.html

 

Welcome to Spring 2025

 

Finally, today hits 73 degrees Fahrenheit, the warmest so far this year, tomorrow will go back to Oregon weather again, rain and rain. Today is a bit sunny but I do my best to capture the spring pictures.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/spring.html

 

Forest Grove

 

Sunday morning after breakfast, we ventured to Forest Grove, home of the world's tallest barber pole, since it is Sunday, many stores are closed.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/forest.html

 

iPhone 15 Journey 2025

 

The year began with a spectacular sunrise, when I saw orange color coming through the bedroom blinds, I thought it must me the sunrise.

https://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2025/iphone.html