Off-Island adventure to McMenamin's

A few cars full of Whidbey Island Sketchers started out earlier than usual for our Friday sketching this week. We caught a 10:30 ferry to the other side and headed off to McMenamin's Anderson School. 

We met at the North Shore Lagoon - aka Tiki Bar for a little lunch before sketching. We were so thrilled to find fellow-sketchers-from-afar had joined us: Robin and Kate (Seattle Sketchers), and Roy (Tacoma Sketchers). 

Lunch was a bit wild and crazy; we kept adding to the table and thoroughly confused our patient waiter, Danuel (pronounced and spelled like Manual, he said his parents are hippies). We decided that Happy Hour could actually be before sketching, since we were in a fabulous Polynesian themed location overlooking the pool, so decided to have something with little umbrellas. So we ordered a tray full of MaiTais.  But alas, Danual said they had freshly run out of umbrellas. Oh, no! 

We ordered lunch, shared sketchbooks, materials and stories. And we sketched. It was such great sharing time - LOTS of great ideas and information. We learned that our Island group is pretty kick-back in approach....relaxed in a wonderful island way. Apparently, times and parameters are a little more norm in the other groups. 

After lunch they asked us where & when "Throwdown" would be. Huh? I made a note. We might just have to steal that, because we truly enjoyed this sharing time. Kate also reminded us that the important phrase is "share not compare."

 

Historical Society Visit

The South Whidbey Historical Society opened up just for us on a Friday afternoon so we could take over the place. It's amazing how vast the collection is, from an entire kitchen (complete with a hand water pump over the sink) to this incredible vintage tool collection. I enjoyed the gadgets and their descriptions. Some of the things were so far from modern life and a good reminder of how self sufficient the original settlers were; a tool to sharpen your saw teeth, a gadget to make lead balls for your ammunition, shoemaker's tools and so much more. Imagine Island life before Amazon Prime!

A special  thank you to Bruce for setting us up, and to Bill for spending the afternoon with us.

At the South Whidbey Historical Society Museum

Today the Whidbey Island Sketchers met in the Langley Whale Museum, and the South Whidbey Historical Society's Museum, right next door. I didn't finish my sketch from the Whale Museum yet, but here is the one I did get done from the History Museum. Truth to tell, most of the things in the museum are dead ringers for things in my house. Help! I am trapped in a 1980's Country Living Magazine!!!!!