Now we look forward to Boreas’ 2008 Wild Mushroom Celebration to be held October 17-19. I finally bought a little Flip Video camcorder and when Veronica Williams, our “All Wild” forager showed up with some spectacular Wild Lobster Mushrooms, it seemed like a good time to film my first-ever video! I have uploaded it to YouTube and will try to upload it here! Excuse the wobbliness–I’m a newbie.

Long Beach Washington Kite Festival—
Originally uploaded by danslide

The 2008 Kite Festival is coming! Hooray! We are so excited that our favorite festival is fast approaching. We’re filled that week with beloved return guests. This enables us to enjoy the festival also!! We’ve had a very busy July with lots of guests from abroad and throughout the much of the United States. August looks to be busy also–but we do have rooms available on Sundays through some weekdays except for Kite Festival week. Labor Day looks open for several three nighters–it’s the last summer holiday after all! Just after Kite Festival is a great time to be here–still lots of kites in the air, but not the crowds. Come to the beach, sleep in the best beds in the world and dine at our wonderful breakfast table. We’re gearing up for our Wild Mushroom Celebration October 17-19. It’s becoming our second favorite festival! Hope you’re all having a great summer.
Susie

But moving onto other subjects–the 4th of July is upon us! We are booked solid at the inn and cottage–and planning on lots of beachside fireworks and firecrackers. The Long Beach display is gorgeous on the 4th and then there are 28 miles of beach where guys load up their pick ups with a $zillion in personal fireworks and they are almost as big and spectacular as the Long Beach display. So it’s a colorful noisy commemoration of Independence Day. Definitely a testosterone-driven holiday! On the 5th of July, the Port of Ilwaco has a great fireworks display over the water. Our guests can dine at a couple of our favorite sports, The Port Bistro and Pelicano, and watch the show!

It’s been tough getting the gardens all planted this year because the weather was so cold so late. I’m still weeding, planting and mulching with little help this year. It still looks pretty out there. We have two of Bill’s five grandkids visiting from Honolulu and the other three are coming down for the day today so the cousins can all be together. Here’s a pic of the front deck outside the Dunes Suite and of the Honolulu kids, Kasey and Jordyn, yesterday at Ft. Clatsop’s Lewis and Clark National Park sitting in an old dugout canoe.

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
1 1/4 cup flour
jam of your choice

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer or food processor until light and fluffy. Slowly mix in the flour. On a lightly floured cutting board, knead the mixture a few times until it holds together. You want to touch this dough as little as possible or it will be tough. Chill dough for 15 minutes and then roll it out and cut into 2″ rounds,around 1/4 inch thick. You can also cut into squares to make triangular pastries. Spoon 1/2 to 1 teaspoon jam onto each round or triangle and fold in half, carefully pinching the sides together to form a seal. Mix an egg yolk with a little water to make an egg wash and brush on the pastries. Bake for around 15 minutes or until tops are golden brown. (It is not unusual for the pastries to “leak” jam. Still tasetes wonderful! Immediately remove the kolaches to a cooling rack and dust with powdered sugar. Allow to cool a bit and serve warm. This recipe can be made in advance and kolaches may be frozen and used as needed. Bake a little longer if you are baking the kolaches from a frozen state!

I had forgotten to take the NO VACANCY sign down that morning after clearing out part of a full house.
Yes, we had a room for Fred and Margaret.
Thank goodness. They stayed at Boreas for three nights and a long-standing friendship was begun.
We’ve met the kids–we know the family well. Fred and Margaret have come for “Kite Festivus” as Fred calls it, nearly every year.
We all fell in love.
Fred and Margaret started coming each Valentine’s Day for three nights. They met other guests here and would rendezvous with them for Valentine’s Day. Very sweet.
This Valentine’s Day, Fred had to cancel.
Margaret was ill; it sounded bad.
She was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer and it was just too late for treatment.
She was just too ill.
Margaret died Tuesday morning, the 20th of May at 7:15 in the morning.
Way too fast–we were hoping to get to Puyallup to say goodbye. So we are saying goodbye from Boreas.
Fred is coming back for “Kite Festivus” this August, by himself. He may be joined by his daughter, Sarah.
Our other guest, Odell, who lost his young wife, Linda, in April of 2007, comes back by himself.
Boreas is a good place to be by yourself. But Margaret and Linda will always be with us.
We don’t mean that in a trite way.
We truly hold them in our hearts.
Really getting to know and love our guests is what makes our lives rich.
We certainly aren’t doing this for the big bucks! We will miss, you Margaret, and promise to take good care of Fred.
If you can’t be with the one you loved, love the ones you’re with!
That’s us!

The Hawaiian Chieftain and The Lady Washington—
Originally uploaded by freeloosedirt

It is currently 83 degrees in Long Beach and these beautiful tall ships are moored at the Port of Ilwaco this weekend. You can take tours, go on an adventure cruise or just gaze at these majestic ships! Saturday Market along the waterfront has begun and there are more merchants than ever. We have transitioned from winter to summer in only a few days ‘time and we can’t complain. Come and visit!