Big Rock Garden Park

   Welcome to all of my readers!   This new page is just about Bellingham and Whatcom county and  fun and exciting things to do here.   I have a ton of ideas and new posts in the works.  I just work full time and have a full family at home, so do not always get the ideas down on paper as quickly as I would like to.  I hope you enjoy the posts so far and will pass on this pages link to your friends and family that live in the area!   Coming up are posts about:  All of the statues on WWU campus, Our trip to the new family fun center on Meridian Street, A post just of my favorite pictures around the area while exploring, sunset pictures, our family trip on an 100 year old train --a few weeks back, and an entire post with useful links to those living here or thinking about moving here.  Plus many many more posts and ideas!   Thank you for checking us out and sharing the link!       While you are waiting for new material, please check out my longer running blog series at     http://www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com/   with 300+ posts to roam through.   

    A few weeks back our two boys and I were out and about exploring and stopped at The Big Rock Garden Park.  The only other time I have been there, was about two years ago.  When I started on some trails behind the Starbucks in Barkley Village-and a long time later ended up in the great park.  I am not sure I could do that again.   There are many great trails between the area.  I can tell you the park is above Lake Whatcom.

   A place I have posted about several times now.  I will not ruin the fun, by explaining how to get to this particular park--that is part of the fun of exploring!  Soon I hope to do an entire post just about the wonderful parks in this great town.  Ranking the better parks in my mind.  One of my favorites is very close to the above area --and Great Falls Park.  I have also posted about it several times, with some awesome pictures, if I do say so myself.  

    Several things have stalled me.  I started work almost two months ago, and it is some what strange to stand in the middle of a park, and snap pictures.  Past posts have talked about many of the parks in the area.  I just hope to ramble about them all in one great post.  I also hope to break out my thesaurus soon, and stop using the word "great" so much.  But I really do like most of the things about this town!

   We soon discovered this was not the best place to explore with kids.  They needed room to run and run and be kids.  And people in the park actually wanted to view the many sculptures and enjoy the peace the park usually has to offer. ;)  Just after this picture was takin' the kiddos were blasting through the park.  I took off in the other direction, not sure if I really wanted to take them back home with me.  The kids ran past a larger group of art critics.  I was way down the trail, but heard the adults raise there voices, and was heading to the area to stop any problems.  The adults tried to yell at our kids, saying something about how they were trying to enjoy the art and beauty of the park.  Our youngest, stopped long enough to pant out "that he was just trying to run!"  And than ran off.   I have to say that it was a great response, and the adults really had nothing to say about this.  

   Out of the parking lot, you are first greeted by the above sign.  It shows were all of the sculptures are and a little about each one.  I believe at one time there were just short of 40 sculptures.  Now many of these are just empty spaces.  The many trees and such make this a great place to find yourself and maybe find some peace while you are enjoying the art.  Many benches can also be found through the park.  

     The main gateway into the park.  The entire area is enclosed with a tall wooden fence. 

The land scaping is amazing.

And even the trees offer great pictures.

   The below very bumpy tree is extra neat to look at, and feel.

                                                The park even has fake trees to view.  

  Just past this half building, is a large deck like area, overlooking the lake and beyond.  With many benches to enjoy.   Each sculpture also has a name tag, and some history into what the art is about. 

                                                             "Freedom is not free!!"

   The sculptures are very varied.    And much time can be spent here just looking and learning.

                                                       This trio is read to play you a song!

This full sized horse is just waiting to be petted.

When you visit the park ---read the story on the next two sculptures.  I find them the most interesting of the entire lot.

                                 This would also be a great place to just sit and read.  Do people still do that? 

This turtle just wants to say "Howdy!"

At first I thought the above was also a sculpture.

I defiantly did not get pictures of every thing. 

So that you can still explore and enjoy the area.  

My next exploring blog post will be about our family's great trip on a old train.   

Another Day In Paradise!

    Good morning all!   My other more established blog uses the above picture to introduce my "mini rants."  I do not know if anyone else enjoys them, but I find them very entertaining and calming.   Plus I get to rant without really yelling at anyone.  I have not written one for awhile.  But feel free to check them all out and leave me some feedback.  http://www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com/

Today I use the picture to explain all of the construction going on in the Bellingham area.  It seems like every road is being worked on this summer.  And tons of new business construction is going on.  I can not begin to explain it all, just tell you if you are a driver in the area, expect delays.  

     With my many past experiences in court for traffic violations, all expensive.  I also believe that the roads in this area and Oregon, should be super smooth and great.  I alone have paid for the re-paving of most of I-5 and believe several court houses have an ashtray with a plaque with my name etched on them!  And every time I go to court, the court room is full.  You have to figure at least half of the people there will end up guilty and be paying into the court system.  Roads here are very nice compared to many places I have lived.  But I feel in that same thought wave, if we as a state legalize weed, and use even a fraction of the cash to finish fixing all of the roads that are now under construction, we could be driving on all streets of gold soon.   

     This blog sight is also greatly under construction.  I have a ton of new posts and ideas to add to the sight.  Including a whole list of web sights very useful for visitors and new residents to the area.  Of course there will many more pictures and exploring blogs.  Showing you were I explore and more of the free and reasonable types of entertainment this area has to offer.  

      I currently work at the Silver Reef Casino, and love my job.  More on that in a blog post soon. And this whole sight is under construction.  Adding to the fun and enjoyment for visitors with a major expansion.  Most of the highway is under construction when I come home late at night.   A good time to do highway work, but all of the flashing lights make it hard to decide which lane is yours some times.  

Last week my wife and I spent some quality time at the casino. 

I am in my work outfit because I was working. 

She came to work with me, and than tyred to win some money.  The key word is tried.  She usually does really well on the machines, until I sit down beside her, and than she starts to loose.  making me want to seek shelter at the bar.

Sadly I ended up working late, but we still had some time to hang out and enjoy the casino and each other. 

Working there also gains me deep discounts on motel rooms.  So some day we are going to pawn off the kids and spend the night there.  Of course I will include a blog about that. 

Us with our oldest, before we left the house. 

         Woods Coffee, a place I enjoy and have written about many a time, if for no other reason than maybe to gain some free coffee's.   Because things somehow taste better when they are free. **Please note, I have still not seen any free coffee.....-just sayin'   They are adding two new locations.  One on Lakeway.   The only protest I have to all of this is that Bellingham claims to be a mom and pop store type of town, but places like this and Starbucks are taking over while the little coffee shops fold up and close all over town.  There is not much sadder than a "coffee house closed" sign out front of a store.  I love the local coffee shops were you get much more personal service.   I wrote a whole blog awhile back about my favorite coffee shops all around Whatcom.  And have a 2nd edition in the works.  Please share with me your favorite spots to sip coffee, so I can try those places out also.   Of course I am typing the above paragraph while sitting in a Starbucks, so that kind of alters my opinions I guess.  

    A new family kid zone is now open on the Guide Meridian.   Our kids and I have not yet tested out the place, but they advertise reasonable prices and an adult zone, with coffee and free wi-fi.   After we visit, I will give some thoughts on the place.  I do hope they last, places like this do not seem to last long in Bellingham, or they last and the prices sky rocket!

In the midst of all of this construction talk.  

Please note, if you see this sign--there is a large bump coming. 

It might be a mile past the sign, but it IS coming and it will be a LARGE bump.

    

     I also must quickly add that I had before thought that the above sign was a joke.  But a few months back while my family was exploring, we spotted the same sign.  And it is real, for speed bumps entering the air force base.  

     We reside in the great little town of Fairhaven, so now some construction news closer to our home. 
    I talked the other day about having great donuts at Rocket Donuts downtown.  They are expanding with a 2nd location right in the heart of Fairhaven.  In a large build also including the new location for the flower store.  This construction sight takes up the surrounding sidewalk, but has many peep holes so young and old can watch what is going on.  

   Off Old Fairhaven Parkway they are building some new condos.  This is a fun sight to watch because it looks totally different every day we pass the area.  Plus many of the local residents are protesting the dig.  Because of wildlife and water runoff.   Not pictured is a large tree stump that remains, although everything around it is dug up.

   The above farmers Co-op and a tool store just opened further up the Parkway.  I was aware that it was under construction, but not that it had already opened for business.  You find this just before the entrance onto the freeway across from the AM/PM gas station.  

  Even the trails are under construction.  Friday the kiddos and I took off in the afternoon and ventured out Slater road.   I pass these trails every day on the way to work, and had been wondering were they lead.  From the road it looks like they just journey through fields.  This is partially true.  We stopped in the parking lot just before the large iron bridge.  

   Eventually we ended up in the wonderful parks in Ferndale.  I have several past blog posts about these parks.  After getting back to the car, we than cut across to Ferndale and attempted to go to the street festival.  I can not say about Saturday, when more events were hopefully going on, because we did not find a need to go back.  Friday evening was highly disappointing.  With maybe a block of activities --mostly consisting of a stage and a super large beer garden. 

                        But in today's theme will add that this playground was just added.  

On this warm day I was some what jealous that the ducks had a pool and we do not.

But when you rent, you can not just start digging!

     So last month I rambled on a little bit about a man who robbed the local Banner Bank in Fairhaven.  I still find it amazing that anyone can rob a bank and get away with it in this day and age.  And this guy got away on a bicycle.  Anyways, last Tuesday the same man hit the same bank, and again got away on a bike!   Did they not beef up security?  If you have your cash at this bank, maybe you should consider some were safer, like your bed mattress.  And all of this makes me start to really think I should buy a new bike!

                                   And now for today's picture of the day!   Wahoo!  

  I have really been into tree and cloud pictures lately.  This was shot Friday afternoon just outside our back door.  An the never ending attempt for the perfect picture, I find it amazingly calming to roam around and take pictures.  I hope you the reader enjoy my shots, even half as much as I enjoy taking them.  

      Were do you think I should explore next?  Do you have better pictures than mine?  Please share!   All comments help me improve my posts.  To my e mail  pontos62or@yahoo.com   or my newest page on Facebook at    

1. Wyoming Jack/Bobble Head's Blogs Exploring Bellingham & Whatcom county

Lyndan Fair---Y'All! 2012

   As always this was a great fair!  For such a small town- the event producers know how to cram a ton of fun into the week long experience.   Complete with some great, top of the line entertainment at the grandstands at night time.  We choose to go on Friday, and battled the heat most of the day. But when the sun started to set, it cooled off very nicely.   I think my major complaint, come night time, was how packed all of the rides were, but we went with our youngest to the Kiddie town and had time to actually enjoy the rides and each other a little bit.  The Century Wheel, shown above seems to have made its way in many of my pictures from the fair.  Actually there was two of them. I learned they were not Ferries Wheels, from my wife, who has a strong carnival background.  You can tell it is not a Ferries Wheel, because they carriages you ride in are mostly closed in.  

    

 Parking was fairly close, they even offered tractor rides to the main gates of the fair.  Although you might have to walk a ways, if you do not wish to pay for parking.  

         Above is just a bit of the wonderful flowers that greeted us near the entrance.  

                                           I believe this truck was around for the first fair!

    The Band of Brothers had one of the most popular spots on the mid-way.  Maybe because they were spraying down fair goers with a hose.  We made our way past them several times through the very hot day.  I went to several Band of Brothers meetings before I got my current job.  And have to say it did wanders for me and my home life.  

                                           Of course there were many animals to view!

     This calf was born earlier that same morning.  And mom was still cleaning him off.  And helping him along on his very wobbly legs.

   Possibly the best sign I found at the fair.   In the sheep pens, of course.  Proving that not all sheep are safe!   Such a baaaaad joke, I know!

     There was a whole tent of rescued birds including this proud symbol of America.

These pictures were during the goat fashion show.  Goats and owners dressed up, strutted there stuff, and won prizes. 

     Fully automated and functional tour guide robot.  Talked to any visitor brave enough to visit or ask a question.

   Temperatures set records that day.   So we had lots of liquids on hand at all times.  And than disappeared to the near by Safeway for some lunch and air conditioning.  

More cooling off time.

Self picture

    Focal point fountain near the middle of the fair grounds.  Just behind it houses some great ice cream.  Expensive but gooooood!   Although the soft ice cream was to soft in the heat to be put in cones this day ;(

A rapping Christian who had his own stage on the back of a pickup.  

Yo yo!

                                      Large elk made completely out of horse shoes.  

This ride just makes me want to ride the huge Ferries Wheel off the bay in Seattle. 

It is over 200 feet high, right on the boardwalk with enclosed, climate controlled carriages.  But more on that when we actually take the ride.

Our tax dollars at work.  Very cool Sheriff's vehicle. 

Probably bought under Home Land Security cash.

View from the top of the Century Wheel in Kiddie Land.

It was a great day as every year I have been. 

Except for some family problems near the end of the night it might have been the best fair I have been to yet.  If you made it this year, or could not---defiantly listen to the above sign and make tracks for the fair next year!

     Many many exploring blogs are in the works!   Please keep checking back and sharing this link if you like what you see.   Also contact me if you are interested in very reasonable advertising for your local business.  Large reader base can up your sales very quickly, at an amazingly small price to you.   pontos62or@yahoo.com    Steven Adams---for more information. 
   Please also check out my more established almost daily blog at
http://www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com/



    And as always

                      **Happy Trails!!**