After landing in Renton it was refreshing to visit family and dear friends in the Seattle area. Our days there began with a couple who have basically built an enchanted “meditation retreat center” on some carefully tended acres in the woods next to a grand river. Just walking through their “hobbit” gate en-trance, begins to soften your breathing and soothe the soul.
3702 Land of Enchantment
After an evening of delicious garden fresh food, fascinating quiet conversation, and deep nourishing dreams we went back into town to take them flying. In minutes we had climbed over water, trees and homes to tour the Seattle skyline in clear air beneath broken clouds.
3768 Space Needle & Gehry
The once futuristic and now iconic Space Needle is complemented by Frank Ghery’s fanciful buildings at the base amid other new features and ongoing construction. We continued on across the water to Vashon Island where sand mingles with surf in unique shapes and colors.
3808 Vashon Beach #1
On another beach on this small island so near the big city, other friends have built a dream home.
3836 Vashon Beach #2
Between these beaches is the grass landing strip we’ve planned to land on before, only to be thwarted by inclement weather.
3816 Vashon Airstrip
We were glad to get a good look at it, and to see that it’s dry, because we planned to fly there for a visit with sweet friends who own that beach home (2nd beach pic above) the next day. For now we carried on across the water to the South on a wide oval route past SeaTac Airport back to Renton.
3817 Mingling Waters
The winds, currents, and water sources meet there making beautiful multi-colored patterns.
We were delighted waking to high clouds the next day, because we could finally make that hoped for landing at Vashon. On the way out of Renton we enjoyed seeing the familiar treed U.W. campus.
8401 University of WA Seattle
Our friends met us at Vashon Airport and drove us the few minutes to their lovely place with an old brown dog, and a big front porch. Also a great clear day view of Mount Rainier (yes, it’s in this pic).
3912 Perfect Front Porch
Instead of rabbits in a pen ala Carole King, they have a magnificent garden. After a lovely visit, this time we flew back over downtown where we got a closer look at the giant ferris wheel. Before flying, such things were our only easy way to get an overview but now they look tiny far below (unless we use a zoom camera).
3928 Seattle Great Wheel
The skyline has changed a lot since we last flew here, and the change is speeding up. Hopefully there’s careful urban planning and these tall buildings can withstand an earthquake or tsunami, because they’re sure beautiful.
3946 Rising Giants
John & Anne Wiley 
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