Hike-a-thon 2014 is going to be the BEST YET!

Wow so excited!! About our plans for the Washington Trails Association Hike-a-thon this year. Ryan will be home and we are going to do some hikes together. I am planning a Wine Trail theme this year with lots of hikes near wineries and in the Wine Country of Washington State!!

Here are a bunch of photos from previous years hiking.

Hurricane Ridge on the Olympic Peninsula. The Peninsula is always one of my favorite hiking destinations.

Cougar Mountain is always a great place to go hiking here in the Seattle area! I think I have done hikes there just about every year since I first participated in the 2005 hike-a-thon!

Thanks so much to Heidi, Janet, Slade, Susan and Don, and Diane and John for being the first folks to donate money to the cause this year! Diane and John have even been along with me as I got mileage for the hikeathon in 2010.

My first night backpacking was on the Baker River Trail after an aborted attempt to go to Artist Point that year, but this year might be the year we make it to Artist Point!!

$25-$99 Can provide treats for a team of volunteers
$100-$249 Can Outfit a crew in hardhats
$250-$499 WTA can purchase 5 or more new trail tools
$500-$749 WTA can lead 1 annual maintenance trip on a popular trail
$750-$999 WTA can lead two rehabilitation work parties
$1,000+ WTA can restore 1 mile (or more) of backcountry trail

Ryan and I will be having more adventures this August in Washington and wherever else the trail takes us!

I'll be doing lots of hiking this August to help support Washington Trails. I hope you can help me out by donating a dollar or two to the cause! We've already raised $225 on the way to our goal of $1,000 this year...just follow this link and help me help Washington State Trails. Go ahead and pledge now and you won't have to remember about it come August....just sit back and let my Thank You postcard come to you! :-)   If you don't like sending money over the internet, you can always send
me a check (made out to WTA) or cash to Amanda Arkebauer  PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116

Monday's Postcards 2014: More Artwork

These cards are from touristy destinations, but are more artistic than just a plain photo

I'll be doing lots of hiking this August to help support Washington Trails. I hope you can help me out by donating a dollar or two to the cause!   ...just follow this link and help me help Washington State Trails. Go ahead and pledge now and you won't have to remember about it come August....just sit back and let my Thank You postcard come to you! :-)   If you don't like sending money over the internet, you can always send me a check (made out to Washington Trails Association -WTA) or cash to Amanda Arkebauer  PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116

Monday's Postcard 2014: Postcards from Ryan

Today is Ryan's birthday and here are a couple more postcards that he has sent me over the years!!

Ryan does the long distance, but I'll be doing lots of hiking this August too to help support Washington Trails. I hope you can help me out by donating a dollar or two to the cause!   ...just follow this link and help me help Washington State Trails.  If you don't like sending money over the internet, you can always send me a check or cash to Amanda Arkebauer  PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116

Nancy Drew Henna Tattoos!

Recently while in San Diego, I visited the San Diego Zoo and in the children's section with the face painters and the glitter tattoos there was a girl doing Henna Tattoos. My friend Lea and I decided that we wanted to get Nancy Drew Henna Tattoos and so we did!! It was a lot of fun and I would do it again.
Henna is a paste made from the crushed leaves and twigs of the henna plant. When this paste is applied to the skin and left for a few hours it leaves an orange or maroon stain which fades away in 7-14 days.

Traditionally, Henna was used to adorn young women's bodies for social and holiday celebrations in the Eastern Mediterranean. Henna was considered a blessing and applied for joy and luck as well as beauty. It was considered a divine experience to adorn your body with Henna. Now a days, henna has become a fashion statement.

We had pictures of the Nancy Drew silhouettes that we wanted on our arms. Because it is not every day that someone shows up at the zoo and wants Nancy Drew on her arm.  You can see in the one picture that the girl is looking at our silhouette while she draws it on the skin with the henna dye.

It was really gunky just after application and we were supposed to let it dry for an hour before we could touch it at all. We were also to be careful about getting it on our clothes. It is a dye after all! And if you smear it, it could smear the design.  Once the paste is dry, it starts flaking off. For the best color, we were told to leave the paste on as long as possible. The hard outer shell part would flake off and then you would be left with the light orange image like in the photo to the right. You can see some of the "shell-like" or "scab-like" parts still on my skin there, but most of it has flaked away. This photo was taken the same night that we had the tattoos applied.  The Orange would deepen in color and become mostly brown by the second day.

The previous photo was taken at a party the next night after having our Henna Tattoos for one full day. As I said, I would definitely do it again. The bottom photo is my tattoo after one full week and you can see it is fading away.  Mine lasted for about a week and a half. Fourteen days after it was applied, it was gone.

I'll be doing lots of hiking this August to help support Washington Trails. I hope you can help me out by donating a dollar or two to the cause!   ...just follow this link and help me help Washington State Trails.  If you don't like sending money over the internet, you can always send me a check or cash to Amanda Arkebauer  PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116

Monday's Postcard 2014: Monuments

Some nice retro postcards from folks who got to visit Kitty Hawk, NC and Washington, DC

I'll be doing lots of hiking this August to help support Washington Trails. I hope you can help me out by donating a dollar or two to the cause!   ...just follow this link and help me help Washington State Trails. If you don't like sending money over the internet, you can always send me a check or cash to Amanda Arkebauer  PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116

June Reading

Here I am in 1996, this is around the time that I got seriously into collecting girls series books. The Nancy Drew books on the shelf behind me are all from my childhood and the Vicki Barr books  with dust jackets were new acquisitions.

This was when I discovered that there were revised texts and different cover art etc. I also started collecting series that I might have only read one of in my youth. Connie Blair and Dana Girls, Ruth Fielding and Penny Parker, Beany Malone and Judy Bolton. So my shelves would soon be overflowing with books.

The Orphan Masters Son by Adam Johnson (library) reminded me of 1984 or Brave New World. Is this actually what it is like in North Korea??? I am intrigued. I recommend
The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill by Megan Frazer Blakemore (library) fun YA book very much like Harriet the Spy. Wish there were more, I'd love to read more adventures with Hazel and Samuel.
The Trip to Echo Spring by Olivia Laing (library) About writers and drinking. I really enjoyed it. Details about F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Cheever and Tennessee Williams.
To Rise Again at A Decent Hour by Joshua Ferris (library) really interesting, a dentist has his life "stolen" when someone creates a website and posts as him on the internet.
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King (library) another winner by Mr. King
Bull Run by Paul Fleischman picked this up at a Little Free Library. It is a really cool YA book about the Civil War battle
Love and Math by Edward Frenkel (library) believe it or not, I was once really great at math. This book explains the beauty of mathematics  in simple terms I loved it!
Missing You by Harlan Coben (library) The latest by him, I love his thrillers
Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris (library) Hilarious, I was reading bits out loud to Ryan.
In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway A bunch of Hemingway short stories. I had not read this one before now.
The Love Machine by Jacqueline Susann I was going to read Valley of the Dolls for my retro book this month and I can't find my copy!! Did I lend it to someone?? So I read Love Machine instead. I was a huge fan of Jacqueline Susann's books while in high school and college. I think I just liked the soap opera aspect of her books. So much angst and drama and sex too! :-)
Any Other Name by Craig Johnson (library) Liked this one a lot, moves fast as Walt Longmire has to solve the mystery in time to get on a plane to Philadelphia to be there when his daughter has her baby!
A Few Seconds of Radiant Filmstrip by Kevin Brockmeier (library) wow, seventh grade was forever ago
A World Away by Stewart O'Nan Big fan of Stewart O'Nan....I love all his books
The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond Fun Rom-Com book by a blogger. About meeting her husband and changing her life!
The Good Lord Bird by James McBride (library) satire about slavery and I found it amusing. By the author of the Color of Water.
How Did You Get This Number by Sloane Crosley short stories. Enjoyed them, I also liked her book, I Was Told There Would Be Cake.

17 books

PS: It's WTA Hike-a-thon time again....just follow this link and help me help Washington State Trails

Monday's Postcard 2014: From my Sister

Now I get lots of postcards from my sister, these are from several years ago

Monday's Postcard 2014: Postcards from Dad in Asia

My Dad worked for EVA airlines and was based in Taiwan in the 1990's so I have quite a few cards from Asia from that time

The Monkeys are trained to work helping harvest the coconuts in Malaysia and the other card is from the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza in Bangkok, Thailand. I actually got to stay at that hotel when I visited Bangkok!

Monday's Postcard 2014: California

I have lots of friends and family in California, so I get lots of postcards from all over the state

Monday's Postcard 2014: Letterboxes

Many of you know about my letterboxing hobby. Well, here are a couple of postcards from Letterboxers, either telling me about letterboxes or just saying "hello"

Monday's Postcard 2014: France

Paris and more !! France is a popular vacation destination for my friends and family too.

May Reading

Always with my nose in a book!


Coolidge by Amity Shlaes (library) after Reading Bryson's book about 1927, I wanted to know more about Coolidge
Harbor by John Ajvide Lindqvist (library) spooky ghost story set in Sweden
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (library audio book) it was interesting because I was listening to this audio book while driving around and then reading Harbor the old fashioned way when I was not driving. Both books had magicians featured.
Dust by Hugh Howey (library) continuation of Wool Series
Hell on Wheels by Dick Kreck (library)  History of the Union Pacific Railroad expansion into the west, I really enjoyed it a lot and learned a lot
Revolution in the Head by Ian McDonald (library) The story of the Beatles songs how and when they were written and composed. Very interesting
Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson (library) another Longmire novel. love these, this one set in Philadelphia, when Sheriff Longmire visits his daughter, reading it out of order cause it was so hard to find and had a huge waiting list at my library
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls This is my Retro read this month...I cried buckets of tears over this book when I was a teenager and yeah, I cried again
How Elizabeth Barret Browning Saved My Life by Mameve Medwed (library)Really enjoyed this one, gonna recommend it to all my friends who like Antique Roadshow!!
A Serpeant's Tooth by Craig Johnson (library) crazy religious cults in Montana and Wyoming, this has been one of my favorites of this series. I really enjoy the evolution of the main characters
Careless People by Sarah Churchwell (library) I really enjoyed this book about the writing of The Great Gatsby
Mind of Winter by Laura Kasischke (library) Creepy, about a mother who adopts a child from Russia. And something is not quite right....
Hollow City by Ransom Riggs (library) the second in the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series
Spirit of Steamboat by Craig Johnson (library) A Christmas story
The Shift Omnibus by Hugh Howey (library) more of the Wool Series...out of order
August Osage County by Tracey Letts (library) loved the movie, so that is what led me to the book, which is the script for the play
Based on the Movie by Billy Taylor. Funny satire about the film business from perspective of a grip


Only 17 books read this month.   I blame my 6 days in Dallas in Training with American Airlines. I had no time for reading!! Very frustrating!! :-)

Monday's Postcard 2014: San Antonio, TX

I've had several friends and family members visit San Antonio and send me postcards

Monday's Postcard 2014: More places I have NEVER been!

I have some great friends who got to go to some neat places in Tubingen, Germany and Vienna, Austria...hopefully one day I will follow in their footsteps

Monday's Postcard 2014: Postcards from Mom

Hope everyone had a great Mother's Day yesterday and here are some postcards from my Mom when she would travel the world.

Venice and New Orleans!!

Monday's Postcard 2014: From Ryan along the PCT

Ryan sent me both of these postcards when he made his trek of the Pacific Crest trail in 2010

April Reading

Meeting an idol, this is Mildred Wirt Benson, the author of many Nancy Drew Books and a newspaper reporter well into her 80's, in fact, she was still working at the Toledo Blade until the day she died.


The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie a Miss Marple mystery and fun to read again, I had forgotten who done it!
The Piano Teacher by Elfriede Jelinek (library) yuck, hated it...maybe it was the translation, but I found it disjointed and I just did not get it. Can't believe she won a Nobel Prize for Literature
Murder in The Marketplace by Lora Roberts I really enjoyed this mystery series about a lady who is basically homeless and lives in her VW Bus. Things evolve thru the books, so they are best read in order of publication
Murder Mile High by Lora Roberts  The protagonist goes home again (and you know "you can't go home again!!" LOL)
Wool by Hugh Howey (library) Loved it and will be reading more by this author
No Man's Nightingale by Ruth Rendell  (library) Inspector Wexford, retired but still solving mysteries
Junkyard Dogs by Craig Johnson (library) enjoyed this one
Frog Music by Emma Donahue (library) I liked Room better, although it did have some nice 1800's SFO imagery
Bad Wolf by Nele Neuhaus (library) continuing to read this author
Theodore Boone Kid Lawyer by John Grisham (audiobook) listened to while traveling to meet Ryan on the Arizona Trail
Agatha Christie An Autobiography  This is my flashback book this month. I did a research paper on this book and Ms. Christie back in High School and I read this book many many times.
From Scratch: Inside the Food Network by Allen Salkin (library) The story of how the food network came to be and turned chefs into rock stars
Foggy Mountain Breakdown by Sharyn McCrumb (audiobook) a collection of short stories very much enjoyed
Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie an ebook...had to read it cause I had nothing else in my suitcase!! Ack but always enjoyable.
Hell is Empty by Craig Johnson (library) reminded me of Tony Hillerman books, lots of Native American stuff in this one
Kindred by Octavia Butler (library) time travel....a black woman from 1976 travels to 1815 with slavery and everything, very good
As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson (library) Still enjoying these...it is weird that I cannot find them at most used book stores. I have had to rely on library copies only
Tampa by Alissa Nutting (library) ripped from the headlines about a teacher seducing her 14 year old students very explicit.
The Execution of Noa P. Singleton by Elizabeth Silver  (library) I am not a huge fan of courtroom/death row type stories I can barely stand Grisham....so if you like that kind of thing, you might like this better than I did
The Remarkable Millard Fillmore by George Pendle  I got this at a used book store thinking it was a serious biography. Instead it is a comedic fictional story. Very silly
Above Suspicion by Helen MacInness (library) another WWII spy novel written in 1941!! And I quite enjoyed it. She is a forgotten gem
The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough okay, this one was real history and I enjoyed it I generally like all of McCullough's books I have read so far

22 books

Monday's Postcard 2014: State Pride

Some folks are very proud of their states!! I got these cards from friends who live in Kentucky and Georgia

Monday's Postcard 2014: Caves

Here are a couple of postcards from caves and/or caverns...what is the difference anyway? And you know what, these also count as places I have NEVER been! Thanks you guys for these cards

From Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota

This week, this post is very timely because I hope to visit Colossal Cave in Arizona!!

Monday's Postcard 2014: Zoo and Aquarium

I get lots of postcards from Zoos and Aquariums!

The North Carolina Zoo and the Monterrey Aquarium are represented here with these postcards.

Monday's Postcard 2014: Places I have not been YET

Hard to believe, such great destinations here in the USA!! And I have still not been

maybe this will be the year!!

March Reading

It started a couple of years ago as a New Year's Resolution to keep track of the books I read each month. So here I am again in 2014 with a list of the books I read each month. If you subscribe to my posts, they will come directly to your email inbox --just enter your email address into the box on the right hand side of the screen. And now for the books:

Surly Teenager Reading...(and if I am not mistaken, that is Flowers in the Attic that I am reading in this photo!!)



The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson  given to me by a passenger, this is a Longmire novel (made into a series for A and E TV) so there are more and I really liked it, so I will be getting more from this author. He has been called Louis L'Amour with attitude.
The Maid's Version by Daniel Woodrell (library) a crime story in a small town, the author also wrote Winter's Bone
The Martian by Andy Weir (library ebook) loved it, highly recommend!! an astronaut stranded on Mars
A Star for Mrs. Blake by April Smith (library) enjoyed it and recommend it. a mother who lost a son in WWI goes to visit his grave in France
The Wild Girl by Jim Fergus (library) loved it.  I think I liked it even better than 1,000 white women.
Scruples by Judith Krantz this is my Flashback book this month and my edition is dog-earred and was read multiple times. definitely a guilty pleasure :-)
Death Without Company by Craig Johnson (library) enjoyed it and will continue reading this author
Forgive Me Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick (library) YA about suicide and I enjoyed it
Stories by O'Henry a collection of short stories by O'Henry love these!
The Wives of Los Alamos by Tarashea Nesbit (library) I really liked it but the writing style is a little gimmicky
Another Man's Moccasins by Craig Johnson (library) another Longmire novel
Dark Horse by Craig Johnson (library) really liked this one!! recommend to my horse loving friends
The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin  thanks Suzi for letting me have this one, enjoyed it
Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus (library) I enjoyed it and I'll be looking for more by this author
Assignment in Brittany by Helen MacInnes (library).  This book as written in 1942!!! And it is a fun spy novel.  I am just discovering Helen MacInnes
The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen (library) A YA time travel/holocaust story
Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (library) I thought this one was fun !
The Giver by Lois Lowry (library) I never read this as a kid...
Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell (library) Sad, but in a good way and it ends well
The Returned by Jason Mott (library) basis for the TV show Resurrection

20 books



For those folks who would like to read more often, the Huffington Post has an article about committing to read a book a week. This is a great goal!

Monday's Postcard 2014: Ryan in Spain

Ryan knows how much I love postcards and he always sends me some when he is away on his hiking adventures

These are both from his trip across France and Spain on the Camino de Santiago