Magic Was Waiting for Me!

Posted on July 28, 2025 by Karen Molenaar Terrell

July 26:
Magic, my friends! I got out of bed (I was sorely tempted to stay there) and the Cosmos rewarded me with bounteous gifts!

My original thought was to go to Fred’s for some quick grocery-shopping – I wanted eggs to make a quiche – but when I got to the roundabout I found myself taking the exit to I-5, heading south to Mount Vernon. And when I got to Mount Vernon I discovered there was a Farmers Market going on there.

What a happy place! – fresh fruits and veggies, woodcraft and art, honey and baked goods, kind people and smiling babies, and music!

I bought a bracelet from Jess, raspberries from Harrison, and honey from Jen. And I found perfect magic when I heard a beautiful voice singing under the busker’s tent. Isabella is a gifted musician – and, as it turns out, she wasn’t even the featured artist! The musician actually scheduled to play had loaned Isabella his guitar, and invited her to sing a song. Isabella has only been playing guitar for a year, and she’s still in high school – but she has the presence and poise of a professional performer. I was blown away by her music.

As I was about to leave, I saw my dear friend, Claudia, sitting on a bench, waiting for a bus. I haven’t seen Claudia for months and I’ve missed her – so to find her, unexpectedly, at the Farmers Market was another gift from the Cosmos. We hugged and greeted each other, and she told me what she’d been able to find at the Farmers Market – this included eggs. “Eggs! I was going to stop at Fred’s and get eggs! Are there eggs here?!” Claudia pointed towards the market and I could clearly see a sign for “EGGS” – how I’d missed this before, I do not know.

I hugged Claudia good bye as she went to get on her bus, and then I went to fetch myself some eggs from John at his stand.

When I turned around, I saw another dear friend – Ann – standing in front of me! Ann and I hugged and sat on the bench and got caught up – talked about family and life. Ann has a calm, gentle presence, and I think the Cosmos must have known that’s what I needed today.

I have now made quiche from the eggs John sold me, and raspberry jam from the raspberries I bought from the Lopez farmstand.

I’m so glad I got out of bed today. Magic was waiting for me!

Pictured in the collage: Clark, Apolonia, Dru, Harrison, Jess, John, Jen, Roberta, and officers from the Mount Vernon Police Dept.

Also pictured: Logan, LDS missionaries Watkins and Hawkins; Isabella singing.

Scenes from Olympia, Washington

Posted on October 12, 2019 by Karen Molenaar Terrell

Made a quick trip to Olympia, Washington so Scott could present his photojournalism expertise at a newspaper conference. Olympia is such a beautiful city. Farmers Market four days a week through October. Reflections of boats in the marina. The capitol building rising above Capitol Lake. And then we were up at the crack of dawn to get back home today – and look what we saw!

(Photos by Karen Molenaar Terrell.)

sunrise in olympia this one really 2 really

A Perfect Day

Posted on May 26, 2018 by Karen Molenaar Terrell

“DAY. The irradiance of Life; light, the spiritual idea of Truth and Love.”
– Mary Baker Eddy

Clara Kitty jumped onto our woodstove (it’s been warm here and we’ve not been using it) and bent over and peered into the window at the front of it. I followed her gaze and saw a little face inside the woodstove looking out at me! There was a little chickadee in there waiting to be set free! I put Clara and Sam the Wonder Dog in the laundry room and shut the door. I opened one of the French doors to the deck and then opened the woodstove door and the little bird flew out, and went sailing towards the dining room. “No, here, Sweetie! Come out this way!” I encouraged her – and she looped back towards me and then winged out the door to the outside and disappeared. I’m so glad Clara saw her, and I’m so glad I was here so I could help her.

***

What a perfect day! Walked from Fairhaven to the Farmers Market – ran into an old photographer-friend and met a new one. On impulse, stopped in to see a dear friend who works downtown – I’d been missing her and it was so good to see her again! Bought some raspberry honey and cinnamon pecans – and listened to the Farmer Market’s musicians work their magic. Walked back to Fairhaven and then drove home. Took Sam the Wonder Dog for a walk. Mowed my Secret Garden and saw honeybees in the rosa rugosa! (I haven’t seen many honeybees, yet, and was getting a little concerned.) Planted some sunflower seedlings and watered things. And rescued a chickadee from our woodstove. I figured I walked about eight miles today. My muscles feel all stretched and happy, my yard smells like freshly-mowed grass, and there’s a little chickadee safely back with her family after a scary encounter with the inside of a woodstove. Life is good.

Pictures from today…