Hot Air Balloon Ride

We launched on September 6th from Snohomish, Washington, for an evening hot air balloon ride. Our good friends Bonnie & Richard joined us. We started out with some fear but once we reached 1000 ft (305 m) the height didn't really matter. We had great scenic views of the valleys between the Cascade Mountains and the waters of the Puget Sound. We finished by landing in a field of horses.

We started in the evening near the town’s airport. All around us were ariplanes taking off, helicopters buzzing around and parachutes landing. We all helped blow up the balloon.




The balloon itself costs about $35,000!








Look how big this balloon is compared to the guy inside!








We leaned way out to get this photo (not really).








True love!

Whitewater Rafting at White Salmon near Hood River

We went whitewater rafting this past weekend with our friend Kate. It was an absolute blast! We have no photos from the actual rafting as it is advised to leave valuables in the car...not in the water. We did get some great photos of the area and of the wine tour we did the following day. It was a great weekend of relaxing and screaming:) Enjoy the photos...

A sign we saw during a bathroom break. We couldn't resist taking a photo.

This was taken from the car. Notice how close the water is and notice the wind surfers!
A cold drink after a day of rafting at the Walking Man Brewery.

Did we really go down a 14 foot waterfall a few hours ago?!

Steven and Diane at a winery near Hood River

Gorge White House had a wonderful Dahlia farm....
I am trying to figure out how to rotate this.....sorry

This was taken in the cabin we rented. The cabin was called the "Rooster Cabin". We thought Kates mom would love this photo!!!

We saw this on the drive home and couldn't resist!!

Madrona Tree

Our poor Madrona tree. Although the tree is dead and a bit haunting, it was sad to see it go.This was the last photo I had taken on Friday. They ended up cutting the large branch you see here. Now all that is left is a 20 foot trunk. They will come finish the job in a few days....hopefully.

Weekend in the mountains

This past weekend we went to the mountains with our friends David and Jane. Our dear friends, Bonnie and Richard, let us use their cabin for the weekend. We had a great time hanging out by the campfire getting to know one another. Here are a few photos from the weekend.

David made it across the roaring creek. When it was time to jump back he had a dilemma. He made it back fine with limited water in his shoes!

Steve contemplating life.

Diane and Jane taking a break from cooking and enjoying a beer while the men.....

enjoy a cigar by the fire.

Here is Diane's first attempt at her own triptych. Our friends Hillary & Krishna commissioned Diane to paint silk that complimented their home's décor and colors.

Pittsburgh PA

Steven spent seven days in Pittsburgh. Some for a United Way conference, the other days spent with his parents.

Pittsburgh turned out to be a great town with nice people and wonderful, old architecture. We visited the botanical garden near Carnegie Mellon University where they had Dale Chihuly glass tucked away in each of the gardens.

Diane's birthday!

As you can see Diane had a wonderful time with her friends Margarita and Bonnie. We all celebrated Diane's birthday on Saturday night. We had a wonderful dinner and an amazing chocolate cake. We finished the night sitting outside by the fire sipping our drinks.

Diane Kappa Trunk Show and Open Studio
April 29, 2007 1-5
www.dianekappa.com
email diane@dianekappa.com for details

Yes Watson. I hear you.

Hearing

"Hello, Watson, can you hear me?"