We spent twelve minutes commuting by ferry over to Vashon Island on Sunday. 
The Rhododendron can hold 546 passengers and 48 vehicles, but it was almost empty on the upstairs viewing deck.
I did a quick walk around the ferry before we had to get back in the car.
Once we arrived on Vashon Island we drove all around, exploring the little bays, the coves, and the large maritime park at Pt. Robinson lighthouse.
It was a fantastically beautiful day, with sunshine, slightly warm, and perfect for just hanging out on the beach. Taraz joined us on this outing, and he and I explored the piles of driftwood lining the beach. We both collect walking sticks, which we like to carve, and then attach leather and beads for decorations. We pulled up the multi-strands of an old root, and took it to the car - Taraz will add it to his collection. 
These two dogs apparently live at Point Robinson, and greet the visitors. They enjoyed having Taraz throw sticks into the water so they could retrieve them. The larger dog was fond of rolling in the sand, but couldn't completely roll over - he was just too rolly-polly. 
This corgi was Taraz's favorite, and mine too. He was very well-behaved, and when we told him to sit, he did, while we sat on the beach with our lunch. 
I packed left-overs for lunch - yellow squash salad, beet salad, and green-bean salad (from the deli), cheese sandwiches and left-over French toast from breakfast.
We sat for a long time enjoying the dogs and the roll of the waves coming in with the tide, then we explored the park at Point Robinson. There are nice trails, but Taraz wanted to climb, and this stretch was a bit slippery. He had to hold one end of a stick, so George and I could be pulled up. I'm not sure what was most enjoyable - Taraz with the dogs, the fresh air and sunshine, or our coffee break in town!
Vashon Island is a small island, with hardly any commerce of any kind, yet this little coffee shop, 'The Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie' was just thriving. They have a coffee roaster down in the basement, and the aroma was simply heavenly inside. The atmosphere was so congenial, casual, and I felt just like I was inside my own home.
Eva, the owner, was one of the friendliest people I've ever met - just so sweet, with gentle taps on my arm as she explained the history of her establishment. Her shop, 'The Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie' is housed in a charming nearly 100-year old building. Jim Stewart, the fair-trade pioneer and founder of Seattle's Best Coffee, also started out in this building with his original coffee company, 'The Wet Whisker'. He spends a lot of time here mentoring Eva, and he took out a map and showed me some of the best hiking spots on the island. Eva clearly loves her little shop, with a corner devoted to mugs that belong to the locals. When the old-timers arrive every day, they fetch their labeled mug off the wall, sit down, and watch the crowds come into the shop.
Eva said some of the neighbors ride their horses down, and tie them to a post out front! One of her 'regulars' is 90 years old, and he comes down frequently just to enjoy the liveliness of the coffee shop. There are grocery items and a small health food store that carries over 300 bulk herbs, spices and custom blended teas and organic food.
Eva also features teapots, and lovely earthenware. On the walls are posters and fliers that advertise local events and environmental causes, one of which is a pet adoption program. Eva said that her vision is of a viable world in which indigenous people are honored and their stories and customs are preserved, healing families and building communities.
