Our Valentine's Party last weekend was lots of fun!   We had fun decorating cookies and making Valentine’s cards, and several other arts and crafts projects. I also taught some of the kids how to make duct tape roses and origami hearts.  It was awesome to see the people who came get to know one another. ​

People bustle by me as I saunter through the floating market in Pattaya, Thailand. An expanse of green-brown ripples surrounds the market, creating a beautiful landscape.  In front of me, I spy a stand selling ice cream and treats.  They have Choconanas and popsicles of various flavors.  Two big signs beg me to try the durian flavor popsicle.  It looks sort of good, and my parents explain that durian is the stinkiest fruit in the world, but they heard it tastes good.  I decide to be adventurous, and buy the durian popsicle. 
It stinks. A lot.  I take my first tentative lick.  The flavor is indescribable, but not that bad. It kind of tastes like I'm eating sweetened frozen farts. It has some good parts as well. I decide that the bad part is probably just the smell, and take a huge bite, pushing the popsicle away from my nose immediately afterwards, so I won't have to smell it.  It tastes sightly better; the flavor is growing on me.  I continue taking large bites, till I get about half way through the popsicle, when I begin feeling a bit sick.  Soon I am three quarters of the way done with my popsicle, and I am now sick to my stomach. Well, I was right about it growing on me, but not in a good way.  It is like the vines that curl themselves around trees and get inside the tree, strangling it.  
By now, we are nearing a stand with a Thai lady cooking squid in a frying pan. My dad decides to get some squid for a snack, and I ask to taste some of his, hoping it will wash the durian flavor out of my mouth.  The lady asks if he wants some sauce with it, and he says, "Yes please, just a little." In a couple of minutes, the squid is ready. The lady adds some of the sauce, which is full of chili flakes.  I am really eager to get rid of the durian flavor. I stuff a piece of squid into my mouth, and immediately regret it. Man, the spices burn! It doesn't exactly help with the durian. While walking later on in the market, I notice people with heaps of chili flakes on their meals.  Some with about five times the amount on the mouthful I tried.
Hours later, that durian flavor keeps returning to my mouth, even after eating a full dinner. It was a gross and unique experience, yet an interesting and fun one as well.  I don't get how some of the people in Thailand grow to love this fruit. 

We visited several National Parks and State Parks on our travels this summer.  Along the way I worked on Junior Ranger packets and was awarded with some fun Ranger patches. I observed tons of beautiful scenery and wildlife throughout our road trip. Here are some photos of my favorite memories. ​

Wizard island covered in haze at Crater Lake). ​

I thought these things went extinct millennia ago!  I don’t want to know where its predator is… ​

A beautiful sea arch. ​

I'm in a Sea Lion's house, I'm lucky they are all out getting dinner.  ​

I wish my neighborhood could be painted like this. ​

This is me doodling in early 1806. (Lewis & Clark National Park). ​

​The beautiful Ruby Beach on the Washington coast.

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