Ashlar Undressed

Have you been watching whats going on in your neighborhood?

The trees are changing colors, it is getting dark earlier, and there is a chill in the breeze. Fall is here and Halloween is this Friday. It seems like the summer goes by pretty quick around here.

It is also the time when the “snow birds” escape to the south. From the California coast to Arizona, a large percentage of my Shriner friends hide from the cold to enjoy the desert. Last New Years my family went to Indio California and when we were down there visited with Eric Busby and Tommy Knight. It was great seeing their families and reminds me that wherever we travel there are friends from the fraternity.

The Snowbirds leave then arrive back in May for the parade season. The attendance at the Nile Shrine Oriental Band goes down a bit, but the attendance of lodges and the like down south increase. Once again natures equilibrium.

Halloween is coming, where are you going to celebrate?

 The Nile Shrine Center is having its annual Halloween Party on Friday October 31st. The Party begins at 5pm and goes until midnight. This year there is a murder mystery event that is performed by the Potentate. The Nile Shriners know how to throw a party. Costumes are preferred (everyone will be wearing one). See you there!!!

Here is a short movie of the events at PNSOBA in Boise last weekend. All had a great time and over $1,500 was raised for the Shriners Childrens Hospitals.

Just click on the picture above to see the pictures.

PNSA is this weekend

PNSA is the Pacific Northwest Shrine Association convention. This year it is being held in Boise Idaho. This is the weekend where all the different units of the shrine compete, meet, and install new officers. I am personally familiar with the PNSOBA- Pacific Northwest Shrine Oriental Band Association. The reason I am familiar with the group is I have been the president for the last year. So, this weekend a new president will be installed.

The band has a competition, parade, rafting trip, dinner, tong degree, and hospitality suite. We are all looking forward to a great weekend.

Nile Family Picnic is this Sunday

The NileFamily picnic is this Sunday (July 20th) at the Nile picnic grounds. This is a great annual event that begins at 10am. There is a wading pool for the kids, moon bounce, sumo suits, inflatable school-bus, putt putt golf, free popcorn, free cotton candy, free lemonade.

For the adults there is beverage service, the Oriental Band is doing the cooking (hamburgers, hotdogs, corn on the cob, etc…), the clowns are doing animal balloons and face painting. The pony rides start at noon.

There is also the races for the kids (three legged, 50 yard dash, and sack, all by age groups)

All this fun goes until 4pm. For more details link to the Smile with Nile and look at page 10

Nile Family Picnic is this Sunday, we were there today

I brought Jax & Fyn to the Nile Shrine Center this morning. Jax wanted to try riding his bike without training wheels. I am sure you remember your first time. The Nile is great for that because the park area has golf course style grass. Short, tight, level, and smooth. Jax did very well.

Meanwhile, Fyn got to play in the new sandbox with all the new sand toys. He also went for a swing on the new children’s swings.

We then took a break and went wading in the old kiddie pool. The kiddie pool I used to play in 30 years ago. The water was warm, clean, & clean. We had a great time. Then the boys said they were hungry.

The Oasis restaurant is located just up the hill. We sat next to the fish tank that has the huge piranha and catfish. We split up the cheeseburger and fish n chips.

The morning was great and the weather was perfect. The 100+ year old trees provided shade. The light breeze off lake Ballinger was refreshing, and the company was perfect. Another great day at the Nile.

Nile summer cerimonial this Saturday

This is a reminder that the Nile Shrine is having their summer ceremonial (initiation) this Saturday. There is a great class and it is the Don Cameron PP memorial.

The Oriental Band is scheduled to play at 9:30am.

The Nile Golf & Country Club, what a great place to play…

Golf… What a great time to play a round. Golf at the Nile Golf and County Club is wonderful. After playing awhile you get to know the members and get partnered up with some great guys. There is the Oasis for a little refreshment after a hot day.

The Nile golf course was originally 10 holes. I know you are saying to yourself, “ten holes?” Well, yes. You played through the first nine then on your second trip around you substituted one of the holes. The Nile Golf Course was also private until around 1985-ish. The golf course then underwent construction to make a full 18 holes then went public to increase revenue.

There are some great holes at the Nile golf course, I personally like number three along the lake, number six because it is downhill and plays well to my natural slice, and 13 the elevated par three (it is just a fun hole).

I encourage you to play a round at the Nile Golf Course when you are in town or just want to get out. It is located almost exactly in-between Seattle and Everett, right on the King Snohomish County line. Originally it has a Seattle address, then an Edmonds address, now it is part of Mountlake Terrace.

Strawberry Update in Snohomish

“O.B. Members,  Just in from Jake, via the strawberry fields….the strawberries will not be available this Saturday as planned. They are not quite ripe yet. Stay tuned for further updates.  Tom, Keeper of the Scrolls. ”

The strawberry are later this year due to the colder weather in Washington. Every year as a fund raiser the Nile Shrine Oriental Band sells strawberries (and blueberries) to the local community.

Friends, Family, & Fraternity…

We are in a different time today than 50 years ago. Today we email and text each other. We look for the shortcut to communication to “save time” and we “multi-task” to accomplish more in a day. Are we accomplishing more? Can we really create the relationships that last a lifetime and are based on solid fundamental principles?

My thoughts are no. We need actual undivided human face to face interaction to create and preserve solid relationships. Where does one go to find this environment? I am going to say the Masonic fraternity. Ironically a set of groups that are about 50 years behind the times, yet that is exactly what every community needs.

Imagine a fine group of experienced community leaders yet not all of them have email, or cell phones, or even a computer. A group, that when they get together it is just to become better friends and enjoy refreshment without the interruption of the outside world. Some say that the fraternity is behind the times yet membership is growing. Obviously there is a need being filled and maybe the need is peace and harmony away from the constant interruption of digital communication.

It is difficult today to meet and create a good friendship, a friendship that will last the tests of time. My closest friends are still the ones from DeMolay that I met back in the 80’s. Well, I now have another great friend that I feel he will be part of my life forever. When was the last time you made a great friendship?

This friend of mine (and many others) is a great guy that I met through the fraternity. He has a wife and kids and his family structure matches mine. Our child raising philosophies are similar and so are our charity beliefs. His daughter’s birthday party was yesterday and I and family had a great time. Meeting him was just one more reason I am glad to associate and be an active member of the Masonic fraternity.