About Us

Some things are meant to be. Mark and I met in a Krispy Kreme Donut Store in Tacoma, Washington on December 22, 2011. Our second date was at Mark’s house on the water in Gig Harbor two nights later. I brought my pug, Flora, to meet Mark’s flat-coated retriever, Belle.  We introduced the dogs and walked outside around the house to get a look at the lights on the harbor. It was Christmas Eve and everything was lit up. Our dogs were milling about us as we stood on the bulk head talking when suddenly, we heard a splash! My first thought was that Belle had jumped in. Flatties are water dogs after all. In a few seconds, it was clear that it was not Belle. Flora, roughly twelve years old and somewhat deaf and blind, had fallen in and was now swimming the wrong way – out into the harbor! I don’t know what happened next, did Mark jump in fully dressed or did I say OMG?!! Didn’t matter, Mark jumped in that frigid salt water on Christmas Eve and rescued Flora! How can you not marry a man who does that?!! 

On Valentine’s Day, just a couple months after meeting, we bought each other the same book as a gift, How to Build Animal Housing, by Carol Ekarius. It was pretty much a done deal that we would have a farm.

We had this platter made to to tell our story and celebrate our wedding day on a Vineyard in Alexander Valley, California.  Family and friends who joined us for the occasion signed it. We can’t thank them enough for making the trip.