Maya made this painting in art class at school. Nana bias aside, it's better than many things we've seen hanging in expensive galleries.
The blooming Fatsia japonica sure looked pretty in the November light yesterday. It's been been a wet and warm fall so far.
That's about to change. Winter arrives next week with heavy snow in the mountains. Oh boy. Just in time for Thanksgiving travel.
"O for a beaker full of the warm south!"
John Keats, Ode to a Nightingale
A welcome gift this dark time of year-- my sister in La Vegas sent pomegranates from her backyard tree, a generous gift. Mailing anything is so darn expensive! But these homegrown fruits are much superior to those from the grocery store.
In other news, you've heard me moaning about being one of those unlucky people who always gets a strong reaction to immunizations. I had the flu shot yesterday, and surprise, nothing! Not even a sore arm. The only effect was sleeping for 8 restful hours. My upper limit is 7. Maybe I should get a flu shot more often.
Speaking of flu, apparently a nasty new variant popped up this summer after the vaccine was formulated, and they don't expect the shot to be very effective. Still, any protection is better than none. Eat healthy fruit.
Food is apparently the main topic of interest this week before Thanksgiving. We went to the Fred Meyer in Burien yesterday, a long trek just to "save money" on a turkey and groceries, but at least we had a good pho lunch in White Center along the way.
Fred Meyer (Kroger, actually) gives a 10% senior discount on Tuesdays, and there was plenty of company from our demographic puttering around. An elderly man came up and gave me a handful of coupons, saying "his doctor wouldn't let him eat these things anymore." (Maybe I still looked healthy enough for Haagen-Dazs.)
Anyway, Fred Meyer is one of those vast and awful everything stores, where you can throw some jeans or can of paint in the cart along with the food.
It is considerably cheaper than grocery stores up here on the north end of the peninsula, but I go mostly because they carry products you can't find anywhere else, like Hungry Jack pancake mix.
What a boring post, I can't believe anyone is the slightest bit interested.
The farmhouse is already starting to look like home. What a beautiful view from those living room windows, especially compared to downtown Twisp.
The family that cuts wood together, stays together. Ha! They went on a work outing up at their property, and the looks on those teenage faces say it all.
We were having a different sort of fun yesterday.
This cheerful looking gentleman is the Austrain Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) an oddball and obsessive man with a number of unhealthy interests, including death and teenage girls.
His 11 symphonies are now considered "monumental" romantic period masterpieces. When I hear that word describing a symphony, the first thing that comes to mind is "long."
Bruckner's 4th Symphony, which we heard yesterday, runs about 70 minutes. Like listening to Mahler and Wagner, you have to set your brain to a different Bruckner clock.
Trying to give something undivided attention is surely good for us, especially in these days of being "distracted from distraction by distraction." T.S. Eliot, The Four Quartets.
And at least we got out of the house on a truly dreary afternoon. It hardly got light yesterday! Bruckner beats sitting on the couch watching the Seahawks lose.
"If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?"
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Amanda sent this grey and drear early morning view of the orchard, looking toward the lights of their house in the distance. I look forward to pictures in every season, the orchard soon blanketed with snow, then covered with spring bloom-- magical.
Speaking of snow, it is late in the valley, which has been good news for the moving. They finish up at the old house this weekend, and can concentrate now on getting settled in for the winter. Needless to say, this has been a big adjustment for everyone in the family.
You can take the dog off the ranch, but you can't take the ranch out of the dog...
Born and bred on a ranch, Nica was never much of a city dog. Now in late middle age, she's finally back in her natural element.
As a puppy, she was thoroughly socialized by the girls into a gentle and devoted family dog. She loves the house cats and is afraid of the chickens, but has always been reactive to strangers. This is a good thing, and if any wildlife shows up, the chase is on. She is fearless to the point of stupidity, what can you say?
It's been a quiet and soggy week here. We have a Symphony concert Sunday afternoon. Fortunately the Seahawks are playing out of town, so we won't hit the stadium traffic this time.
Have a good weekend.
