Sweet times

 

 

Wonderful Thanksgiving spread in the farmhouse dining room...

Family walk afterwards in the orchard...

The Russian stove hard at work...

The poor lonely pear...

And other farm excitement, a new rooster (gifted from a neighbor) joins Amanda's flock of 12 hens. All is well. 

 

 

Over the river, etc.

 

We left Seattle before dawn yesterday and had a surprisingly easy drive with light traffic. The snow was following right behind us, but we were tucked in at Twisp when the storm moved over the mountain passes in the afternoon.

This morning, the first pretty snowfall along the river. Winter arrives! Friends Karen and Bruce came over for dinner last night (I love how things are so impromptu here) and we had a nice visit over soup and wine.

Making a pumpkin cheesecake this morning with Maya, and we'll gather at the orchard farmhouse tomorrow for a country feast. 

Have a peaceful holiday, and let's give thanks for all the unknown blessings already on their way.

 

 

Sad news

 

 Dan Terrible
October 26,1948-November 22, 2025

John's brother Dan passed away in Ohio this weekend after a long illness. 

He and his wife Rebecca, married 55 years, enjoyed an active life and made many friends around the world. They traveled widely and were always engaged in art activities, in particular, the glass making and glass blowing community. 

For many years, Dan and Rebecca enjoyed spending winter at their condo in Mexico and summers at their home in rural Ohio. Despite heath challenges, I admired how they always lived life to the fullest. We will all miss Dan's big and generous personality. Rest in peace. 

 

The eye of the tiger

 

 

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. 

It makes me think of William Blake's famous poem, "The Tyger," and his illustration from the book "Songs of Innocence and Experience." 

 

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. 

 

Gifts from the desert

 

 

"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.  

I once made a balsamic salad with yams, pomegranate and carmelized shallots, which was perfect for Thanksgiving. We're slowly gearing up for the holidays. Wasn't it just Christmas a couple months ago?

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. 

Fee fi pho

 

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.