Woo hoo (I think)

 

 

A new iPad Air with the Apple magic keyboard and pencil...technology on top of technology.

I bought it for travel in particular, since lugging my laptop through airports seems to get more burdensome as time goes by. And as John says, "the blog must go on." 

Yes, there's the irony of simplifying your life with yet another complex thing to master and maintain.  

Our Apple gadgets here have multiplied over the years like rabbits! We still have an 8-year old iPad which I use only for ukulele group, and will probably continue. I'd hate to see that shiny new machine on the concrete floor at the Bridge Tavern.

John was an angel and helped me get my email going yesterday, so I'm determined to muddle though the rest without pestering him too much. He has used an iPad for years, but a new hobby for me. 

In other news. I'm on pins and needles this weekend wondering if I have to report for jury duty Monday morning. I was summoned about a month ago by King County Superior Court. But until I hear from the bailiff (as late as Sunday night) I don't even know if I'll have to report in person, or where, for that matter. There are three separate courts in King County, and a nightmare commute to all. 

Anyway, if I have to sit around a courthouse all day, at least I'll have new toy to play with. 

Have a good weekend. 

Queens of the Orchard

 

 

Someone let the cats out...

That's Miss Georgia taking in her new domain and fresh air, after basking in front of the Russian stove all winter. 

 

And Calico Millie there under the table, doing some spring claw sharpening. 

Both cats are plump, to put it nicely. Amanda's best friend, a small animal vet, did not mince words about their weight and prescribed expensive diet cat food. It didn't work. They just ate more and got fatter than ever. 

Not to be morbid, but those gals could be a high calorie snack for the coyotes they hear yipping at night in the orchard. 

Although these former town cats are smart. They managed not to get run over on the highway behind the old house and will figure out farm life. Anyway, they prefer lounging around the house getting hair on everything and using the litter box in the summer, much to Amanda's annoyance. 

Speaking of the orchard, that bare ground is remarkable for this time of year. There is snow up in the high country, but it's been a poor winter in the Methow Valley for recreational sports, not to mention, the snow plowing business.  

Sad! We have not been over to our house since Thanksgiving, but hope to get in a short trip soon.  

 

Ash Wednesday

 

A day of repentance, marking the beginning of Lent. 

Heigh ho, heigh ho

 

Love this photo of Nova carting around one of the docile hens. Nova is terrific with all animals, and in fact, she just started an internship with a local small animal vet. 

    

Busy morning here. I got thoroughly acquainted with the Scandinavian Airlines website (not Alaska!) trying to select seats for our upcoming trip in May. (Much more on that later.) 

 

Now I'm off to Burien to have my Honda serviced for the first time- 6,000 miles, still a baby.

 

 

This is the uncropped photo. Kinda scary seeing those claws so close to her pretty face. Life on the farm.

 

 

Things Chinese

 

Benaroya Hall was all festive for Chinese New Year yesterday. Along with the decorations, a pre concert performance in the lobby.

The first half of the concert featured a work called "Iris Unveiled." It was composed in 2001, but heard in Seattle for the first time this week. 

Our Seattle Symphony music director, Xian Zhang, collaborates with the Chinese composer, who is a favorite of hers. (Our former conductor was French, and we heard plenty of French music during his tenure.)

In "Iris," the full orchestra performs the 40 minute work alongside Chinese instruments-- in simple terms, a fusion of East and West. There were visual effects also, namely a Peking opera star in full costume up in the organ loft. 

Peking opera is a highly stylized art form with bizarre singing, at least to western ears. 

Like Moon Cakes, an acquired taste. I won't repeat the unkind comparison made by the lady sitting behind us, but you can probably guess.

Anyway, off to Mother Russia for the second half of the program, featuring the rough and tumble Shostakovich Fifth Symphony. 

So, an afternoon of big contrasts, if nothing else.

We had a nice weekend. John gave me beautiful flowers and we gobbled down a steak dinner on Saturday, for the first time in ages. We eat more hamburger these days. 

Also, the afore mentioned coconut cake, which was a big hit. 

That recipe is a sure keeper, even better than the fantastically expensive little cakes from Metropolitan Market. I can usually resist cake no problem, but I've had a big, fat slice every night. 

Some days are just coconut

 

Way back in 2012, I took a coconut cake baking class at the community college. It was an evening class with a very chatty instructor, so it ran late into the night and I was tired by the end. Long story short, I forgot to take the recipe hand-out sheet when I left. 

Dang. It was an interesting recipe, made with sweetened cream of coconut. I have tried many other coconut cake recipes over the years. There are hundreds on the Internet-- all different and some better than others.

Anyway, I tried a new recipe this morning for John's Valentine present. The ingredients are pretty basic, although I substituted thick coconut cream for the coconut milk. The most expensive thing in this cake was the tiny bottle of coconut extract, which is sold as liquid gold. 

Oh yes. The plant in the background is from Trader Joes. Like Costco, I feel like I deserve a little reward for navigating that parking lot and store. 

It is a Stephanotis floribunda, or Madagascar Jasmine, and something you don't often see in pots. 

In another lifetime, when I worked in the florist trade, we made labor intensive bridal bouquets by wiring the fragrant individual blossoms. One sniff took me back to the 1980's Frederick and Nelson Department Store, and the little flower shop inside the front door. 

No one could walk by without exclaiming "how good it smells." Of course to us, the flower shop just smelled like hard work. 

Wishing you a sweet and hopefully fragrant holiday weekend.