The quality of air

 

 

It is such a pleasure to hold and read a beautifully bound book. Especially while breathing in the scent of lavender. John found me this classic illustrated copy of "The Magic Mountain" by Thomas Mann on Ebay. 

Published in 1924, the setting is a sanatorium in Davos, Switzerland, and the story of a young engineer who comes for 3 weeks and stays for 7 years on the "magic mountain." 

Switzerland was famous for tuberculosis sanatoriums in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Before antibiotics, fresh air and rest were the primary cure, if you could afford it. Most of these historic sanatoriums have been converted to luxury hotels, but you can still go to Switzerland and take expensive cures for modern aliments. 

When we were in Switzerland, I decided to reread "The Magic Mountain." It was unusually hot, and after a long day of train and bus travel, we finally arrived at Hotel Reine Victoria in St. Moritz. There was no air conditioning, but I opened the waist high, screen free windows, letting in birdsong and the coolest, cleanest, sweetest, high altitude air. (Such are the small memories you retain from a jam-packed trip.)

OK. Speaking of trips and hot weather. Amanda, Tom and the girls flew out last night should be arriving about now in sizzling Paris. Over one hundred degrees in France today? Unbelievable. 

Here are the travelers yesterday morning in Carlton, just starting out on their epic long journey.  

16 hours

 

 

Happy summer solstice. We have sixteen hours of daylight in the Northwest and true darkness lasts for only about 4 hours. The birds wake up with me about 3:45. 

We heard good old Beethoven's 9th at the Symphony yesterday for the season finale. Seattle audiences love Beethoven! Not to mention, big choral music productions. 

Frankly, the 60+ minute work is kind of a slog (apologies to a musical masterpiece of Western civilization) until the final "Ode to Joy" catchy movement. Then chorus finally gets to stand up. And then the audience goes crazy with a standing O. 

A lighter take from Mr. Bean:

 

 

 

Big!

 

Everything looks so big this year. The hydranges are enormous and lilies and roses over my head-- is it my imagination, or maybe I'm just shrinking. At this rate, I'll soon be an old crone pottering around under the vegetation. 

The busy gardener's mind cannot help but jump ahead to when all this rampant annual growth must be cut back and hauled from the yard. It makes a person tired just thinking about it (so don't.) 

Anyway, it feels good to be back after an easy drive home. The trick is to leave as early as possible this time of year. Most of the traffic was headed the other direction. 

Back to normal routines after much travel. We have a symphony on Sunday-- the last of this season. 

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dads in our family. 

 

Twisp Ponds

 

The Twisp Ponds is an excellent place for a quiet nature walk close to town. It was established in 2002 when the Methow Salmon Recovery Foundation purchased the 37-acre property to prevent development and restore salmon. 

My friend Karen's husband, Bruce Morrison, is a local sculptor who created some of the art installations (above) along the trail. 

 

Anyway, we had the place to ourselves on a hot morning, and found a comfortable log to sit and yak by the river. Life is good. 

Today is Amanda's bittersweet last day at Family Health Center, where she began her nursing career over 10 years ago, working her way up from Medical Assistant to Registered Nurse to Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. 

When they return from Europe, she starts a new position with Confluence Health, a larger organization based in Wenatchee offering much more in the way of benefits and professional support. A big step up and a new phase of her career begins. Congratulations!

I've been invited to a party tonight with her friends and coworkers. Fun. Tomorrow, back to big city life.

 

Chamber music

 

We stopped by the Community Center this morning and listened to a dress rehearsal for the annual Chamber Music Festival. 

This is the 30th anniversary of the highly celebrated summer event that brings top musical talent to the Methow Valley. Most of the concerts are already sold out.

Karen said in the old days concerts were held in barns and far-flung outdoor locations around the county, none of them ideal for chamber music or large audiences.

 

The Twisp Community Center is in the final stages of a major renovation, including the old gym with a stage. 

Echoey, cold in winter and hot in summer, it was the venue for countless local plays and pageants over the decades. We have sat on folding chairs through some long productions there. 

Well, I don't know how they accomplished it, but the old gym sounded like a concert hall this morning the acoustics were so excellent. Funky old Twisp is becoming quite posh. 

Girls shopping date

 

 

Omak, population of 4,800, is the largest city in Okanogan County. Omak is about 40 miles from Twisp, over the Loup Loup Pass, elevation 4,000 feet.  

There's never much traffic and you can tootle along the winding road at your own pace. Amanda commutes to Omak at least once a week. It's an 90 mile round trip from Carlton, but a low stress drive, at least in the summer. 

Anyway, Omak has most of the big stores which spares a 100 mile drive down to Wenatchee: Walmart, Home Depot, Safeway, North 40 and the all-important Marshalls.  

Maya and I went shopping this morning to pick up a few things for their trip, then went out to lunch at The Bread Line Restaurant, a local favorite. That is not a burger. Maya is a dedicated vegetarian good for her. We had a great time.