Summer is over

Snail and Dwarf

Martin Wiegand

The transition from spring to summer is a slow process in the Northwest, but the change from summer to fall is more abrupt.  By October it feels like a dark curtain has been pulled down-- the cue to start hunkering down in our houses. Weeks and months go by without a glimpse of neighbors, other than getting in and out of their cars. 

After such a spectacular warm summer (too hot for most) there aren't many complaints about this cool, wet September. After such a bad drought, the rain is wonderful, unless you have to actually get somewhere on our gridlocked freeways. I'm glad I can hide under my mushroom this morning.

The teacher's strike is over and it's finally the start of school in Seattle, always a traffic nightmare day. On the 5:30 am news, there was already a eight-mile backup of unfortunates trying to get into Seattle on I-5.

In an hour or so, the school buses will roar by the house and our street will be full of the parked cars of teachers and parents waiting for their kids. I'll time my comings and goings to the middle school hours, otherwise I'll have to walk a block with grocery bags. Yes, it's fall.

I'm looking forward to a special weekend, and doing something very different.  My good friend Julie invited me to her Stray Threads Quilt Guild sewing retreat at a camp in Gold Bar.  I'm not a quilter, or even much of a seamstress, but I'm looking forward to meeting these talented ladies and getting inspired by their art.  John will be happy at home playing loud classical music, watching football and probably sharpening knives!

Oh yes, my computer is staying home too, so there won't be another blog until Monday when I hope to have some beautiful pictures to share. Have a good weekend.