Hello neighbor

The upstairs window of the "backyard cottage" shines right into our kitchen at night. The house also blocks early morning sun and moon rise from the deck. So it goes. With the new school addition across the street, we are well and truly hemmed in. You knew this was going to happen eventually, as the neighborhood density increases with no end in sight.

On the bright side, when I'm on ground level in the yard I don't really notice either. Maybe the Leyland Cypress wasn't such a bad idea after all. And three cheers for the old Laurel hedge.

Speaking of Leyland Cypress, check out the King of Hedges, at least thirty feet tall. This house is on two lots, and the hedge gives them a huge, real estate extravagant private space. I walk by all the time and wonder who are these lucky people? Well, not lucky when they get the bill for trimming. Or the property tax bill. 

I'm sitting next to my new Honeywell air purifier and breathing is very pleasant. I think clean air helps my brain write. Ha! I was a skeptic at first, these things are expensive, but the house is noticeably fresher. Hopefully it improves the dust situation. We have three now-- two in Seattle and one in Twisp. I'm afraid the smokey summers are the new fact of life.