This and that

 

I cut these lily stems the morning we left Seattle. It's an Asiatic lily called "Eyeliner" that John ordered from the Breck's catalog. They were in a pot the first year and not impressive, so last fall I planted the clump in the ground. With a winter blanket of compost and the wet spring, they grew over 4 feet high. 

 

Who could resist this enticing catalog picture? But as John points out, ours are missing the "eyeliner." Nevertheless, a magnificent lily. I've grown lilies for years and they're finicky things. But if you stumble on the right place to plant the bulbs, they can last for years.

What else is new? I bought 5 pounds of Walla Walla sweet onions at Lone Pine. Last year, it was so hot the farmers said their onions literally baked in the ground. We love Walla Wallas but they're very perishable. It was raining yesterday morning, so I cooked down a pot of onion goo for the freezer. I'll make French onion soup next week, if our lives aren't turned upside down by the rewiring project.

The days here pass quickly and pleasantly, even when I have nothing in particular planned. Sometimes I stop by the friendly Twisp Senior Center thrift store, where there's always someone to chat with and things are sold "by the bag" at $3.50. I've found lots of useful and pretty things for the house.

They also have a great collection of quality books, ever-changing, sold by donation. The thrift store is a big community resource for the Valley, with large amounts of stuff constantly recycled in and out. It's a good and generous philosophy that really helps folks. Compared to our profit driven West Seattle Senior Center thrift store, where it's hard to find a single old item under $3.50.

Aw! Another doe with twins just passed by the window. These babies so young they were still a wobbly on their feet. I love that the moms feel safe in this quiet corner of town. Not much bird activity lately except for crows feeding their pesky youngsters on the ground. Guess what? Yesterday they got their first taste of stale bread, and they took to it like their city cousins.