So long, September

 

It's sad when September ends, one of the loveliest months of the year and especially in Seattle, with weather you soon take for granted. It's always a jolt when the dark rain curtain slams down in October. For now though, the unseasonably warm and dry weather continues into at least next week.

We have the first Symphony concert in our series on Sunday afternoon. Won't that be nice to zip down the Admiral hill and over the bridge. Friends are saying how exhilarating it feels to drive over the bridge again. Oh, the things we once took for granted. 

After years of crawling like ants through the dingy industrial detour, I guess we forgot about the great height of the structure and beautiful views of downtown Seattle and Mt. Rainier. Come to think of it, why aren't they aren't charging us a toll now?  That would be very "Seattle." (Oops, better not jinx it.)

 Have a good weekend.

 

Comfort

 

Maya likes to bake, and Amanda says she can make banana bread by herself now. Florida could use some comfort food this morning. What a storm.

I checked with John's sister Rachel who lives north of Orlando, and other than not getting much sleep, she and kitty came through the storm OK and haven't lost power. It's still raining hard and when you think about rain measured in feet, it's almost incomprehensible how much water the ground can absorb in parts of Florida. Yes, it floods, but much of the state acts like a giant water sieve.

Seattle is famous for rain, but we don't get those intense eastern downpours. At least not very often. If it rains even a couple inches in a day there's urban flooding. Almost all of these old houses have basements, like ours, which are prone to flooding though window and stair wells. We've never had water inside, but some close calls over the years.

Anyway, enough of that. We barely got enough rain yesterday to wet the sidewalks and it looks like the dry, warm weather continues into October.  No complaints here.

Wordless Wednesday

 

Did you ever...

 

Buy something you didn't need just because you wanted it? Admit it, unless you're a saint. 

These beautiful nesting trays are from the Signals catalog. I'm a sucker for William Morris designs. You can drool over 900 Wm. Morris patterns on Pinterest.

The unusual Autumn Crocus is actually a type of fall-flowering lily bulb. Very pretty, but they sure give you a double take on the season as you walk by.

Out doing errands yesterday and the traffic was fierce. Maybe more people are coming over to West Seattle now that we’re  "open." Plus we're reverting back to the old traffic patterns. Streets that were jammed are wide open now, and vice versa. All good, but it takes some getting used to in reverse.

Not many flowers left for cutting, but soothing Wm. Morris colors on the fall hydrangeas.

Peppers

 

We had a nice crop of Anaheim peppers from just 3 plants.  I picked them before the raccoons decided to throw a fiesta. They got into the grapes this weekend no big deal because we don't eat the sour things, but they spit the skins on the deck and make a mess.

Anyway, these peppers have a tough skin so they need to be charred and peeled. The grill is the best place to do it. It's a chore, but not a bad one on a sunny fall afternoon with a losing football game droning in the background.

It's tricky because you don't want to actually cook them, but they have to be evenly charred for the skins to slide off. 

American "taco night" comes from cans, boxes and packets, but authentic Mexican food is really labor intensive. Trust me. Like chili rellenos. I made them Friday with the biggest ones and the peeling, stuffing, batter, red sauce and frying took all afternoon. But so worth it and we almost fought over the leftovers.

Anyway, I divided these up for the freezer to make chili and stew. We're getting into those fall meals now.

September 26th is Johnny Appleseed Day. Over the years, I've written several posts about the character. CLICK for a trip down Feathers and Flowers memory lane. "Try to Remember" is a sweet old song.

September is usually a beautiful month in the northwest. We'll get a little welcome rain Wednesday then back to nice weather. Enjoy your week.

Fall

 

A beautiful setting yesterday on Alki but a difficult place to play, between the chilly wind and bright sunlight on screens. 

Yes, most people download the music on their iPads or other devices now, the advantage being you don't have to lug around a stack of books. But it doesn't seem to be any faster getting everyone "on the same page" to start a song together. You can either fumble through notebooks or screens. Well, that's all part of group playing. 

I remembered some of these singers from the Seattle Ukulele Player's Association meetings. It feels like another lifetime. The lady on the left plays a small electric bass and she was excellent. And what a difference it makes when someone counts everyone in at the start of a song. This group is determined to continue meeting weekly outdoors. I don't know how feasible that is during the wet and cold time. 

I finally worked through that big box of peaches, freezing more yesterday and finishing off with pie. The fresh peach filing is to die for, not overly sweet and nice and juicy.  The homemade crust was good but slightly under-cooked, even though it baked for over an hour. Big raw fruit pies like that are really challenging.

Fall arrives on this dark morning with cool, cloudy skies.

Almost heaven, West Seattle

 

Several large bowls of Roma tomatoes from a single plant is pretty impressive. After a cold wet start, summer went on to become one of the hottest and driest on record. And this is the second year I've used "Mater Magic" fertilizer which makes a huge difference, especially with potted plants.

And the roses came back after all for a nice second bloom. It's unusual seeing the long stem white ones at the same time as the dahlia. A pretty combination. It was smoky yesterday, especially in north Seattle, but clean marine air pushed in last night and sent the smoke east again. 

We won't get back to the house now until mid-October, but (other than getting a Covid booster) we have some enjoyable fall things coming up, like the first Symphony concert. 

Also, a new ukulele group is taking shape in West Seattle, meeting outdoors on Thursdays. I'm not sure how that will work when the weather changes, but it's an alternative to the Senior Center Ukes, for people still somewhat spooked about unmasked indoor singing. I'm going today-- they're gathering down at Alki beach. Now that's it easier getting over here, it might attract players from the big SUPA group that used to meet in the Phinney Ridge Community Center. Some of them are serious and quite good players, so I better up my game and start practicing again!

 

Picture perfect

 

A perfect day at Pearrygin Lake State Park just outside of Winthrop. Other than a few fishermen, I had the place to myself yesterday. 

In the summer, the park is absolutely jammed and camping has to be reserved months in advance. It must be quite the social experience because the hundreds (maybe thousands?) of campsites are just a few feet apart. But it's a beautiful spot, especially if you're lucky enough to be there mid-week in September.

I walked up the Rex Derr Trail for a bit-- that's my car down there in the deserted parking lot. 

Headed back home today and taking the northern route over the North Cascade Highway. For a change, looking forward to that last little bit and zipping over the West Seattle Bridge for the first time in over 2 years.
 

The last hurrah

 

The first hint of leaves changing on the cottonwoods by the river. We're in a stretch of weather that just doesn't get any better. The days are warm and clear, the nights cool. The smoke (for the moment) is blowing over to the western side of the state. 

There's a sudden profusion of grasshoppers around the house, maybe the last hurrah hatching. Another ubiquitous insect I know nothing about really. The trick is avoiding getting stung by a yellow jacket. "Twisp" is actually a Native American word for the yellow jacket's buzzing sound. You get the picture. They own the valley right now.

I always drop by the Methow Valley Senior Center Thrift Store when it's open. All the locals flock to their big seasonal sale events (Christmas, Halloween, Western, Spring, Winter) and you can find real quality items. The rest of the time, most everything is sold simply by the $4 grocery bag. It's a treasure hunt and beneficial, because things get recycled through the community.

You can find expensive outdoor wear in Winthrop, but the nearest Ross, Marshall's or Target is 90 miles away in Wentachee. Girls love clothes, and in Twisp they have two options, the Thrifty Fox second hand store and the Senior Center. The kids are shrewd thrift shoppers and can really spot the cool stuff. 

 

As I was leaving the house last night, Nova ran outside in this dress. Honestly, it looks like something from that expensive LoveShackFancy designer line. Nova looks like a model. And not a bad iPhone photo, if I don't say so myself.

Wheels

 

We've had weather perfection for the past few days with warm sunny afternoons and cool nights. But the seasonal transitions don't mess around here, so fall is in the air and winter is right around the corner. But we still have the lovely month of October to look forward to, when the trees change color.

Amanda had an extra bike in the garage and I've enjoyed riding it around Twisp. It's a very pleasant and safe place to ride, at least compared top Seattle. How may yeasrs since I last rode a bike? As they say, you never forget, but I'm keeping on the cautions side to slowly get the hang of it and use some very different muscles.  Were bike seats always that hard?

John is headed back to Seattle today and I'll follow him in a couple. That's about all the news from here.  We are watching some of the Queen's funeral which is very moving and impressive. The end of a long era in more ways that one.

Muddy water

Rain is a good thing, but the river is really murky with all the run-off from the mountain burn zones. Poor fish.

It's been interesting watching the wildlife around the house for the second summer now. I honestly expected this year to be a repeat, but it's been very different. For one thing, no turkey families hanging out next door. I saw one brood early in the spring then she took them elsewhere. Maybe because the dangerous crows nested in the cottonwoods, making a gosh-awful racket all summer until their young were finally reared. I can listen to that in Seattle...

I was surprised how few small birds were around all summer, since this seems like a perfect habitat. Suddenly they've appeared and yesterday I saw flocks of robins on the grass and woodpeckers in the trees. And nothing says "fall" like the sound of starlings gathering.

One thing that hasn't changed is the deer population. Last night at dusk I counted 15 on the lawn. The fawns that survived are teenagers now. Like this brash young fellow having his first picture taken.

Everyone is busy today so I'm making beef stew in the crock pot for dinner. Amanda gave me some excellent meat from her freezer. I was never into crock pot cooking but it's perfect for the kinds of meals we have here and I don't have to be tied to the stove. 

John drives over tomorrow to check out his eastern fiefdom! He hasn't been to Twisp since the 4th of July. It's getting chilly at night now. Still too warm for the furnace but I'm switching out the summer bedding. The chore of the day. Then a walk around town. Meet Maya when the bus drops her off this afternoon. She wants to make cornbread.  Life is good.

Peaches and rain

 

An impulse purchase at Lone Pine Fruit and Espresso yesterday-- only $20 for a giant box of peaches. Who could resist? I don't have canning apparatus here but thought I'd try freezing some. When snow is on the ground, winter peach pie and cobbler sounds pretty good. 

I inched my way through the West Seattle detour early yesterday morning with the happy thought it was (probably) for the last time. The repaired bridge is scheduled to reopen on Sunday, after 2 1/2 long years, with much local fanfare. That means when we come back next week, we can zip straight off the freeway instead of weaving around for that last tiring bit. That is, if we don't miss the exit and automatically take the detour through Georgetown! Ha.

It rained hard last night which cleaned the air out nicely. It also caused a landslide on the North Cascade Highway, which is closed today along with Stevens Pass still closed for a fire. So, two main routes across the state are shut down. That means extra heavy traffic over Snoqulamie and Blewett Pass. I'm just glad I drove yesterday.

Up and over

 

I'm headed to Twisp this morning and John plans to come over on the weekend. Hopefully the smoke situation improves as the weather patterns changes to fall. Next week, in fact, overnight lows will be in the 30's. It might be slow going today but what's the rush? I have my lunch and podcasts and playlist for company. See you on the other side.

Who knew?

 

 

No country does pomp and circumstance like Great Britain. What a display for all the world to see, and the actual funeral is still days away. It does seem very exhausting.

At the Proclamation in Cardiff, did you catch a glimpse of the goat?  "Senkin" is the official mascot of the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Welsh. He has a regimental number and earned the rank of lance corporal. In fact, he outranks some of his comrades in arms.

But it's not all fun and games. A former mascot was actually demoted after misbehaving in a parade. "Shekin" receives a salary which goes for his uniform, food and accommodation. According to the Royal Welsh Museum, it comes fitted with a radio and a sofa. Another regimental goat got a treat of 2 cigarettes a day to eat, but now he's cut off.

Well, you learn something new everyday...

Yuck

 

Saturday was very hot, but we kept windows closed because of the smoke. No AC, but we have two Honeywell air purifiers that help, although sometimes it's hard to tell. I think air pollution makes my heart beat harder, but then I'm kind of a hypochondriac. I have a fancy new Fitbit to prove it. It even has an EKG feature if you really want to scare yourself.

Instead of sensible takeout or cooking on the grill, I made this pork stir fry for dinner that heated and smoked up the house even more. And a plum cake on Friday. All good, but what was I thinking?

We used up all the plums and have 10 jars of chutney and 4 pints of halves to show for it. Today we're making a batch of apple-walnut chutney with store bought Fuji's. No usable apples on our tree for the first time in years. Weird.

By Sunday, things had improved quite a bit as marine air finally pushed in from the coast, but we're not out of the woods until the wet season gets started. Wildfires are still burning to the north, south and east. 

The Pacific Ocean is our friend in Seattle, bringing fresh air and pushing heat and smoke east. Of course that means bad air over in central Washington, especially the Methow Valley, notorious for trapping pollutants. Even in the winter, from wood stoves and fireplaces. It smells good around the campfire, but nothing healthy about wood smoke.

Let's start the week on a happy note with a cute picture of  Maya and "Lemon," a hen who likes being cuddled.
 

Smoke

 

Tomorrow looks thoroughly nasty in Seattle-- hot with wildfire smoke surging down from the north. We've escaped the smoke so far this year, and fortunately this looks like summer's last gasp. If it does hit 90, that's 13 days this year and a new record for Seattle.

Yesterday, the poor folks in the Methow Valley woke up to the most polluted air on the planet. It's improved today, maybe because wind is starting to pull the smoke over to us. Thanks. 

I sure miss the river house and haven't been there since mid-August. Plan to drive over sometime next week and enjoy the last of the mellow weather, if it's not too smoky. October is beautiful with the leaves changing in town, but definitely a winter nip in the air by then. As the song Time in a Bottle goes, "there never seems to be enough time..."

Another plum canning day (halves, this time) and that should wrap it up. Maybe a plum kuchen if there's a few nice ones left. John is hoping. Have a good weekend. 

Beep beep

 

Well, we have a big pot of plum chutney started on the stove. Chopping 8 pounds of fruit, ginger, garlic and onion took up all the early morning hours. My kitchen assistant did a good job helping--my arthritic fingers can't take that much knife work anymore. Now it needs to cook down at least 3 hours before canning. Simmering chutney makes the house smell almost as good as Thanksgiving. 

It's noisier than ever this week because the Seattle School District is on strike and the teachers are picketing nearby. Kind of a party atmosphere over there so far, but this is only the second day and enthusiasm is high. Every few minutes a car goes by beeping their horn to show support. Enough already. 

On top of that, they're grading and paving to finish up the new school addition parking area. The walls are vibrating. It's impressive how these truck drivers navigate these narrow, parked-up streets with that heavy equipment. There's hardly enough space for cars.

Anyway, that's about all the news. I did a big yard clean-up yesterday and squeezed in another rose. Which we needed like a hole in the head, but John gets sucked into the online nursery catalogs and they show up in the mail. Frankly, I think roses are overrated flowers for the amount of work and trouble. Then June comes along and everything is forgotten. Like a spoiled child with a precious side.

Things were so overgrown it's nice having some clean open space in the beds. No ground hornets, but the yard is buzzing with the good guys. I often wish I'd studied entomology. There's an amazing variety of just bees when you look closely. Then all the other little crawling critters...suppose it's never too late to learn something new.

What's not to like about September?

Nice harvest

 

We got every plum off the tree yesterday with the handy-dandy fruit picker on a pole. It sits in the shed 364 days a year, but on that one day you're glad to have it.

I can barely lift the basket with one hand, so it must weigh about 40 pounds. Nice. Fruit is expensive and you can't buy these big, meaty Italian plums anyway. Just the little puny hard ones from California. Anyway, enough there to make a double batch of plum chutney, and maybe some nice ones left for a few pints of plain canned plums.  Those are good in the winter on yogurt and cottage cheese.

Despite the chores, John had a good birthday with calls from family and friends. I surprised him big time with a new iphone which he didn't really need (who does?) Maybe even better than a visit from Christine. He has to wait until he's 98 for that treat. 

Anyway, I had a selfish ulterior motive because now he can figure out the new technology before I get one. We keep our phones about 5 years, so are quite a few numbers behind. I know. Waaa waaa. What a hard life.

Already?

 

But there never seems to be enough time,
To do the things you want to do once you find them...

"Time in a Bottle" by Jim Croce

Pumpkins outside Safeway gave me a reality jolt yesterday. Despite the long stretch of warm, dry weather, fall is just around the corner. Tomorrow is the first day of school in Seattle, that is, if the teachers aren't on strike. 

There is truly never enough time to do all the things we love with the people we love. Summer is short; winter stretches over many rainy, grey months in the Northwest.

Well, today we have another birthday boy in the family, and it will be a bit anti-climatic, since Christine won't be paying him a surprise visit. She wouldn't fit in our house anyway. For that matter, showgirls (other than drag queens) might be illegal in Seattle, where women are not just objects to be gawked at. We need to lighten up some in liberal-land. Ha! They know how to have a much better time in Las Vegas.

No showgirl, but a ravioli dinner tonight and strawberry tart. A busy day ahead, because I need to take advantage of this nice weather to whip the messy, weedy garden into some sort of shape for fall.

Here's some pictures Amanda sent from their hike in the North Cascades on Sunday. A place about as far from Vegas as you can get. We live in a miraculous world of contrasts.

Whirlwind trip

 

We're back in Seattle and travel went well both ways. You can't ask for more on a busy holiday weekend. When we landed, it was 75 degrees and 10 degrees cooler than the lowest overnight temperature in Las Vegas. In other words, it never went below 85 the entire time.

Locals don't bat an eye at 100 in Vegas, but 110 gets people's attention, especially this late in the summer. Although it gets old fast, thank goodness for AC. I used the hotel pool a few times, but it was impossible to stay outside for long. 

My sister threw an amazing party for about 40 of their friends and neighbors. So much love in the room for our Dad, who has stolen many hearts over the years he's lived in Las Vegas. 

Christine the showgirl was the big surprise of the night. After "feathering up" in the back bedroom, John caught these cute pictures of her coming down the hall sideways in her headdress.

Christine is a real showgirl and performs at Las Vegas venues and the Golden Nugget hockey games. She is 6 feet tall without her heels and feathers.

Good thing the house has high ceilings. Anyway, along with being quite the presence, she had a sweet personality. A class act. 

In a town where (ahem) you can have anything delivered to the door, this was family-friendly and perfect for our group, thanks to the agency's professionalism and Christine's ability to read her audience.

She stayed for about 30 minutes before presumably moving on to more difficult gigs. As you can see, it was impossible to take a bad picture of Christine.

The only one not impressed?  Doodles. Of course, he barked at that strange big bird invading the house and sitting next to HIS Grandpa.