So long, June

 

 

Today is (finally) the last day of school for Seattle Public. We always look forward to a short break from traffic and the parking hassles on our street. I can come and go now for a couple of months without timing my trips to the middle school hours. Nothing worse than coming home with a load from Costco and the entire block is parked up.

But things are never really quiet in this neighborhood anymore. They're just starting a big renovation on the school athletic field down the hill-- artificial turf and tall, extra bright light poles we'll probably see from our house. The plan is to eventually hold large city athletic events there. Oh, boy. Being Seattle, there's no parking lot and people will have to use the residential streets.

Anyway, can you believe it, halfway though the year already? The start of a holiday weekend and huge travel day. Watching the news and very glad we're not at SeaTac Airport this morning. 

Have a happy last day of June!

In the category of...

 

How did I ever live without it? 

A quality cookie scoop John bought me recently. Actually three-- a small, medium and large size. Kitchen slave gifts.

I've made thousands of messy cookies over the years using just a teaspoon and my index finger. You wouldn't catch Martha Stewart dropping lumps of dough on a sheet with sticky fingers. And with a scoop, they turn out basically the same size (duh) great for making mini ice cream sandwiches. 

This is a straight up chocolate chip recipe, but with expensive extra large Ghirardelli semi-sweet chips and more walnuts than the recipe called for. I can't leave them alone, especially out of the freezer.

Speaking of scoops, the ones at the Senior Center kitchen are broken, and the dough they buy in tubs spreads into big thin pancakes. But they're crispy, and no one complains on member free cookie day. They should switch brands, or at least buy the volunteers a decent scoop! I won't ruin mine on that rock hard dough. 

Rest of country, so sorry for you suffering through the smoke and heat this week. I won't rub in our perfect weather, although it's going to get hot (for us) next week. Fourth of July is often cool and cloudy in Seattle which helps tamp down the firework chaos. Not so this year.

More yard work for me this morning and ukulele this afternoon. Good old Mr. Nguyen is coming to give an estimate on cutting the hedge. I'd like to get it done early before the new fence.

Low hanging fruit

 

I often pass by this tree on my walks, and every June the cherries hang right over the sidewalk. I don't know why it isn't picked clean by pedestrians, like our plum tree. I always grab a couple. This is an old fashioned variety, slightly tart. What I wouldn't give for a tree like that.

Anyway, busy day ahead-- an early appointment then off to the Cafe to see what's cooking there.

The social instrument

 

What were we doing 10 years ago? The fun thing about the blog now is looking back at the family photos and all the little things that would otherwise be forgotten. I posted this picture in June 2013 of my first ukulele, writing about struggling to finger pick a few notes of "Ode to Joy." Has it really been that long? Then I should be a much better player by now! 

I never learned an instrument as a kid, much less how to read music, so it was slow and frustrating starting out, especially discouraging with people dismissing the ukulele as such an "easy" instrument. Not for me. I practiced solo until October 2013, when I went to my first SUPA gathering. And later, The Ukes group at the Senior Center.

The Seattle Ukulele Players Association (SUPA) became a victim of the pandemic, what a shame. Those were the days with over 100 strumming, loudly singing players crammed in a room the Phinney Ridge Community Center. They also performed frequently at music events, like the Folk Life Festival. Anyway, now we have the excellent West Seattle Ukulele Players group on Thursday afternoons, and best of all I don't have to drive up to north Seattle.

The Ukes still meet at the Senior Center on Mondays, in fact I went yesterday for the first time in a while. There's still a few familiar faces from the old days, but that group is much changed, as is the Senior Center, and not in a good way. But we do the best we can.  For the young, the pandemic was just short blip in their lives, but it had profound effect on many seniors, gobbling up precious years or even taking their lives. Those of us who made it through with health intact are the lucky ones. How quickly we forget.

Anyway, Ukulele players are a welcoming bunch. I can't think of any instrument where you can play in a social setting like that. Some guitar players lower themselves (ha ha) and take up the uke for that reason. Naturally, it comes pretty easily to them and those are the guys who like to show off their riffs. Unless you're in a guitar band, there's not much opportunity to play with others in a live group.

It looks fearfully hot across the country this week. Speaking of looking back, on June 28, 2021 we had the hottest day ever recorded in Seattle, 108 degrees. A dangerous situation since so few people here have AC.

As usual with the extreme weather, the Northwest is just the opposite at the moment. A heavy marine layer blew in last night and I had John close the windows it was so chilly. But it should eventually burn off to a pleasant 70 degrees this afternoon.

Full swing

 

The Seattle summer is finally in full swing and when the weather is nice here, you can't beat it. High temps in the 70's and the windows wide open during the day. Very few bugs and no real humidity. The lawn is already dried up, but the garden looks good with lilies blooming outside the bedroom window.

I always take a parting photo right before I lock the door and leave Twisp. I'm compulsive about getting everything spotless and ship shape. It's work cleaning up after these visits, but worth it when you come back and find everything ready and tidy.

The month of June is finally winding down. It was fun but busy, so we're happy getting back to our quiet routines for a while. I've neglected all my hobbies this summer--drawing, playing ukulele, reading. If I spend my time cleaning and cooking (not to mention, staring at screens) there's one to blame but myself.

And always yard work. I'm getting the borders ready for the new fence. The company said will take 5 days to pull out the old and build the new. This project is scheduled for mid-July.  

Yesterday our neighbor came running from across the street, worried that I was "cutting down" all my roses. I told her just a heavy prune that hopefully rejuvenates the climber Joseph's Coat. So much old, dead wood left from timid pruning over the years. I also cut a big viburnum almost to the ground (above.) What a mess, but it had completely covered up a pretty Japanese maple. You have to keep on top of the vegetation here.

That's about all the news from the upper left corner. 

 

Wild kingdom

 

A doe brought her two newborn fawns down to the yard yesterday, always a sweet sight.

Ouch. She is certainly a survivor; that looks like a cougar near miss.

Fawns are easy pickings for predators, and less than half make it. I watched those babies frolicking around, and the more curious one wandered off to the river, while the other stayed near the milk machine. The mom didn't seem too concerned either way, natural selection in action.

This forlorn-looking little buck walked right past my river chair, all alone. The male offspring are driven off early, this to avoid inbreeding. Although he might have lost his mother in another way. Don't see a rosy future here.

I didn't give deer much thought before we bought this house. They are complex creatures. Deer evolution has spanned 20 million years and it's been carefully documented. Like most things in life, the more you learn, the more interesting it becomes. 

Looking forward to one more quiet day in town. Hitting the long road back to Seattle tomorrow.

Happy (cold) Solstice

 

Looks more like winter. This picture is from the Paradise visitors center webcam at Mt. Rainier. Instead of warm summer, we have frigid weather across the Northwest, especially in the mountains where the snow level is down to 4000 feet. 

John and his nephew Nick return to Seattle today via the North Cascades Highway route. They might even see some flurries on the high passes. I'm staying an extra day to get the house shipshape again for the next visit, sometime in July. When we will most likely be complaining about the heat.

Scape season

 

Well, that's my first canning project completed in Twisp, although these are just refrigerator pickles. They should be ready to eat in about a week, if the girls can wait that long. A bit weird-looking in the jar if you don't know what they are.

And quite yummy sauteed in olive oil with a dash of rice vinegar. Not to mention:

"Garlic scapes are a good source of protein, vitamin C, and calcium and, like garlic cloves, can help to prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cancer. They can also provide immune system support and reduce inflammation."

Change in the weather today, cool and cloudy with a chance of rain this afternoon. Always welcome on the dry side of the state.

Snapshots

 

Beautiful morning, beautiful girls at the Twisp Saturday Market...

The usual crowd hanging out around the house.

I watched Bambi's mother here turn around and chase a loose dog right into the river, yelping all the way, literally running for his life. Poor old fat lab, maybe he'll think twice before he chases a deer again. Or maybe not. Instinct rules. Never a dull moment with the wildlife.

 

So the popsicle summer river front is back. Hard to imagine, all this terrain was under deep water just a month ago.

A new beach and free sand delivery, courtesy of the spring flood.

Tom showing off his bountiful cherry harvest. See it? Lots of teasing here. Nevertheless, his orchard is coming along and the trees survived another brutal winter on the hill.

As usual, an amazing garlic harvest expected in the fall. These are called garlic "scapes," the stalk of a blossom snipped from each plant in the spring so the bulb can form.

Scapes are delicious. A cross between fresh green beans and mild garlic. They're an expensive gourmet delicacy, if you can even find them in farmer's markets. And especially good pickled, according to Amanda. My project today.

Last but not least, we went up to the property yesterday and spotted this little gypsy girl picking strawberries and wildflowers.

The real champ

 

 

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Hitting the road

 

I'm headed to Twisp this morning. John will drive over next week with a guest. It looks like a decent day for driving, before an unseasonably cold stretch of weather on both sides of the mountains. Well, it sure beats heat and wildfire smoke, so no complaints.

Have a good weekend!

National Smile Power Day

 

We've all heard how it takes more muscles to frown than smile. Babies smile about 400 times a day, but average adults only about 20 times. Have you ever caught the reflection in a window of a grumpy looking person walking by?

There are countless benefits in smiling, for ourselves and others. Smiling has the power to change our bad moods, reduce heart rate, blood pressure, pain and stress. Best of all, even fake smiles can make us feel better, and might even eventually train us to be happier people. What is that old saying? "Our feelings follow the action." 

Lots of smiling kids this week as school wraps up. This morning Nova has eighth grade graduation, on to high school in the fall. How about that?

Soggy future

 

Headed into a wet and cloudy stretch of weather, which is much more typical of June in Seattle. Nothing interesting to report this morning, slept late for a change and now off to the cafe.

Big hummer

 

There is regular-sized pineapple, then there is Costco. Like everything else there, obscenely large. I just bought one for $3.99 that must have weighed 5 pounds and took it home to John for a cutting treat. He likes fussy knife jobs and is really good at pineapple.

Anyway, you never know, sometimes they're sour or else brown and spoiled inside. I've thrown away more than one Costco pineapple. This one was perfectly sweet and juicy. I think the mistake is keeping them too long on the kitchen counter. They say very little ripening happens once pineapples are picked.

Pineapple is excellent grilled. We had kabobs last night made with spicy raw Bratwursts, onions and jalapenos. A big greasy mess on the grill but worth it. Not much in the way of leftovers.

We have two comforters for the bed, a winter down and light summer silk. I'm still flip-flopping them back and forth, because the weather can't decide if it wants to be hot or cold. It was over 80 yesterday with brilliant sunshine, but now looks like we're going into a chilly and cloudy stretch of weather. High temperatures staying in the 60's for a while, with rain this weekend.

Welcome summer rain

 

Two days of rain was certainly welcome after the long dry spell, but it sure did a number on some of the roses in heavy first bloom. 

I spent Sunday morning cutting things back and cleaning out flower beds. I filled the entire composting bin with heavy, rotting vegetation, mostly the tops of invasive species like alliums and bluebells. They will return-- it's impossible to dig them out completely without destroying everything else planted under there.

Anyway, who has motivation, time and energy to rip out beautiful, decades old flower beds? I'll leave that to the next homesteader, who will probably have a bulldozer. We have a dinky old house, but the large urban lot is "underutilized" as the developers would say.

So things are tidy now and I like that open look. The lilies have some breathing room for the best flower show of the summer. June is whipping by much too fast as usual.

We haven't had this many plums on the tree for years. Thousands. The tree is along the sidewalk, and the last time this happened it caused a neighborhood feeding frenzy, with people climbing the fence to get at them. One guy even brought a stepladder and bucket without bothering to ask permission. We're getting new expensive fencing built soon, so hopefully no repeat of that. Life in the big city.

It's another beautiful morning, with rain-washed blue skies and full-on sunshine until about 9:30 tonight.

Raindrops on roses...

 

 

And whiskers on kittens...

 

We woke to the unfamiliar sound of rain this morning. And very welcome, as the yard hasn't had any natural water for over a month. Along with that lovely smell of moisture on the crispy dry grass. Back to sunny weather next week, but for now--

 

In the rain

All holds still

You can relax

And it's okay

When the storm

Comes to an end

Life will resume

Flowers will bloom 

Things will seem

Bright again

But for now

Just rest

Just dream.

By Lisa Hilton

 

Have a nice weekend.

 

 

 

Nice and busy

 

It's been a busy and enjoyable few days. That's John and friend Mark checking out the low tide at Alki beach. Mark is visiting from Ohio. 

 

Last night we had dinner here with other old friends we don't see often enough--and enjoyed an overdue social reunion.

It was so warm we ate in the yard, a rare event, especially in June. I made soft soft tacos for five with all the fixings. Terri brought delicious guacamole. For dessert, a frozen cake made with our neighbor's homemade rhubarb ice cream.

Thanks, Wendy!  I saved a piece for you and Bill.

Wordless Wednesday

 

 

"Woman Before the Rising Sun," by Poll Friedrich, c. 1818.

Garden exercise

 

The climbing rose "Joseph's Coat" reaches a short peak of beauty in June. And you better appreciate it because like most roses, he's ugly as sin the rest of the year.

In July, we're having new fencing built along the front side of the house and I'll have to cut everything back then find a new support for old Joseph. 

If you have a climbing rose, then you know they don't really "climb" like vines at all. The prickly, brittle canes need to be attached to something with string or wire, not the nicest chore in the garden.

Speaking of work, today is National Gardening Exercise Day. I have an Apple watch and it lets you track all types of esoteric exercise, everything from boxing to fencing to equestrian activities. For some reason, it doesn't list gardening as a work-out option. An insult to the hard-working gardeners of the world. Has Tim Cook never put on a pair of gardening gloves?

Anyway, when I'm working outside I set it to something called mixed cardio so at least I get "credit" for the exercise at the end of the day. Of course, you have to be careful or the Apple watch turns you into an obsessive person, especially if you have hypochondriac tendencies. 

Well, what can I say about the weather? Not a cloud in the sky and so intensely bright at our latitude, with just a few short hours of semi-darkness in the city.

Extremely low tides at Alki Beach this week, which attracts thousands of people to walk out on the muddy flats and check out the exposed critters.

Swiching gears

 

A vacation house is nice because it gives you a completely different lifestyle somewhere else. On the other hand (and I'm not complaining) the abrupt transition between places is discombobulating for a day or so, going in either direction. Reaching for the coffee pot in the wrong place, finding the bathroom door at night, that sort of thing-- my mind certainly not as "plastic" as it once was. 

Oh, what a fine stretch of weather and unusual for June, which can be cool and gloomy on the coast. The old joke is that summer doesn't start in Seattle until after the 4th of July. It hasn't really rained for over a month so fire concerns are arising. We lucked out last summer in central Washington so everyone is holding their breath. 

A busy week shaping up.

Above it all

 

Another invigorating early morning constitutional with Amanda and Nica, this time up to the bluff above Twisp. No surprise, the mayor and other city notables live in this neighborhood overlooking town. A safe distance from the river, I might add.

These walks sure put my lazy 2-mile city loop to shame. Instead of dodging traffic, how peaceful and beautiful it is, especially when the weather is perfect like this. 

The only thing not-so-perfect about this visit is the mosquitoes. The locals are saying they are much worse than usual. In previous years, I don't remember any at all this early in the summer. Maybe it's because the unusually high river wet the floodplains. Anyway, I'm one of those unfortunate people they love to bite. My ankles and arms are an itchy mess.

Having lunch with a friend in Winthrop today, then going to the elementary school spring concert with Amanda. Back to city life tomorrow. 

Have a good weekend.