Lush life

 

 

Why fight it? When the tulips die back, I can finally get in there to cut the spent leaves and go after the weeds and invasives underneath.

The amount of heavy foliage in this yard is pretty impressive. This is as green as it gets in Seattle. By June, the strong sun dries things out and the yard won't be this lush again until next year.

I worked hard yesterday, but mostly rewarding stuff including potting 12 geraniums from Costco. Like everything else, more expensive than they used to be, but still a bargain compared to the nursery. 

Speaking of the crazy world we live in, with a combination of digital coupons and rewards, I bought a 12 pound ham at Safeway for about $5. That was $2 less than the loaf of bread in the cart. 

Yes, ham means Easter is approaching-- always my superstitious deadline for cleaning the windows. 

Well, you need to see before and after to appreciate how much more light comes in the house once the winter grime is gone.

This Windex product with the hose attachment is my best friend. Not a perfect clean but good enough, and old ladies don't need to be climbing up ladders.

Tulips, asparagus, etc.

 

This is peak bloom for the tulips and the back garden is beautiful. Too bad hardly anyone ever sees it. But last fall I planted some pots with Costco bulbs and they sure look cheerful at the front steps. 

I like my car and it was good drive home yesterday-- nice weather, scenery and light traffic. Even the big semis were polite. 

In a few weeks, the summer recreation season starts and there's suddenly a different vibe on the highways, with everyone in a pushy rush to get somewhere with their huge vehicles.

I made my usual stop at Lone Pine for coffee and bought a bunch of local asparagus. I had a hanger steak in the cooler from Hank's (now officially Rosauers although no one in the valley will ever call it anything but Hank's.)

Hanger is similar to skirt steak, but more tender because of the marbling. A nice cut of meat for medium rare grilling. I rarely see it in a Seattle grocery store- the restaurants probably get them and then charge $75 a plate.

Anyway, we had a fancy dinner last night.

Above it all

 

 

The spring weather here is fickle. The Saturday outdoor market was cold and windy, but Sunday turned out warm so we hiked to the hillside property outside of Twisp. This is a wonderful time, just after the snow melts and the valley bursts into life again.

Amanda and Tom hiked a higher ridge loop for more exercise, but I was happy to sit at the overlook and switch on my Merlin app (developed by the Cornell Institute of Ornithology.)  

 

A screenshot-- like magic, it picks out individual species from the cacophony of song.

 

 

Underfoot, carpets of delicate wildflowers.

And the spring queen of the valley, Arrowleaf Balsamroot, just starting to bloom. By May, it covers the hills and meadows in big golden clumps. 

Hardworking Amanda and Tom then spent the afternoon in the yard, while the chickens enjoyed a lazy peck outside the coop.

All good things come to an end. Work and school for the family, and I'm flying back to the Seattle coop today.

Wildlife news

 

It's been quiet down along the river, although a tom turkey came strutting though the yard looking for all the world like a Thanksgiving advertisement.

The turkeys aren't native here so no one really likes them, but they're tolerated in town. I like watching them raise their large broods each spring, and they must be good parents because most of the poults survive. No wonder there are so many of them.

Right after it rained, a herd of young does came by eating old dried leaves off the lawn, and one had a long coughing fit. It's strange how they prefer that to the fresh green grass, but leaves are their main source of food through the winter. 

I've been enjoying my time and chipping away at the chores--getting things organized outside for summer, cleaning floors and throw rugs, taking the winter bedding off. That sort of thing. My housework is easy here compared to the old Seattle house, with all its dusty corners and  stuffed spaces. It also helps to have a darn nice view while I'm puttering around.

Karen and I did our Twisp town walk yesterday, but this morning we we're heading out to her sister's vacation home for a change of scene. She has a spectacular property along the river, which has been in their family for decades. The original lodge was built by their father, who was an architect. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful local friend.

I have not even seen those busy young girls yet! With all the different afternoon activities, their school days are about 10 hours long. I'm planning to meet up with Amanda in town on her lunch break today, and then see everyone tonight. Looking forward to that.

The favorite time

 

Since I'm always up early, sunrise is my favorite time at the house. The Cottonwoods are just turning green and the river rising, although it won't reach peak stage until later in May or June. 

This is a happy time in the Valley, with three seasons of mild weather stretching ahead. And everyone hoping for the best with fire season looming again.

The beavers are still busy sectioning and carrying off the last tree they felled, then I suppose will turn their attention to new destruction. Hopefully they take the sad remains of the private property sign with them.

Our local ISP here has been  reliable over the years, but for some reason started acting up yesterday. Oh, the feeling of panic! No Internet! (Really. Get a grip.)

Anyway, I'm useless when it comes to trouble shooting anything electronic; a cold boot is about my level of my competence.

 

Which of course means yanking out plugs, then trying to remember where they went. Ugh. 

John calls this a "kludge," a wonderful word meaning "an ill-assorted collection of parts assembled to fulfill a particular purpose." He provided a bit of technical support over the phone and it works again this morning, so we shall see.

 

Good day for a drive

 

 

Time to put a few miles on my new Honda CRV. It's been a soggy week in western Washington, but today looks like blue sky and dry roads over the mountains.

This is my first solo trip to Twisp since last October. I'm looking forward to seeing local friends and of course the busy family. Also time for some light spring house cleaning. The North Cascades are warming up, and the river will be talking.

April showers

 

 

Girl at the Window
Antonia Rzhevskaya

 The Soul of April

Over the wintry threshold
Who comes with joy to-day,
So frail, yet so enduring,
To triumph o'er dismay?

Ah, quick her tears are springing,
And quickly they are dried,
For sorrow walks before her,
But gladness walks beside.

Bliss Carman

 

At the Symphony (again)

 

Nobuyuki Tsujii

 

Do you remember the 1996 movie "Shine?" It told the story of the Australian child prodigy David Helfgott, who is driven to madness by the "unplayable" Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3. 

While the work was never truly unplayable, it is certainly in the top 10 of hardest piano pieces, requiring great virtuosity and stamina. 

Now, please imagine a classical pianist, a child prodigy who has been blind since birth, hammering this monster out in front of a full house and Seattle Symphony Orchestra. That was our treat yesterday afternoon. 

(The Rach 3 was followed by Brahms Symphony #4, another masterpiece, although poor Brahms felt a bit sleepy by comparison.)

From Wiki:

Tsujii learns new musical works strictly by ear. A team of pianists records scores along with specific codes and instructions written by composers, which Tsujii listens to and practices until he learns and perfects each piece. It takes about a month to complete a concerto. 

Inspiring stuff for these troubling times. 

Spring has sprung

 

I was out early this morning for a walk at the Washington Park Arboretum with my old friend Nancy. The park is beautiful in any season, but really spectacular now with the flowering cherry and magnolia trees. 

Nancy is in excellent shape. This is good, because it challenges me somewhat and I haven't had much exercise this week. My back seems none the worse for our 2 mile hike, so hopefully that was just what I needed.

It is Friday and the sun is out.  A bad combination. I drove home surrounded by seemingly insane drivers. I'm getting used to my pretty new car, and naturally feeling protective. My palms were sweating by the time I got back to West Seattle. We have freeway on-ramps here that deposit you in the fast lane. Think about that. (Talk about insane.)

Well, there is something about these first warm days that makes people go crazy on the roads. I don't know if that happens in other parts of the country. Maybe it's because we've been deprived of sunshine for so many months.

In other news. South of the border, the fun goes on. The families have just returned from an overnight camping and kayaking excursion on Espiritu Santo Island. 

Have a good weekend. 

Miniature world

 

You could get lost gazing into these shining miniature forests on the old apple tree. Once again, kudos to the amazing point and shoot iPhone camera.

Lichen is neither plant nor animal, in fact they’re organisms unlike any other on Earth, being a combination of algae and fungus. Lichen rely on the atmosphere for all their nutrients and are a food source and habitat for countless insects and animals. They don't harm the surfaces they grow on.

Lichens are sensitive to air pollution and only thrive in clean environments. All the old wood in our yard is covered with it, so I guess that's a healthy sign. It takes decades to grow.

Our lovely wild yard is certainly teeming with insects. Many people consider lichen unsightly, in the same category as dirt and mold. Of course there are chemicals to get rid of it. We shouldn't be in a hurry to destroy things we don't even understand.

A fine mess

 

There are dozens of tulips in there ready to bloom, struggling up between invasive bluebell clumps that take over the beds in the spring. I can't dig them out without decapitating the lilies and other nice things just showing their heads. Anyway.

We watched the Martha Stewart Netflix special a while ago, and one of the things that tireless (tiresome?) woman said was, "If you don't like your garden, RIP IT OUT and plant a new one!"

Easy for her, with an army of gardeners to boss around. It will be a while until I'm in there on hands and knees again. But at least a pretty mess at the moment.

Now here's a happy sight. The plum tree has a few flower buds, and if the pollinators do their work we might have fruit. Hopefully not an obscene amount like two years ago, but enough to make a new batch of plum chutney would be nice.

 

Spring is trying hard to break though, and the sun is strong when it does appear. I have a little private place next to the deck to watch the birds when the chair dries out between April showers. 

We have the first warm weekend coming up, when people go completely bonkers in Seattle.
 

Hilaria

 

 

"It is easier to fool people
than it is to convince them
that they have been fooled."
Mark Twain

 

Long before April Fools’ Day, there was the ancient Roman festival of Hilaria. It was a day of rejoicing and cheerfulness after the gloom of winter.  The first day of a better season, when no one was allowed to show signs of grief or sorrow. 

If you get fooled today, I hope it's a kindly, gentle trick. 

 

Meanwhile, a few nice pictures sent from south of the border. The families are currently in Cabo Pulmo, a tiny town 60 rough road miles north of Los Cabos. It is known for the national park and best reef snorkeling on the Baja Peninsula. 

The Sea of Cortez looks a bit choppy...
 

April, come she will

 

 

From painful past experience, you would think I'd remember not to overdo the yard work each spring. Also, the double whammy last week of moving heavy pots around and around. No one made me do it, but I was excited getting the patio organized after the deck was finished. It looks great but now Advil is my best friend.

The plan this week is easy walking, stretching and not lifting anything heavier than a bag of potatoes. 

They say the worst thing for lower back pain is sitting, which we did plenty of at the Symphony yesterday. 

It was a good program though, featuring a new African American themed saxophone concerto (not something you hear everyday) and that old chestnut, "The Planets" by Gustav Holtz-- complete with NASA space pictures on a big screen above the stage. People enjoy these multimedia presentations, but to cranky old time symphony goers, it’s too much like gilding the lily.

Farewell and good riddance to the stormy month of March.

Busy

 

I've been busy the last few days getting things organized after the deck project. Even though it was outside, any construction event somewhat scrambles your life and brain. 

Also time for the spring switcheroo with the jade plants. These guys are actually from cuttings I potted last summer. 

When the plants get too unwieldy and heavy, I chop them up and plant the pieces. For some reason, Jades love the summer climate here. They thrive with neglect. I bought a new tiered plant stand and like the look on the porch.

Maya and Nova in a tropical courtyard...

Amanda, Tom and the girls are exploring southern Baja on spring break this week. They are skipping the Cabo San Lucas tourist scene and heading by rental car to some of the more remote areas and beaches. Let's see, Taiwan last week-- this week Mexico for Nova. Kinda like when we were teenagers, huh?  Ha ha.

They are traveling with two other families from the Methow Valley so it should be a blast. I am only human, and yes, feeling jealous looking out at our rainy yard. Maybe someday I'll see the amazing wildlife in the Sea of Cortez. In these appalling times, it might be renamed the Sea of America by then. 
 

All's clear

 

There hasn't been a severe thunderstorm warning in Seattle since 1999. The news outlets went crazy and had some people so scared they took their cars downtown to covered parking garages. Expensive and inconvenient! 

I watched our neighbor trying to cover his fancy Rivian with patio furniture cushions, which freaked me out a bit.

Anyway, all this frantic activity seemed overkill for such a slight chance of big hail. My only preparation was cutting a bunch of hyacinths in peak bloom so the dear things wouldn't get beaten to the ground.  I'm glad, because I'm laying on the sofa right now smelling their heavenly aroma.

Anyway, no hail in Seattle, but it was an impressive thunder and lightening storm by any standard. Speaking of aroma, I stood on the porch right before it rolled in with that peculiar ozone smell that took me right back to childhood in Colorado and Pennsylvania, where violent thunderstorms are common.

We might complain about the monotony of grey skies and rain, but our mild coastal climate is a blessing.

 

Stormy weather

 

 

Lightening and thunder storms in Seattle are rare. The local media is in a frenzy this morning about severe weather expected tonight, the result of these record high temperatures interacting with an incoming cold front. 

That kind of weather event is common as dirt in many parts of the country, but highly unusual in our stable (boring in a good way) climate in Western Washington. 

The only thing that sends a chill down my back is the possibility of large hail hitting my pristine new car. We have no option but to park on the street, like thousands of other people around here.

The deck is finished and we're thrilled with the result and workmanship. From start to finish, including demolition, it took this single hardworking man six days. We are so lucky.

One day wonder

 

 

 

 

Today will be the warmest day of the year, courtesy of an unusual thermal trough coming up the coast from California. We might pay for it on Wednesday with thunderstorms. But one day at a time.

 

In one of those impulsive moments at Costco, I threw a bag of 15 lily bulbs in the cart and now they need to go in the ground-- somewhere in the over planted beds. Then the rain can water them in tomorrow.

 

Many of the pretty trees in West Seattle are already blooming, and this jolt of heat will jump start all the other spring flowers. 

 

Elias should have the deck finished today, then I can start putting the yard back together.

"Loveliest of trees, the cherry now

Is hung with bloom along the bough,

And stands about the woodland ride

Wearing white for Eastertide" 

A.E. Housman