Daylight savings time

 

You would think Congress could manage this one little thing for us. It's dark outside and we're just glad we're retired. I'm a morning person and this is still a hard change. When we got home yesterday afternoon, all the clocks in the house were "wrong" reminding me again why I feel out of sorts.

Anyway, another easy drive on dry roads. Shoulder season is too late for winter sports and too early for summer, so there isn't any recreational traffic. No one wants to visit the valley to check out the mud and grey snow. I like this season in Twisp, just because it feels so real and local.

Speaking of snow, our timing was great because the mountains are going to be a driving mess for the next week. Winter isn't over up there. 

Here's a photo of Nova's 10th grade Chinese language class from Liberty Bell High School. She is in the front row in a white sweatshirt. This is the airport at 1 am, and they're ready to board a 14 hour flight to Taiwan. The group will spend 10 days exploring the country and culture, with a lots of interesting activities planned for each day. 

We're tracking their SEA to TPE flight and the red airplane is now about halfway there, in a long line of what looks like tailgaters headed to Asia.  A freeway in the sky!

Melting

The end of our driveway, where the plowed snow is melting like the Wicked Witch of the West. 

We've had a nice visit, and the grownups got out yesterday for a walk along the road near Elbow Coulee outside of Twisp. Soon the recreation areas and trails will open again, but without snowshoes, road walking is the option for hiking.

Spring is a short, muddy season and then suddenly-- it's summer.

The Rainbow Fish musical at the Merc Theater was very delightful and Maya played "clown fish." She didn't like her costume but we thought she was adorable. I got caught up in the show and forgot to take pictures. The one above is from the Methow Valley News. 

We're getting together with local friends tonight then back to Seattle tomorrow.

The waters of March

 

 

It was an uneventful drive yesterday, with light traffic and dry roads. We stopped for peach smoothies (a spring tradition) at Lone Pine. The sun was shining in the Valley and the piles of snow in town rapidly melting in the strong March sun. 

I even sat outside on the deck for the first time this year, listening to that pleasing sound of water dripping off the roof. Our house, like many over here, doesn't have gutters along the sides.

Anyway, what a pleasure to open the door after two months and find everything exactly as we left it in January. 

Maybe the beavers are hibernating. It's too much to hope that they might have gone elsewhere. I was worried they would fell the pretty white cottonwoods along the left side of the lawn, but they haven't gotten around to carrying off the one by the river they chewed down last fall. 

My brother arrives today and we have a nice time planned. We're going out to dinner tonight and afterwards to The Rainbow Fish Musical at the Merc Theater. Tomorrow morning I'll make a family breakfast for everyone as usual before Nova goes to work. And with daylight savings time, it will seem very early indeed.

 Have a good weekend.

National Frozen Food Day

 

 

 

Potpies were a cheap and easy dinner for Mom when we were growing up. We loved getting our own individual portions and not having to divvy up what was on the table. 

 

Funny how I don't remember having anything else with that little potpie, not even a salad. Even our hard-working Dad only got one. But white bread and margarine was always out for filler and dessert was jello, canned fruit or pudding from a box. 

 

In the 1950's and 60's, snacking between meals was discouraged in most families and it was a rare day when you had a soda or candy bar. School lunch was usually a sandwich, piece of fruit and carton of milk. You're old if you remember taking "milk money" to school.

 

No wonder everyone was ravenous by 6 o'clock! Even a frozen potpie was scrumptious!
 

And no wonder people were so much thinner back then.

 

 

Anyway, here's to National Frozen Food Day, which is obviously more popular than ever. My favorite frozen foods? Green peas and those processed shredded hash browns. (I know, lazy.) John is partial to Green Giant corn niblets in butter sauce.

 

 

If you are interested in the subject, we recommend this engaging book.

This and that

 

Somehow this cute little Tete-a-Tete daffodil not only survived, but the bulbs managed to slowly naturalize, despite all my hacking and digging in the garden beds. 

And for all this, nature is never spent;

    There lives the dearest freshness deep down things...

Gerard Manley Hopkins

Today is Ash Wednesday, my friends, and the beginning of six weeks of Lent before Easter. 

Ash Wednesday, by Karl Spitzweg

The morning after Carnival, when the pleasure and excess comes to an abrupt end. You can almost feel his headachy regret, or maybe he is contemplating penitence.  

Many Christians still give up meat (or something they like to do) for Lent. Maybe I will give up complaining. Ha ha.

Speaking of meat, we should all eat less for obvious reasons. 

 

Not to be preachy, but I made this delicious vegetarian pizza last night from scratch-- cherry tomatoes, peppers, onions and salty, sun-cured olives, which taste like pepperoni.

 

I finally found a simple pizza dough recipe in the NYT cooking section, and ditched the awful chemical tasting Trader Joe refrigerated dough that I've bought for years. 

 

This recipe has only 4 ingredients (yeast, flour, salt, oil) which is unusual for the NYT, where they love complicated recipes. Yeast dough is a bit of work, but it makes a double batch, so half goes in the freezer for later. 

 

After some trial and error, I'm getting the hang of my new oven.

 

 

Raining moss

 

That was quite the moss forest growing over our heads. Jeiser worked all morning brushing it off, then treated the roof with Moss-B-Ware and cleaned everything up before he left. Great guy.

Soon it will be raining rain, as a wet system moves in from the coast. It isn't especially cold, but the furnace is acting up this morning. John says he can fix it, and I'm sure he's right. 

Happy Tuesday.

Shoulder season

 

Grey snow season isn't exactly Twisp's shining hour, but I'm really looking forward to being back at the house this coming weekend. We usually make it over once a month or so in the winter, but this year we've only managed that one trip in January. 

Maya has a part in a children's play at the Merc Theater, and that's always fun. In other news, last week Nova participated in the Eastern Washington Regional History Day, and she and her teammate came in third with their presentation, which means they advance to state competition. I'll keep you posted. 

A great looking bunch of kids with their teacher from Liberty Bell High School, posing in the blinding Spokane sunshine. That's Nova in the center wearing the black sweatshirt. Way to go!

Going bananas

 

 

Yesterday was our anniversary, and John spoiled me with two fabulous bouquets, a tiramisu cake from Metropolitan Market and take-out Thai food for dinner. 

I'm afraid all he got in return was a card, but hopefully 32 years of decent cooking is just another way to say I love you.

 (Yes, that long.)

This tropical bouquet with the mini banana cluster is the most delightful thing and makes me smile each time I walk by. I was a florist in another lifetime so appreciate the skill and creativity to come up with an idea like that. With the red ginger and tropical foliage, it should last a long time (if we don't eat the bananas!)

Have a good weekend. We are enjoying a few days of "Fool's Spring" up here in Seattle. 

So long February. If March comes in like a lamb, will it go out like a lion?

 

The good, bad and ugly

 

 

Well, you should have seen the "before." Jeiser presser washed the mold and algae off the walkways yesterday.  He also did a gentle prune on top of the plum tree, so if there is fruit this year, we have a chance of reaching it with the picker. The lateral fruiting branches are second year growth now, so there's hope.

As for the ugly moss over our heads, Jeiser is coming back next week to brush it off the north side of the roof. Also clean the gutters. He is the renaissance man of outdoor chores, even spreading yards of compost without complaint. (And if he can't do it, he has a cousin who can.)

After the windstorm, we're basking in a few days of calm, sunny weather. Yes, it is still chilly, but creeping ever closer to the vernal equinox and the end of the big dark is here. 

Everything is full of promise and this is my favorite time to work outside, that is, when there isn't too much banging next door. Gardening serves as the best natural stress reliever, with the exception of digging invasive bluebells-- the Eighth Labor of Hercules.

 

Speaking of good moss, look at the lovely patina on that 30-year old pot. I scored $1 primroses at Home Depot yesterday to bridge the gap until annual planting season. Much nicer than rotting geraniums at the front door.

Carpe Diem Day

Yesterday is history,
tomorrow is a mystery,
and today is a gift…
that’s why they call it the present.

By Bill Keane

A beautiful and almost spring-like day here in Seattle. My excellent garden guy is coming to pressure wash mold and moss off the walkways and help with some light pruning. 

In about 2 weeks, the new deck is scheduled for construction. With February winding down, it feels like life is suddenly coming to life again.

 

Woo-wee

 

Traffic is a nightmare this morning and too windy and sopping miserable to even step outside. Aren't we lucky we don't have to?

What a night with pelting rain and gusts up to 60 mph, one of the strongest wind storms ever for February. By some miracle, we didn't lose power overnight, but we're not out of the woods yet. 

The wind is still gusting about 30 mph and the lights flickering. Fingers crossed, all it takes is one downed tree somewhere in West Seattle and thousands are out of luck.

John is in the kitchen cutting up peppers, onions and garlic for a pot of red bean chili. I'm sure I've mentioned before, we're big fans of Rancho Gordo brand heirloom beans. 

Well, first you have to get over sticker shock, then realize how many servings are in that little bag. And how much better they are than dusty-looking bags of grocery store dried beans. Although the sexy lady on the Rancho Gordo label might have something to so with that.

We have tried many, but not all the Gordo varieties. Some are only available in small seasonal batches.  

John gave me Steve Sando's "Bean Book" for Christmas. It's beautiful to look at as well as useful with recipes. 

Sando is the founder of Rancho Gordo, and has made a name for himself (and a bean fortune) in the food world. He is probably the first to lift the humble bean up to gourmet status. 

 

Waterlogged

 

 

I woke up at 3 am today, which is pretty typical, but then went back to sleep until almost 7, which is not. 

We're in the middle of an atmospheric river event (aka pineapple express) that points the fire hose of rain up from the tropics. 

The heavy cloud cover makes everything look thick and grey, and noticeably dimmer, with this particular diffused light quality. In other words, we are waterlogged. Tonight, a windstorm.

And that's the soggy news of the day.

The early bird

 

"The early bird gets the worm, 

but the second mouse gets the cheese"

Willie Nelson 

Now that's a deep one from old Willie.

Spring in Seattle is a chilly, damp, gray, drawn-out affair, but compared to most of the country right now, we are warm and very green. From my desk yesterday I watched the fat robins running in and out of the hedge scratching for worms.  

The yard is full of excited birds and the reason is simple: it is messy with lichen-covered trees and branches, a mossy untreated lawn filled with insects, and lots of untidy nooks and crannies for birdies to hide out. 

 

Our thoughts go out this morning to John's brother Dan, recovering from a hospital stay. Dan has been a regular blog reader for many years. We hope you soon regain your strength and health!

Busy

 

Today is Cherry Pie Day. Why not? It was always traditional to bake a cherry pie in February for President's Day, in honor of George Washington's honesty. Remember the cherry tree story?

And now we have this person declaring IT IS GOOD TO BE KING from his social media megaphone. Strange times, to put it mildly.

Today is also defrost-that-little-freezer day. It doesn't take long, but quite a chore with much running up and down the stairs with frozen food and hot water and towels to soak up the mess. Fortunately, it only needs to be done a couple times a year.

 

We had an absolutely jaw-dropping sunset last night. Even obscured as it is with poles, buildings and wires, I love our west view from the living room and front porch. These pictures were on the West Seattle blog this morning, taken by someone down on Alki beach.

So pretty

 

A picture of Maya before her first middle school dance last week. She and her friends had a blast. Oh boy, here we go.

Doesn't her face resemble this beautiful Tuscan girl?  But this girl doesn't look like she's going to a dance anytime soon! It was painted by William Holman Hunt in 1869.

Spring follows winter

 

Let's just call it spring. It hit 50 degrees yesterday which felt balmy after the long freezing spell. The garden was alive with excited birds. There was a brief lull in the construction projects surrounding us, so it was downright peaceful in the yard.

Late February is that sweet spot when the alliums, tulips and hyacinths are poking up, but the Scilla have not shown their invasive heads. This is my favorite time to putter around in the yard, thinking about the months of enjoyment (and work) to come.

The natural look of moss and lichen on old surfaces is beautiful, but even I have my limits. We will soon have a fancy new composite deck, no doubt making the rest of the place look more shabby than charming.

 

In preparation for our new look, I'm cleaning out the yard and shed and made a big pile of stuff that no longer "sparks joy."  This will go out on the sidewalk with a free sign for people to carry away. 

Spread the wabi-sabi wealth.

Spring Follows Winter Once More

Lying here in the tall grass
Where it’s so soft
Is this what it is to go home?
Into the earth
Of worms and black smells
With a larch tree gathering sunlight
In the spring afternoon
And the gates of Paradise open just enough
To let out
A flock of geese.

Tom Hennen

Ah, cat pillow

 

Lounging by the wood stove with your personal cat pillow? That's a pretty good life for Nica on a cold winter day in Twisp. Amanda's cats are supposedly on a diet, but Millie still looks plump and soft as down. Who wants a skinny, flat pillow?

In Seattle we have switched over from unseasonably cold and dry to seasonably warm and wet, a welcome change. 

We were busy doing inside chores this weekend. John set up a new stereo receiver and fiddled with light bulbs, a never-ending job around here. I organized tax documents for the accountant, which always gives me a peculiar IRS headache. 

We've been re-watching the 2015 "Wolf Hall" in preparation for the new PBS series which starts in March. A complicated story to say the least, it is somewhat easier to follow the second time around.  

Watching a historical drama set in the time of Henry VIII strikes you how nothing in human nature has changed, except now we have the technology to make it all happen faster and stupider. 

History repeats the old story of fawning ambition, greed and revenge. Riding fine horses instead of limousines, the rich and powerful are exactly the same.

Valentine's Day

 

 

Speaking of beavers, wonder what those critters have been up to along our riverfront this winter. No good, probably.

 

Funny old cards bring back memories of our grade school parties, with a sticky cupcake on a napkin and the decorated cardboard mailbox stuffed full of tiny valentines. The teacher always choose a lucky boy to be the mailman, who importantly delivered them around to each desk. Simple times, simple pleasures.

We woke up to a dusting of snow, like frosting on the cars. Soon the rain returns and this exceptionally long cold streak is over. Spring is just around the corner in Seattle.

No special plans for the day, although I hope to score some snow crab at Safeway for dinner. If not crab, steak. 

 

More soup

 

It was another cold night dinner here. French onion soup from scratch is a big production so I don't make it often. John would have it once a week at least.

The new mattress was delivered yesterday. It is considerably higher than the old one, so we can't even sit on the edge of the bed to put on our slippers. We are literally "climbing into" bed.  John can lower the bed frame, although it might be harder getting the bottom sheet on. 

Our worn old mattress had two cozy body grooves, which kept us in our respective places. This new one has a luxurious, smooth, flat surface. I thought John was trespassing on my side all night, but according to him, I was the one hogging the middle. Anyway, maybe I was afraid of going off the edge.

That said, I'm sure we'll like it, once we break it in some. Or vice versa. 

 

I'll take the large

 

 

I ate (almost) all of that giant basin of pho yesterday. It was packed with fresh vegetables in a delicious broth-- no guilt. A perfect lunch for a cold, cold day.

This is at a newly remodeled place called Pho-S. In Seattle, pho restaurants have a reputation for being dirty, with sticky condiment containers and soup splashed walls. The walk to the restroom past the kitchen can be pretty terrifying! But Pho-S was sparkling clean, and the service fast and pleasant.

After lunch, we went mattress shopping at Westwood Village, where we bought one over 10 years ago. Naturally, things have changed. Did you know most mattresses are black now? And we once purchased nice used cars for less. 

We flopped down on many, although I find it difficult pretending I'm sleeping with a salesman hovering about. (John doesn't have that problem.) 

Anyway, through the process of elimination we settled on a Beautyrest firm pillow top, which was a middle-of-the-line choice. It gets delivered this very morning, so that's exciting.

Snow Moon

 

 

Everything changes, and at times it feels like the very earth is being pulled from beneath our feet. Look up, look up. The moon, the sun and the stars still grace us with their brilliance, requesting nothing in return. 

 

Well, even the miraculous iPhone can't do it justice, but the Snow Moon setting behind the Olympic Mountains is a sight on this frigid clear morning. But I didn't want to tarry long on the front porch. 

 

We're at 25 degrees, but it's 30 degrees colder in the Methow Valley. My friend Karen just texted to say I'm "lucky" I stayed in Seattle this week. Much as I miss the girls and river house, she is right. 

 

Spring will come. 

National Flannel Day

 

How about stepping out in a cheerful mustard and rust flannel circle skirt?

Or better yet, just stay in bed in your flannel granny gown. 

Very cold here, and even colder on the other side of the mountains where temps will be below zero at night. I hope to get over to Twisp soon, but not this week.

This is also National Football Hangover Day and 22.5 million people across the United States intend to miss work following the big game. That's a 40% increase from last year. For what it's worth.