Above and beyond

 

By lucky accident, I'm enjoying the best weather in weeks. It's been a dry (as in no snow) and gloomy (as in overcast) winter in the Valley which is not what the folks here expect. 

Now spring seems to be arriving early and everyone is happy to finally see blue sky. Icky mud season will be short, since there is so little snow on the ground.

It was a spectacular morning and Karen and I hiked up Mill Hill. For the athletic locals, this steep trail above town is just a little routine exercise jaunt. I'm always pleased with myself to make it (slowly) to the top, or almost the top. Most locals don't go up to the giant Twisp cross that dominates the mountain top. 

 

 

Karen and I really enjoy our easy companionship, what a gift. It's a special bonus how wherever we go, I'm being introduced to locals. She has been in the Valley for decades, and everyone knows and understandably loves her. 

 

Other than that, I've doing some spring cleaning, even though nothing is especially dirty. I don't know why, but housework here is less drudgery than our old, old house in Seattle that seems to manufacture dust. And it helps to have a bright and pretty view while I'm puttering around.

 

 

The riverbank talks

 

"An the river bank talks of the waters of March, it's the promise of life, it's the joy in your heart." Antonio Carlos Jobim

 

Welcome, March. It feels like we missed the Methow Valley winter altogether, which might not be a bad way to go. 

It seems more like April right now with the warm sun and dry ground. A strange February indeed-- no melting berms along the roads or dirty piles of snow all over town. 

On Saturday I even got my beach chair out of the garage ate a sandwich by the river, watched over by some chubby townies, begging for a crust. 

We had a great weekend. Dinner was nice on Friday, fancy salads (the weird looking one was my apple and prosciutto) then shared a wood fired pizza which hit the spot.

I made a big curry dinner for the gang last night and we had a good time. Karen and I are going out to the farm today for a walk with Amanda. It is another spectacular morning without a cloud in the sky. John is on his way home and should have an easy drive back to Seattle.

 

Anniversary

 

"Men aren't usually thinking about anything that would remotely interest women. And vice versa."

I don't know the source of that quote, but it's probably true, except for a few universal thoughts, like food. 

Well, despite our wildly different brains, the world is full of happy couples muddling along through all the ups and downs of a long marriage. 

On February 27, 1993, our dear parents in that picture were about the same age we are now. And if that doesn't give a person pause for thought, nothing will. 

Nice weather today for driving over to Twisp and we'll celebrate 33 years at new restaurant in town called Lupo Brio. 

Then on Saturday night, hopefully gather the busy family at the house for dinner. John heads back to Seattle on Sunday, a short visit for him, but I'm looking forward to staying into next week to do some spring housecleaning and catch up with my neighbor Karen. 

Poem for the day

 

A Quiet Life
  Poem by Baron Wormser


What a person desires in life
    is a properly boiled egg.
This isn’t as easy as it seems.
There must be gas and a stove,
    the gas requires pipelines, mastodon drills,
    banks that dispense the lozenge of capital.

There must be a pot, the product of mines
    and furnaces and factories,
    of dim early mornings and night-owl shifts,
    of women in kerchiefs and men with
    sweat-soaked hair.

Then water, the stuff of clouds and skies
    and God knows what causes it to happen.
There seems always too much or too little
    of it and more pipelines, meters, pumping
    stations, towers, tanks.

And salt-a miracle of the first order,
    the ace in any argument for God.
Only God could have imagined from
    nothingness the pang of salt.

Political peace too. It should be quiet
    when one eats an egg. No political hoodlums
    knocking down doors, no lieutenants who are
    ticked off at their scheming girlfriends and
    take it out on you, no dictators
    posing as tribunes.

It should be quiet, so quiet you can hear
    the chicken, a creature usually mocked as a type
    of fool, a cluck chained to the chore of her body.
Listen, she is there, pecking at a bit of grain
    that came from nowhere.
 

 

Excused

 

 

Not a word from The Bailiff yesterday. Yea. 

I'm trying to remember the last time I was so happy being passed over for something. It was probably during jury duty about 20 years ago, when a defense attorney decided I was too opinionated and the judge excused me from the panel. 

Here's a hint if you don't want to serve: elaborate on every question they ask. You will soon find your big, fat foot in your mouth and the lawyers won't want you.

Anyway, the month of February was littered with appointments and obligations and now finally whittled down to a few things. The taxes are in the accountant's hands. I still have to do my routine medical labs. An anxious person by nature my imagination always has a dandy old time waiting for results. But soon that will be in the rear view window also. 

Enough about my trivial complaints! Exciting things are on the far horizon. Short term, we're looking forward to finally getting back to the Twisp house for a quick visit. Winter is having a last gasp in the mountains now, but next week looks more like spring.

 

Zen

 

On Sunday we dragged ourselves out of the house and drove across town in the rain to the Asian Art Museum on Capitol Hill.  I especially wanted to see the "Geometry of Light" exhibit by Pakistani artist Anila Agha.

 

A brilliant light installation, and good cure for the winter blues...

 

Also Ai Weiwei’s Water Lilies, the artist’s largest and most ambitious LEGO project. Yes, over 650,000 Legos. 

 Grandpa Buddha and friend. 

 

Of course you can't go to Volunteer Park without a walk through the lovely 100-year old glass conservatory, a favorite place of ours, especially on a grey winter day. 

In 2010, the city was on the verge of closing it due to a budget shortage. Happily that didn't happen, although there is a small admission charge now.

 

 The orchids were especially beautiful this time. 

As for my jury duty, on closer examination of the rather confusing email, it looks like The Bailiff has until 4:30 today to summon me. If I don't hear anything by then, I'm off the hook. 

So might as well be Zen about it.

 

 

 

Woo hoo (I think)

 

 

A new iPad Air with the Apple magic keyboard and pencil...technology on top of technology.

I bought it for travel in particular, since lugging my laptop through airports seems to get more burdensome as time goes by. And as John says, "the blog must go on." 

Yes, there's the irony of simplifying your life with yet another complex thing to master and maintain.  

Our Apple gadgets here have multiplied over the years like rabbits! We still have an 8-year old iPad which I use only for ukulele group, and will probably continue. I'd hate to see that shiny new machine on the concrete floor at the Bridge Tavern.

John was an angel and helped me get my email going yesterday, so I'm determined to muddle though the rest without pestering him too much. He has used an iPad for years, but a new hobby for me. 

In other news. I'm on pins and needles this weekend wondering if I have to report for jury duty Monday morning. I was summoned about a month ago by King County Superior Court. But until I hear from the bailiff (as late as Sunday night) I don't even know if I'll have to report in person, or where, for that matter. There are three separate courts in King County, and a nightmare commute to all. 

Anyway, if I have to sit around a courthouse all day, at least I'll have new toy to play with. 

Have a good weekend. 

Queens of the Orchard

 

 

Someone let the cats out...

That's Miss Georgia taking in her new domain and fresh air, after basking in front of the Russian stove all winter. 

 

And Calico Millie there under the table, doing some spring claw sharpening. 

Both cats are plump, to put it nicely. Amanda's best friend, a small animal vet, did not mince words about their weight and prescribed expensive diet cat food. It didn't work. They just ate more and got fatter than ever. 

Not to be morbid, but those gals could be a high calorie snack for the coyotes they hear yipping at night in the orchard. 

Although these former town cats are smart. They managed not to get run over on the highway behind the old house and will figure out farm life. Anyway, they prefer lounging around the house getting hair on everything and using the litter box in the summer, much to Amanda's annoyance. 

Speaking of the orchard, that bare ground is remarkable for this time of year. There is snow up in the high country, but it's been a poor winter in the Methow Valley for recreational sports, not to mention, the snow plowing business.  

Sad! We have not been over to our house since Thanksgiving, but hope to get in a short trip soon.  

 

Ash Wednesday

 

A day of repentance, marking the beginning of Lent. 

Heigh ho, heigh ho

 

Love this photo of Nova carting around one of the docile hens. Nova is terrific with all animals, and in fact, she just started an internship with a local small animal vet. 

    

Busy morning here. I got thoroughly acquainted with the Scandinavian Airlines website (not Alaska!) trying to select seats for our upcoming trip in May. (Much more on that later.) 

 

Now I'm off to Burien to have my Honda serviced for the first time- 6,000 miles, still a baby.

 

 

This is the uncropped photo. Kinda scary seeing those claws so close to her pretty face. Life on the farm.

 

 

Things Chinese

 

Benaroya Hall was all festive for Chinese New Year yesterday. Along with the decorations, a pre concert performance in the lobby.

The first half of the concert featured a work called "Iris Unveiled." It was composed in 2001, but heard in Seattle for the first time this week. 

Our Seattle Symphony music director, Xian Zhang, collaborates with the Chinese composer, who is a favorite of hers. (Our former conductor was French, and we heard plenty of French music during his tenure.)

In "Iris," the full orchestra performs the 40 minute work alongside Chinese instruments-- in simple terms, a fusion of East and West. There were visual effects also, namely a Peking opera star in full costume up in the organ loft. 

Peking opera is a highly stylized art form with bizarre singing, at least to western ears. 

Like Moon Cakes, an acquired taste. I won't repeat the unkind comparison made by the lady sitting behind us, but you can probably guess.

Anyway, off to Mother Russia for the second half of the program, featuring the rough and tumble Shostakovich Fifth Symphony. 

So, an afternoon of big contrasts, if nothing else.

We had a nice weekend. John gave me beautiful flowers and we gobbled down a steak dinner on Saturday, for the first time in ages. We eat more hamburger these days. 

Also, the afore mentioned coconut cake, which was a big hit. 

That recipe is a sure keeper, even better than the fantastically expensive little cakes from Metropolitan Market. I can usually resist cake no problem, but I've had a big, fat slice every night. 

Some days are just coconut

 

Way back in 2012, I took a coconut cake baking class at the community college. It was an evening class with a very chatty instructor, so it ran late into the night and I was tired by the end. Long story short, I forgot to take the recipe hand-out sheet when I left. 

Dang. It was an interesting recipe, made with sweetened cream of coconut. I have tried many other coconut cake recipes over the years. There are hundreds on the Internet-- all different and some better than others.

Anyway, I tried a new recipe this morning for John's Valentine present. The ingredients are pretty basic, although I substituted thick coconut cream for the coconut milk. The most expensive thing in this cake was the tiny bottle of coconut extract, which is sold as liquid gold. 

Oh yes. The plant in the background is from Trader Joes. Like Costco, I feel like I deserve a little reward for navigating that parking lot and store. 

It is a Stephanotis floribunda, or Madagascar Jasmine, and something you don't often see in pots. 

In another lifetime, when I worked in the florist trade, we made labor intensive bridal bouquets by wiring the fragrant individual blossoms. One sniff took me back to the 1980's Frederick and Nelson Department Store, and the little flower shop inside the front door. 

No one could walk by without exclaiming "how good it smells." Of course to us, the flower shop just smelled like hard work. 

Wishing you a sweet and hopefully fragrant holiday weekend. 

 

 

Year of the Horse

 

I bought this lucky bamboo plant last year at Costco...

It has grown considerably since then. These crazy things can thrive for years in just water and this one hasn't even had a bit of fertilizer. That tells you something about the strength and persistence of the rhizomes. Of which we have first hand experience. 

After our bamboo forest was ripped out, I spent the next 5 years cutting back the shoots until the mass of underground roots finally gave up. 

Chinese New Year is on February 17th, and in Chinese astrology, the Year of the Horse represents energy, boldness, and rapid change.  

Wow, quite the party in Seattle yesterday. Naturally, we have perfect weather on those few days when Seattle gets national media attention.

 

Guilty as charged

 

I needed new plastic pots for the window box to replace the groudy old blue ones. How hard can it be to find  7 inch pots?  Ha. 

Three stores later (Home Depot, Ace Hardware and West Seattle Nursery) and I found nothing close, at any price. Not to mention, wasted time and gas.

Came home, searched Amazon, and in a few seconds found exact replacements in a choice of 10 colors. A few days later they arrived on the porch in a box from Walmart, of all things. 

Many people for all the right reasons boycott Amazon. I admire that! The problem is they just make it too easy to find what you need.

Well, the Seahawks are the only local news this morning, as the city gears up for the largest parade in Seattle history. 

 

 

That's the last championship parade in 2014. This one is supposed to be bigger. 

Sweet crocus

 

Crocus represent rebirth, joy and the end of winter. They are long-lasting bulbs, and a patch I planted years ago still come up by the garbage can. Picking the first ones is a little spring ritual, watching the flowers pop open instantly in the warm house. 

It has turned colder here, but after morning fog, the weather should be sunny for the big Seahawk victory parade tomorrow. 

And I mean big. They estimate nearly a million people will converge on downtown Seattle. 

Let me put that number into perspective for you. The population of Seattle is approximately 800,000 and the greater metropolitan area is about 4 million. Expect region-wide traffic gridlock. 

Live coverage on TV sounds like the way to go. 

What a game

 

 

And what a night! Every neighborhood in Seattle went absolutely bonkers with fireworks like the 4th of July, people screaming in the streets, and for good measure, all the dogs in West Seattle barking at once. 

We watched Bad Bunny with plates of enchiladas on our laps in front of the TV. Perfect. A terrific show and wonderful set, right down to those walking trees! 

Anyway, the Seattle freeways are empty this morning, everyone calling in sick (or well.) Next event, a huge victory parade on Wednesday. 

It's been a long time coming. Be happy for us.  

Quack

 

 The Cayuga Duck

Fawn and White Runner Ducks

Amanda ordered Cayuga and Runner ducklings from the Twisp feed store to be delivered this spring. And not just any ducks!

 

The Cayuga comes from the Finger Lake region of New York. They have striking black iridescent plumage and are easy to tame as backyard pets. 

 

(Well, Nova and Maya can tame just about any critter.)

 

The Fawn and White Runner ducks are native to Malaysia. They excel in garden pest control (specifically slugs and insects) and make friendly but active backyard pets. They like to run around fast with their heads high in the air. What a hoot.

 

 

 

Ducks of course are also raised for meat (we won't go there) but the fancy breeds these days are more often kept as garden ornaments. These will join the fowl menagerie on the farm.

 

 Aw. The ducklings look like this:

 

 

What's not to love about ducks? We will find out. 

 

As for eggs, ducks lay between 200-300 a year. They are considered healthier and more nutrient dense than chicken eggs. 

 

 

Although the duck yolk colors can take some getting used to. Green eggs and ham, anyone?

Cheerful

 

"The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our heart way out of proportion to their size."

Gertrude S. Wister 

 

Believe it or not

 

 I bought this pine tree in a little bonsai pot about 20 years ago. Another plant that got away from me!  I eventually got tired of the bonsai fussing and planted it in front of the house. 

Little did I know at the time, it would someday help block the view of a new school addition across the street. Now, sitting at my desk, I see a tree instead of a school that now blocks the Olympic Mountain view. So it goes in West Seattle. 

It lost a huge amount of needles last fall, an alarming amount, but that's a normal sign of aging. Pine needle drop happens every 1-4 years, depending on the tree variety. I could rake the prickly things up, or maybe just leave them under the tree for mulch.

It is still quite warm, and on dry days, I'm slowly working my way around the house, getting the beds cleaned out. My old friends, the invasive bluebells, are coming up like crazy under the pine tree. Maybe the mulch will deter them. Maybe not. 

What can you say, when it comes to lost views and bluebells?

"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."