Trudging through spring

 

Yesterday was wet, cold and windy, a thoroughly miserable spring day in Seattle. On the bright side, there weren't any tornadoes. Poor battered mid west. 

So I was living vicariously through other people's travel. Our neighbor Wendy emailed this luscious photo from Sorrento, on the Amalfi Coast. She and her husband are on a 10-day Road Scholar tour of southern Italy. She said the fresh mozzarella was amazing, as was the rest of the lunch, served after visiting a lemon orchard. Sigh. 

You might remember, Road Scholar once had the lumpy name of Elderhostel. It's been around a long time, and reinvented itself as a non-profit travel company with educational tours geared toward older adults. They go just about everywhere, and I look forward to hearing how it went. 

In about 6 weeks we leave on our own big travel adventure, a Rhine River cruise, from Basel to Amsterdam. We also have a 4 day pre-cruise tour of northern Italy and Switzerland before boarding the boat. Hopefully not too jet lagged to enjoy that part.

I'm looking forward to the escorted tour experience, something different for us. There are advantages and disadvantages of doing your own thing, so the jury is out. 

There are a few sour puss YouTube reviews, but I've never met anyone who had a bad time on a European river cruise. 

In the promotional pictures, the sun is always shining on the Rhine maidens. Ha ha. 

Orchard daffodils

 

  

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

 

William Wordsworth 

 

 

April showers

 

 

And all that...

Well, at least the tulips last longer in this chilly weather. I've planted all sorts of fancy varieties over the years, but hard to beat the sturdy old red and yellow Darwins, sold in big cheap bags at Costco. 

Unlike the frilly ones, these will come back for several years, that is, if they aren't accidentally dug up or lopped off. Bulbs lead a dangerous life in this yard.

 

 

Very pretty, but most of what you're looking at are invasive ground covers and bluebells. Cleaning out the spring weeds and foliage is my biggest weeding chore of the year, then I can conveniently forget about it. Martha Stewart would rip out this mess and start over. But she has a hoard of gardeners to boss around.

  

 

 

It looks like the little chicks have all survived the first tricky 48 hours in the garage. There was one false alarm, but turned out she was just soundly sleeping, as babies do.  

 

 

In other farm news, the small trees at the far end of the orchard are starting to bloom.

 

 

 

Spring peepers

 

Big excitement on the Carlton farm-- a new batch of 12 chicks arrived today. The little ducklings come next week, I think. 

Anyway, Maya was pretty excited and already busy naming and taming. It takes quite a bit of work and care getting chicks up to the size they can run outside with the big girls. For the next month or so they live in the warm garage--- eating, pooping and growing.

I went for a nice walk with a friend this morning at the Washington Park Arboretum. The afternoon has been devoted to setting up my new iphone. Actually, the phone does most of the work. Say what you want about Apple, but device set up is their specialty. The new ones connect themselves seamlessly to all the other Apple paraphernalia you have scattered around the house. Everyone gets along and works together. That's the big advantage of joining the cult. 

It's going to be a rainy weekend, darn. We've had some spectacular sunny days, but it honestly it hasn't been that warm, barely touching 70 once or twice.  Spring is a long, slow process here.

Crane's-bill

 

That's a funny name for plain old geraniums. Costco had beautiful plants yesterday, sold in a six pack. Who can resist? I also lugged home an unwieldy bag of potting soil, specially designed to be impossible to get in and out of a shopping cart. 

But what was I thinking, with that bag of 50 gladiolus bulbs? Costco is made for impulse shopping. Maybe I'll share some with our neighbor, although she has a beautifully curated yard and might not care for garish, flopping flowers like that. 

All that potting, I was exhausted by the end of the day. Time for a glass (or two) on the deck while keeping an eye on the grill-- teriyaki pork, pineapple and peppers.  Life is good. Spring is here. 

 

Spring light

 

"A light exists in spring
Not present on the year
At any other period.
When March is scarcely here..."

Emily Dickinson 

A glimpse of tulips through clean basement windows with new mini blinds-- what's not to like? 

Our Seattle winters are long and dark, and there's a disquieting feel to these first glaring sunny days. Mind you, I am not complaining, but the abrupt return of light certainly reveals the landscape (inside and out) with clarity. 

It looks considerably brighter downstairs after sucking up several canisters of dirt and dust. This is not an especially big house, but it's old and difficult to keep clean because of all the dusty nooks and crannies, not to mention stuff we've accumulated over the decades. 

As for the closet cleaning quest, I've always complained about the lack of closets in this house, but there suddenly seems to be a lot of them.  

Busy day

 

 

That plaster Buddha head looks a little green around the gills.  He's been sitting outside behind a bush for the last 20 years or so, and finally lost the awful gold patina he came with.

I like old things better than new, in general, but I have my wabi sabi limits. We've having new white mini blinds installed in the basement today, replacing some cracked and yellowed plastic ones from Home Depot put up in the early 1990's.

Anyway, this involved moving furniture and a bed that hadn't been cleaned under for about 10 years, revealing a spectacular amount of dirt. Oh, the shame. No picture. 

Well, listen to me, throwing out the decades like candy. But how quickly time passes, especially at this stage of the game. 

 

 

To the victor goes the spoils

 

 

 

Nova spent Saturday night at a friend's house, so her sister Maya and Nica had a no competition egg hunt in the orchard on Easter morning. 

 

Aw. The bunny also left something for a (mostly) good dog.

 

In other egg news, look at these beauties laid last week by Amanda's hens. Her eggs have always been good, but these are exceptional. Now the chickens have the run of the orchard with a natural diet of bugs and grass, making those beautiful yolks and nutrient-dense eggs.  

"Researchers found that pasture-raised eggs contain twice as much omega-3 fat, three times more vitamin D, four times more vitamin E and seven times more beta-carotene than eggs from hens raised on traditional feed." 

(Thank you, smarty pants AI.)  

The sun is shining and the weather is sweet. It's a rare treat in Seattle when Easter is a beautiful sunny day from start to finish. We had a quiet but nice holiday. I made roast lamb, which is getting to be another once-a year-treat. But there's plenty left for dinner tonight and then lamb curry later. Not a scrap will go to waste, that's for sure. 

 

 

Blossom time

 

What a difference a week makes. On both sides of the highway near Orando, the orchards were starting to bloom yesterday. 

Folks who live in the Methow Valley dislike that hundred mile drive to Wenatchee. Who can blame them, because it's the nearest city for anything big, like shopping and appointments, so they go often.  

After all these years, I still enjoy the views of the Columbia River and basalt cliffs, which are always changing with the light and seasons-- for a short time in early spring, the desert bluffs are covered in delicate green.

On the eastern slope of Snoqualmie Pass, I drove through a brief blizzard followed by torrential rain coming down the other side. The roads were wet and visibility awful, so I found a sensible truck to follow. I figured he could clear the path. 

By the time I got to Seattle, the sun was shining on a different world of full-on spring. All the ornamental trees on our block are blooming, and the tulips ready to open, just in time for Easter. 

 Have a wonderful weekend. 

  

Winter's last gasp

 

We hope. Snow is falling this morning, starting out like sifted powdered sugar but now coming down pretty good. It won't last long in the valley with rain by afternoon, but piling up in the mountains. 

 

 

My friend Karen has to drive over the Loup Loup Pass to Omak for an appointment today, which is an 80 mile round trip. Amanda makes that drive weekly to work at the clinic there, often coming and going in the dark. And it gets truly dark here. You have to be stalwart (and put lots of miles on your car) to live here.

Tomorrow should be a better day for travel. I'll head back to Seattle then. It's peaceful hanging around the warm house and I'll go over to Carlton later when everyone gets home from work and school. 

 

I've been killing time working on this farm puzzle, which I should be ashamed to show you because it is only 300 pieces, but challenging enough for me. 

 

Shoulder season perk

 

It was quite chilly but sunny yesterday, so we took a short hike on the Rex Derr Trail at Pearrygin State Park. 

This is a really popular place in the summer, swarming with campers, but peaceful in the late fall and early spring. Only one other car in the huge parking lot, and we had the trail to ourselves. 

It was my birthday, and what a memorable one.  Our neighbors invited us over for dinner and we always enjoy their warm company. 

Oh yes, John gave me thoughtful and useful presents as he always does, including a nifty cherry pitter that does several at once. Stay tuned. 

Hum. Might he be thinking of pie? 

And from Amanda, this cozy and stylish fleece coat. A step up from my worn out Costco puffy jackets.

Well, John is heading to Seattle now, but I have no reason to rush back into city life, so will stay until Thursday. The fickle spring weather is changing again, with rain and snow tomorrow. 

Cock of the roost

 

All of us get such a kick out of the chicken flock, always doing something funny or amusing. They have the run of the orchard, happily eating bugs and "helping" with the pruning. Tom is constructing a new large enclosure. Soon more chicks and ducklings arrive from the feed store. 

 

Not so amusing is this secret egg nest discovered in the undergrowth. 

 

Maybe they are reverting back to their jungle fowl ways. Amanda was wondering why the egg production was down lately...

In other farm news, Nica had a close encounter with a skunk behind one of the outbuildings. Fortunately, not a direct hit, and nothing an early morning Dawn bath can't handle. Tom got the honor of the job.
 

 

The weather has been grey and cold the last few days, but today a beautiful sunny morning. We might go up to Pearrygin Lake for a walk this afternoon, then dinner with our neighbors.

Last night, a lovely early Easter and birthday celebration at the farmhouse. We are truly blessed. 

 

 

Changes

 

 

We've been coming to Twisp for about 18 years, and it seemed like nothing much changed for the first 10 years or so. The TwispWorks Campus was acquired in 2008, and it eventually became a big catalyst for change in town. The once unsightly former forest service site is now an inviting local hub for arts, education and business. 

Did you know, Twisp is also a member of the Washington State Creative Arts District program, making it eligible for grants and other arts support. 

In fact, Twisp is generally successful in acquiring funding for various public works projects, and recently won the largest ever Complete Streets Grant from the state. 

Glover Street is about to get started on a 3 million dollar makeover, with new sidewalks, awnings, pavement and underground utility lines. That will make for a chaotic and noisy summer that no one is looking forward to, especially the businesses on Glover Street.

Small business come and go, especially restaurants. Failure is assured if the locals don't embrace your business, and the locals here can be fickle. The restaurants that survive are the ones that keep consistent hours and give good value. The nearest fast food outlet is still 40 miles away, but a gourmet hamburger place just opened that seems to be immensely popular, judging by the cars in front.

New houses are popping up all over town, and a large apartment complex is going up behind the grocery store, in what was once an old orchard. Down by the city park, a retirement/nursing home facility called Jamie's Place is under construction, along with a co-housing project. 

Down here in our little backwater neighborhood, I'm happy for the lack of "revitalization." The sun still comes up behind Mill Hill, and we look across the the river at a view so far devoid of construction. 

You would never know there is a town outside the back door. All we can do is enjoy what we have, while we have it. 

  

Look up

 

 

Oncoming Storm, by Eric Sloane

Eric Sloane (1905-1985) was an American painter known for his landscapes and beautiful depictions of sky and clouds. Art for the window seat lovers. 

 Bright as Day at 10,000 Feet

He was fascinated by weather and aviation, and during WWII concentrated on illustrating military aircraft. 

 Clipper Ship at 7,500

The United States Army took notice, and Sloane contributed to aviation training manuals.

 

 

His teaching style tended toward the comic and graphic, perfect for the new pilot recruits, many just out of high school.

Speaking of young fliers. Oh, what a heartbreaking accident that took the lives of two Canadian pilots. And the list of airport nightmare stories this week! It is a terrible time to fly. 

It's also a terrible time to fill your tank (gas over $5 around here.) Never mind that, I'm heading over to Twisp tomorrow for a short reset. 

Recipes

 

 

I get the NYT cooking newsletter delivered to my inbox every morning, mostly for inspiration. Unless the recipe says "quick and easy" or "simple ingredients" I rarely try them. 

Those NYT food editors like to turn ordinary dishes into complicated projects with unusual ingredients no one keeps on hand, like curry powder made from scratch. 

Having said that, I've run across some keepers in the NYT cooking section, like a pizza dough I make over and over, and that honey garlic shrimp (above.) 

 

It's impressive, for being so quick and easy. The raw shrimp is marinated in soy sauce, honey, garlic and ginger, then patted dry and seared in a hot skillet.

The remaining marinade gets thickened slightly with corn starch, making a quick sauce.

And it's not often you can say this, but mine looked as good as the dolled-up photo on the Times. Except I pulled the tail shells off because we don't like wrestling with them. 

 

Pruning time

 

 

Spring pruning time arrives at the Carlton pear orchard.

 

Tom is an excellent pruner, but this isn't some little weekend project for folks who also hold down full time jobs.

Fortunately, they found someone (above) experienced with the their orchard to help out, especially with the older, larger trees. Amanda said Fernando is a nice guy and a super hard worker. He showed up on Saturday morning before the sun was even up. 

 

But...it still leaves behind a massive clean up job. The clippings need to be gathered and burned at a safe time. 

Are we having fun yet?

 

Maya, with an old granddaddy of Russian Thistle, a noxious weed for the burn pile. No chemical herbicides and pesticides were used on this organic farm for decades. 

 

Over here in the tropics, we've been busy too. The recycle, trash and yard waste bins are all stuffed, so that tells you something. 

I worked in the garden, cleaned the inside windows and de-cluttered the house. Well, one closet to be exact, but it feels good to consolidate two boxes of life mementos and souvenirs down into one. That was a trip down memory lane. My goodness, the things we keep "forever." 

 

John also did the first mow of the season-- one of my favorite outdoor days because it suddenly looks so nice after winter, even though the "lawn" is mostly moss and weeds. 

Correction: John says $300,000 of car parked on the street, not a half million. Still a bunch of money.