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. 

Our Seattle Symphony music director, Xian Zhang, has collaborated 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. You get the picture.)

In "Iris," the full orchestra performs the 40 minute work right along with 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 including bizarre singing, at least to western ears. 

Like Moon Cakes, an acquired taste. I won't repeat the unkind comparison from the lady sitting behind us. 

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. (I'm too cheap to pay those beef prices.) 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." 

 

Soup and more soup

 

 

We eat lots of soupy meals this time of year, most on the heavy side, like chili. I finally used up the last of that Christmas ham in the freezer making bean soup. 

But the days are getting lighter, and I'd like to get a bit lighter too this spring. The scale doesn't lie. Too many desserts in front of the TV at night!

I bought Swanson Ramen Broth for the first time (a new product?) and it made a decent base for Asian noodle soup, doctored up with fresh chopped ginger and vegetables. No recipe required. 

A box of frozen shrimp tempura to go with. Tasty and a break from the gloopy stuff. 

Weird and warm

I cut back the dead stuff in the big flower bed, but it still looks pretty rough. It's hard to weed with bulbs coming up just below the surface. Over the years, I've beheaded some innocent heads with my Korean weeding tool.

On Saturday it got up to almost 60 degrees, so weirdly warm for January! I threw off my fleece jacket and worked outside in a long-sleeved shirt.  

This might be one of those rare Seattle winters without even a bit of snow. Maybe we'll get a foot in February, but the sun is already stronger so whatever falls won't last. Our long Northwest spring ( a 4-5 month transitional period) has sprung. 

We often have a Symphony concert on Super Bowl afternoon, which would be a real drag next weekend. Fortunately, we went yesterday instead, on a nothing Sunday downtown. Next week the city will be hopping.  

Goundhog Day. He saw his shadow. There's still hope for building up the mountain snow pack. 

The rain returns

 

The rain returns, in more ways than one. My Home Watch company sent this photo of a snapped irrigation line at the Twisp house, probably courtesy of the snow plower. That hose runs under the ground in front of the garage, so no easy fix when spring comes around. 

In other $$$ news, I got sucked into income tax prep yesterday and blogging fell by the wayside. 

Our tax guy always sent a preparer packet, which I'd mail back with all the tax documents. Simple and neat for an old librarian. 

This year the form is online and I suspect they want us to upload the forms to their company portal. Some will have to be scanned, so it sounds like a lot of trouble "for your convenience." Always something. 

Enough complaining. We had fun yesterday playing our ukuleles and singing at the top of our voices on The Bridge patio. Fortunately, the inside door is heavy so people can sit at the bar and drink in peace. 

We're now using a app called Song Pro, instead of the chaotic airdropping of songs to a group of 40+ people. It's pretty slick. Yes, old dogs can learn new tricks. 

Have a good weekend.  

They really do that

 

A lovely and unique habit of tulips, they are the only cut flowers that keep growing in the vase. Tulips are really responsive to light, and they bend, twist, and elongate towards the nearest light source, like a window. 

Tulips have a special tissue called Xylem that allows them to take in water even without roots. The cut stems are filled with energy and hormones that cause the blooms to open and the stems to grow. Sometimes, several inches. 

And that is the botany lesson of the day. 

 

Rack and ruin

This big flower bed is a disheartening sight. You've seen many photos in full blooming glory, but what a wretched mess now. I didn't mulch and after a relatively warm winter, the weeds are sprouting along with the bulbs and perennials. 

Yes, I know, stop complaining and hire someone to help, but no yard service around will do finicky, hands-and knees weeding like that. Besides, I know pretty much where the goodies (tulips, lilies, hyacinths) are hiding just below the surface. As the saying goes, you reap what you sow. Some people just like to make work for themselves.

On the bright side, spring comes early, and there will be flowers in the house soon.

 

(These came from Trader Joes.) 
 

Something to crow about

 

That's right! The Seattle Seahawks are headed to the Superbowl after a thrilling game last night. This city is going bonkers for the next two weeks. 

Some cute photos from Amanda. Her twelve hens (plus Roostie) roam around the property during the day. 

Nothing makes chickens happier than free range, scratching and pecking for yummy things. No wonder the eggs are so delicious.

The snow in the Valley is unusually light this winter, with inches on the ground instead of feet. I haven't received a single snowplow bill for our driveway, and Tom's new blower hasn't been fired up (yet.)

Nova, with one of the tamer hens, checking out the crock pot. 

The rooster is too skittish to catch and hold. He wasn't spoiled and hand-raised on kitchen scraps. Roostie was a gift from their neighbors across the road, and shows no interest in returning home now. Smart guy, because the extra roosters over there go in the soup pot. 

Amanda's hens will likely expire from old age. 

A pretty view, looking across the Valley from the farmhouse dining room window. And someone wants back inside. 

 

Speaking of birds, a rather magnificent roast chicken I made yesterday. Sorry, girls!
 

The main excitement

 

 The Seahawk mascot

If the Seahawks beat the Rams this Sunday, they go to the Super Bowl to play either the Broncos or Patriots, depending on that game. 

The Seahawks were last at the Superbowl in 2015, where they lost to the Patriots. Feelings of deja vous? Better not jinx it going down that road.

There is no such bird as a Sea Hawk. "Taima" is Auger Hawk (also known as the Auger Buzzard) native to Africa.  

She is trained to fly out of the tunnel ahead of the players at home games. Most of the time, it goes well. But birds will be birds. She once landed on a fan's head, to the great amusement of the crowd.

 Have a good weekend. Stay warm and safe.

Winter mornings

 

That east-to-west time change sure makes for some listless mornings. It is 2 hours earlier in Hawaii. I'm grateful we're retired and don't have to hit the ground running after a trip like that.

The weather is cold and dry-- it hasn't rained in Seattle since January12th. The Safeway store  parking lot yesterday had invisible patches of black ice. Someone was nice enough to warn me when I got out of the car. I slipped once in a Safeway parking lot (go figure) in Cle Elum. Only my pride was injured but shame on Mr. Safeway for not deicing and senior citizens falling down. 

Anyway, a slow news morning here. That major winter storm barrelling across the country won't affect the Northwest, which is often the case. We have our own unique weather drama up here. 

I'm looking forward to seeing my ukulele friends again today. I haven't been to the group since before Christmas. 

Farewell, Oahu

 

A classic beach sunset on our last night, shared with thousands of other people.  

 

On the way for ice cream after dinner, John was roped into a street performance and got nicknamed "Mr. Hilton" by the sassy break dancer with the mike. 

John was a good sport. A big crowd soon formed to watch. (If you bribe me enough, I'll share the video.)

We are glad to be home. Small flight delays in Honolulu added up last night, and we were sitting in those seats for long time-- then our bags were last off the carousel at SeaTac. Anyway, we woke up late this morning (for us) and still on island time. A bowl of oatmeal for breakfast then back to regular routines. 

A bright and sunny winter day in Seattle. Piles of laundry await.

 

Last full day

 

 

 

Since we're in Honolulu, I thought, why not see Chinatown? Although to be honest, they are all pretty much the same. (I mean that in a nice way.) 

We stopped first at the Kuan Yin Temple, the air filled with fragrant smoke from hundreds of burning sticks. Monks chanting, drums and community worship going on inside. Buddhists burn incense to purify sacred spaces, among other reasons. A nice experience.

The temple is adjacent to Foster Botanical Garden, which turned out to be a surprise highlight of the trip. 

 

 

Mind boggling, massive tropical trees!  

 

 

And of course, lovely tropical flowers. 

 

Then we hoofed it several blocks over to the heart of Chinatown, thinking about lunch.

 

 

The Honolulu Chinatown neighborhood burned down several times and the architecture is not especially interesting-- just the usual Asian food markets, restaurants and tourist stores. 

 

We passed a Dim Sum restaurant, but feeling the intrepid travelers, settled on the open market food court, filled with (frankly) not-so-clean cooking stalls and tables. But the takeout lunches were flying out of Papa's Court stall, which turned out to be a good choice. Once you got past the confusing menu.

 

Black bean chicken for John. Wonton soup for me. Fresh and hot. 

Then another Uber ride back to the hotel, and one last dinner tonight on Waikīkī. Back to bean-soup-from-the freezer reality tomorrow. With luck, our Hawaiian Airlines flight departs for Seattle at 1:20 pm. 

A different vacation experience for sure, but fun. We are both well.