Little Buddha arrived to his new home in an Amazon envelope. He's so tiny I don't think anyone can even find him to steal.
Today is Tuesday, feels like Monday. Our world is very green from days and days of rain.
The dawn was apple-green,
The sky was green wine held up in the sun,
The moon was a golden petal between …
D.H. Lawrence
(Not sure what Lawrence was on when he saw that green wine.)
Raindrops on roses-- it's been cool and dreary here all weekend, typical Seattle spring weather. The flowers are ready to burst into bloom and just waiting for some warmth. But this weather is nothing to complain about, compared to the parade of tornadoes hitting the southeast.
We stayed home all weekend and it's been rather dull around here. We finally got around to streaming "Oppenheimer" on Amazon. I have to hand it to people who can sit for 3+ hours straight in a theater. In the old days, long movies like that had intermissions. Go to the bathroom and get some popcorn. Very civilized. Anyway, we used the pause button to break it up into a few viewing chunks.
It was an absorbing story with good acting, although maybe too much time was taken up with Oppenheimer's hearing (kangaroo trial) to revoke his security clearance. It did a good job portraying the horror of the bombings and the start of the arms race.
There were only a few hints about the misery and sickness left behind in New Mexico after Trinity. The areas downwind were blanketed with radioactive fallout that fell like warm snow. Children went out and played in it. It was astonishing how casual everyone was about radiation, knowing what we know now.
The debate will ever continue as to whether the U.S. was justified in dropping the bombs on Japan. Our own dad was in the Army and about to be shipped to the Pacific for the ground invasion when the war abruptly ended. It made for thoughtful Memorial Day viewing.
I drove back to Seattle over the North Cascades Highway-- the first 50 miles, one of the most scenic drives in the country. The last 50 miles usually a misery of traffic, getting into downtown from the north. It's better to do that route in route in reverse order, because I'm tired toward the end of the trip.
Anyway, I left early and made good time, only stopping for a few minutes to eat a sandwich. A steady stream of trailers and RV's were already headed east for the holiday weekend. Twisp and Winthrop will fill up with cowboys and visitors for the annual Memorial Day weekend rodeo.
It's still a bit chilly, but the garden looks good from all the rain. We're happy to stay off the roads and stick close to home this weekend.
Our great-nephew in Utah graduated from high school this week. Here he is with my sister, proud Grandma. William has a college scholarship, but will start after he finishes his church mission in Vanuatu. Yes, the South Pacific! We wish him and the family all the best.
Well, I woke up late to the unusual sound of pouring rain, always so welcome on the dry side of the state. The deer were back, frolicking in the yard and the river rising, although not alarmingly so. Yet. This storm looks like a one day event.
Yesterday Amanda and I had a wonderful time in Omak, just the two of us which was a rare treat. She took me to lunch at a sweet place called "The Bread Line" and I had a delicious lettuce wrap plate while she hit the salad bar. I look forward to going back there this summer with the girls, all huge salad eaters.
After that, we went on a mini shopping spree at Marshall's and found all sorts of little indulgences like soap and housewares. The Marshall's store in Omak is much better than West Seattle, spacious and clean. In fact, many things are nicer here, in particular the people.
And I found a wicker laundry basket worthy of my new washer.
On the way home, we stopped at Walmart to pick up Amanda's huge grocery order, in preparation for their weekend camping trip to Banks Lake.
I'll hit the road back to Seattle in the morning, and if the weather clears out, might take the scenic route over the North Cascades Highway. Of course that means no stop in Cle Elum for fast food. Oh, waaa.
Today is another busy one. I'm taking an early walk around town with Karen, then driving to Omak with Amanda this afternoon to pick up a huge (and I mean huge) grocery order. Growing kids eat an astonishing amount of food. Nova and Maya polished off an entire can of parmesan cheese last night on their spaghetti. Fast food doesn't exist in the valley, so they never acquired a taste for it. Their eating habits are good-- one reason they are so healthy and beautiful.
A big group of Methow Valley families is camping out this holiday weekend at Banks Lake, which sounds like fun but lots of work, especially planning all those meals. This is primitive camping and all the drinking water needs to be hauled in. We had carefully rationed hot dogs, canned beans, dried soup and oatmeal. Mom ran a tight ship when we camped. And no snitching between meals.
I'm making dinner for everyone here at the house tonight-- barbecue pork and German potato salad, Tom's favorite. Wednesday is a day of rest before I head back to Seattle.
I took a beautiful hike this morning with Amanda at "Golden Doe", a 110 acre unit of the Methow Wildlife Area. The trailhead is just a few miles outside of Twisp, but it feels remote and we didn't see another person.
Our daughter is very athletic, and she described this trail as "an easy, mostly on the level 3-mile loop." I always take her hike descriptions with a grain of salt and was huffing and puffing a bit on the "not so level" part. It was a stroll in the park for her (in fact she jogs it sometimes) and when we got close to the car, she asked if I wanted to "go around again."
Anyway, it was the perfect amount of exercise for someone who has just been sitting and eating for the past few days.
The river is at the peak of beauty right now, running fresh and fast, and nothing like the scary brown flood last May, with entire trees going by the window. The Methow will continue to rise in June, although the snow pack is relatively low this year. Everyone is concerned about fire season. We got off easy the past two summers.
Here's an interesting thing-- this is the first time we've been at the house without seeing a single deer in the yard. I hope they bring their fawns into town and hang out along the river as usual.
John went back to Seattle this morning but I'm staying on until Thursday. The new washer is getting a workout as I tackle the spring cleaning. I pulled off the winter bedding this morning in a cloud of dust.
