Whether it stays beyond this, who can tell. But it's beautiful today in this green and lush place, so I'll happily take it.
Yesterday we did all our usual Saturday "stuff". But we also found a local nursery that had good prices on fuchsia baskets so we bought two for the front porch. We might add a third as John nurses his survivors from last year back to a presentable state (and they are coming along). John started to mow the lawn/meadow/jungle clearing but somehow got a puncture in one of the inside tires on the shiny red tractor. So, today he will have to see how and where to get that repaired. Meanwhile, if viewed from the air, our grass would probably look like one of those clever designs found in cornfields attributed to aliens.
Today I will finally get the outdoor furniture in place and I will fill the planter boxes on the deck with flowers. Up until now, there hasn't seemed to be much reason. Hooray for sunshine! I look at my daily weather tracker and see our friends in California and other parts enjoying/enduring heat into the 90s while we still put a jacket on to make trips to the grocery. But not today! Today I will go freely wherever I want dressed only in my Northwest Summer attire: a long sleeved T-shirt and capris. And I will enjoy a day which reaches 70 degrees. By tomorrow I may even break out a short-sleeved T-shirt.
John is off again tomorrow to California and it's back to a more "normal" routine. But for today, it's summer...
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
A Nice Sunday...
We also enjoyed breakfast at Barbie's Cafe. (See the Yelp reviews here). It was well worth the drive and a new favorite for us.
A nice Sunday indeed!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
It's All Good...
Back home after a week in California for a conference. The conference was good. My head is full and I have lots to think about. But I am glad to be home. John will be here this week, so we'll actually see each other for more than two days at a time. The weather on the flight home was clear as a bell and I could see all the volcanoes as we came north: Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt Rainier and the smaller ones as well that make up part of that Pacific ring of fire.
Now the focus shifts to the anticipation of daughter Kate's wedding in 4 weeks. We're hosting the rehearsal diner in a nontraditional twist and I am finalizing the details. I look forward not only to the event, but to seeing family members and friends that weekend. All in all, Katie and Morey have done a great job of getting everything in place for the event. It's pretty much all done but the "I do"-ing.
Today is Father's Day and to honor our resident "father", we're going to breakfast out at Seabeck where we hope to catch a glimpse of some eagles. Even if they don't grace us with their presence, the scenery will be spectacular and my resident photojournalist will be happy.
On the home front, now that our schedules have settled down, we will contact a "driveway guy" to see about getting our driveway refreshed. And we want to talk to a "concrete guy" about laying some concrete down on the side of the house next to the garage where it gets very wet. In an inspired moment, we also had the idea of having said "concrete guy" put in a foundation for the needed shed. Once that occurs, John will build the structure. And once the concrete get laid along the side of the house, there's that generator to consider in anticipation of future winter storms and power outages. Seems like there's always a list.
So, on with the day and the ones to follow...
Now the focus shifts to the anticipation of daughter Kate's wedding in 4 weeks. We're hosting the rehearsal diner in a nontraditional twist and I am finalizing the details. I look forward not only to the event, but to seeing family members and friends that weekend. All in all, Katie and Morey have done a great job of getting everything in place for the event. It's pretty much all done but the "I do"-ing.
Today is Father's Day and to honor our resident "father", we're going to breakfast out at Seabeck where we hope to catch a glimpse of some eagles. Even if they don't grace us with their presence, the scenery will be spectacular and my resident photojournalist will be happy.
On the home front, now that our schedules have settled down, we will contact a "driveway guy" to see about getting our driveway refreshed. And we want to talk to a "concrete guy" about laying some concrete down on the side of the house next to the garage where it gets very wet. In an inspired moment, we also had the idea of having said "concrete guy" put in a foundation for the needed shed. Once that occurs, John will build the structure. And once the concrete get laid along the side of the house, there's that generator to consider in anticipation of future winter storms and power outages. Seems like there's always a list.
So, on with the day and the ones to follow...
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Sweet sixteen (eagles)...
On Monday I was at a meeting at the Seabeck Conference Center. I carpooled with a colleague and as we were leaving and as we were stopped temporarily for some road work, we looked out over a small inlet and counted 15 bald eagles on the beach eating clams (or maybe mussels). What a sight! Add the one I saw fly over the house last evening and that's 16 for the week. We seem to have a nesting pair nearby as we see them frequently now.
Yesterday, I was about to accompany the hard-headed brown dog outside when I glimpsed a large deer. Fortunately, I saw it before "uno who" and gripped her collar to prevent a certain chase. I dragged her back into the house to allow the deer to meander safely back into the woods and give Zoe some time to cool her heels. That wasn't about to happen and she barked incessantly at the now-gone intruder. So, I put her on her lead to prevent her from going full steam ahead into the woods and off we went. She did go too close to the "invisible fence" once and was reminded why that's not a good idea. But we spent plenty of time scenting and tracking (as we have done each time since) and giving out warning barks in case something out there has any more ideas about crossing into sacred land that is hers to protect. Beautiful creature though. So, after two years of no large critter sightings, this year we have seen the deer and the coyote. Can a black bear be far behind?
I picked up our "share" from the farm cooperative yesterday. This is the second week and it is lovely to smell all the goodies as I transport them home. Right now we are getting mostly greens of one kind or another as they are thriving in the cool weather that is persisting. Also some herbs and radishes. Wonderful salads at hand.
I spent the weekend in California to attend my daughter's bridal shower. Lots of fun and so good to sit and talk and share. The wedding seems to be in hand and I will send out invitations to the rehearsal dinner this week. Who can believe we will be returning for the actual event in just 5 weeks!
John has been in California again this week and will return tonight. Then I will be off next week to a conference in Long Beach while he stays here to manage the menagerie. I give my final presentation for school on Monday evening and then I'm done! Again! I'd like to think that life will take on a more even pace for a while then. Well, a person can dream. Right? But really, it's all good...
Yesterday, I was about to accompany the hard-headed brown dog outside when I glimpsed a large deer. Fortunately, I saw it before "uno who" and gripped her collar to prevent a certain chase. I dragged her back into the house to allow the deer to meander safely back into the woods and give Zoe some time to cool her heels. That wasn't about to happen and she barked incessantly at the now-gone intruder. So, I put her on her lead to prevent her from going full steam ahead into the woods and off we went. She did go too close to the "invisible fence" once and was reminded why that's not a good idea. But we spent plenty of time scenting and tracking (as we have done each time since) and giving out warning barks in case something out there has any more ideas about crossing into sacred land that is hers to protect. Beautiful creature though. So, after two years of no large critter sightings, this year we have seen the deer and the coyote. Can a black bear be far behind?
I picked up our "share" from the farm cooperative yesterday. This is the second week and it is lovely to smell all the goodies as I transport them home. Right now we are getting mostly greens of one kind or another as they are thriving in the cool weather that is persisting. Also some herbs and radishes. Wonderful salads at hand.
I spent the weekend in California to attend my daughter's bridal shower. Lots of fun and so good to sit and talk and share. The wedding seems to be in hand and I will send out invitations to the rehearsal dinner this week. Who can believe we will be returning for the actual event in just 5 weeks!
John has been in California again this week and will return tonight. Then I will be off next week to a conference in Long Beach while he stays here to manage the menagerie. I give my final presentation for school on Monday evening and then I'm done! Again! I'd like to think that life will take on a more even pace for a while then. Well, a person can dream. Right? But really, it's all good...
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Remarking on Nothing Much...
We have officially lived her for two years! Actually, that happened last month on the 21st. The weather has warmed and when we returned, the trees had finished leafing out and the woods have taken on that fullness that wraps around us like a big quilt. The colors are vibrant and new, full of shadows and light. I like to stand outside and just breathe in the woodsy scent in the morning.
One of these days, I might post some photos from our recent trip. I love the immediacy of digital cameras when you take photos. But the human factor afterward is much slower than the previous process where you dropped film off and got real photos (and even a disc) back in three days. Now they get put on the computer and eventually get reviewed and hopefully given a label for future identification and retrieval. We have some really nice photos and I want to get an especially nice one printed on canvas for display as a memento. That's my plan anyway.
Today we will go to the much-anticipated monthly Saturday breakfast. Then off to do a couple of quick errands and finally I will fly to California this afternoon to participate in my daughter's bridal shower tomorrow! What fun :-) I will get to see the new house and my new grand-dog (our first!). And last, but not least, I will get some face time with my daughter and (soon-to-be) son-in-law. I'll come back up on Monday.
The week went by quickly. Back to work and getting a grip on all things pending there. John in California doing the same. He's back for the weekend and then off again on Monday. We'll see each other when he returns next Thursday. And then I'm off to a conference the week he is home. It's a crazy month. The hard-headed brown dog has regained nearly all her strength and mobility in her leg and is feeling more like her "old self". She's decided she likes our company on each (and every one) of her trips outside, so she waits for us to get some shoes on and exit the house with her. I have to admit that I like going out with her as well. Her energy is up and that's bad news for Roosevelt as she's much more attentive to his actions or even his imagined/potential actions, particularly if there's a "cookie" that hasn't been consumed yet. It's inhibited his spontaneous and freewheeling antics about the house. I've been looking at the shelter list for a companion for him and I'm certain we'll find one just after we get through the wedding next month.
My course will come to an end in two weeks and I look forward to some "free time"! I have to create one small project yet for a presentation and then I'm done. I don't have plans to take another class after this (but of course I wasn't "planning" to take this one - until I saw it). Instead, I will learn to kayak with John and I will put some attention to some quilting projects and maybe get a watercolor underway. Just saying that feels like taking a big breath...
One of these days, I might post some photos from our recent trip. I love the immediacy of digital cameras when you take photos. But the human factor afterward is much slower than the previous process where you dropped film off and got real photos (and even a disc) back in three days. Now they get put on the computer and eventually get reviewed and hopefully given a label for future identification and retrieval. We have some really nice photos and I want to get an especially nice one printed on canvas for display as a memento. That's my plan anyway.
Today we will go to the much-anticipated monthly Saturday breakfast. Then off to do a couple of quick errands and finally I will fly to California this afternoon to participate in my daughter's bridal shower tomorrow! What fun :-) I will get to see the new house and my new grand-dog (our first!). And last, but not least, I will get some face time with my daughter and (soon-to-be) son-in-law. I'll come back up on Monday.
The week went by quickly. Back to work and getting a grip on all things pending there. John in California doing the same. He's back for the weekend and then off again on Monday. We'll see each other when he returns next Thursday. And then I'm off to a conference the week he is home. It's a crazy month. The hard-headed brown dog has regained nearly all her strength and mobility in her leg and is feeling more like her "old self". She's decided she likes our company on each (and every one) of her trips outside, so she waits for us to get some shoes on and exit the house with her. I have to admit that I like going out with her as well. Her energy is up and that's bad news for Roosevelt as she's much more attentive to his actions or even his imagined/potential actions, particularly if there's a "cookie" that hasn't been consumed yet. It's inhibited his spontaneous and freewheeling antics about the house. I've been looking at the shelter list for a companion for him and I'm certain we'll find one just after we get through the wedding next month.
My course will come to an end in two weeks and I look forward to some "free time"! I have to create one small project yet for a presentation and then I'm done. I don't have plans to take another class after this (but of course I wasn't "planning" to take this one - until I saw it). Instead, I will learn to kayak with John and I will put some attention to some quilting projects and maybe get a watercolor underway. Just saying that feels like taking a big breath...
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