Category Nature
Solstice!
Shortest day of the year. Is it mystical? Ummm… maybe to some. For me, no. Most years I find the darkness fascinating and almost wish it would continue to Nordic levels. But this year it’s just been dark and grey and hard to get up in the morning. I’m really happy to be on the […]
Christmas at the back door
Thanksgiving was lovely and I’ll put up some pictures when my sister sends me some… and in the meantime we’re moving full steam into Christmas! This year I decided the back yard needed some Christmas cheer. Little used in prior years, during the pandemic it has become my primary entrance. It’s cozy and private (surprisingly […]
Fresh air!
Normally I’d welcome the return of rain with a little melancholy. It means the short Seattle summer is over and we’re heading toward the dark and wet of autumn and winter. But after a week (more?) of the thickest smoke, the rain also meant a cleansing of the air and a refreshing of the parched […]
Air quality
We’ve had a rough run in terms of air quality this past week. Smoke from the wildfires in California and Oregon has swept up the coast and sat on us like a cat. Gone the rosy mornings and hazy afternoons, replaced by chalky grey everywhere. And the air quality index has gone through the roof. […]
Morning at water’s edge
Most mornings before logging on to work from my living room, I walk down to the edge of the lake and sit for a while. I observe the rowers and the play of light on the water and the internal shifts—physical, emotional, mental—as I finish waking up and prepare for the day. It’s a peaceful […]
Wildfire season
The wind shifted yesterday and now Seattle is buried beneath a layer of smoke from the wildfires on the other side of the Cascades. The look and strong smell of the smoky city strangely reminds me of India, more than anything, since Delhi had been so smoky while we were there. I feel grateful yet […]
Waterfalls!
For this sunny Labor Day we joined (what felt like) literally everyone else in Seattle for a short hike to the Twin Falls. Despite the crowded trail, the trip was worth it. The falls were lovely and the late summer weather couldn’t have been more golden.
Fountain!
I’ve got the fountain in my back garden running again! I will spare you the gruesome details of all the slugs the size of my fingers that were forcibly spewed from the water shaft when the new pump kicked into gear… Instead, let’s focus on the delight that gurgling water brings to a garden. It’s […]
Birthday!
Yesterday was Justin’s birthday—now he’s officially older than me for the next three months. He celebrated by taking the day off work and using my kitchen to bake kouign-ammans, which are these delicious Breton pastries that involve lots of lamination and basically all the butter. This was his first time making them, and they turned […]
A More Gentlemanlike Manner 