Category Nature
Beach camping
Beach camping on the Washington coast in August is very different from what I was used to in Virginia. Cloudy and cold instead of hot and humid. Crabs and sand dollars instead of wild ponies. Sunsets instead of sunrises. But Amy was still with me. We had had a yearly tradition of camping on the […]
Meridian in August
By the time I handed off the covid project at work at the end of July I needed a break. And since I hadn’t even started my day job, it was the perfect time to be gone—it’s not like anyone would even miss me. So I booked a flight to Idaho to visit my family […]
Weekend in Denver
Visits these days are quieter than they used to be. No plays or museums or house parties. Instead we focus on the essentials: socially distant croissants and peaches in the park with friends, lunch by a waterfall and then a masked stroll through the boutiques of Morrison, a cozy night in with the kitties to […]
Fixing the fountain
One of my absolute favourite things about my house has been the fountains in the courtyard and backyard. They brought birds and movement and play of sound and light, and confirmed my belief that every garden, no matter how small or urban, ought to have a water feature. Alas, the fountains did not survive my […]
Second chances start with science…
Remember the Great Goldfish Disaster of 2020, when we discovered that my pond was essentially a cauldron of death? Well, I’ve decided to have a second go at it—only this time I’ve done more homework. Why do fish die? Maybe low oxygen levels in the water—add an aerator . . . Why else? Unhealthy levels […]
This is what happens
Sometimes you run out to pick up a few necessaries for grilling with friends on the roof and realise before you even get to the condiment aisle that dinner-plate dahlias should have been at the top of the list. An oversight quickly remedied… 😉 These are no shrinking violets! Let’s just say it’s a good […]
Has summer finally come?
After a classic Seattle June-uary and what had been looking increasingly like Febr-uly, can it be that summer is finally here? Clear skies, mid-70s… let’s hope this lasts! And since our work-from-home has been extended now through the beginning of January, I’m going to soak up as much of this as I can on the […]
There were hummingbirds today
They come most days, actually, but today I managed to capture a few action shots. My favourite moments are when they perch on the grate next to where I’m sitting and look at me with their big black eyes and their beaks covered in pollen and their adorable tiny feet poking out below. No grabbing […]
Night shift
I hope you’ll excuse another “working from home” post. It’s just that if you have to work late on a clear summer night in Seattle, the best way to do it is wrapped in a blanket with a view of the city skyline and a patio heater, surrounded by honeysuckle, gardenias, and roses all in […]
Tonight the sunset matched my roses
The best part of my day is winding down in the garden on my roof.
A More Gentlemanlike Manner 