Wall Art - Cle Elum, Washington

It indicated rain here yesterday, so we drove over Snoqualmie Pass to the eastern side of the state to do some canoeing.

We found 90 degree temperatures, hot sun, and not a soul around...except the guy who filled our gas tank.

Obviously, most people were indoors, not running marathons or waterskiing or canoeing. We drove to a lake that was 'off the map', didn't even seem to have a name, and was bordered by NO TRESSPASSING signs along the valley and up into the hills.

People, uh, guys, had been there because they leave their droppings - Bud Lite, lure and sinker packages, beef jerkey wrappings...and, butt wipes in the bushes.

Sure was a desolate place. Big rocky cliffs edged one shoreline, so we sought a little shade padding along there, and I filmed a lot of swallow nests in the crevaces. There were three 70 foot waterfalls, and we got up pretty close to check them out...although I wasn't up to much hiking, it was just too hot. And, I'd removed most of my clothing.

Now, I'm usually more modest, but I assumed that there would be no one around - and there wasn't, until some guy flew his plane down the length of the lake! We were just about 50 feet away when he zoomed past us, dipping his right wing down several times to wave a hello. I thought he was going to land, but he pointed the nose of his plane up, and he was outta there...I guess he just wanted to check out the scenery. Guys are like that, you know.

Dilly Bread for Supper

I'm serving Dilly Bread tonite for a light supper.

It is a bread I've made for about 30 years, and is a yeast bread, with cottage cheese, onion, and dill as flavorings. It is meant to be served with soup or dipped in pizza sauce or salsa with green onions.

I usually make two batches at a time, which uses up a full container of cottage cheese. It should be served warm, right out of the oven.

Usually my family will eat a loaf at one sitting, or it can be packed for a picnic lunch.

We'll be heading over to Eastern Washington tomorrow, for a little paddling, and I plan to pack Dilly Bread with Salsa for our lunch. That, and some ice cold lemonaide...

Have a great day - the last weekend in August!

Fruit Orchards - Oregon

We drove through a few of the orchards, just to look at the trees. It was full production - apricots, peaches, cherries, plums, nectarines. Looks like apple and pear will follow. Migrant workers were busy with ladders and baskets, and the trucks were loading up.

This little fruit stand was a Mom and Pop deal that sold Marrion Berry Jam and onions by the wagon-full.

We cooked all our meals over a fire or grill, and made coffee with a propane burner so it would be faster in the morning. I always like a nice hot chilli with potato rolls slathered with olive oil and seasonings (pesto, with pinenuts and basil is good if there is extra oil). And oatmeal is great for a cold morning. I like to fry up hashbrowns and sausage with eggs, and add a side dish of fried apple danish - crisp bottom, warm top.

We bought our food as we went, relying on the roadside markets like this one. Only once did we eat in a Cafe, on our way home, for a late breakfast - it was in a little roadside place that gave free coffee to the locals. The waitress looked about 14, and lumbermen came dressed in workboots, jeans torn off at the bottoms, suspenders, and frayed shirts. All the men were getting meals to go, heading back up into the woods.

Morning Maps

This was after breakfast at Scott Lake. George was planning our route through the Volcanic Scenic Byway. He always brings books on Hiking, Wildlife, and Canoe Paddles, to identify the best sites.

I bring a video camera, and film most of our glides, as they show more than a still camera does. I like the sounds of the birds and the wind - still photos just freeze the action, seem so flat. So, I took very few photos on this trip.

Scott Lake - Oregon

We had a secluded campsite here, just a moon for company at night.

Scott Lake is a great little lake, with a shallow bottom of white pumice sand. It sits serenely in a flat, wooded valley, with a view of 10,000 foot Three Sisters Peaks.

We set up camp, cooked raviolli with pesto sauce, Italian bread, and fresh peaches, then went for an evening glide...I filmed the whole thing. It was so lovely.

Our best night's sleep was here - I've never seen so many stars in the sky, and the moon shone into the screen windows of the tent. When you live in a city, you forget how clear the sky can be at night.

This photo was taken about 7:30 a.m, when the mist was still rising off the lake - we got our coffee made, and went off - me still in my nightgown! We explored the entire lake, then went back to camp for breakfast. While George struck camp, I sat by the lake for an hour, just soaking up the sunshine and quiet.

Sparks Lake - Oregon

Sparks lake is an excellent location for canoeing because of it's convoluted shoreline, with lots of nooks and coves. It is actually 3 lakes in 1, with swampy marshes, ragged shorelines, and shallow water. It sits in the lava fields of the Cascades, at an elevation of 6,550 feet.

Just driving through this area is very spookey - the volcanoes erupted about 40 million years ago, and it has taken that long for Oregon to gain a land-mass. Long ago, about 70 million years, Oregon was covered by warm seas, with low-lying land masses. Ferns, ginkoes and conifers grew in a warm, temperatae climate. Now, it is a strange land, with folds and heaves of old lava fields, stark and black against the sky. Only a few ragged junipers manage to gain a foothold, and many of them last only until the last nutrient gave out.

We almost got a campsite here, but drove on to Hosmer Lake instead. We will definitely come back here again, when we have the time to do a 10 mile paddle.

We always enjoy the wildlife around the lakes we paddle, and this one boasts of Clark's nutcrackers, osprey, ring-necked ducks, and a variety of blackbirds. George always has his books ready to identify bird-life, and I was able to do some filming from the canoe.

Hosmer Lake Campground - Oregon

Hosmer Lake is considered one of the most beautiful clear-water lakes in the Cascade Range. It is actually 2 small lakes connected by a channel.

After we set up our camp, we had an afternoon glide across open water rimmed with lily pads, bullrushes and sedges, and outcrops of volcanic rock. The lovely, snow-capped peaks of the Three Sisters (volcanoes), provided a stunning background.

George said this glide was the most lovely one we've ever done, and he wants to go back. We saw quite a few anglers - the lake was culled of all 'trash' fish, and is now known for its trout and Atlantic salmon ( stocked). Only fly fishing is allowed, catch and release. You could see those huge, beautiful fish swimming in the shallows - they looked about 14 inches.

We saw many birds - American coots, Pied-billed greebes, Barrow's golden eye, and a sly bunch of camp-robbers waiting for us to finish our dinner - they were so bold they perched on the table for left-overs. And, I got a big chipmunk on film, scolding me for violating his territory.

This photo was taken about 7:00 in the morning, after we just about froze most of the night. It got down to 34 degrees - the elevation here is 5,000 feet, so it was hot during the day, about 80 degrees, and cold at night! The mist is rising off the lake, but here you see only the meadow next to our tent. We enjoyed walking through this tall grass, and it was lovely, with frosted highlights early in the morning.

I made coffee and George made a fire, both helped warm us up! Frost was everywhere, even on our chairs, so I danced around the fire until things warmed up. As soon as the sun was up for about an hour, we were shedding jackets and vests. Summer had replaced the frost.

Artist Working at the Market

Summer Salads

I've spent many summers growing my own vegetables for dinner, and the most beautiful ones were for salads - the wonderful greens, like buttercrunch, Romaine, radicchio, and the like. I'd have to stagger my planting times, so all of them would not maximize growth all at once.

I always had cilantro, parsley, thyme, oregano, and onion sets. These herbs added scent as well as color.

Long ago, I made a salad I called "Mossy Forest Salad", that just had about everything in it that you'd tramp underfoot - especially mung bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, and sunflower seeds. A Persian salad would have tomatoes, cucumber and onion with a dressing of olive oil, lemon, garlic, and ground black pepper. Turkish salads were similar, but with mint, feta cheese, and lemon juice added. I grew my own fava beans, too, and added them too.

So many vegetables can be enjoyed in a salad, and also, in a clear vase, with the tangle of roots showing in the water. Every spring, one of my first bouquets brought into the house would be a tangle of clean radishes, soaking in a round glass vase. If you've grown radishes, you know you'll grow far too many to eat, unless you are growing them for the spray of white flowers they have in late summer. Those go good with dahlias in bloom. And, the seed pods, when bleached grey by the sun, make nice accents in a fall bouquet.

Anderson Cove on Holly Road

We drove over to the Hood Canal yesterday and spent the day canoeing. It was the ultimate August afternoon - hot and lazy. Everything was dried out and spent, waiting for autumn.

Detritus

In all stages of life, some things stay, and some are washed away. Everything is impermanent, ever changing.

Looking Around

It is amazing what you don't see, when you are working 40 hours a week.

Used to be that I'd just overlook a lot of things because I just didn't have the energy to tackle it after work, or I'd minimalize their importance because I felt I had better things to do, and I did.

Now, I look around with the freedom to choose anything I want to do, there will be time for it. I can keep things a little cleaner, catch up on old correspondence, go walking every morning with my daughter, sleep in later. It used to be I'd be setting two alarm clocks to wake up by 4:00am - the first one was a soft chime, the other one a loud electric buzz like a chainsaw. If I didn't get up by the first one, the next was going to get me!

So, I've got a day planned, a list of 'things to do' with this life of new possibilities.

Dale Chihuly Glass

Taraz rode his bike downtown, and we met at the Museum of Glass, where we explored all the galleries and local shops.

He knew just where we could photograph, where it was allowed.

And, he helped me learn more about my camera. It is a Sony, dual media FD Mavica, that we had to back order through the company, as they don't make this type of camera anymore.

I like a simple camera that works easily with a computer. Mine has a memory card but also uses discs. It is recommended for 'beginners', a good 'high school' camera. And, all I know about photography is, get up close.

I've got some family members just waiting for these photos, so scroll down and enjoy them.

Dale Chihuly Glass

Glass Gallery

Vase - Gallery

Glass Dolls - Gallery

The Mandolin Cafe

Yesterday, after work, my kids wanted to walk over to the Mandolin, where they hang out a lot.

It was a hot day, and I had just gotten off work, real eager to just sit down. I posted my Vintage Car Show series, and just wanted to go sit out in the back yard. But, they said, "Mom, join us!", so I drove over.

This little cafe has an old world charm, with an authentic coffee mill and Italian deli. It features eclectic art on the walls, sculpture, and things to purchase - European magazines, little tea sets, ornate coffee mugs, fresh ground Valhalla Coffee and specialty teas.

Ruhiyyih ordered a "Grande Soy Mocha" and spread her planner book out in front of her. She is job-hunting, and wants to do some volunteer work with World Vision International. It has it's headquarters in Federal Way, where she plans to share a house with a friend.

Taraz at The Mandolin Cafe

Taraz doesn't go for the high priced coffee's, he likes tea - Moroccan Mint, African Rooibos, Dashmiri Chai, and especially plain Green Tea. And, as you can see, he preferrs water most of the time.

When I am working on the computer or out in the yard, he will BRING me a glass of water, even if I don't want it. And, yes, I drink it.

Taraz comes to the cafe a lot because it is just a few blocks from our house. He likes the Conversation Cafe, the Celtic Jams, book discussions, and especially the 'live mic'.

Taraz at Louis Gregory Institute

Our son Taraz, (Arabic, meaning 'ornament'), returned home earlier this summer from a 6 month service project at the Louis Gregory Institute in Hemingway, South Carolina.

He worked for the radio station there, WLGI, and got valuable practice in his field, digital media.

In his free time, he did what our family likes to do - explore nature in a canoe, and he did this every chance he got.

Vintage Car Show

Yesterday I went to a Vintage Car Show over by Stadium High School, in the old historic section of Tacoma.

The cars were made in the 50's, some older, and they were rebuilt, repainted, and had great style. So I photographed some, and broused around.

I like to talk to guys about their cars, because they had so much fun rebuilding them. You'd be surprised at some of the owners. Not elitist, rich folk, as you'd expect, but Harley guys who love cars. The owners were as colorful as their cars, and their women sat with them, beer in hand, rings on every finger, tatoos on shoulders, arms, everywhere.

A DJ was playing music from the 50's, so I guess that was the theme, but I saw older cars too. All the hoods were up, and those engines were so shiny I had trouble photographing them in bright sunlight.

I don't know who thought to bring in a few old junkers that had sat out in some dusty field, probably over in Sprague, Washington...I've filmed many gorgeous colors on old trucks there, with hornets building nests in the rotted seat-covers, cob-webs between spaces in the hubcaps. When we travel, I always film rusted old machinery. I love it. There is history there.

So here are some of the pictures I brought back. Browse down, I hope you enjoy them.

I'll add just a few historical facts to suppliment the picture... did you know, that the history of automobiles began 4,000 years ago when the first wheel was used for transportation in India?

Vintage Car Show

In the early 15th century, the Portuguese arrived in China, and the interaction of the two cultures led to a variety of new inventions, including a wheel that turned on its own power.

Vintage Car Show

In 1769 French Army officer Captain Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot built what has been called the first automobile. It was a 3-wheeled, steam-powered vehicle that could carry 4 people. It was designed to move artillery pieces.

Vintage Car Show

In 1801 heavy steam automobiles were running in England, on private tracks, because laws prohibited them from driving on roads.

Vintage Car Show

In 1804 American Inventor Oliver Evans built a steam-powered vehicle in Chicago, Illinois.

Vintage Car Show

British inventor Walter Handcock built a series of steam carriages in the mid 1830's that were used for the first omnibus service in London.

And, that concludes my history of automobiles...someone else can take over from here.

My Back Yard

The yards in Tacoma have all dried out, gone dormant. We let them go tan, because everything greens up again in October, and the tan color is a welcome change!

This is my back yard. Days here are perfect for putting the laundry out, and I do, just for the fragrance in bed linens. All my herbs and catmint are underneath, so when the wind blows, it gives a scent to my laundry.

That is Daisy's little cabin in the background, and the following post will talk about that.

Tree malva, a lovely pink flowering shrub borders the cabin on both sides. It is a shrub that looks great all year, but flowers only in the summertime. It is very drought-tolerant, and can be neglected, still looking wonderful all year.

This is the first year that I have pulled back from gardening, letting my husband do the heavy work. I used to have the whole back yard filled with garden vegetables and flowers, but I put most of the backyard to grass now.

George has his bean plants along the laundry-room, by the back door, and they are going to go up the side of the house. He has constructed rope trellises, and they are right in front of my big window. So, I'm checking out the little white flowers, and watching the beans grow.

We are restoring parts of the back yard that had a goat corral, a chicken coup, and a rabbit hutch. We are taking these things out, putting it all to grass. I had a little farm out back, when Daisy was younger.

We have a plum tree and a huge cherry tree, great for pies and canning. A covered patio, where the shade is great in summer, has a little table for two, for coffee-time. In winter, I hang out a bird feeder there. When we bought our home, the back yard was the first priority - I knew I'd be spending a lot of time out there.

The Cabin That GrandMa Built

I built this little cabin in my backyard when my grand-daughter, Daisy, was just two years old.
I knew I'd be babysitting a lot, and I was planning ahead - that was one of the best decisions I ever made! By the time Daisy was nine, she had spent many happy hours having tea parties with her teddybears in there.

The cabin took almost a month to build, because I built shelves and cupboards, a loft, a work-center and a built-in covered bench.

I lined the shelves with nature stuff - elk droppings, dormant bumble bees, seeds from my garden, crow feet, shells, and all kinds of treasures from hikes in the woods and along the ocean. We put a few old books on a top shelf, and teddybears, puzzles and leggos, maps and travel pamphlets, and an old miner's lantern where ever they could fit. I stapled old photos of Montana in there, and even collaged part of a wall with old family photos of my mom's family on horseback.

When ever I really needed solitude, away from the intensity of my family, I would go inside here, and lock myself in. Only mesh wire is across the windows, for ventilation, but a skylight on the east portico, made with thick plastic, gives the cabin lots of gentle light. I keep a nightlight burning all the time, and it glows at night, letting the possums and raccoons know that it is occupied.

I never got around to spring cleaning this year, so cobwebs line the legs to tables, and Daisy hasn't gone in there yet. Her tea set is on the table, just where she left it last fall, and little mice have scattered droppings on the floor. She must have left a cookie there.

When I look out my bedroom window, into the back yard, the little cabin is there, looking like it needs Daisy to come over to play. It looks like it needs a little conversation...

The Front Porch

Here in Tacoma many of the old houses in the University of Puget Sound neighborhood have front porches, because the houses are old. Our house was built in 1917, and an old couple lived in it well into their 90's. A contractor bought it, gutted it, took out the floors, walls, old plumbing and wireing, and added everything new. He designed a modern interior, with a sunroof window over the stairwell. Our house is tiny, with a den, kitchen, living room, two full bathrooms and our bedroom on the first floor. A stairway leads upstairs to a half-bath, a guest room (my studio), and George's office.

We bought this house ten years ago, planning for small living-spaces in an old house, on the outside, but new and modern on the inside. We have been really happy here.

We use this porch a lot, for summertime potlucks, for evening reading, and for bedtime chats. Our grand-daughter plays here when she comes to visit. And, as you can see, it is the favorite hangout of our two cats. I always have a big comforter on top of the sofa, for curling up in, because even in winter, I'll come out here to enjoy the morning rain. Tacoma is gentle, in the wintertime. Just the sound of rain.

Seattle Saudiite - Work Break

"We are the greatest thing that will ever happen to us. Believe it. It makes life much easier." ~














~ from 'The Language of Letting Go', by Melody Beattie

Mount Reynolds - Glacier Park, MT

This mountain is in Glacier Park, just 20 miles away from my sister's home. That's her, her husband and Ruhiyyih, on a hike up in the park.

Ruhiyyih is planning to visit them in just a few days, and they have lots of hikes planned. My sister and her husband are climbers, and are part of the mountaineering association of Glacier.

I've done a little hiking in Glacier, but I'm not a climber. I admire anyone who can climb. And I hear the vista way up there is breath-taking...that's one of the reasons I lag behind!

Ruhiyyih and Bonita

My daughter is returning home from China today, where she has spent a month and a half supervising a team of teachers at a private school there.

I've got to get some cleaning done, get some food prepared, and figure out where to put her for a few days...my guest room is occupied, the study has a mattress on the floor. I guess the sofabed in the living room will have to do, or pitch a tent outside!

I'm going to be busy for awhile....

The Ethnic Fest - Wright Park

I had to drop my son off at the Ethnic Fest yesterday. He worked in the Baha'i Booth there with some of our friends.

This event draws crowds every year. It is a celebration of humanity - their ethnicity, their food, music and art. It was a hot, happy event, with several bands playing. This photo shows the intermission...

I enjoyed the Hawaiian dancers, especially, with their graceful movements, so evocative of tropical breezes. Their hands motion a welcome, their faces smile at the sun.

Scroll down with me here, and look at what I enjoyed...

Where the Food is Good

My grand-daughter loves to get a hot dog when she goes to the Ethnic Fest...but then, that's what she gets here at Grandma's, too!

She likes them plain, I want saurkraut, onions, pickles, relish, mustard, ketchup, and the Dog inside the bun - if it will fit!

A Big Puff of Air

The Ethnic Fest amuses lots of children - they get balloons, face painting, tatoos, art projects...

You'll see lots of little ones standing in line, waiting to slide down Dumbo.

Handmade African Baskets

I bought one of these baskets at the Ethnic Fest years ago, and it was well worth the price!

When it is ready for a guest, I'll put in exotic teas (in plastic bags), Lorna Doone cookies (because they are cute), Seattle Chocolates (because the packaging is beautiful), some relaxing nature tapes that my son recorded, and some old magazines - B & W (Black and White Photography), Maison Cote Sud, Cote Est, and Cote Quest (all in French, but the photos are great).

But currently, the guest room is occupied. My son has taken the basket and put a small pillow there. I see cat fur poking through the basket weaving...

Stecchi Fritti Kebabs

Kebabs are an easy way to grill small portions of anything. I like to grill pineapple, red and green peppers, round mushrooms, onions, meat and saussage on skewers. I soak the meat in a marinade overnight, first. Then, I slightly soften the vegetables in the microwave, so they aren't so hard. I brush them with butter, Italian seasonings, breadcrumbs and a little Parmesan cheese.

You can also roll these items in egg, then dip in breadcrumbs for a little brochette that can be deep-fried. I just stick mine in the oven, it's easier...the photo here doesn't do justice to the heady aroma that filled Wright's Park during the Ethnic Fest!