July 4th

The weather is finally warm and sunny. 


The apple trees are planted with a few other things waiting their turn. 


I discovered a hummingbird's nest in a tree on the other side of the fence. Now that I know it's there, I can't help but check in several times a day to see if I can find them flitting around and about the branches. 


I made strawberry shortcake for dessert tonight.


Summer is here.......


Wishing you a wonderful July 4th......however you celebrate.


Warmly, Margaret

13.1

I've always loved to walk out of doors. It is a low stress activity. It releases any tension I may be carrying around. It is fresh air and discovery. It is purposeful movement and unexpected moments. It encourages both acute observation and becoming lost in thought at the same time. The repetitive motion puts my world in perspective. It is good for me. 


Throughout my twenties, I took long walks around Greenlake in Seattle several times a week. With my earphones on and my Walkman (it was the 80's) tuned to the classical station, I made my way around the 3 mile path (often more than once) and watched it change with the seasons. At the time I worked in  a hospital lab......a fairly precise and uncreative way to spend 8-10 hours a day......but on the path around the lake, bird calls, breezes and a multitude of instruments provided background music that highlighted the movement and drama of nature.


At some point, as they say, 'life happened'. My walks became fewer and farther in-between, and since I no longer lived close enough, were rarely around the lake. Now and again I've picked it back up, but other responsibilities regularly began to take precedence over the time I used to give myself.  Sometimes I have stopped for weeks or months or ended up walking only when I was either out of town or on vacation. 


This fall a few friends and I decided to meet up twice a week to walk. We had the same goals in mind:  fresh air, exercise,  friendship,  fun. I love that I've made a commitment to show up, not only for myself but for the others as well, and that we spend time out of doors rain or shine. One of the women is a realtor, which translates into the fact that she knows just about every steep hill in the area. We push and/or wait for each other. We encourage and support each other. 


Early on we set a goal of walking the Seattle Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon together and on Saturday we did it.  Although we had planned to keep a somewhat slower pace than normal......for some reason no one did. In fact, I think we all walked faster! We strode past shops, the Public Market, sports stadiums, industrial areas, neighborhoods, schools and parks. We walked into and out of two tunnels, across a couple of over-passes and along the shore of Lake Washington. It was a beautiful and priceless opportunity to view our city in a way we never have before. And......although it had been pouring rain for the couple days previously......and although rain was predicted to fall on that day......the sun came out and there was not a drop that fell on us during the entire 13.1 miles.


3 hours and 37 minutes, and lots of encouragement from bands and bystanders later, we crossed the finish line together. I've been outside walking several times this week. I have my sites set on next year.


Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.


Warmly, Margaret

Summer Solstice

Today I stopped in at the nursery for geraniums, trailing lobelia and new clay pots. After some deliberation, I brought home a couple of dwarf apple trees to plant along one of the long sides of our fence. Within the next few days, I plan to go back for a pear and maybe a plum tree as well. I've been eyeing this one stretch of empty soil for awhile now and have big plans for it. Funny how a warm, sunny day can motivate me.


Summer arrived at 4:09 PM today. I love 'first days' of anything. Wishing you a happy first day of summer.


Warmly, Margaret

Perfect

I love to be outside almost any time of the year. Although it's quite a bit more challenging during some months and seasons than others......right now where I live......it's pretty close to perfect. We typically have long, sunny stretches of days during late summer and early fall. Evening rolls around a little earlier and the sun comes up a bit later. Comfortable nights are followed by cool mornings. Early cups of coffee in the back yard often involve a blanket. Neighborhood kids take advantage of every last minute. Dinner is set on the patio for the last few balmy evenings. Our daily walk is finished near dark.

The crown jewels of this season are wild, late summer blackberries. Right now they are ripe and beautiful and sweet, and I'm not sure I can get enough. I always feel a bit anxious when I know the berries have turned their darkest purple......as if they might be gone before I can get to them. And some years they are.

This morning a friend and I met up for a walk on a lake trail carrying bowls and a pitcher to see what we could gather. We came back with enough for a pie or a cobbler, and possibly both. Some to snack on or to top off oatmeal, yogurt or granola for breakfast. I might have to collect a few more in order make the ice cream or sorbet I'm thinking sounds pretty good. 

Mom Nature knows how to make us appreciate what is free for the taking. You don't have to travel far (blackberries grow aggressively in most areas of the Pacific Northwest) but these wild bushes are full of sharp thorns and the fattest, juiciest berries are usually too high and out of reach. You need to be well covered with the right clothing and often be tough and creative. We stuck our arms through a scratchy mess in order to get to many of the low ones, and wished that we had brought along a stick to pull down packed upper branches. My fingers are stained, I have red marks on my hands.......but the result is pure deep-purple bliss.

Wishing you a wonderful late summer weekend!

Warmly, Margaret

Last Bits Of Summer

There are some enormous maples I stare at each morning, coffee cup in hand, as I figure out what’s up for the day. On this morning, hundreds of green leaves moving about on the air currents that pass through their branches remind me it’s still summer. There are, however, a smattering of those that have turned brown and moved on to sparsely carpet the ground below. Not many, but enough for me to take notice.

A gray and overcast sky will most likely burn off by late afternoon and transition to August warmth by this evening. The first week of September is rolling into view and the fibers of autumn are slowly weaving their way into the lazy carpet of summer. With the first school bus of the year that passed through our neighborhood around seven this morning, a predictable rhythm began. Cool morning air draws me forward...... toward change and possibility.

Hope you enjoy your last moments of summertime!

Warmly,  Margaret

(PS: If you're interested....I wrote about a wonderful Italian cafe, Caffe Dolce , that I visited last week in Missoula on the website Make it Missoula. I've included the link. Hope you check it out!)

Nineteen

I had a few things going on last week, not the least of which was packing up the Suburban to help my youngest settle into his sophomore year of college in Missoula. He moved in to a rental house this year and unlike the small rectangle of a dorm room he inhabited last year, there is quite a bit more space. Quite a bit more space meant traveling with quite a few more things in order to help furnish a kitchen, a living room, a back yard and a bedroom. We got out of town at the time we planned (somewhat unusual for us...) and moved across the state carrying clothes in a suitcase, in bags and on hangars. We carried sheets, towels, mixing bowls, kitchen utensils, plates, cups, bowls, chairs and his bike. There were important items from Costco and Target runs we had made before the trip, as well as a few things from home we managed to fit in for his brother who lives there full time.

What we couldn't find room for greeted me in the entry way as soon as I returned home and will have to be carted over next time. They are items that aren't necessary at this point in the year anyway...like his snowboard gear and a couple more chairs. We did forget and leave the cardboard tube of posters behind, however. He thinks it's pretty urgent that they are sent over ASAP.

You know how you can learn a lot about a person when you're in a bit of a crisis? Like how they handle their emotions under pressure. How they think on the fly. Whether they fall apart or keep it together with a cool head. If they tend to think of themselves first or whether it is just natural for them to reach out and take care of some one else.

My youngest is just an easy going and pretty helpful kid by nature, so when the fuel pump gave out as I hurtled across the state at 70 mph....I was fortunate he was in the seat next to me. Although I had to wake him from a road trip induced slumber, he quickly snapped to and figured out what was going on much faster than I might have with a sleepy-foggy brain. As my car lost speed he reminded me to turn on the emergency flashers and motioned to those passing on our right that we needed to make it over to the wider right hand shoulder of the road. Once safely parked (if it is ever safe to be parked on the side of an interstate!), he used his smart phone to look up hotels and repair shops in the nearest town while I was on mine with AAA. He helped me talk through the decision to be towed all the way to Spokane, which although it would be more expensive, would work out best in the long run since we could stay with my parents for free.

What really did this mom's heart good however was when after digging around in the back seat for a minute, he pulled out a small towel to keep the 90+ degree heat off my head. And that he shared ice cubes with me from the one fountain drink we traveled with. And when he unzipped his guitar from it's case, sat on the edge of the back seat and started playing one of the few tunes he knows so far. Those things.....they make a difference.

We arrived in Missoula the following day and met up with Marc and Peter a few hours later than originally planned. It all ended well. Our car is driving great. He's moved in and settled, and we had a lot of fun during our stay.

Something else that does this mom's heart good: I'm pretty sure he's OK without us. He hugged and kissed us as we left and reminded us not to be strangers....as if he needed to. Last I heard he was spending a lot of time with his friends floating the river and barbequeing in the back yard during this week before school starts. Ahhhhh......19.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Margaret

Cherries and A Favorite Cookbook

I love the abundance of fresh cherries at this time of year but have to admit that other than eating them raw, I'm not overflowing with ideas about how to use them. We're fortunate here in Washington in that we have a large local crop. When they're in season, I buy a lot. We also travel quite a bit to the Flathead Valley of Montana which is brimming with beautiful cherry blossoms in the spring and boxes of deep black-red fruit right around this time.

On one of Peter's trips home from Missoula last summer, he stopped in at my sister's in Eastern Washington to pick a huge box from her orchard. I don't can often, but wanted to preserve these. We could only eat so many before the quality went south so I spent an afternoon washing, pitting, making syrup and boiling. It was a nice way to commune with my sister who I dont' see nearly often enough. When they were finished I almost hated to put them away because the ruby colored jars were so beautiful sitting there on the counter.......although it may have had something to do with how proud I was of myself for canning. Honestly...I think I left them there for weeks! 

Last night I tried a recipe for Cherry, Basil and Mint Salad that I've been eyeing for awhile. 'Tis the season and well...I was just a bit curious how the handful of ingredients in this dish would combine.  I thought the short list of sweet, spicy and citrus sounded interesting, and besides there is hardly anything I've used fresh mint in that I didn't just love. Oh.......it was good!

As much as I'd like to give you the recipe, it is not mine to share, but I will let you know that it comes from a cookbook that's been beautifying my kitchen and table for awhile now. Tender features food ideas from local chef, Tamara Murphy. It holds uncomplicated recipes as well as chef's notes that talk about foods she chooses to purchase, cook, eat and enjoy.  Each time I page through, I feel like I want to become engaged in a long conversation with her about food! 

I'm a very visual and tactile person, so feel compelled to add that the pages are not overfilled, the font simple and easy to read, and how much I love the feel and weight of the paper. Also....the photography is so well done: Generous, helpful, subtle and interesting, and along with the content of the text, allows you to have a bit more of a relationship with this chef. 

This is a year round cookbook, for sure, but is especially wonderful with the farmer's markets in full swing. I like to stroll through armed with a few ideas, but honestly if I'm not that organized, it's nice to have a volume to peruse when I come home loaded down with whatever produce I just couldn't resist buying.

Hope you're enjoying your summer. I am......especially now that after weeks of clouds and rainy weather, the sun has decided to make an extended appearance.

Warmly,
Margaret

Little Bits of Summer

A few summer things:

As of last week I have a new oven; the old one had been acting up for awhile. It's a wall unit and when the original one was removed, the contractor found it had been wired incorrectly in the first place. Yikes! The new guy has a cobalt blue interior. Don't know why but that makes me happy every time I open it. The first thing I made was a pan of Butter Tart Squares....which......if you have any Canadians in your family, you'll know what I'm talking about and why they were what I chose to initiate my oven with.

Peter and his dog, Lewis, walked through the door at 10:30 last night. I had no idea they were coming to town. Of course, a coffee cake was in and out of my new oven with the cobalt blue interior early this morning.

Joey has a summer job working in the kitchen of an Italian restaurant where he stands for hours at a time making ravioli and tortellini. Yesterday he told me he gets lost deep in his thoughts while he's preparing food. I get that.

I spent this past Saturday inside and Sunday outside getting quite a few chores taken care of. So many little things that were adding up, weighing on me and making me anxious to get them out of the way. It was a rainy, cloudy weekend, which made the sunny day I had planting flowers yesterday that much more enjoyable.

Last evening was the first dinner this season that we've eaten outside on the patio. Grilled steaks, grilled corn and baked potatoes with an arugula, tomato and feta salad. Worth waiting for.

Today......a day with our whole family under the same roof.

Missoula Saturday Morning

One of the things I love about Missoula is the town's seemingly endless variety of food, art, music, people watching and ways to spend time outdoors. We spent Saturday morning strolling downtown with Peter and his dog, Lewis. After a stop at the Missoula Art Museum to view a ceramic exhibit, we sipped coffee in the warm sun outside of Hunter's Bay and listened to music. The brew was deep, dark, aromatic and wonderful. The music, a soul filled concert on lap slide guitar and churango by a musician who I had heard play around Missoula in the past.

There are three separate Saturday Markets that span several blocks (The Clark Fork River Market, The People's Market and The Farmer's Market) so we made the rounds. Unfortunately, we had to pass on the  many fruits, veggies and other fresh offerings, because we weren't sure about them surviving the long drive home. We did end up with some yummy apricot pepper jelly and a couple of CD's, however. And a rocking chair. I deliberated for awhile about the chair and loved that while I was deciding, the artist sat down and played a tune for us on one of the cigar box guitars which he also makes and sells. I was tempted to get one of those as well, just because I thought they were so interesting and couldn't get over the fact that he made a guitar with amazing sound out of a box. But I passed. I don't even play the guitar yet. Luckily, the chair fit in the car with everything else we thought we needed to bring on this road trip.

I think Marc was seriously concerned I would bring this chicken home, too......although I'm pretty sure it was for display purposes only and not for sale.

We're back home now and looking for a place in our house for that chair, carrying it from room to room and up and down the stairs until I find out where it was meant to be. It was a good break and a great visit with Peter. I'm so proud of him and of all my boys. I could go on, but will save that for future posts.

Hope you're enjoying summer now that it's here!

Fishing

This weekend we went fishing on a small lake outside of Kalispell, Montana, just Peter, Marc and I. The other two boys had to work. Typically we choose a driftboat on a river to cast our fly rods from, but they are running high and muddy this year in western Montana, so we found a nearby lake instead. The mosquitoes were thick, hungry and ready to bite outside of our car, but as soon as we hit the water they stopped and the fish started and kept us busy for quite a few hours. Always a friendly competition in our family in which we are required to practice skill and patience. It follows this general pattern: Cast, wait, wait, cast again and again, wait some more, set the hook if you're lucky, eyeball length and weight, release and keep track. Do I have to say who won? (Not me....)

What a peaceful, billowy cloud and blue sky day. A bit breezy and the perfect temperature. So much quiet broken only by the cast of a rod, the creak of an oar, water lapping against the boat, the occasional  fish surfacing and the haunting calls of the loon on the lake.

I appreciate and know the value of this time. We've fished together since the boys were pretty young. Soaking in the simplicity of our surroundings. Focusing on the spot where the line meets the water. Enjoying each others presence. Talking or not.

Summer Learning Garden

The other day I noticed some enormous lavender bushes flowering in the back lot where our local Farmer's Market is held. Thinking the vibrant purple would make for some nice images, Marc and I ended up back there late yesterday afternoon, my camera in hand.

As soon as I was close enough, I realized that it wasn't a light breeze moving the blossoms back and forth, and that indeed there was no power tool in the vicinity responsible for the constant buzzing.  I have kind of an irrational fear of bees......don't make me explain. One flitting here or there is fine (although a flitting one did end up in my ear the other day), but when they congregate in great numbers, I've been known to change course in order to prevent a lot of embarrassing screaming and dancing around.  Anyway, I didn't bring along my zoom and would have needed to crouch in way too close for my comfort in order to get a good shot. Thank goodness most of the other plants in the garden weren't as attractive to them at the moment.

(Don't get me wrong......I have a great appreciation for bees and am thankful for all of their hard work and usefulness......they just scare me.)

The fact that I bypassed the lavender sent us wandering around the rest of the garden, and what a wonderful spot to wander in any time during the planting, growing or harvesting seasons. Peaceful and inspiring. Beautiful and thought provoking. A community space put to good use as a Learning Garden. We walked the pathways between several small plots, reading the informative signs posted along the way. There were flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs. Poles, trellises, rain barrels and compost. A rich variety of food, beauty and potential photo opportunities, which of course, I know will change significantly and rhythmically throughout the summer and fall.   

Today marks the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice. It is the longest day of the year, the instant in time when the top half of the earth is tilted closest to the sun and the astronomical first day of summer. We're lucky to be able to celebrate here with cobalt skies, wispy clouds and the promise of the sun warmed offerings of the earth in the months to come. What will you do to celebrate?

Wishing you a wonderful week!

Warmly, Margaret

Mid-June

Mid June in the Pacific Northwest:

Breezy with a chance of wildflowers or weeds....take your pick. Sunny east of the Cascades. Spicy spring veggies, herbs and greens. The last school bus rolling past our corner. Kid noises in the neighborhood. Happy dogs. Thumping car stereos. Scrubbing down the grill. Plans to make a batch of barbecue sauce.

Summer's on its way....

Tone

This morning I glanced at an article that mentioned the 'tone of a city'.  I like that phrase and rolled it around in my mind for a little while today. The author was referring to architecture, but there are quite a few things that can add to the feel of a place: geography, space, color, light, smells, sounds.

The other night our family needed an activity simply based on catching up. One that could set the tone for four of us sharing space together for the summer. We no longer live in Seattle, but did at one time and occasionally need a fix. After an impromptu discussion of dinner options, we decided to head to a favorite spot there to enjoy an outdoor table, warm air, the Puget Sound, muted color, evening light, seafood, chocolate and coffee. We ate and observed scenery and chatted well beyond the point of chilly goosebumps for me, so when the hostess walked through with a stack of blankets I took one, and our evening extended a little longer.

Because we've all reached adult (or almost adult) status in this family we're often in different places in our lives. Much of the time we travel different directions and pursue different interests that come with different needs. It's good to make a point to come together in combinations of two, three, four or five. To make an effort. To get to know the person each of us has grown in to. To set a tone for the future.