The changing of seasons always reminds me that nothing in life is static. I’ve been spending a lot of time outside trying to soak in every last ray of sunshine. The daytime temperatures have cooled off, the nights are getting nippy, and we turned on […]
Having a small bag of fresh pizza dough in the fridge has been a life saver this summer. It’s an easy supper solution on nights where I don’t feel like whipping out a bunch of pots and ingredients but still want a relatively healthy meal. […]
Crepuscular rays kick golden hour magic up … another notch … BAM!!! When I put together this post yesterday, I couldn’t come up with a snappy title. I briefly mentioned it to my husband and then went on to something else, thinking that said title […]
The last two mornings had a definite chill in the air. Fall is arriving! There’s even rain in the forecast. Much of my garden looks heat stressed, despite watering. This summer’s been extremely hot and dry for this area. Rain will be good, especially for […]
Don’t mind me! I’m the sipping, dipping, chirping adorable chickadee. Last night, I noticed this tiny chickadee sitting on the edge of the birdbath. I grabbed my phone, set the camera and slooooowly walked towards it. The chickadee did not appear to be […]
There is no stopping summer in my neck of the woods this year! It’s been hot, very hot and hotter than heck since early June in Portland. And wouldn’t you know it, about two weeks ago our air conditioner gave out. A repairman came over, […]
It’s late Friday afternoon here in Portland. The weather has been sunny and warm with a gentle breeze blowing at times. While strolling through the garden a few minutes ago, I spotted this busy bee collecting pollen in these Rose of Sharon blossoms. Bees, […]
What a treat to start the day, and the week! This morning we were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event: An almost completely total solar eclipse, visible right from my very own backyard! Excitement woke me up early in anticipation of the eclipse. This being […]
The first time I met my then future in-laws, my then boyfriend and I had been invited to Sunday night dinner at their house. I don’t think I’d ever been this nervous before in my entire life!! First thing I did at the dinner table […]
So far, we’ve had some record breaking temperatures here this summer! It’s been hotter than heck, and I actually can’t recall the last time it rained around here! Thankfully our house has air-conditioning. I must confess though that I love sitting outside and bake in […]
Hurried, distracted. Tripped & slipped up, snap, crackle, pop … Ouch!! My aching back … Heat a deep, heavy pan, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat. Add enough toasted sesame oil to generously cover the bottom. When the oil is really hot add enough popcorn to […]
Poppies have always been a favorite flower of mine! Imagine my excitement when I noticed this bright patch of poppies growing in a field alongside the road in Jacksonville, Oregon. Lucky for me, there was also a spot where I could safely pull over and […]
A daily dose of quiet garden therapy… stores my sanity…
Until this spring, I had only passed through Jacksonville once before. I don’t remember much of it, except that the town seemed to appear in the review mirror before I could blink. Add to this that it’s a bit out of the way from the […]
Big or small feet, warm or cold feet. Wait and see feet … Found the ones for you … Those who know me are familiar with my love for socks! Especially the fun ones!! On a recent […]
Yup!! You read that right! As strange as it sounds, I strongly encourage you to give this chilled summer soup a try. It’s one of the tastiest soups I’ve ever made. When we returned from a few days in the Puget Sound area, we were […]
Great conversation, food, wine. Gathering at the … cosmic vista point …. We recently visited a friend of ours who has one of the most beautiful woodland type gardens. The rhododendrons were spectacular, the California lilacs and woodland wildflowers in full bloom and don’t even […]
During the past few weeks, I’ve been spending a lot of time in my garden: weeding, planting, pruning, spreading new mulch and of course sitting on the deck in the evening. The rainy winter can be forgiven and forgotten since we have been rewarded with […]
in cahoots with muddy boots 