Thanksgiving rolls around again

Lopez Island, Washington

COVID's not gone yet (see current events in Europe) but it was wonderful that we felt safe enough to gather once again on Lopez for Thanksgiving. A relatively small group of 12 felt just right. Everyone contributed something to the effort, and it was a lovely time.

Thanks again, all!

Repast

Lopez Island, Washington

This afternoon I went down to the old, old plum trees in the field to see if there might be any plums. One tree had shed all its fruit, but the other still had plums. I picked as many as I could reach and headed back to the house to make my first plum galette. The joys of fall!

Repose

Lopez Island, Washington

Made it up to the island late last night and looking forward to a weekend with friends. Lovely morning despite the rain. In these crazy times, every time I get a chance to spend time with friends or do something "normal," I feel grateful. We are not out of this pandemic yet, but glimpses of my old life make me hopeful. So happy to be here.

Gingerbread 2020

Seattle, Washington

Well, there's not MUCH room for Christmas gatherings this year, but at least we did our annual gingerbread. A decided to go for a 2-dimensional (Rusheen!) gingerbread house this year which, in a way, is a perfect metaphor for this year: 2-dimensional. 

(Did I mention we love red hots around here?)

Scandinavian morning

 Lopez Island, Washington

This morning I set out early for a bike ride before starting my remote workday. The sights and smells of Fisherman Bay reminded me so much of my time in Särö, an island community near Kungsbacka on the west coast of Sweden, that I could almost taste it. And that was 37 years ago. Compounding the experience was the fact that I was listening to "Copenhagen," the L.A. Theater Works piece about Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg, as I rode. Sometimes you just get TRANSPORTED to another place and time.

BLM: Lopez Island

Lopez Island, Washington

I have been coming to Lopez Island since about 1970. Let's face it: the islands have always been a very "white" place, although more and more Hispanic families have moved to Lopez in recent years. Thus I was astonished (and pleased!) to find Black Lives Matter signs all over Lopez on this most recent trip. And particularly moved by this memorial to African Americans who have died at the hands of law enforcement. THIS is part of what people mean when they say "this time it's different." Yes, there is a LONG ways to go but if BLM can make it to Lopez (and all over small town America!), I think it's a sign of hopeful things to come.

Re-connecting

Lopez Island, Washington

Yesterday afternoon as we were waiting in the ferry line in Anacortes, I heard a familiar name called over the loud speaker: "Will Blank Blank please return to the ticket kiosk for a lost item." Now, this person's name is not so unusual, but I was pretty sure it was him. No answer at first when I texted, but several hours later I got confirmation: yes, it was him.

Later that evening we met my friend and his son down at Fisherman Bay harbor as them disembarked from their boat. So much fun to re-connect after several years--and especially in the middle of socially isolating global pandemic.

And, as another bonus, he gave us some freshly caught shrimp to try. I tried my hand at peeling them (ouch, those guys have sharp edges!) and cooking them, too.

A wonderfully pleasant surprise all around!

Time for a flat

Lopez Island, Washington

Headed out this morning for a ride. Barely made it to the main road before I realized that my front tire was flat as a pancake. Came home and set to work. A tiny leak in the inner tube sent a steady stream of bubbles into the water-filled sink. I haven't changed a flat in a long while, but today I am grateful that if it was time for a flat, I HAD time for a flat, too.

A subsequent test ride seems to suggest that I succeeded...and she's off!

Lopez in October

Lopez Island, Washington 
Saturday, October 13, 2018

Apples planted by Dad more than 30 years ago are ready for eating. Poplars planted more than 15 years ago by JLG are ready for admiring. A fantastically beautiful weekend...

Thanks, Mom & JLG!

Of a misty morning

Lopez Island, Washington
Saturday, March 31, 2018

Awoke to my favorite sight in the world: morning fog in the field outside the farmhouse. And there's more: plum trees just about to blossom, field sopping wet and, of course, Mom has tulips on the table. For a moment, the world seems a perfect place.

A riot of rose hips

Lopez Island, Washington
Monday, August 22, 2106

Late summer is here, but somehow the proliferation of rose hips marks the coming of fall for me. Blue, blue skies, a chill in the air, and more rose hips than I ever remember seeing before...

Berries, beaches & art

Lopez Island, Washington

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Just finishing up a lovely week at Lopez with friends: lots of beach time, berry picking (yes, blackberries, too), and lots of art for kids of all ages. Thanks again, Mom!

Bumper crop

Lopez Island, Washington
Monday, July 20, 2015

The yellow plum tree is laden to the breaking point with fruit this year. It's been at least 30 years since Dad planted these trees...

Beach combing

Lopez Island, Washington
Saturday, August 2, 2014

Having been forced to abandon much of her shell/rock/potsherd/sea glass/stick collection in Jordan, A was keen to start afresh now that we are home. She focused her attention today on collecting the tiniest of shells. No doubt her vast collection will be up to full strength before long.

Blackberry heaven

Yes, that's an adult hand

Lopez Island, Washington
Saturday, August 2, 2014

A (nearly) side-by-side comparison test reveals that Lopez has the biggest, juiciest blackberries around. On Wednesday and Thursday of this week A and I picked enough blackberries near our houses in the Central District to produce two cobblers. But late this afternoon we set out to pick berries here on Lopez and were rewarded with huge juicy berries that proved far superior to those we found in Seattle. In fact, they were so good the berries never made it into a cobbler...

Back to Crowfoot Farm

Lopez Island, Washington
Saturday, June 21, 2014

This morning we made another lightening raid on Crowfoot Farm for some of the finest strawberries around. With the seven of us picking, it did not take long for us to pick more than enough berries for the next several days. Good fun for folks of all ages.

Garden furniture, re-done

Lopez Island, Washington
Friday, June 20, 2014

Coming to the end of five lovely days on Lopez with family. Yesterday Grandma came up with a fail-safe project for the grand-kids: spray painting the garden furniture. These particular ones have been in the family a long, long time and were much improved by this new color...

The finished product

Lopez Island, Washington
Wednesday, August 21, 2013

50 stars turned out to be a bit much for the young artists, but everyone seem pleased with the final product anyway...

Sewing flags

Lopez, Washington
Monday, August 19, 2013

Set up a sewing project today to teach the kids some of the basics of sewing--and to have fun with shape and color. A diversion, too, for when they've had enough racing around for a while...

Fat berries

Lopez Island, Washington
Tuesday, July 10, 2012

We went berry picking today here on Lopez. Big. Red. Delicious.

This is heaven.