A One Day Adventure

 If you have followed along with me for a long time you will know that occasionally I like to have an adventure with my grandson. Sometimes his mom comes along and even my "live-in gardener". Most often our adventures happen in the summer. Since he didn't have school on Friday I planned an adventure for the four of us. In the first picture you will see the Portland train station. We were up early and caught the morning train, going north.

The train ride took 3 1/2 hours to arrive in Seattle. My grandson had never been to Seattle.

I loved just having time together, plus watching the view out the window.

The weather was perfect, no rain!

We arrived at lunch time and walked to the International district for lunch. Then ordered a Lyft ride to the Seattle Asian Art Museum. None of us had been there and we thoroughly enjoyed it. What a beautiful museum.

Of course you knew if I spotted a tea pot I had to take a picture.

And since grandson, D, hadn't been there before, we made a stop at the Seattle Center to see the Space Needle and do a bit of walking. By now my feet were tired, but there was more walking to be done.

Off we were to Pike Place Public Market. This is definitely a tourist draw. We paused at The Crumpet House for fresh made crumpets. Some crumpets actually came home in my bag.

Oh I should have taken a picture of the fish market, but I did capture a few flowers. The market is near the downtown area and in my daughter's words "a vibrant place". It was very active with people out enjoying the day.

What a special way to spend time with someone you love. We were home by 9:30PM with another adventure together, creating memories.

And that was one extra special adventure day for me this past week.

In the middle of two very different books this week, more later on them. I did finish reading The Perfumer's Secret by Neroli Lacey. It was pretty good, I enjoyed it OK; but not as much as the last book I read before this one.

Sending love,

Marilyn

"Look and See"

 

One of my all time favorite Mary Oliver poems:

Look and See

This morning, at waterside, a sparrow flew

to a water rock and landed, by error, on the back

of an eider duck; lightly it fluttered off, amused.

The duck, too, was not provoked, but, you might say, 

was laughing.

This afternoon a gull sailing over

our house was casually scratching

its stomach of white feathers with one

pink foot as it flew.

Oh Lord, how shining and festive is your gift to us, 

if we only look, and see.

Visiting the Lan Su Chinese Gardens this week just to "look and see". I must go searching to find those little bits of nature that just make me smile. Isn't it amazing what you can find when you pay attention, opening your eyes?

Sending you out and about to "look and see".

With love,

Marilyn

Finding Joy

 Buddhist proverb: Three things will always rise; the sun, the moon, and the truth.

This quote reminds me to search for the small joys in life.

When I lived in my house you often found me early in the morning strolling through the garden in my robe or even in summer just in my pajamas. I loved the early morning hour strolls through the garden. I was always searching for new blooms, new growth. It is what brought me joy. These days I am adjusting and relearning how to do this. I find if I just step out on my patio at sunrise and look toward the sky I can find stars and sometimes the moon. It delights me.

If I spy a flower or take my cup of tea in hand and breathe in the scents, I smile.

My "live-in gardener" was in the hospital for a few days this past week. He is better now and we are both almost back to normal after having the "icky" virus going around. Our appetites aren't quite back to normal; so for Valentine's I thought we would have a simple teatime.

I made cucumber sandwiches, Coronation chicken sandwiches (British), cream scones, mochi with marachino cherries (Japanese), fruit, and moon cakes (Chinese); then tea was rooibos Marco Polo (French). It was a multi-ethnic teatime, but it satisfied our teatime appetite quite well.

Do you enjoy candle light in the winter evenings? Or even in the morning? It also brings me joy and delight.

Then today there was a Chinese New Year celebration with my tea group.

It was a potluck and tea tasting.

Wow! There was a lot of food and tea.

I made the pink mochi balls with maraschino cherries inside.

This week I finished reading Mrs. Endicott[s Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen. It takes place during the late 1930's, early 1940's; which is an era that fascinates me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Even through their struggles, the characters found small joys.

Finding small joys in the everyday times.

What brings you small joys?

Sending love,

Marilyn

Searching for Spring

The callas had been dug up and moved to my daughter's yard. It was so fun to see them flourishing in her garden. They originally came from my sister's house in California. I call them our traveling callas. I found them in the garden just yesterday.

When I get to February every year I start searching for springtime. I don't know about you, but I miss sunshine and roses. I miss seeing blue skies and fluffy clouds. I miss seeing new growth and the softness of yellow greens as they begin sprouting from tree branches.

So even though I am still feeling a bit under the weather, yesterday I had to go out for just a small adventure to look for springtime.

My daughter had sent me a picture of the witch hazel blooming. The witch hazel had been a birthday gift for me a few years ago; so I had to visit it and see in person the blooms. Also my favorite lemon tree was sitting next to the witch hazel; so I said "hello" to the lemon tree too. Usually there are lemons on the tree about now, but I guess since Jill repotted it there were no lemons. However, it was flourishing and full of leaves. Next year there will be lemons again. I just know it.

Aren't the blooms amazing? Or is it just me that is intrigued by these unique flowers?

Tulips are showing up at the market. Who can resist a bouquet of tulips at this time of year. I love, love super-market flowers. Often a bouquet comes home in the grocery cart.

A new calla lily will be added to Jill's garden soon.

The burgundy color sings to my soul.

 What season do you anticipate and treasure the most? Spring is it for me. Spring touches my heart.

Sending love,

Marilyn

Brrrr Basket and a Caring Heart

 

Not that pretty of a picture today. But a picture of caring, of saying "I hope you feel better soon". It has been a week of being sick. Amazingly, I had not been sick for about 15 years. I must say, it just isn't fun! Not sure if it was the flu or just a bad cold; but I think I will survive.

My neighbor messaged me to let us know she would be gone for a few days this week. I said we would be here, as we are healing. A little while after that there was a knock on the door and a message from our neighbor saying she had left some soup by our door. That felt so cared for. Then the next day, our daughter brought more soup. We have the best soup bar at the market by our apartment, I must remember that in the future.

I have often thought about making a "Brrr Basket" as a gift during the winter months. What would I put into it? It would be a basket of cozy things for a cold winter day.

A mug

Hot chocolate mix with marshmallows

Cozy socks

Good book or puzzle

Warm knit gloves

A cozy robe or sweater

Of course, some tea

What would you put in a Brrrr Basket?

My friend that's husband passed away recently, when asked what she needed said "send donuts". Are donuts something that would comfort you? I think I will look for a donut shop near her and send a gift certificate.

My post isn't very beautiful today, but the beauty is in the caring for others. The small things of saying "you are cared for".

Sending love,

Marilyn

Adventure or Not to Adventure?

Picture taken a few days ago in Port Townsend, Washington

I have an adventurers heart, my "live-in" gardener, not so much. I love it when I find a friend that likes to take adventures with me. My "live-in gardener" loves to be snuggled in his chair, reading. Now nothing wrong with that for sure, I like that too. But I do anticipate adventures from time to time.

The dictionary says an adventurer is "someone who seeks dangerous or exciting experiences: a person who looks for adventures".  Not all my adventures are dangerous for sure, but I do occasionally like a bit of a thrill.

A few years ago, as my grandson, arrived at an age that I thought he might like an adventure, I started planning one special adventure each summer. The first one was to fly to California and do a bit of swimming (even with a swimming dog). Then there was white water rafting. He was a bit terrified until he did it. Then he wanted to immediately go back and do it again. Then there was ziplining. Again "terrified" but loved it. In 2024 was a Big Foot boat excursion down the Willamette River and Columbia Rivers. This past year was a hot air balloon ride at dawn.

Those are all a bit "terrifying", but fun. This is just what my adventurers heart loves. As a young girl I would do crazy stunts on my bicycle or climb a tree and swing from the branches. This terrified our neighbors. They were sure I was going to kill myself.

There are those "terrifying" type of adventures, but some adventures are more of solitude or time spent with a friend. I consider my drives and tea times under the apple tree branches as an adventure, an adventure in friendship spent together. Or I might say "come along with me for a drive to the beach".  

Do you have an adventurers heart or would you prefer being tucked by the fireplace with a good book? A good book can be an adventure for sure. Right now, I am reading a book by Joyce Maynard, The Bird Hotel, and it has taken me to a lake by a volcano in Mexico. Oh, how even a book can whisk us away on an adventure.

Sending Love,

Marilyn

Seasons of Friendships

  In the Bleak Mid-Winter

In the bleak mid-winter

Frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron,

Water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow,

Snow on snow,

In the bleak mid-winter

Long ago.

    This past week I took the time just to "be", to think, and to be tidy at my desk. It was time in this "bleak mid-winter" to just sit with my thoughts. Tax season will be here before we know it, and it was time to get my papers in order. In doing so, there was time to think. I thought of people I have known and know. What hit me was the seasons of friendship. Some friends come into our lives for a short time and some for a lifetime.        

"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart"   Eleanor Roosevelt
The flowers showed up in a friend's garden, and they felt like friends themselves. Hello little snowdrops, Hello hellebore!

Then on Saturday a dear friend that I have known since high school passed away. He will be missed, a lifetime friend, a dear friend.

Then this week I exchanged phone numbers and a message on my phone with a new neighbor. I wondered, would she become a confident, a close friend, or just for a season a friend that says, "how are you doing?".

Often, I burn a candle on these bleak winter mornings. I read and I ponder.

The book I am reading this week is 101 Teas to STEEP before you die. Fascinating to think like that. The book is a good primer of tea and even though I have learned a lot in the past, there is always more to learn.

So, I sit here with my tea this morning, pondering the mysteries of friendship.

A friend for a brief season made the cup. A friend I love dearly gave me the glass pitcher.

Again, for a season we find friendship in many forms.

Sending love,

Marilyn