light in my house

i'm clutching onto summer light wherever i find it. after a beautiful weekend, today is a rainy, stormy day and i'm left faced with the reality that summer--though it never really even started this year--is almost over. i have neko case's magpie to the morning on repeat, singing "don't let this faded summer pass you by."

with all my wistfulness and forlorning, i do feel like i did most of what i wanted to do this summer. we had a big party this weekend with all of our friends in our backyard. i made desserts and lit candles in bell jars when the sun went down. i picked blackberries in my grandma's front yard yesterday and boiled up peaches with water and sugar to put over yogurt all week long. here, see my progress on my summer list. i'm pretty happy with all i was able to do.

with that, september begins tomorrow and i will be here with a september list. no more whining about the end of summer. just confidence and contentment in the next changing season.
a bientot...

meals outside

what is summer for, if not for meals outside? we've been sitting on our back patio for dinner and staying until the sun goes down. when the sun reaches a certain point on the horizon, a range of mountains appear perfectly back lit and in shadow. our alley is filled with golden and pink light.

what kind of beauty are you enjoying lately?

full days

 
these past few days have been very full, i quite like it. friday i participated in the fremont arts walk, with my photos hanging in the fremont place book co. it was very full and fun with lots of people, lots of smiling faces, lots of good friends and family. over the weekend i walked around town with a good friend who was visiting after two years away. we stopped by all his old favorite spots. one highlight was an amazing exhibit of sculpture and photography by kiki smith at the henry art gallery. it was my second time seeing it and i connected that much more with the whole show on round two. jon and i went on a long walk to a friend's and took the long walk back home. it was refreshing and calming. we celebrated easter with a nice brunch. today i went dress shopping for a big event this weekend and was successful my first try (so rare). now, i'm going to lay in bed and read a junot diaz story in the new yorker.

march 30

today i'm thinking about evenings spent outside with lukewarm air. i'm thinking about freedom and hope and what those words mean in my life and why we are brought to remember them yearly, at a passover seder. i'm thinking about memories. of holidays with all my family, of special people, of loved ones.

hope this isn't too sappy for you, it's just what i'm thinking.

**
seattle friends, some of my photos will be hanging in the fremont place book company for all of april. join me there at the arts walk this friday! (feel free to email me for more details).

tag

good morning! today is not a rainy day (phew), even though i'm showing a photo of very rainy day a few weeks back. i had intended to take a picture of the bright orange dress in the window, but i realized that i was more clear than the dress was. i think i even said right after i snapped this photo "that photo was definitely more me than the dress." but i like it. i'm always happy to have some photos of myself, even if you can't see anythng but my raincoat and pentax.

caroline hancox tagged me with a fun blogging award and a challenge to share 7 things about myself. have you seen caroline's photography? she's good.

seven things about me:
1. i live a few blocks away from a man-made lake (oops! i guess greenlake is not a man made lake. who knew?) with a path circling it. i just got back from a nice walk around it.
2. i have a weakness for toasted bagels and cream cheese. i have always loved that combination and always will.
3. i once lived in paris, on a street called mouffetard.
4. my paternal grandfather immigrated to america from belarus (ussr) when he was 6. i wish i knew more about his experience.
5. there was a period of time in my life where my best friend and i would watch austin powers the movie over and over. we would pause the vcr when dr. evil said "liquid hot magma" to watch him say it in slow motion.
6. i really love having friends over for dinner.
7. on sunday i got a new lens!

march 15

i spent a very limited time on the computer this weekend, and it felt really great. taking little breaks like that are really important to me. besides being good for my brain, it also gave me time to read like nobody's business. for most of fall i had a reading dry spell. a drought, really. and i think a big part of it was because i spent so much time online. it can be super fun to be on the computer, but it can also take a lot of time away from my day. i am working on limiting my computer time so that i can feel fulfilled in my days.

in january, something snapped me back into reading and since then i've been on a book frenzy. i spent a lot of time on the couch this weekend, soaking up the extra hour of daylight, and finishing my book. it was great.

light and shadows

these pictures: the sun in the perfect part of the sky, a building with windows slanted just so, a turn down the right street.

do you have plans for the weekend? i plan to meet a new friend for drinks, make a chocolaty treat to share, go to a secret cafe fundraiser, read a lot, and...(drumroll)...get a new lens! i'm crossing my fingers for some good light again, seattle has been pretty dreary this week.

enjoy.

fresh air

recently i've been longing for a little getaway. fresh air, the outdoors. i'm also dreaming of summer trips, camping and hiking and lounging. i can't help myself, but the waves lapping against a shore is by far my favorite sound. and what better way to read a bunch of books, than to enjoy them in a camping chair by the fire? sometimes i just need to clear my head and take in deep breaths. i am diving back into the busy season at work, and i'd really like to be energetic and enthusiastic about it. i would like to be focused. i hope that dreaming of a little getaway will be a good reprise to get me through the next few busy months.

i need some quiet time

these pictures make me feel very calm, and i could use more of that right now. this past week i was working at the northwest flower and garden show, selling books. it got me all fired up on putting in a garden in our new house. i miss our old house for it's almost farm-like plot of land, but i am excited this year by the prospect of edibles in containers!

at the moment, though, all i really want is a good night's sleep, a day off of work, a long slow walk with a few cameras and for this nagging sore throat to go away. maybe some hot tea and a bit of time to read my book, as well.

i'm trying to find a good local printer for my note cards. seattleites, know of any stationary printers?

*oh, and i know i am a bit behind on my cafe series, i hope to have a new cafe post this week.