Under a Red Roof

One Community: September

September 5, 2013 in Friendship by Colleen | Permalink

work

gold

centerpiece

balance

One Community is a monthly photo project in which participants photograph their homes and community with a theme in mind. The theme varies by month. The goal is to both showcase similarities and differences in our communities worldwide – and bring us all closer together in understanding through art.

Kelli lives in Phoenix with her dog, Willie Nelson Mandela. She is a novelist, public health advocate, and United Methodist. She blogs at African Kelli .

Sarah is a life-long Missourian who shares her home with her husband, two sons, and an old, grumpy dachsund. Like every good Midwesterner, she can (and will) talk to you at length about the weather. Sarah blogs at Beauty School Dropout.

Rebekah lives in Kilkenny, Ireland with her husband. An American by birth, she’s discovering what it means to be an expat on the Emerald Isle. Her blog is Honeysuckle Life.

Kara is a cheerful nerd living in downtown Phoenix, AZ with her law-studying husband and an anxious pound puppy. She works full time in the mental health field but in her off time enjoys sunshine, great food and the occasional craft beer. She blogs at Sunshine Cupcakes.

Eduarda Schroeder is a curious, visual creature who believes all pictures tell a story. She hails from Mozambique, via Portugal and New Jersey, and is now a desert rat living with her husband and two teenage daughters in Chandler, Arizona. Her blog is Midnight Train.

Wife and Mom to a houseful of boys in sunny San Diego; word geek and all-kinds-of writer; maker of things both creative and useful. Sue is now blogging again at no-bad-days.

Teresa lives in Massachusetts with her husband, college aged daughter and two crazy cats. She is a creative spirit who tries to find the lesson, blessing and humor in everything and she blogs at Laughter Among Tears.

Tags: One Community

Friday at the Coast

September 1, 2013 in Exploring, Friendship by Colleen | Permalink

The hubster, in exchange for a dearth of holidays early in the year, gets Fridays off in August, the best of summer sipped like a fine cocktail and making September oh-so-long. We take full advantage on forays near and far. For this final treat, westward-ho to the coast we went, and I fell in love with beach grass, the muted song of fluttering waves and razor sharp points nipping at my bare ankles. Thusly, I renewed my affection for the scent of salt water, roaring sea, and rolling blankets of warm clouds. I also remembered how much I enjoyed the PBS series on Lewis and Clark and decided to revisit it soon.

Marsh’s Free Museum (you probably know why they are famous, but I won’t spoil it with a photo) and the Carousel in Long Beach.

South to Astoria

Trophies and fine burgers (try the Southwestern Portabella!) at Astoria Coffee House & Bistro

Treasures galore at one of the coolest shops ever: Astoria Vintage Hardware

Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe

Delicious Mochas

Street 14 Coffee

More deliciousness in the form of Almond Pastry

…

Have a Happy Labor Day!

Tags: Oregon, Washington

Summer Road Trip: The Methow Valley

August 18, 2013 in Exploring, Friendship, Traveling by Colleen | Permalink

Soda Lake

Alkali Lake

We’re our way to the Methow (Met-how) Valley now, cruising along near-deserted highway no. 17, with scores of miles between automobile sightings. It was that dreamy hour, early in the day, the heat not yet ripened, the wind scarcely a breath upon us.

Wheat and sagebrush under high clouds and faded blue sky:

East, West, North, and South.

Alone, but not lonely.

Full of love and awe.

The Rolling Huts, our modern home in the Methow, though I think they might need a bit of coaxing to actually roll. Perfectly situated for star gazing, and fortuitous timing for the beginning of the Perseid Meteor Shower, we laid in quiet witness of countless shooting stars, the slow descent of giant fire balls, zooming bright satellites, and our thick with dreamy stars Milky Way.

The wesola polana (happy meadow) and a couple of her visitors.

The Methow River and my favorite rock skipper.

More love.

Liberty Bell Mountain

Silver Star Mountain

The old-timey town of Winthrop. We saw no gun slingers or rabble-rousers, only like-minded tourists wilting in August heat.

A fellow looking much like a prospector made certain we did not miss this bridge and accompanying riparian entertainments (said with a hearty laugh and nod to Keeping Up Appearances). We were mighty grateful.

Deer Ears

Choke Cherry

A River Runs through it.

That smile!

Just down the road in Twisp, I met Jillian of The Noisy Plume! We had a tasty breakfast at the Glover Street Market (stop in for a smoothie or breakfast sandwich or waffle, then grab a bar or two of Molly’s Soap – you won’t regret it). As for the meeting, after the twitchy nervous-making beginning was melted and spent, there was much laughter and discovery and the baring of sweet souls. Happiness!

Up Next – Tieton!

Tags: Traveling

One Community: August

August 5, 2013 in Eating, Friendship by Colleen | Permalink

ice cream

bright

numbers

splash

One Community is a monthly photo project in which participants photograph their homes and community with a theme in mind. The theme varies by month. The goal is to both showcase similarities and differences in our communities worldwide – and bring us all closer together in understanding through art.

Kelli lives in New Jersey with her dog, Willie Nelson Mandela, and her boyfriend, Dutch. A native Arizonan, she is enamored by the lush landscape, and looking to build community. She is a novelist, public health advocate and United Methodist. She blogs at African Kelli .

Sarah is a life-long Missourian who shares her home with her husband, two sons, and an old, grumpy dachsund. Like every good Midwesterner, she can (and will) talk to you at length about the weather. Sarah blogs at Beauty School Dropout.

Rebekah lives in Kilkenny, Ireland with her husband. An American by birth, she’s discovering what it means to be an expat on the Emerald Isle. Her blog is Honeysuckle Life.

Kara is a cheerful nerd living in downtown Phoenix, AZ with her law-studying husband and an anxious pound puppy. She works full time in the mental health field but in her off time enjoys sunshine, great food and the occasional craft beer. She blogs at Sunshine Cupcakes.

Eduarda Schroeder is a curious, visual creature who believes all pictures tell a story. She hails from Mozambique, via Portugal and New Jersey, and is now a desert rat living with her husband and two teenage daughters in Chandler, Arizona. Her blog is Midnight Train.

Wife and Mom to a houseful of boys in sunny San Diego; word geek and all-kinds-of writer; maker of things both creative and useful. Sue is now blogging again at no-bad-days.

Teresa lives in Massachusetts with her husband, college aged daughter and two crazy cats. She is a creative spirit who tries to find the lesson, blessing and humor in everything and she blogs at Laughter Among Tears.

Tags: One Community

Goin’ Back…

July 8, 2013 in Exploring, Friendship, Listening by Colleen | Permalink

Goin’ back a spell for some of these. Time and photos pile UP. While you are here, have a listen to this, a literal match to today’s title, and just a plain perfect song, truth be told. It’s sung by the uber-talented and handsome Devendra Banhart; the reason for our being at the Crystal Ballroom and taking the photo, besides the fact it is neon, of course.

Fun with Matt and Beth and their cute kiddos (thanks for the last photo, too!). A jam packed day it was; with a field trip to the beaver pond and the puppy house; yumminess galore with the nibbling of forest greens, roasted marshmallows, and more; star and planet gazing (Saturn!); much laughter, romping, and silliness; and whispers and whiskey in the dark. I’m so glad we are friends.

We had a little hot spell and took it in stride, kicking it in our hillbilly swimming pool and eating food that requires no cooking. Boysenberries and peas grown in our very own garden patch and my not world famous but maybe it ought to be(!) spicy peanut sauce. Oh, and a little pink fizzy wine – doing it like the French do.

Our sweet friends Jeff and Rena treated me to dinner when I was in Denver. They are blissed out on fabulous Dae Gee Korean BBQ and lively conversation. I was, too.