Memorial Day Weekend: Expressing Sympathy with Empathy
There will come a day, I promise you. . . when the thought of your [loved one] brings a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye. – V.P. Joe Biden Yesterday one of my dearest friends lost a loved one to suicide. One of my neighbors had a seizure outside my … Read more
Memorial Day Weekend: What the World Needs Now Is Love, Sweet Love
Memorial Day has been gradually morphing from a celebration of war to a celebration of loved ones who are no longer with us. Cindy Waitt at the Waitt Foundation is writing a blog about the loves of our lives. The Waitt Foundation is a leader in preventing domestic violence, and I am beyond intrigued that Ms. Waitt has … Read more
Sunshine in Seattle
Today began dreary and drippy. By noon, the sun was shining and everyone was giddy with joy. I decided to capture Ma Nature in all her glory in photos. When I walked out of the restaurant after lunch, I stumbled upon this brief yet glorious rainbow created by firemen flushing their hoses. I saw these … Read more
Artist Date: Flower World, Maltby, WA
A trip to Flower World is phenomenal therapy for me. My case manager took me last week to buy unusual flowers. She had never been to Flower World, and I think it blew her socks off. The grounds are lushly landscaped. Chickens, ducks, and geese roam freely. I noticed lambs and baby goats hanging out … Read more
Artist’s Dates: Edmonds, WA Tide Walks
A stay-cation means a trip to the Edmonds waterfront. Edmonds reminds me of South Haven, Michigan ~ my favorite retreat when I lived in Chicago. I was ecstatic to discover a restaurant has finally opened a patio next to the beach and is serving juicy burgers. We’ve been blessed this Spring with a series of … Read more
Artist’s Date: Mill Creek, WA Trails
My late cousin Judith Vollbracht was a cartographer (she drew maps for a living). She created the maps that became the planned community of Mill Creek, Washington. It came to life as a golf course community and grew to have its own town center. Hiking trails are laced through reforested old-growth wetlands and around the golf … Read more
Artist’s Date: North Creek Park, Mill Creek, WA
Mill Creek, WA celebrates reforested old-growth wetlands. North Creek Park is a huge urban wetland with a 3/4 mile floating boardwalk. This massive old growth tree is at the south entrance of the park. The limbs are so huge that they bend at the ground and appear to each be a tree. In a month, the … Read more
J2J: Bulbs in Bloom, 2012
My flowers bring me tremendous joy. I love the romantic blend of pale pink, lavender, and white. Hyacinths are favorite bulbs because they herald Spring. I discovered these tiny grape hyacinths in Edmonds and love their delicate addition to a container of bulbs. When this hyacinth bloomed, it took my breath away. The daffodils this … Read more
Good Grief, Charlie Brown! I Need a Vacation!
A quarter is about as simple as math gets. The quarter is our most popular coin. Little kids who can’t count know that a quarter is 25 cents, and it takes four quarters to have $1. The US Mint uses the quarter to promote celebrations (bicentennial quarter in 1976) and coin collection (50 states and national parks). Yet, this … Read more
Of Skunks & Narcissists
Don’t get into a pissing contest with a skunk. – Down home wisdom Skunks are cute. They look all cuddly and sweet. But, it isn’t smart to get too close. The same is true of narcissists. There’s no getting away without feeling like we’re drowning in a bad odor. The analogy between narcissists and skunks surfaced after I read … Read more
