Bidding Summer Farewell

Bidding summer

a fond farewell

when it seems spring just arrived

then in a blink, gone

there were glimpses 

of summer's bursting color

in my days

but not enough

to say adieu

so soon!

Then again... here come the rich colors of autumn!

What's not to love about fall?

Let the Rain Kiss You

Let the rain kiss you. 

Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. 

Let the rain sing you a lullaby. 

                                                                                                      Langston Hughes

Though we are waiting for the rains to return, their spring visits gifted us with leaves aplenty. The air is taking on the scent of summers final days and our favorite season of color is coming. Sending you wishes for an autumn of color and replenishment. Pumpkins too!

There has Fallen a Splendid Tear

There has fallen a splendid tear 
From the passion-flower at the gate. 
She is coming, my dove, my dear; 
She is coming, my life, my fate; 
The red rose cries,'She is near, she is near;' 
And the white rose weeps,'She is late;' 
The larkspur listens,'I hear, I hear;' 
And the lily whispers,'I wait.' 
She is coming, my own, my sweet; 
Were it ever so airya tread, 
My heart would hear her and beat, 
Were it earth in an earthy bed; 
My dust would hear her and beat; 
Had I lain for a century dead; 
Would start and tremble under her feet, 
And blossom in purple and red.

-Tennyson
Maud

Tennyson makes me swoon. 
Seems a good way to start the week.
Hope it is a lovely one for each of you. 

To Market, To Market

Pike Place Market in Seattle that is. We headed there a couple of Fridays ago. Weeks before we made arrangements to meet a friend there who would be up visiting from CA. Great excuse to get us to Seattle, the market, the Seattle Art Museum and to enjoy some tasty food. We tend to avoid crowds and Seattle in the summer. Like many of us, visitors become the encouragement to visit the popular areas around us.

Being a commuter M-F, my approach to using the Puget Sound highways, freeway and ferry system involves preplanning. Making numerous trips to Seattle for meetings throughout the year, up and down the crowed Interstate 5, I'm willing to go above and beyond to catch a ferry for the journey if possible. It rarely is.

I am a planner by trade and that tends to drift into our personal plans when traveling in this region. Get me out of the area and I'm happy to wander, no planning necessary. All this chatter is explanation for the photo above of the EMPTY ferry terminal. After factoring in the distance to the terminal, Friday morning / summer vacation traffic volumes, various ferry departure times, locations of road projects in Seattle (currently there are many, including the developing underground tunnel near the waterfront) limited parking options, our friends bus schedule, the rain and more, we were set. Ha.

You get the picture (above), we were over planned and way too early. I raced to get us there in time to hear the man at the ticket booth ask; "you realize the next ferry isn't until 7:20 AM right"? (it was 6:20 AM) "Yes, expected more cars on a summer Friday" says I. "Yeah, says he, the 6:15 was packed".

Ahem. In my defence, there was one person ahead of us. 

After departing, the clouds began to slowly lift, just enough to see the Seattle skyline as we crept closer. 

And closer.

Then it was off to migrate with the expected Seattle morning mob, all vying for the well hidden all day parking areas. I would share my secret spot with you but...

From our breakfast window on the third floor at Elliot's, at the market, the new ferris wheel was in view. Apologies for the rain drops on the window. Our friend met us there and we had a great time catching up before heading out to explore the market with the building crowd. 

Always a ton of beautiful flowers from the numerous flower vendors.

The fish vendors carry an amazing selection.

Starbucks first coffee house is at the market. We were headed there for hot chocolate, before realizing there was a line to get coffee a block long. Seriously! Clouds and rain = coffee in the NW.

There are numerous street musicians at the market but the guys playing in front of Starbucks were really good. No doubt brought in to keep the folks in line, in line. And they were happy, as were the line members that gathered throughout the day. The funny bit is knowing there is a bigger and faster Starbucks half a block uphill. 

The well known fish booth with the fish tossers is always a crowd pleaser.

And the folks at this vegetable stand with their threatening sign never cease to make me laugh. 

Make no mistake, they are serious. My first trip to the market, decades ago, I didn't see the sign. The resulting verbal lashing wasn't pretty. The displays are beautiful though I'm thinking back and don't remember purchasing from them since then. Not out of obstinacy, but fear.

The colors were bringing smiles at the Mexican market as well. 

The day transformed into a beauty and the three of us had such a good time. We spent two to three hours in the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) alone. We never tire of it and the docents at the museum are just great. SAM is a treasure and now they allow folks to take photos of things in their private collection. My camera was hot by the time we left. Will need to check with them before posting any of the results here however.

Following a lovely dinner and goodbyes, our ferry timing had an odd element of the early morning version. Instead of being the second car on the ferry that morning, we were the second to the last car on that evening. It was a miracle I tell ya. The wait would have been an hour plus. The ferry goddess was watching over us. She must have known how absolutely FRIED we were. Couldn't even muster the energy to get out of the car for a parting shot of the city. Finally went for a bouncing shot from the rear view mirror. Pathetic, I know. 

City shapes and textures remain some of my favorite bits to work with after catching them with the camera. This fragment and the first image of garlic spears will be fun reminders for us of a terrific day spent with a dear friend. 

Another Perspective

Perspective

Always good to try viewing things

from another perspective.

That's were the unexpected hides.

These images of the two old barns were taken at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge.

Keeping Company with the Garden Hose

I hope this fourth of July finds you enjoying the holiday with family, friends, a good bite to eat and fond memories of celebrations past. By tradition, Rick and I will be home keeping company with the garden hose. 

There are many towns/cities in the region who have, smartly to my way of thinking, established laws against private fireworks. Ultimately it means the unincorporated areas of the counties, where we live, have become fireworks destinations. We have always had a pretty large contingent of folks who enjoy setting them off around the lake, but things have stepped up this year and they have been blasting away for almost two weeks now, late into the night. Gratefully it has not been overly dry here, as in other states. However, bottle rockets, M80's and all manner of other flying debris has found it's way to our property and roof in the past, so we try to be patient and watchful. And trees like to burn. Ask Smokey.

What I do love are the large shows (read controlled and safe) that fill the skies with bursts of raining beauty. Both Seattle and Tacoma hold such events which are televised. I'll be watching.

In the mean time, we send you wishes for a lovely Fourth of July. And the hope for safe and sane practices, especially in those areas so very fire prone this year. 

The Little Things

Sending you wishes for a weekend with ample time 

to focus on the little things
along with the vistas.