Finally got my crafting mojo back. A couple of weeks ago we moved from our apartment to a larger unit upstairs. Love the new place and will post pics of it sometime soon. I finally felt settled enough to set-up my sewing machine. It makes sewing go so smoothly. I've tried my hand at two envelope-style pillows. I followed this really basic tutorial to be sure I got the backs right. One quilted and the other plain. I love how both of them came out! Can't wait to make a matching set and possibly a quilt.

Today is the third day of 90-100+ degree temps here in Seattle. It was so hot that my sunglasses cracked. So, while purchasing a 6" fan from the neigborhood drug store I got a new pair of shades:
Life is good.

Desiderata

Beautiful poem, read after a beautiful weekend.... I can't believe I have never come across this before.

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrman

Mom's Visit

I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago but was waiting to upload pics before I published it. Alas, still no pics!

My mom left earlier this week after being here for two weeks. It was so wonderful to see her after being apart for 11 months. We both suffered for a bit from a cold but once everyone was healthy it was a blast! I mentioned going to a bachelorette party but I never wrote about the appetizer I made. I made some baked brie and it was a hit! I definitely think I'll be making it for other gatherings. I omitted the raspberry jam and maple syrup. I really liked this recipe because there is a ton of flexibility for adding different flavors, types of brie, and things to dip etc!

Last week I took Friday off and my mom and I left for an island adventure. The night before we decided to go to the San Juan Islands. I did some quick research and ended up finding a cute place to stay the night. On Friday morning we drive up the Washington coast and took the Anacortes ferry to Friday Harbor, on San Juan Island. The views of the ocean, islands, and mountains along the route were stunning!

After an hour we were driving off the ferry onto the island. Our hotel was super cute and a great price for a summer weekend. It felt like a really upscale european hostle. We spent the next two days exploring the island and soaking up the intense beauty.

The highlight for both of us was watching an Orca whale pod swim just off shore. We had waited for a few hours at the normal viewing spot, reading our books, soaking in the sun etc. From our perch we could see Victoria, B.C. in the distance. The pod ended up heading south again before making it to our area so we decided to go searching. We hopped into our car and drove to the first south location on the island and parked. We were the only ones in the parking lot and started walking down a long path. My mom spotted a dorsal fin way off in the distance and we took off running. It was so hilarious and fun! We ran the .75mi to the coast and had about 15 minutes of watching the whales before they descended.

Back in Seattle on Sunday we wend downtown and took my mom to Dim Sum for her first time. The food was delicious. We tried to make it to a mass moon-walking celebration but lunch went a little too long. We did end up seeing people doing some tribute dancing and singing to Michael Jackson though.

My mom's back home and life is getting back to normal. Hosting a visitor is a blast but really exhausting. I miss my mom and we're already planning our visit back east for Nov. or Dec.
Not sure what this holiday weekend is going to bring but hopefully lots of relaxing and time spent outdoors in the beautiful weather!

A June Weekend.

Busy, busy, busy week and weekend. My mom arrived on Tues. and is visiting here for two weeks. It's great to have her here with us finally! I had a stressful week at work but a fab. weekend! Friday was Leigh's bachelorette party. Saturday was the Fremont Solstice Parade where a little paint went a long way! Awesome tradition!!! What a wacky city :-)




Later that day we went to Leigh and Max's wedding reception in snohomish. We had a blast dancing our tails off with everyone. Today we checked out the Fremont Troll and then went to the Ballard Farmer's Market. We bought some wonderful stuff like Firewood honey, fresh goat cheese, strawberries, rhubarb, rainier cherries, and a gorgeous dark blue and deep purple bouquet! So many treasures to be found there. My mom even discovered there is an entire world of cherries outside of the gross maraschino cherries that go on top of your sundae!
After walking around for a while we bought a brick fired pizza and brought it to the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. Right as we arrived a Scottish Bag Pipe concert began. We had a little picnic on the grass listening to the music. We then checked out the locks, watched some boats pass through, and then viewed the Steelhead salmon making their way through the ladders. It was a great day overall and so nice to show my mom around the city.

Sasquatch '09 re-cap

A month since my last post. The weather has been amazing here in the PNW the past few weeks. Our most recent fun was a roadtrip through the Cascade mountain range to central Washington to Sasquatch music festival. The Gorge one of the most spectacular concert venues in the US or perhaps the world. The show was amazing. We spent the first half of the day lounging in the shade on the hill and enjoying the view. The second half of the day was spent in the crowd, inching our way closer and closer for NIN. We had such a blast and I even discovered a new band. The Avett Brothers are a mixture of bluegrass/southern rock/folk. I'm pretty much a sucker for anything that has a banjo and awesome harmonies. My favorite songs they played were If I Get Murdered in the City and Bella Donna. Matt loved the Nine Inch Nails concert. As always, Trent Reznor was intense and put on a great show. The main reason to go to this show was because it's rumored to be NIN's last tour. A sad day for many fans for sure. I'm so glad we went and were able to enjoy so many different bands. Have to say Murder City Devils was a crazy set. Spencer Moody, the lead singer, went on a crazy rant and was totally nutty! I was competely rivetted the entire time.... didn't know if I should laugh or cringe!

Maui Vacation

Back from a week in Maui, HI. It was paradise! The weather was sunny and in the high 70's-80's, and the water was warm too. Spent the week swimming in the ocean, snorkeling, laying by the beach/pool, and exploring the coast. We had a blast! Drove the road to Hana, it was gorgeous and boasts 600+ turns. Unfortunately, I got a little carsick. I was revived after plunging into a gorgeous and cold waterfall pool. It was one of the most memorable parts of the vacation because I've always wanted to swim in a lush paradise and sit under a waterfall. Snorkeling was amazing too. I had never snorkeled in the ocean before. There were tons of colorful fish all over the place. We even swam with a sea turtle for a bit before it took off. I was always a little bit scared snorkeling fearful of what scary fish (or shark!) we might come upon. Our hotel room was beautiful and even had a view of the beach. The pools were amazing, totally relaxing. Everyone kept assuming we were on a honeymoon and called me Mrs. Wallace over and over. Oh man! I can't wait to go back to Hawaii.