Fresh Starts

You know what I can't stop thinking about ever since I found out we were for sure moving in a few months? Getting rid of stuff. It's a move I've been gravitating towards for a few years, and with every move we've done I've definitely purged quite a bit. This time feels different though. I REALLY feel like finding a balance between the minimalism that appeals to me so much on places like Pinterest, and the reality of my hoarding collecting and forever-sale-rack-looking self. I want to pare down to just the things I love, and get rid of all the stuff that's just stuff. A curation of my own things, of sorts.

Here are a few of my pins that have been a-tuggin' at my heartstrings, that feel like that balance to me. 

All sources can be found via my Pinterest Board: Home

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

The Big News!

{dramatic pause}

We're moving to Bellingham, Washington!

Okay, so I know I was slow to post it here, and a lot of you know by now. But there it is, the big news that we've been waiting for for 10 years (sorry to disappoint those that thought I was pregnant.) ;)

When Andy (my then boyfriend, now husband) told me more than 10 years ago that he wanted to go to graduate school with the eventual goal of teaching at the University level, I never thought the journey would be as long, complicated, frustrating, or uncontrollable as it was. Now that we're on the other side of it, I can also say it's been wonderful, amazing, humbling, eye-opening, and an adventure...but if we had known all those years ago what we were signing up for, I'm not sure we would have made the same choices. Nevertheless, life takes us all in crazy directions that we're not prepared for, so I'm so happy to be where we are today. After 5 years of grad school, a 3 year post-doc postition in California, and 2 years of a post-doc position here in Seattle, we are moving--finally and permanently!-- as Andy takes a tenure-track faculty position at Western Washington University!

In pursuit of his dream, we have sacrificed being able to start a family, buy a house, make a stable income, and I've had to quit jobs that I have loved. Of course, this is all on top of having to leave friends and family repeatedly and start over nearly completely in new cities 3 times in 5 years. But the end is in sight, and we are over-the-moon thrilled with where we are landing! Bellingham is a beautiful little city, about 90 miles north of Seattle and 20 miles south of the Canadian border, right on the coast of Puget Sound and in the shadow of the North Cascade mountains. Ever since moving to Seattle, we have felt at home in the Pacific Northwest, and now we never have to leave. The photo above is from our whale watching trip last fall, and while it's not quite of Bellingham it's very close to where we'll be, and looks just like this. Mt. Baker, which you can see in the background, looms over the area spreading it's mountain-y good vibes. :)

Thanks for sharing the exciting news with me!  

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

Frijoles Con Todo

Hiya, friends. I've had a few posts lined up, but we've had a bit of a roller-coaster couple of weeks around here, which has resulted in some news that I'm not quite ready to post on the internet yet (tantalizing, right?!). I'll share the deets as soon as I'm able, but in the meantime, now that things have settled down a bit, I'm here to share a tasty somethin' somethin' I whipped up recently.

BEHOLD.

BEANS.

When we lived in Berkeley, one of our very favorite places to eat was Tacubaya, which was essentially a fancied-up taqueria with delicious Mexican food of all kinds. The frijoles con todo ("beans with everything" for those who don't hablo espanol) were something that I often mused that I should try to make myself sometime, but somehow never managed to think of it at, y'know, a meal-time decision making moment (a.k.a. the ever-constant "what's for dinner?"), until recently. The thought of these beans popped up seemingly randomly, over 2 years since we lived in Berkeley and on a grey, Seattle afternoon. Aren't thoughts weird?

I digress.

BEANS. The staff of life. So much of the world lives on beans as a staple food, or a variation thereof. This makes basically just a big, tasty pot of flavorful beans, and then you can add whatever you like on top. Plus, it's stupid easy. Here's what you'll need:

FROJOLES CON TODO (adapted from here)

BEANS

2 cups dry pinto beans
4-6 c. veggie or chicken stock
3-5 garlic cloves
½  white onion
1 jalapeño
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp Mexican oregano
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chipotle chile powder
S+P to taste

TOPPINGS (suggestions)

diced red or green onion
sour cream
sliced avocado
crumbled cotija or feta cheese
bite sized pieces of Oaxaca cheese
halved grape tomatoes
diced peppers (red/green = milder), serrano/jalapeño = hotter)
minced fresh cilantro
poached egg

...and here's how to do:

Rinse and pick over your beans. I have never found a rock or weird thing in my dried beans, but it always says to do that, so I do, because the one time I skip it is the time there's some kid's stray Lego or something in them. Add the picked over beans to a large pot with the stock, and heat to just boiling. Knock back the heat so that the beans are just at a low simmer. Take a few garlic cloves, peel and smash them, and throw them in whole. Peel and cut the root end off of your onion, and drop it in. Slice the stem off of the jalapeño, and drop her into the pool with the rest of the kids.  Add all the spices and THAT'S IT. Pretty much, anyway. You just want to give it a stir once and awhile, and keep an eye on the moisture level. When it gets low, add a bit more stock or some water. They'll take about 2 hours total, so when they start to be about 80% of the way done and they begin to thicken, you'll need to keep a sharper eye on them. You want just enough liquid in there for them to cook all the way, but you don't want to be left with too much when they're done. At about 80% doneness, I'd keep the liquid level no more than 1/2" inch over the beans, and add liquid more frequently if need be. Once everything is tender, adjust the seasonings--including salt, especially if you used more water than stock to cook.

Spoon it up, and top it off as you like!

TIPS

// You can choose to leave the onion, garlic, and jalapeño in that you added at the beginning, or pull them out at the end. I found that they pretty much disintegrated into the beans, and the bites that had a bit extra of one of these were extra tasty.

// Serve with warmed corn tortillas to scoop up all of the bean-y goodness.

Next time I'm back here, I'll share the news we've been siting on!


Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

The Grass is Always Greener

I know most of you are probably staring out the window at piles of snow, but I thought a bit of green might chase away a bit of the winter blahs. The other day Andy and I went out for a wee little hike, just about 30 minutes away from us in Issaquah. We had wanted to go further afield, but up just a bit higher in elevation it was snowing like crazy. It was dry at the bottom of the mountain we hiked at, but the higher we got the foggier, and eventually rainier, it got. The amount of greenery here still amazes me. I like to think it looks like what the Earth looked like when dinosaurs walked around.

Seriously, the whole concept of dinosaurs is CRAZY. It just blows my mind! Have you ever watched Walking with Dinosaurs (or it's equally-amazing counterparts, Walking with Monsters or Walking with Beasts)? That is some good entertainment (and learning!), I tell ya.

It felt good to get out. I haven't been out on a hike or done anything very physical besides yoga in...months. I am woefully out of shape, but getting out was a good start. I think we might head out for a snowshoeing day this weekend. Gotta keep the momentum going!

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

New Books for a New You

Have you stopped writing 2013 on everything yet? I sure haven't. The other day at work I realized I had been doing it all day. Oops. Well, while that "New Year" feeling is still fresh, I thought I'd harness that energy and share a couple of awesome yoga books that have come my way recently. If getting healthy, finding balance, or making more time for "you" this year are part of your 2014 intentions, then I highly recommend both of these books to kick off your year.

The first is Plus One: Finding God on the Yoga Mat, an inspirational memoir by Cori Martinez. Cori owns and teaches at Asha Yoga, a studio in Sacramento that I had the pleasure of taking class at often when we lived in the area. Her studio is truly one of the most beautiful spaces I have ever practiced in, and it immediately felt like "home" to me. I first got to know her writing through her blog, where she wrote very personal and deeply moving entries about her life, including a miscarriage and the subsequent birth of her daughter. She has taken some of those blog writings and turned them into this book, where she threads together the events of her life with the grace and strength she found on the mat--and ultimately-- with the force that she came to recognize as God in her life. It's a quick read, the kind that you can't put down and are engrossed in for a weekend.

When you finish that and you're feeling all inspired to check out a yoga class, the next book will help you turn that inspiration into a reality. Pick Your Yoga Practice by Meagan McCrary is the perfect book if you are newer to yoga and don't really know where to begin. The world of yoga (especially in the West) has really exploded in the last 20 years, with a new studio and style popping up around nearly every corner. All yoga is not created equal, and there are as many types of yoga as there are personalities in this world. The key to success is finding the right one for you, and that is exactly the intention of this book. It can be really overwhelming to know where to start, but Meagan helps you shortcut all of that and does a great job covering many of the major styles you're likely to come across and what you can expect in a class. One of my favorite things in this book are the first 50 pages, where she explains what yoga is exactly, what it can mean for you, the philosophy and origins of the yoga system, and how yoga has changed and evolved in the West. It took me several years of picking up tidbits here and there plus teacher training to learn all of the awesome context and background information that Meagan provides in this section of the book.

Definitely check out one or both of these books to keep your healthy intentions rolling!

photos courtesy of the authors

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

What a Wonderful Word

I know I'm a little late to the game, but I've recently come up with a word, er, more like concept that I'd like to incorporate into 2014. Actually, it snuck up on me way back in good ol' 2013, about a month ago in a yoga class. The theme of the class was brahmacharya, which is most classically defined as sexual celibacy or restraint in order to save those energies to unite with the Divine. This teacher, however, echoed the same (more liberal) interpretation that I had learned in my teacher training: it is also about living a life of moderation and restraint in all of the senses.* For me, it is the idea of making good choices for yourself in your diet, your activities, and all of your habits, in moderation. I am a terrible all-or-nothing-er in that I don't like to be told that I can NEVER have certain things. However, I think that I've gotten a little lazy about saying no to those same things: Desert everyday, that second (or third!) glass of wine, the impulse buy on the sale rack, or Starbucks whenever the mood strikes. I realized that when you are always saying YES to all of those little "extras" in life, it starts to take the specialness away from them. They're no longer treats anymore, they're the norm. I want to get back to making the things I love "special," because I think it's really nice to have them to look forward to, or as a reward for a job well done. I think I've just fallen into a pattern of, "well, I'm bored, so...I deserve to stop at Starbucks!" or, "It's raining, so...I should sleep in...AGAIN," which of course, are not very good reasons at all. It's about saying no, so that I can say yes at a later time when I know I will truly appreciate and savor whatever it is I've been waiting for.

For many years, the theater I worked for had (and still has) an annual production of A Christmas Carol. One of my very favorite lines from that show is said by Mrs. Cratchit as they sit down to what appears to be a very modest Christmas dinner. Mr. Cratchit remarks that it will be enough, and Mrs. Cratchit repsonds, "Enough. What a wonderful word: Enough." Without fail, every time I hear that line, I tear up. I don't drive a fancy car or have designer clothes in my closet, but I live in a world of such abundance that it is easy to forget what "enough" really means. That's why I making it my "word" for 2014, one to remind me of what I already have and the gratitude for the riches already in my life. And when I forget, and feel myself tempted to reach for another cookie, I hope it serves to remind me of brahmacharya and of making things special again.

Did you choose a word or set an intention for 2014?

* Footnote: Now, if you want to get all technical, this is a very loose interpretation of the concept of brahmacharya. In fact, when I saw down to start typing this post, I came across a bit of (deserved) controversy that Lululemon got itself into recently when they used it as part of a recent marketing campaign. There is a lot of back info I could go into here about the Yoga Sutras, the yamas, etc., but I actually don't think it really matters too much, except to acknowledge that this interpretation is an extraction of an abstraction of an idea and concept that was applied to a world very different from the one we inhabit today. What I love about yoga is that there are a jillion ways to make it work for you and your life, and I in particular, adhere to a belief system that allows for softness and imperfection in my practice both on and off the mat. Is also allows for room in our understanding of teachings that are over 5,000 years old, and finding the ways that they make sense in our modern lives.

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

She Used to Wear Her Hair Like You

And just like that, here I am, on the other side of the holidays, on the other side of the country, and on the other side of a New Year. We got home on Friday night after three days of speeding across the frozen North, with a brief pit stop for dinner and drinks with a friend in Bozeman, Montana.

It is nice to be home, nice to be here with my cats, with my blankets and cozy slippers, and my favorite things all around me. The first thing I did yesterday after getting some things cleaned up was to make a huge pot of minestrone soup. After weeks of all of the rich and heavy holiday comfort food, I was craving a big pot of something warm and vegetable-full. This morning we headed to Lake Washington to soak up some sunshine and stretch our legs. Seeing the mountains and the sparkly water really made it feel like we'd come home, with Mt. Rainier peeking over the low hanging clouds to greet us.

Today is quiet and feeling a bit reflective. I've been listening to Leonard Cohen and poking around idly on the internet, just catching up with things here and there. I don't go back to work until Wednesday, and then only for three days before another 4 days off. I'm so grateful for the gentle transition back to reality, after a very busy visit home for the holidays.

It was COLD while we were in Minnesota: below 0F (-18C) most days for some or all of the day, and tomorrow it's supposed to be -25F (-32C). I know I lived there for most of my life, but good god, I don't think I'd voluntarily go back to that kind of winter. There is certainly a kind of beauty in that kind of extremely cold climate, but the day to day living in it I think I'll pass on. I hear it's freakishly cold all over the country right now. Is it cold where you are? 

Top: North Dakota Prairie as seen from the car // Below: Lake Washington, this morning 

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

Where'd You Go, Sondra Ann?

Hiya.

Miss me?

Because I've missed you.

While I personally have only been blogging for the last 18 months or so, I've been following a myriad of blogs for several years, and I've seen it happen before. Posts get fewer and fewer, and then infrequent posts becomes the norm. Then, there are weeks of silence followed by a breathless apology post, only for it all to repeat again, until it culminates in a slow death for the blog. Sadly, I've seen many of my favorite blogs go this route, and I feel myself in that same predictable spiral!

After being on the road so much this summer, and then a tremendously busy Fall, I've had a hard time finding the space in my life to create posts here. Now that we're over a year into living in Seattle, we've created a really nice life for ourselves with jobs, friends, and a community we love. So while I haven't had a lack of things to post about, I've neglected to make time to keep this space up the way I'd like to.

But don't fret too much, my pet. At least not yet (Dr. Seuss, anyone?). I very much would like to re-cultivate this little blog of mine, and it is one of my New Year's resolutions to make that happen. This place is my creative outlet, and I sorely feel its absence in my life. I am thinking about the ways I would like for it to maybe change or evolve, whether that be in content, a little facelift, or both (or neither!), but I am excited about a little tune-up and getting back into the swing of things.

Standing between me and the New Year though is a two week trip to Minnesota for the holidays, so I won't do anything as foolish as think I'll post anything before I get back in early January.  But BE IT RESOLVED that I'll be back in action then! In the meantime, I'll leave you with you few of my favorite photos from a long weekend we took to Oregon last month. From top to bottom we have Mt. Bachelor with a fresh coat of powder, ready for the ski season (you can see two little dots in the snow; those are skiiers), the middle two are from a lovely late Fall walk along the Deschutes River where we had the most magical light, and the last are the mountains near Crater Lake, where we spent a chilly afternoon near the lakeshore.

I hope you all have lovely holidays over the next few weeks! See you in January (or on Instagram if you can't wait that long!) ;)

p.s. Title of this post is inspired by a very sweet book that you should read.

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

Movies for >> Hallo-Weenies

images via 1 // 2 // 3 // 4

True story: I don't like scary movies. As a natural worry-wart with an active imagination, I don't need new stimuli introduced. However, I do like fun+creepy movies. Since most parties were last weekend or are this weekend, a lot of us will be home tonight passing out candy. Here are four of my favorites to suggest! 

Donnie Darko // The Nightmare Before Christmas // It's the Great Pumkin, Charlie Brown // The Rocky Horror Picture Show

shanti >> sondra

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

Warm Soup >> For Cold Days

Top three reasons why soup is awesome:

> It is a vehicle for the wonder of all wonders - a loaf of good, crusty bread.
> You can hide endless amounts of vegetables in it and be none the wiser.
> LEFTOVERS!

I love soup all-the-year-round, but when it gets colder and drearier, I definitely ramp up both production and consumption. This Fall and Winter, I'm going to try and make a big pot of soup once a week-ish. It's just such an easy way to warm up and enjoy a big bowl of comfort during the darker days we have coming. I'll share the good ones here with you all. :) First up: this delicata squash and pear version. 

I made this a few times last winter, and when a couple of delicata squash came in our last CSA box, I remembered this recipe from last year. I think I had gotten some delicata squash last year about this time, and I just googled recipes and came across this one. I am not a huge lover of squash in its plain form, but I LOVE it in soups. The best part about this recipe is that it's super simple - two cups of each of the main ingredients.

Here's how you do it >

Delicata Squash and Pear Soup (from Saveur)

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups delicata squash (about 1lb, or 1 medium sized squash. Peeled, seeded, and diced)
2 cups shallots (about 4 medium, peeled and sliced)
2 cups pears (about 1lb; I used 3. Cored and diced. Pick firm ones.)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
4 cups veggie or chicken stock
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
crème fraîche (I subbed sour cream)
maple syrup (you know, the real kind)
s+p to taste

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallots, cook 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the squash and pears and cook until they start to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the thyme and let cook another minute or so for the thyme to get fragrant. Then, add the stock and vinegar. Let simmer until everything is nice and soft, 15-20 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender, taste, and add salt and pepper to your liking. DONE!

To serve: drizzle a spoonful of crème fraîche and a bit of maple syrup on each. It will look fancy and will impress people for no good reason, but also tastes good, so win-win.

TIPS >
// This does not make a huge pot of soup, probably about 4 good sized bowls.
// Have everything chopped and ready to go before you even start heating the oil. I am terrible at taking this advice, and think I am a faster chopper than I am and always inevitably almost burn things. Don't be like me.
// If like me you cannot find crème fraîche at your grocery store (really Safeway? This is 'MERICA!), do not fret, you can sub in sour cream. It will not swirl as prettily (compare my photo to Saveur's), but it will still taste pretty good. A bit of heavy cream or greek yogurt would work, too.

In related news, does this photo gross you out? You're not alone.

Happy eating!

shanti >> sondra

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

If the Path be Beautiful >>

The other morning in my yoga class, my teacher was talking about finding that place of calm that exists in all of us. Granted, for some us it might be harder to find than for others, but I do believe that it is always there. She then went on to talk about "strengthening the neural pathways" to those calm places, rather than beating down the same old pathways that are tried to true and are often the paths to obsessing, listing, and letting your thoughts jump all over wildly. This concept has really stuck with me the last couple of days, I think because it's something proactive that we can all do to make actual, physical changes in our brains and thought-patterns.

Allow me put on my Modern Jackass hat for a moment.

When we have thoughts, there is actually something happening in our brains at a chemical and biological level. Neurons communicate with other neurons - each has about 10,000 connections with its neighbors- and when you have the same old thoughts the same connections happen over and over again, making it easier to have those same thoughts over and over again, often putting us into a cycle of thinking that's hard to get out of. But when we try to change those patterns, and make a point of repeating the new patterns, we actually create new pathways. And the more we explore the new pathways, the easier those become. Here is a nice analogy if you'd like to explore this more.

Last night I woke up around 3am and found myself trying to get back to sleep, and this thought about neural pathways crept into my brain. I realized that even by just literally imaging and focusing on these pathways changing and leading me to a place of calm, that I was making new pathways. Focusing on a single thought is also known as dharana in yoga, and is one of the 8 limbs and a precursor to meditation. So, as I see it....win win! Building new pathways, finding that calm center, and using single-pointed focus to get there. Trippy. Oh, and I only had to think about all of this for about 60 seconds, because soon I was fast asleep and not obsessively trying to think of all the emails I needed to send or the things I should do when I get to work.

Something to think about at least. :)

shanti >> sondra

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

Happiest Place on Earth >>

These pictures are all from the beginning of last week when we took a little trip out to the Olympic Peninsula. A friend of mine is house sitting the most perfect cabin with two adorable kitties for the Fall and Winter, and she was generous enough to have us out. Guys, this place was all of my daydreams come to life. It's perched on a steep hill overlooking a bay off of Puget Sound. It is bright, and light, and cozy all at once. It has a guest cottage that my friend decorated in Moonrise Kingdom theme, which is where we slept. I could sleep all the rest of my sleeps there and be happy, methinks.

Oh, did I mention my friend loves to cook? She spent the summer as a personal cook (she prefers that term, since she's not a professional chef) for a family in Seattle. Fresh baked cookies, homemade pizzas, and roasted chicken with foraged mushrooms. Good company, good food, good place. :) Sorry, there is no way for this to not sound braggy, but seriously, the 30 hours we spent there as an overnight where some of my favorite in the last year.

Sometimes you find a place where you can feel your whole body relax, and your spirit just sighs. This is one of those places. And in just a little over two weeks, I'll be there again! I have definitely been scanning my calendar for any and all opportunities to sneak across the water and go back.

p.s. Speaking of Wes Anderson films, have you seen the new trailer yet?

shanti >> sondra

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

Soon it Will Be Cold Enough >>

I thought I'd do a little "currently" post. This photo is almost current, since I took it yesterday while I took the dog out to pee in the morning. The last few posts have been pretty photo-heavy, and I have one more of those to share, but I thought I'd break it up a bit with a little of what the day-to-day has looked like around these parts.

so, without further adieu, currently -->

drinking // This instant, a chai tea latte. BUT.  Not the good stuff. I ruined our last batch by leaving it out on the counter too long and it went bad. So...lesson learned. This time of year, I pretty much drink hot beverages all throughout the day... chai in the mornings, and then mostly herbal tea and mugs of hot apple cider steeped with fresh ginger in the afternoons and evenings.

watching // Definitely the most interesting thing we've been watching lately is Terry Jones' Medieval Lives, which are all up on You Tube. If there are any Monty Python fans out there, you'll definitely recognize some of the same hallmarks of the show's style, but it's actually a really informative and interesting documentary series about what life was like in the Medieval world. There are 8 episodes, all about 30 minutes long; I highly recommend them!

reading // Sadly, nothing. I have a whole stack of books and magazines that I'd like to get to, but it just keeps not happening. WHY AREN'T THERE MORE HOURS IN THE DAY?! First up when I find those missing hours, is a book a friend lent me, Where'd You Go, Bernadette? Have any of you read it?


listening // You know how sometimes you come across an album and you listen to it on repeat, and then forevermore that album will take you back to that time and place in your life? Yeah, I've found that album for this Fall. Emancipator's Soon it Will Be Cold Enough. The title is oh-so-perfect, and the music is just right for snuggling in blankets and woolen socks. I'm especially fond of the haunting vocals on When I Go.

anticipating // This is a big one for me, but I ordered an iPhone. I have been an Android girl since waaaaaaaay back. I even had a G1 back in the day, and in general, I have been totally happy with Android as an OS. HOWEVER. I think I'm just at a point where I'm tired of waiting for app developers to develop at the same speed and at the same quality level for Android as they do for the iPhone. And, after reading Kayla's post a few months ago, I think the seed was planted that it was okay to jump ship; my loyalty is pretty meaningless if it's making me unhappy. So when I got a little bonus check from work, I put it towards ordering a shiny (gold!) new phone. It's backordered, so it'll still be a couple of weeks (hopefully sooner!), but I'm excited to get it and play with it. True story: I have never owned an Apple device (and we use Linux at home). I don't even have an iTunes account. There will definitely be a learning curve. :)

today // Today is for catching up a bit, and doing the things I didn't get a chance to do this week. Like blogging. :) After sleeping in I went to yoga, and then came home and now I'm typing away with a cat on my lap. The sun keeps poking through the clouds momentarily, but then retreating. I hope it comes out properly so we can get out and take Piko on a nice walk this afternoon! After this, I'm going to heat up some leftover pumpkin and kale lasagna from last night, and proofread a grant proposal that Andy's working on. This evening we're heading to a friend's house for a dinner party. Busy!

So that's what my world has looked like this last week. Well, the fun parts of it anyway. There was also going to work, and paying bills, and running errands, and blahblahblahgrownuplifestuff. Have you done a "currently" post lately? Post a link in the comments and we can compare notes!

shanti >> sondra

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

Impossible to Say >> Even Harder to Feel

Just when you think you're caught up with this blogging thing, you're behind again.

Last week we took a day trip out to see a bit of fall color, stretch our legs a bit, and eat delicious Mexican food. To do these things, we headed up and over the mountains, where it was snowing higher up and the temps were a tad chilly.
We hiked along the Icicle River near Leavenworth, WA. It was an easy walk, but it was nice to get out and see the pops of color. Things were just starting to change, so just tips of red and orange here and there. Since these were taken (only a week ago yesterday), it seems that Fall has exploded here in Western Washington. Seemingly overnight the trees have all burst into color, and it's been downright cold here in the mornings. Seasons changing so suddenly  is one of my very favorite things in the whole world. Magic!

There were tons of mushrooms all along the trail. Mushroom foraging is big here, although I know nothing about wild mushrooms. I know enough to know that I shouldn't do it unless I know what I'm doing! Nonetheless, I find them exotic. All of the color and sizes are so fascinating to me as a Midwestern girl, where such things don't grow.

Afterwards, we headed into the town of Leavenworth, which is built to look like a Bavarian village. It's pretty kitschy, but it's cute. We walked around looking for a place to get a chai, but after striking out wound up stopping for a beer at the Icicle Brewing Co. Well, beer for the mister and a local wine for me. From there, we headed to a place we like for cheap and delicious Mexican food.

Getting out of town for a day trip is so awesome. The formula for a good day trip for us is as follows: drive far enough away that it feels like you "went somewhere;" get out for a hike, a walk, or do something touristy; treat yourself to something you don't do everyday, like a nice dinner or impromptu cocktails; get home just in time for bed. You can really pack a lot into a day and make it feel like a mini vacation! Leavenworth is supposed to be really pretty at Christmastime, and the whole town gets decorated and cutsey. I hope we're able to make it back in December!

shanti >> sondra


Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

A Beautiful Sunset >> That Was Mistaken for a Dawn

I have a few more pictures to share from our whale watching day. On the ferry ride back, we happened to catch a gorgeous sunset over the Sound.  (Title quote from Claude Debussy).

shanti >> sondra

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER

Whale Watching >> San Juan Islands

The highlight of my little blogging hiatus was definitely the trip we took out to the San Juan Islands a few weeks back. I had gotten a gift certificate for my birthday from my sister in law that needed using, so even though it wasn't the most ideal time calendar-wise, we got up at the craaaaaack of dawn and headed up to Anacortes to catch the ferry. This was the ferry terminal as the sun was coming up. It was SUPER foggy as we drove north and west from Seattle, but we got lucky and had postcard-perfect weather all day after the fog cleared.

We had a couple of hours to kill before our tour, so we spent it in the town of Friday Harbor, which is right where the ferry drops you off. I kind of thought there'd be more to do there than there was, so it was actually a little boring. Although, we did stop at an awesome gem for lunch, a cheese and wine shop that also did small plates and paninis. They had a beautiful little back patio where we enjoyed a glass of wine and some food before we headed down to the boat (I didn't get any pics so you'll have to use your imagination).

We got on the boat, which had super knowledgeable guides, and headed out.

Although it was bordering on hot on land, once we were on the moving boat it was pretty chilly. I was glad I had brought a hat and a couple of sweaters! The tour company had lots of blankets on board that you could use, as well as binoculars. After about an hour of cruising and spotting lots of seals and birds, we came upon a huge pod of Orcas.

You can see the tips of their fins in the pic above. I didn't really take any pictures while we watched the Orcas, because the guides had huge telephoto lenses that they were taking photos with, and they said they would email us the pics after our trip so we could focus on just watching. Although, I'm still waiting on that email...

The whales were "resting" here, so we didn't see much more than you can see in the photo, but they moved up and down a lot. I cannot begin to express just how beautiful and awe-inspiring being out there was. Seeing these amazing creatures out in the wild was a truly special experience. We saw Blackfish a couple of months ago, and it really brought close to home the stories of the Orcas that were taken from this area in the 1970s, and how unbelievable it is that we keep them in captivity. Have any of you seen this movie? I really recommend it.

I thought this last picture was pretty funny. It's another boat out watching the whales, and you can see how lopsided it is from everyone standing on one side to see them. I'm sure ours looked the same!

On the way back, the sun was setting as we took the ferry back to the mainland, and I took about a bajillion photos which I'll share in another post. The whole day was just about as good as it gets, and was so very "PNW." We're hoping to head back up to the San Juans and do more exploring soon. Ah, so much fun looking back at this! Especially since it's cold and rainy here today. It feels like we skipped Fall and headed straight for winter here in Seattle. Hopefully we get a few more days of sunshine and crunchy leaves before the gloom settles in for good! I'm trying not to fight it though, and I'm making a big pot of veggie chili this afternoon.

shanti >> sondra

Get updates via // BLOGLOVIN' > FEEDLY > FACEBOOK > TWITTER