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.

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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

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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

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Crickets >> And Other Noises of Silence

Crickets. You hear 'em, too?

I apologize for the radio silence these past few weeks. It wasn't planned, and I don't have much to account for it. It's kind of like when you haven't talked to an old friend for awhile, and then you start to feel guilty, and then more time passes, and by that time it feels like too much time has passed for it not to be awkward.

But then eventually you pick up the phone or make a coffee date and when you get together it seems silly that you ever felt that way, because everything is just the same as it always is. So, yeah...like that.

Anyhow, I guess my quietude here is a reflection of a general un-inspired-ness, and un-focused-ness that has been prevailing my world since the end of Summer. No worries, it happens to us all, but the effect here is evident. I've also been settling back into a regular work week again, plus I've also started working a few hours a week at the yoga studio I practice at.

Other than that, life has actually been quite busy, with lots of fun little excursions and nights out. One of the highlights was a day trip out to the San Juan Islands to go whale watching, which was super amazing, and I'll share more from that adventure in a day or so here (maybe don't hold your breath? ha. :)). I also went to Vancouver, BC for a little overnight, harvested wine grapes out on Whidbey Island, went to a wine tasting party with friends, learned how to can and made my own jam, and have had more cups of tea in the last month than in the last six. The cool, rainy days have descended upon us here in the PNW. I've already made homemade soup a couple of times and right now I'm nursing a hot mug of apple cider.

Aren't these embroidered postcards the bomb dot com? They're by artist Shaun Kardinal, and they're another thing that's been rocking my world lately. Check out his website for more like this, plus lots of other cool embroidery art.

shanti >> sondra

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August Break >> Days 6-13

Day 6 // "diagonals" // Out paddle-boating with friends on a beautiful summer day.

Day 7 // "skyline" // On a walk with the dog, the view of Mt. Rainier and power lines from the hill in our neighborhood.

Day 8 // "selfie" // There is a Caribbean sandwich place called Paseo that is known as much for their epic lines as their amazing food. We waited for 45 minutes to get ours on Andy's birthday. Next time, we're going on a rainy day (the line is outside, so this should help).

Day 9 // "taste" // Also from Andy's bday (I was behind a day), pre-dinner drinks. Mine is a Swedish 60, a play on the classic French 75. Yum!

Day 10 // "red" // Flowers from Pike Place market. Always amazing.

Day 11 // "play" // I mostly bummed around the house this day, but we walked up to the grocery store in the evening and saw these kids making good use of the playground.

Day 12 // "far away" // I was looking for some new things to hang on the wall, and came across this old photo I took a few years ago. It feels sooooo far away to me: Sierra Nevada mountains, winter, and all that fluffy, white snow. Feels alien on a hot, August day!

Day 13 // "home" // Mitz was born in my mother in law's house 14 years ago this summer. The next summer, when he was 1, he went to live with Andy in his first apartment, and then I came the year after. In 12 years we've lived in three states and more than 10 apartments, but he has been one of the few constants. Home is wherever he is. :)

Speaking of home, tomorrow we hit the road for a two week trip to Minnesota! I'm excited for lakes, the North Shore, wine on the porch, and seeing lots of friends and family, of course. Then, when I come home, it's back to work for me and summer will be over. Can you believe it???!!! I'm not ready yet! :/

shanti >> sondra

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August Break >> Days 1-5

So far so good, on participating with the first few days of The August Break! It's been so warm and lovely the last few days in Seattle, that I'm glad to soak it all up and not worry about blogging. Here's what I've captured for August so far:

Aug 1 // "breakfast" // I forgot to check what the prompt for this day was until after breakfast, so instead here is a picture from the hike we took that day. It was cool and rainy, and this guy was loving it.

Aug 2 // "circles" // I forgot to check what the prompt for this day was, but I played catch up at the beach (see Aug. 3), and found these guys.

Aug 3 // "yellow" // Flowers along the shore while out for a stroll.

Aug 4 // "love" // Yesterday was all about the love. I was making breakfast and Andy told me to finish up and grab some shoes, we were going for an adventure. We drove out to the Olympic Peninsula for a long day of driving, sight seeing, and shenanigans. We barely caught the last ferry back to Seattle last night (like 5 mins to spare!), but it was a day well spent in a BEAUTIFUL area, with my two favorite travel companions.

Aug 5 // "close up" // This face. I could snuggle it till it falls off.

I've been doing these all on Instagram to make it as easy-peasy on myself as possible to keep up. Find me @instasondra if you haven't already, or leave me your IG name in a comment so I can see what YOU have been up to in August!

I'll be back tomorrow with a "real" post: a grill recipe for the What She Ate series! Now, I've got to go make it! ;)

shanti >> sondra

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Liebster >> Deja Vu

I'mmmmm back! I know you all can hardly tell I've been away since I scheduled posts for my absence, but man, can I tell I've been gone! A few random thoughts about coming home again >

// It's always weird when you get to see your own house the way a stranger would. Coming home, I definitely had to re-acquaint myself with our digs. They were nicer than I remembered (always good!).

//  I missed the internet...but not in the way that I expected. I get SO MUCH inspiration from all of your blogs, instagrams, pins, etc., and this trip really made me realize how important that is in my daily life. I missed the visuals of the internet that make me want to daydream and create. I did not find myself doing much of either of those things these last three weeks.

// I'd be okay if I never saw another mosquito again.

// I am in love with eating good, healthy meals again. Camping and being on the road does not lend itself to fresh, clean food, and my gut paid for it. I also got a stomach bug about 2/3 of the way through our trip, and it is hard to get the digestion back on track when your options are mainly freeze-dried or processed foods. Ick.

All in all, it was a lovely trip, and I'm excited to share more pics this week. In the meantime, I thought I'd start back into blogging with sort of a softball post - liebster! Louise from Stars in Jars nominated me, and I thought it would be a nice way to jump back in. Yes, I've already done one of these, but neveryoumind that.

Here's how it works >

1. List 11 random facts about yourself.

2. Answer your nominator's 11 questions.

3. Pose your own 11 questions.

4. Tag 11 bloggers with less than 200 follows to answer your questions.

5. Link back to your nominator.

Here goes.

11 Randoms.

1 // I am obsessed with Target. Best store ever.

2 // I have never been stung by a bee. <---- knock on wood

3 // I have never been pulled over by a cop.  <---- knock on wood

4 // For the life of me, I am terrified of headstands and handstands in yoga. I do not like being upside down. I am working on this.

5 // I love anything Muppet related. They just make me insanely happy.

6 // My favorite play is Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

7 // I think a cube of good feta eaten with a grape tomato is about as close to heaven as you can get on earth.

8 //  I have always been a strongly cat-oriented person, and ever since we got our dog I feel like I am betraying them a little bit.

9 // I am naturally a blonde, but have been dying my hair black (with one year of dark red) for the last 12 years. 

10 // I never spoke with a professor once outside of class in all 4 years of University. 

11 // I read magazines thoroughly cover to cover, every single caption and blurb, and in order.

Louise's Questions

Tell me a joke. Oooh, I am no good at jokes. My husband is a mathematician, so this one always sticks with me: What did one math book say to the other? I've got problems.

What you change if you were president/prime minister for the day? Wow, I would change A LOT. Well, the president doesn't actually have that much power, but I'll answer this question as if I was dictator for a day. First off, I think it is abhorrent that we do not have universal healthcare in this country. While "Obamacare" is step in the right direction, it does not go far enough, so I would instate free healthcare for all. I think there are problems with the gap between the rich and the poor, women's rights issues, campaign finance reform, race issues (I would put George Zimmerman in jail!), food deserts, etc., etc., etc. I'd try and fit a lot in. And that's just on the domestic front!

It's dinnertime, what are you cooking me? We eat vegetarian 95% of the time, so probably something with some good veggies and grains, and most definitely some cheese in there :). When I entertain, I often turn to recipes from Heidi Swanson, since they're all veg-friendly, and just a hair fancier than what I cook everyday. This recipe for Giant Chipotle White Beans is a favorite. I have never made anything of hers that I did not like.

Have you ever had a mystical/spiritual experience (or anyone you know)? I can't say that I have personally, or anyone I know since people tend to keep that sort of thing close. I can say that through my practice and study of yoga, I have developed a spiritual practice of sorts, and it's something I think a lot more about now than I used to. I think chanting "om" is one of the most lovely things a group of people can do together. I wrote an article about why it's so great once here.

Who would play you in the movie of your life? Audrey Tautou, duh.

What's your favorite childhood movie? There are lots, but one that sticks out is Dirty Dancing. Me and my friend Sara would watch the end scene over and over again, and try and re-enact that dance in her basement family room.

What is the wildest thing you've ever done? Hmmm. I tend to be pretty risk-averse, so I don't get too wild. To me, the wildest thing I've done is move to 2 new states in the last few years, where we know no one and start from scratch. I never would have done this if I wasn't forced to, but I'm so glad that I've done it. 

Describe your perfect date. Wellllll...I have been with the same guy for the last 15 years, so I haven't had a lot of technical "dates." One of our special things that we do is go out for Neapolitan pizza and fancy cocktails, and then proceed to critique the food like restaurant critics. We're pizza geeks.

What's the best gift anyone's ever given to you? My student loans were paid off by a dear benefactor completely out of the blue. It is truly the best gift I have ever received. Also, my husband just dropped off a chai next to me accompanied with a forehead kiss; that was pretty nice, too. ;)

Which are cooler, dinosaurs or dragons? DINOSAURS by a million. THEY WERE REAL that is CRAZY! We've coincidentally been watching Walking with Monsters on Netflix and the whole pre-historic world blows my mind. 

Are you proud of yourself? Oh, jeez, that's a big personal question, huh? ;) Well, yes in some ways and not in others. I am proud that I have supported myself fully (loan payoff aside) since I was barely 18 years old. I am proud that I am the wife of an amazing guy, and that we've worked hard to make our relationship work over the years. I am proud that I became a yoga teacher, that I have been successful at all of my jobs, and that I like me. There are things I'm less proud of, of course. I wish I set higher personal goals; I wish I knew how to push myself; I wish I was better at connecting with people sometimes. But all in all, I am proud that I'm a work in progress.

My Questions 

If you could live anywhere, where would you live?

Describe your perfect breakfast.

Dream dinner party. Five guests, alive or dead. Go.

Do you practice yoga? 

     If yes, what's your favorite pose? 

     If not, what keeps you from liking it?

Have you ever broken a bone?

Do you believe in ghosts?

What album has been your soundtrack this summer?

If you could be any animal for a day, what would you pick?

What is the prettiest place you have ever been to?

Are you a lover or a fighter?

Are you more of a Bert or an Ernie?

Tag, You're It.

I'm going to tag less than 11, and go with the 4 lovely ladies from my sidebar that have less than 200 followers (want to swap with me? go here.)

Sarah @ Exploring Woods
Andréanne @ Hey Miss Pickle
Jesi @ Willow and Pear
Becky @ United States of Becky

Have you done one of these posts before? Leave me a link in the comments, I love to read these things!

shanti >> sondra

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Currently >> The Solstice

original image via

Today is usually one of my very favorite days of the year: the summer solstice. I just love the idea of celebrating the abundance of summer, and reveling in the long light of the day. Also, the Scandinavian in me loves making it a big holiday - I wish it were bigger here in the states (although, I guess that's essentially what July 4th is, huh?). This year though, it kind of snuck up on me. Hmmmmm, maybe because it's been cold and rainy the last few days, and I'm currently in slippers and a hoodie zipped up to my neck? Maybe? Probably.

At any rate, I've been too busy this last week getting ready to leave on our 3 week camping + backpacking + hiking + road trip extravaganza, so I guess it's just as well. We leave Monday, and that brings me to the rest of the post.....

CURRENTLY 

Anticipating // leaving on Monday. Duh.

Reading // The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer. So far this book hasn't taught me anything I haven't already learned studying yoga, but I'm loving the new perspective on old concepts. In a nutshell, the book explores the idea of what consciousness really means, the art of being present, and where the YOU is in you.

Internetting // (yeah, I made that a verb). Bear safety info. I'm not super afraid of bears (more like medium afraid), but backcountry camping in grizzly country has me reviewing my bear safety knowledge. Eek! Also, although I haven't played with it much, I'm excited to make some little videos with the new Instagram video feature (not of bears though, let's keep those two separate, k?).

Drinking // chai. Another duh.

Making // lists, lists, and more lists. I've kind of become a list addict, and I've taken to carrying my little journal everywhere with me. I just love having it handy for jotting down notes, ideas, inspirations, reminders, etc. I've tried jazzing it up Lisa style, which is fun, but usually I'm lazy and don't embellish much. I've tried digital note-keeping apps and such, but for me, I keep coming back to the notebook and a pen.

Today is for writing out a few blog posts for when I'm gone, and just general gettin'er done around home. How about you, are you doing anything on this fine first day of summer?

shanti >> sondra

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Currently >>

If you follow me on Instagram, then you've probably seen most of these photos, and if you don't follow me on IG, then why not? JK, dears, you do what you feel. ;)

I am officially on summer break from work. This also means I have a lot of catching up to do. Well, self-imposed catching up, but the ideas have been piling up nonetheless. I feel like I've been neglecting this space a bit lately, so I'm excited to have more time to play here. I was also way behind on blog reading; last night I had over 300 unread in my reader!

I also feel like I've been neglecting my living space, since we've been in this limbo of are we moving/are we not. We are frustrated with our current place for sure, thus the desire to move. But since it seems unlikely that we can make that happen right now, I really want to get on with the business of making our space work better for us in the meantime. And boy, do I have ideas! More ideas than money, unfortunately, but I'm excited to see what changes I can make. I'm sure I'll share some of my progress here.

Photos // wisteria while I walk the dog // a caterpillar on the sidewalk // the sun peeked out on our hike yesterday // I dyed my hair black! // Piko rolling in the grass // measuring spices to make an Indian pilaf // vintage goodies from an old friend // heron in the sound

Anticipating // Andy is leaving for a work trip for the next few days, and I think it'll be good time to get a jump start on all of this catching up I'm talking about! Although I'm not looking forward to the drive to the airport this afternoon in rush hour...blerg.

Feeling // Cold. It's 49 and drizzly out right now. What the heck, summer? Where u at? I've got the space heater out, and the wool socks on. 

Contemplating // Attending the Schoolhouse Craft Blogger Summer Camp. It looks like a couple of interesting panels, and I've never attended any of these kinds of events before. Anyone else out there going?

Excited for // I am excited for so much right now. In the short term, I'm excited for a little trip to Minnesota next week to see friends and family, and also to teach yoga this Saturday. Say whaaa? Yup, I'm teaching yoga again! I'm just teaching one small class of mostly people I know to get back into the groove, but I hope to expand my teaching over the next several months. It feels so good to be back sharing something I love. :) 

Loving // One of the girls I work with just got married, and her photos are gorgeous! She made a breathtaking bride, and her photographer, Carly Bisch, is very talented. Check out the beautiful set on Carly's blog!

Whew, so glad we're all caught up now! I caught up with and cleared out my blog reader this morning, and now you're all caught up on me. That's a lot of catching. Hopefully I'll catch you back right here, soon. :)

shanti >> sondra

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Have Nothing >> In Your House

{via}

I started this post yesterday when I was feeling overwhelmed with Stuff. Yes, Stuff with a capital S. Maybe it's the spring cleaning bug hitting me, but I've been hit with the urge to purge. I should probably run with this feeling when it strikes, since I'm much more often struck with the urge to accumulate, thus the problem.

I'm actually feeling a little bit better about the Stuff Situation, since Andy and I sat down and finally made a plan for apartment hunting last night. I always do better with a plan. As much as I like to think I'm a free spirit who flies by the seat of her pants, I'm not. Like, at all. At least when it come to the big stuff, like a roof over my head.

Renting in Seattle is a huge bummer. Any place that is halfway decent has people clambering to rent it. Last night, a friend who is also looking went to an open house for a cute house. She said 40 people showed up and a bidding war ensued. Gah! This is the first time in the 12 years I have been renting that I am finally at a place to declare that I'm over it. I used to love the freedom to change the view out my window and to make it someone else's problem when the hot water heater went out. But now I want a place to call my own and invest a little blood, sweat, and tears (and money!) in to. Unfortunately, since Andy's job in Seattle is temporary, we are not in a position to buy.

In the meantime, I'm thinking of off-loading some of the Stuff. Might as well make the current place as pleasant as possible while we wait, right?

Do you rent or own? What do you love/loathe about it?

shanti >> sondra

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Hello, World! >> Anniversary

Guess what, guys? It's my birthday today! In fact, it's my 30th birthday. I thought I would want to write a post that got all reflect-y and all that, but Louise did such a good job of it recently, that I suggest you just pop over there to see what she had to say about this matter of getting older. Besides, the sun is shining, I've got a sparkly dress to wear, and french toast is being prepared in my honor as we speak. Life is good.

And you know what else? Since it's my birthday, I'm going to share about my favorite internet cat of all time: Colonel Meow. If you are not already a minion, then come over to the dark side. This kind of humor is a portal into my brain,  my friends.

I'm off to paaaaaaaaarrrrtttttyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

shanti >> sondra

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Currently >>

I haven't done one of these in awhile, so I thought I'd do a round-up of what's currently up in my world.

Thinking About > Rearranging our living room. We have a severe case of "we hate our apartment-itis," but neither of us want to spend the time, energy, or effort on moving. One of my favorite things to do when trying to get to sleep at night is to imagine my dream spaces, complete with furnishings. Like, playing interior designer in my head. Is that weird? Anyway, I find it relaxing. Last night I thought of a new furniture configuration for our living room, that might jazz things up a bit for the summer, and maybe get us out of apartment-funk land for awhile.

Listening to > The new Bonobo album, The North Borders. Even if you are not already an electronic music fan, take a listen. The soulful, loungy grooves of this album are the perfect soundtrack for summer, and I've had it on repeat all afternoon. You can stream it for free, here.

Drinking > Another new favorite, Tazo Rest tea. I've got a big mug of it going right next to me. Such a delicious blend of lemon balm, rose petals, honeybush and about 10 other things. It really does taste like relaxation in a cup!

Liking > The new Passionfruit Marketplace. I spent about 45 minutes just scrolling through and discovering new blogs this afternoon. But, uh, I guess I don't really need another diversion. :/ Still, lots of fun. Have you checked it out yet?

Anticipating > This next weekend! It's a big one for me. Not only is my 30th birthday on Saturday, but it's the annual Gala for the theatre I work for that night. Double score! A bunch of girls from work are getting together beforehand to get ready and get all gussied up. I can't wait! Plus, the Mad Men season premiere is on Sunday night. Gah! So. Excited.

I'm off to spend some time in kitchen, including putting together a little recipe for you dog-lovers out there (I'll share soon!).

shanti >> sondra

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Lovin' >> Smudgin'

Did you know that once you go over the Cascades, that Washington gets pretty desert-y? Me neither. Well, I didn't know until a couple of years ago when we were on a roadtrip and drove through eastern Oregon, which is similar. Andy is on spring break from teaching, and since we rarely have two days off in a row together during the school year, we took advantage for a quick overnight trip. Originally we were going to head to the Olympic Peninsula, but Andy said he wanted to see the sun. Fair enough, since I've seen plenty of it recently. :)

A part of my heart is always in the desert, so I was happy to be there. The wild sage is one of my favorite parts. Sage has been used by Native Americans for hundreds if not thousands of years for it's spiritual purifying and cleansing properties. Medicinally, it is antibacterial and antiseptic, and has uses ranging from headaches to heartburn to depression to menopause.

I only discovered smudging last year, so I have only smudged spaces* a few times, but it is really a beautiful ritual. I love the idea of clearing out a space of the old "juju," to make way for the new. Whether it's purely symbolic, or all those medicinal properties are just the surface of more powerful spiritual cleansing powers, I have no idea. It doesn't really matter either way, really.

I've never made my own sage bundles before, but I collected some and am giving it a whirl. They're hanging to dry right now, so hopefully soon I'll be able to use them to clear out some of the stale winter energy hanging around.

Have you ever smudged a space before?

shanti >> sondra

*if you're not familiar with it, it's basically waving the smoke of the smoldering sage bundle into all the nooks and crannies of a space, while either thinking or saying aloud your intentions "I am cleansing this space of the old, to welcome the new," or something like that.

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From the Inside >> Looking Out

{via}

I have had a lot of thoughts tumbling around in my head the last week or so. Spending 10 days on retreat, it would be silly not to spend some introspective time. I'm not quite sure what the fruits will be of this time, but I feel like I've planted some seeds.

The other thing that has happened since getting home, is that I realized that we are about to face a very cash-strapped summer. My work is seasonal, and my husband is employed at the University, so neither of us will have incomes over the summer. It's not that I didn't realize this before, but now I really thought about it, and saw that there was no way we could make it without dipping into savings. I started to feel worry and fear creep in a bit. Pretty unwelcome feelings after 10 days of bliss!

Yes, we could get summer jobs, and we may in some form. But I think one of the seeds that I planted during my time in India, was to just let things be. Sit with the discomfort. When all is said and done, the time is more important to me than the money. I am trying to turn that frown upside down, and see the good that will come from this.

I am grateful that we will have 3 months with time that is all our own.
I am grateful that we have enough cash on hand to see us through (although it pains me to spend it).
I am grateful to be able to get down to basics, to pare down, and re-examine our spending habits.

I know it will be hard. But I think it will be wonderful. I am looking forward to a summer of camping, hiking, laying out under the stars, and picnics in the park. Reading, yoga, and daydreaming. Maybe even of being bored. Like the kind you had as a kid, when the summer days stretched endlessly on.

It's all so hard to imagine, as I sit here typing after a snowy (yes, we had flakes today!) morning, while getting ready to go to work. When the anxiety starts to creep back in, I want to look at the image above with the words I added, and remember to sit with the discomfort. It will pass.

shanti >> sondra

A Walk >> In the Woods

Has anyone else ever read that book? It is HILARIOUS. It's about a middle aged, out of shape guy who decides to through-hike the Appalachian Trail. I know I relate to Bill Bryson in that book lately! I don't feel at the top of my fitness game lately (especially cardio-wise), so this hike we took last week was a tough one. It didn't help that is was essentially straight up, with LOTS of elevation gain over a fairly short distance. Oh, well. I trouped along until I gave up, and then we turned back and got some banh mis. Mmmmmmmmmm.... Nothing a good sandwich can't fix. :)

It wasn't an especially beautiful day for a hike, but I tried to notice the small things. I thought this pine cone was so cool! I loved the pattern in it.

We're heading out for a snowshoeing adventure tomorrow -- with the destination being a hot spring, so I better bring my A game! I'll bring my camera and share that junket later this week. I can't believe I leave for India a week from today. Tomorrow I'll be knee deep in snow, and a week from then I'll be in 90-100 degree heat, hanging with monkeys. (I was told there'd be monkeys. And elephants. Just hangin' around. Whaaaaaa?! So. Excited!)

shanti >> sondra

InstaTrip >> Spokane

I'm guessing when most people hear "Spokane," they don't think "romantic getaway." But for us, it was perfect. Long car ride to somewhere random + pizza + fun bar + cheap hotel is our idea of a great time. We celebrated V-Day a little early, Andy and Sondra style...

I love windmills - so dramatic! // holding hands + paws in the car // heart shaped pizza // awesome juke box

The impetus for the trip was to get a heart shaped pizza from a place near and dear to our hearts ; Rocky Rococo. It's essentially fast food deep dish, but it is SO good. Rocky's pretty much only has locations in Wisconsin, but they used to have a few in Minnesota and we have fond memories of spending a few Valentine's Days there as young'ns. It's near and dear to our hearts, and when we discovered they have one location west of the Mississippi River and it happens to be in Spokane, that was enough for us. It was every bit as amazing as we remembered. Oh, and side note. I eat a mostly vegetarian diet, but Rocky's is on the exception list. :) We ended the night at a great bar with a stellar juke box, and a delicious French Gimlet.

great beer name // chai along the riverfront // totem pole in the park // snoqualmie pass

Yesterday, we walked around the Riverfront downtown, which reminded me a lot of Minneapolis. We also hit up a thrift store and ate some great burritos before hitting the road. For us, the drive is half the fun. We love hitting the road with a pile of podcasts and watching the wide open spaces roll by.

It was a short and sweet trip, and now it's back to the grind. Do you have any special Valentine's Day traditions? How about anti-traditions?

shanti >> sondra

Currently >>

Currently...

Eating > Well, not this moment, but we are going to a friend's house tonight for a pizza-making party. I don't think I've expressed my love  obsession for pizza very much here, but I LOVE it like it's going outta style. I geek out about crust textures and sauce flavor profiles like people do about wine (of which I'm totally down with the two buck chuck). Priorities!

Drinking > A chai tea latte. As always.

Reading > The Twelve Tribes of Hattie. I'm only on the third "tribe," but this book is pretty great. It's also a fitting read since it's African American history month, and this tells the story of The Great Migration. I majored in American Studies in college, and this itches that scratch in me that loves the story of America.

Smelling > Voluspa Golden Cypress candle, currently burning. I never used to be into candles too much, but lately I've been digging them. If you get a scent you really love, they add so much coziness! {Don't mind Captain Obvious over here ;)}

Grateful For > A tax refund! We have owed money the last few years, and finally we caught a break and are getting some back! I guess there's one benefit to making less money...

Anticipating > Summer. I know, I know. SO. FAR. AWAY. But, we're starting to get an idea of what our schedule will look like, and what trips we want to make. Planning is half the fun! Plus it looks like we're in for a great few months.

We had a lovely afternoon today -- we grabbed some udon and headed to the beach to let Piko run around. We saw an adorable seal pup laying on the beach, and found a rope swing to swing on.

hope you are having as equally lovely of a day!

shanti >> sondra

Currently >>

Drinking > Chai. Duh, what else?

Listening > Right this instant, I am listening to Jens Buchert's Into The Silence. Perfect chill-out background music.

Anticipating > Book club this afternoon! Me and some of the girls from work started a book club, and today's our first discussion. We read Wild by Cheryl Strayed. A solid read, pretty light, and made me excited to hit a hiking trail for a longer backpacking adventure.

Planning > Need I say, my trip to India?! Actually, there's not too much planning I need to do. But I did visit the travel clinic the other day to see about getting vaccines and malaria meds. Exciting!

Watching > Lots of things! We've been watching The Story of India on Netflix, which, even if I wasn't going, is FASCINATING. I know so little about the history of this part of the world, and this is such a well produced documentary series. Also recently watched: Girls, Top Chef, Project Runway, and Happy People: A Year on the Taiga

Missing > My friend Anna...but she's coming to visit from Minneapolis this weekend! I can't wait to hit the town with her for some good time lady-lovin'. :)

Reading > The Shell Collector by Anthony Doerr. This was loaned to me by someone who thought I would like it, and so far, I really do. It's a collection of short stories, which is one of my favorite formats. Wow, I have really been on a reading roll lately!

Wanting > A new phone. Big time. I gotta save up some dollar-dollar bills first though.

Making me happy > Honestly? Piko. Seeing her furry face little beagle face when I walk through the door puts a big smile on my face, every time. :)

shanti >> sondra

>>currently template inspired by MyBillie!

Too Much >> Is Never Enough

Wow, 2+ weeks later, and I'm back! Going home for the holidays is always such an intense whirlwind of activity for me. So many friends, family, and places to catch up with, check out, and spend time with. Honestly though, this was one of my favorite trips home that I've ever had. I got to do SO MUCH. TOO much, in some regards (eating, drinking) but not enough in others (laughing, catching up, sleeping, exercising). I need a vacation from my vacation! Here's a little photo collection of moments while I was away.

1> Fancy manicure 2>Kringler on Christmas morning 3> Snow! 4> Yes, that's a cat under there

5> The best pizza ever 6> Dog and cat water battles 7> Book club reading 8> Lights in St. Paul

9>Winter light 10> High tea with grandma 11> Pool with friends 12> Icicles!

13 > Lights & ice in Minneapolis 14> NYE dancing 15> Flowers blooming in Seattle (?!) 16> Peace found on a walk

Now that I've got that catch-up out of the way, I can get back to regularly scheduled programming. I am SO EXCITED to be back to blogging, and back to the little community I've formed here. Honestly, I get so inspired by all of you and I really missed it the last couple of weeks.

shanti >> sondra

Brown Paper Packages >>

A "life lately" of sorts, served three ways: (I may or may not be in the midst of Top Chef: Seattle) ;)
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I woke up this morning to the teeniest dusting of snow. It wasn't much, but it made me smile. The days here in Northern Washington have been very dark as we approach the solstice. I have to have lights on inside until well after 9am these days, and the sun is already fading by 4 in the afternoon. As I type this, Andy is speeding across the Montana plains, where he reports that the sun is high and the skies are blue. He said he didn't even realize how much he missed the sun until he saw it. I think I'm okay with a few more days here, in the dark and the grey. Cups of tea, cozy slippers, and cats curled up at my side seems just about right.
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These are a few packages that I sent off last week. I made a potato stamp and stamped a few, which was so much fun. I was hoping to be able to stamp more, but alas, Andy was leaving and I needed to have all of the gifts packed in the car for him to take and ran out of time. I have a few more gifties to make this week, so the itch to Make will get scratched a different way.
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Last night I co-hosted my office Christmas party, which was a solid success. I would share some pics here, but I don't like sharing pictures of people without their permission. Also: confession. I have not told the people I work with about my blog. I love them all to pieces, I am so lucky to have landed in a group of such funny and smart people. BUT. And here's the big BUT. I am a little weird about people I know and my blog. I started blogging solely about yoga, and told all my family and friends about it. But then my blog sort of morphed, and became more of a lifestyle dealie, and now it feels a little strange when people know things about me or what I've done, because they saw it on my blog when I haven't talked to them in months. I forget, you know? That everyone from my Grandma (hi Grandma!) to people from around the world check in here. I'm still navigating how to traverse that divide, because strange as it may seem, I am better at being open and sharing my most inner bits with strangers than I am with many of my loved ones. Or, maybe, it's more like how normally you have the different parts of yourself that you pick and choose to share with certain people. Maybe you are one way with your Mom and Dad, slightly different at work, slightly different with your friends. But you get to pick and choose, and that's what makes having a blog different. You still pick and choose, but the audience is SO VARIED, that it's a little vulnerable feeling. Nicole mentioned the other day that she gets all red in the face when someone talks to her about her blog IRL. I totally, completely, get that.

Okay, rambling over. But, uhhhh, ya'll feel me?
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shanti >> sondra

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