wide open road: seattle

We began our journey from Portland, Oregon to Asheville, North Carolina by traveling in the wrong direction. First stop, Seattle. We stayed with lovely Julia first in Capitol Hill, and after going to a potluck at a communal house (12 people!) we went to a trivia night at a local bar, where we lost magnificently. After a cozy night we had some wonderful ham and cheese croissants at a local bakery and then caught the #11 bus down Pine into downtown Seattle.


The Public Market is a huge tourist attraction, and I was absolutely enthralled by the freshness and variety of beautiful produce, fresh fish, and flowers. A pomegranate broken heart.


Geometrically pleasing arrangements of fresh berries tempted us more than the souvenir stands or the ubiquitous buskers.


I love these eggplants wrapped up like babies in diapers. The careful arrangements of the fruit, fish, and vegetables made them infinitely more appealing, emphasizing their flawless perfection (or disguising the bruises and overripeness perhaps).


Drool-worthy king crab direct from Alaska. There were lots of references to the Great White North, and I fantasized further about that road trip fantasy; up the Alaskan highway, into the wild.


The endless flowers! So beautifully robust and fantastically arranged. As I took photographs one of the flower ladies said she had more celebrities for the paparazzo - and began singing RuPaul's "Supermodel" to my absolute delight.


Work it, girl.

loki in the snow

It snowed throughout the afternoon and night. Loki and I stayed inside drinking hot chocolate and eating homemade meatball sandwiches on garlic bread and reading Spider Robinson and chasing Mouse. This morning, however, it was time.


The harness was slipped on, the treat delivered, and we went into the snow.


Loki was less than impressed.

small things

I've been having trouble seeing them lately, the small things I like. It's time to slow down, take a breath, a bubble bath, a picture.


I made spinach artichoke hummus yesterday as the snow began to fall. I had previously soaked, cooked, and drained a large amount of chickpeas, and then I whirled them up in my food processor with lots of garlic, tahini, olive oil, salt, cumin, and lots and lots of lemon juice. Which I squeezed using my mama's antique juicer, a remarkably simple and satisfying device.

Loki

Loki is my kitten.


He makes me feel happy feels.