Ritual

We've got family visiting, and it's Most Excellent.

The Deer in the Woods

Perfection

It was a really good day today.  I got to sleep in, then spent the rest of the morning cleaning the guest room in anticipation of tomorrow's visitors.  Once Nathan got back from church the two of us took Isis out to the farmer's market, where we got lunch and I saw an amazing variety of tulips.

Exhibit A

I literally did nothing to process that photo.  Just took it and posted it.  In fact I almost reduced the vibrancy, because damn.  In the end, however, I decided to leave it as is... I love the tiny little rain drops on the blazing orange petals...

CLOSEUP!

Although I do enjoy the market this early in the season, I can't help but look forward to when there will be more delicious produce for the purchasing.  Especially cherries.  Oh man, bring on the cherry season for sure!

Later in the afternoon I pedaled over to the library to pick up a book, then headed over to the rock gym to introduce some lady friends to the wonderful world of climbing.  As much as I love my climbing bros, there is something really great about the energy that women bring to the sport.  I'm very hopeful that all of them will keep pursuing it, and I'll get more belay-partners out of the whole thing... afterwards we all went out and had a drink together, which was great good fun and I can't wait to take Nathan to that bar because the bartender had a generous pour.

(Not that I'm trying to get my husband drunk, or anything.)

The Sun Can't Stay

but it will always comes back

Dionysian

modern maenads

Longing

We had the climbing bros over for dinner tonight, for Bridge's Going Away Feast.  It was a good time, and of course Isis was delighted by all the company.

She was also delighted (as were we all) by the scent of Nathan's home-smoked brisket.

What's that, Isis?  Timmy's in the well and needs brisket to keep him going?  Fair enough...

Companion

...perhaps flowers bloom best in bunches?

Peeking

spot the kitty

The Sweet Wound

devour my heart

Dawn Spilling Over the Woods

The sunlight crept towards Lara's house this morning, sweet and bashful, shyly showing off the gold she'd collected amongst the green of the new spring leaves.

softly, softly

Prepared

come what may

Echoing

When I was a younger lass, I spent a bit of time in Seattle- much of it with Lara.

We returned to prowl about tonight, revisiting old haunts, both those that still exist, and those that don't.

...my memories are the ghosts that haunt the bones of this place...

It was a good night.

Vernal Ephemera

Picking even part of a trillium can kill the whole plant- so they're best enjoyed in the wild.

threes upon threes: three in one

Today was my birthday, and the first day of spring- an equinox, a cusp, a day of balance and beauty.  I spent it in the wild, at one with the rock and the sun and the sky and the trees and the water and the crows that danced and sang and celebrated all of creation with me.  I felt more at one with the ebb and flow of the Universe than I have in a long damn time.

I am 33, and life has never been so good.

Cloud Blossoms on a Moody Day

lose yourself

Making It

Dearest Readers, if there ever comes a day in your lives in which you are so lucky as to have someone love you enough to gift you with a tiny, taxidermied teacup duckling, then from that day forward, my friends, you may rest assured that you have, in fact, Made It.

Today was the day I Made It

I've definitely been stretching out the ol' birthday this year.  It's still a couple days off, but I've had day after day of joyful celebration this past week, and I plan to continue it right on into the next.  Today's Happy Events included my boss taking me out to lunch (gluten-free pizza for the freaking win), and of course the delightful, downright ducky surprise that Kara had waiting for me at Boozeday Tuesday.

Really I'm not sure how my actual birthday is even going to compare with this adorable manifestation.  But I aim to find out.

Draped

neck lace

Waiting Until Fullness

birthday cards

Birthday Cake

Today was just about as perfect a day as a day can be.

Chris and Lara came up last night, so they were there this morning when I got up, and I made us all a breakfast of bacon and eggs.  There are few things in life that give me as much pleasure as cooking breakfast for people who have stayed the night.

Later that morning we gathered up the dogs and all went down to the Farmer's Market, the first of the season.

I am one seriously white woman.

 It was absolutely lovely to be able to walk through friendly crowds again, in the warm sunshine (Lara and I wore dresses: we had fleeces on over those dresses, but we did wear them!), admiring pretty wares and sampling delicious goods.  Isis was beside herself with joy- I hadn't realized how much she'd missed the weekly outing to her adoring public.

Afterwards we came home and Lara and I baked a paleo carrot cake, then left it to cool while we went to the Source to go climbing.  We came home and had a delicious dinner  (Nathan smoked a tri-tip that Chris and Lara brought down), then frosted and ate the cake to celebrate our four-way birthday month.

BIRTHDAY CAKE!

Now it's evening and we're just taking pleasure in each other's company, looking forward to another good day tomorrow.

The Unforeseen Delight

cherish them

(After all, who expects flowers blooming from a concrete wall?)

Reflection on Sky

...what are you?

O! But What's to Come!

Flowering trees number amongst my favorite things.

The Glorious Crown

...rubies and gold...

Daylight Savings

Just no.

She Seeks the Pattern in All Things

It's a good day, as Sundays often are.

Good Morning.

Nathan heads off to church while I am still making up my mind about my feelings towards Daylight Savings, but once I get up, I get going, and where I get going is on a bike ride to the climbing gym.  It's one of those mornings where the rain is thinking about what it wants to do with the rest of its day, but for the time being it's happy enough to have given the sun and sky a freshening lick-and-a-promise.

The gym is wonderful, as it always is- my home-away-from-home, filled with strangers who are more than willing to be friends, and puzzles that twist my mind and body into new and satisfying shapes.  Afterwards I pedal home again, contemplating an afternoon of laundry and baking and writing oh my!

I accomplish all of those things, as well as some seriously high-quality time with my husband, whom I subsequently send out to purchase our birthday-gift-to-ourselves: a new grill.  He will spend the darkening hours putting it together, and I will spend them however I choose.

A very good day, indeed.

Viewpoint

"Where is this headed?"

"I don't know- we have to keep going to find out."

Reaching for the Light at the End of the Day

...spring is coming...

Spring Falls Softly

I followed my nose and found the following:

(It always knows.)

Take What You Need and Leave the Rest

Climbing at Smith always revitalizes me, and sends me back to the gym feeling like I need to be pushing myself harder.  I spent this evening doing various 10s (both minus and plus), and by the end of the night I said rather sharply to myself, "There is no reason for you not to be doing 11s".

It was a good feeling.

After climbing my friends and I met up with Nathan for the best Thai food in the city.  All in all, a damn satisfying night.

Rainbows Are Where You Find Them

...and sometimes where you find them is a friend's top shelf.

One

Warm

Cool

(and no, the irony is not lost on me)

Well Worn

Home again, home again.

Isis is exhausted from missing me.

In Like a Lion

...so this happened overnight.

...a snow lion, that is.

But what the hell- adventure (and Burma Road Trail) await!