Note to self

Tulips in WA are at their peak in April, the bald eagles feed in the Skagit in Dec-Feb.

I bring this up because when my sister & brother-in-law visited this weekend, we took a drive up to Newhalem, Ross Lake area. We ended up visiting the wildlife center there & taking in the sights (and the sights are plenty, here's the pics from J & my last trip there.) . I was hoping that a few bald eagles would have lingered, even though the salmon run that feeds them ended in December. No such luck. We did see a golden eagle last year tho, pics here and below.

The visit was dreamy - we all had such a good time! It means heaps to me to have my sister see the new place & take some time to relax. She has always been incredibly caring and super responsible, sometimes overwhelming herself with obligations. There's nothing quite as popular in the world as a helpful person & a capable, helpful person is just going to be in high demand.

My brother-in-law is no slouch either. He has amazing stories about his youth in Nepal, Cyprus & Turkey - a super dry sense of humor (which I didn't get until I was well past my senseetive adolescent years) and is just a swell guy all around.

A terrific weekend to get me into the two week class on vocational astrology. I'm looking at Martha Stewart's chart and following the details that reveal the underlying desires that motivate folks to choose the work they do. Martha's chart is a great one to look at & I'll look at charts from recent readings as well, to help get into the swing of things.

Flickr, Diablo lake and more...

I've opened a Flickr account - you can see the latest photos from the Woodland Park Zoo, Bumbershoot and various polaroids there. I'll keep doing galleries on this site, but Flickr loads images in their original size, and that's a real benefit for sharing.

We're heading out to Diablo lake tomorrow - after a work picnic for J's crew. The hikes we have been able to research for the area around Diablo all look daunting - which hasn't stopped J before, but he says he'd like to enjoy his time with me there, so I imagine we'll not do the Sourdough hike (5 miles at a 20% grade, for an 11 mile hike) at the very least. Here's an album of folks who did a 10-day hike around nearby Ross Lake that I just got from J. Dig the suspension foot bridge over Devil's Creek.

Sundays

J is in the kitchen making grits and eggs. John is on the couch, troubleshooting a problem with my camera that has been stumping me since it arrived yesterday. John is my nephew & we are a few days into a 10 day visit.

So far we've hosted a party and baked bread with some sisters of mine, both lovely activities. I drove him through our international district - we've visited Uwajimaya twice and will go back today, although I believe that Pink Godzilla is our store of choice, for imported games of Japanese origin. I've been schooled in the value of Pop'n'music, in the best & worst songs... I've been able to share my love of Jlist items (18 and under items for us) and the like.

I've got a week to plan, today and the NY times Sunday paper is sitting just to the left of my cup of coffee...beckoning. It's amazing to have all of this energy in the house. It's a bit like living with a squad of mad-scientists, if you include J & I in the mix.

So far, this week looks a bit like:
- re-visiting my old place of employment with John in tow, bringing him to folks who excel in their work there, to continue to broaden his idea of what things await him after high school
- taking him to galleries housing the art of people I know & favor, for the other side of the employment/dharma coin
- there's class on Monday, band practice here Wed and a trip to the peninsula this weekend
- wrap that up with the requisite photo excursions, time for me to paint (a few hours a day will do nicely) and chores, should round the week out nicely

Well, I need to spend a little more time troubleshooting the camera problem & it sounds like breakfast is ready... We sure eat late here, in this Bennett household.

Bits & Pieces

Got back from camping late Sunday - we were at Wish Poosh, I've posted photos here. We had a great time, J hiked up Paddy-Go-Easy with Jory - I've done the hike twice & not been especially good company. So I went with the rest of our crew to to Cooper Lake & did a much shorter hike instead. Click here for some views of the surrounding area, scroll down to see Cooper lake - it's the fifth pic down on the left.



The short hike we did ran us right through a creek, where we met the first of many fly fisher folk. Here's a pic of the trail through the itty-bitty creek:



I'm so glad to be back home & have started to feel more productive. It's touch & go, last week was all about bringing myself to a complete standstill. I forget I need to be still, and I believe it's good for me on occasion, but it's alarming nonetheless.

I'm heading out to a coffee shop, to review my plans for the rest of the week & then get some errands done. We're going up to Vancouver, BC later this week & to the racetrack for a birthday party this weekend, so I can't put off everything thinking there's plenty of time...

Shout out to all our peeps in NC. We miss being with you this summer!! Nothing's better than spending lazy afternoons watching the Tour de France & seeing everyone hanging out at dinner.

Solstice Parade



Primarily photos of Saints of the World, Unite! They are playing "When the saints come marching in" and are joined by folks with mirrors, who are showing the crowds their own images among those of the saints on the banners. A bit of liberty was taken with the overall mix of saints.

There are also pictures of Artis - the spoonman (think Soundgarden), some people in peat masks, giant robots and some clowns.

Quick turnaround

Dad's home & crabby. I've heard that recovery brings crabbiness & hope for the best for him. He's uncomfortable, so that is a tough time.

This weekend I went to the fantastic NORWAC astrological convention & got to visit with & see lectures from astrologers at the height of their intellectual & emotional power. I love that conference!

Got to visit with my brother & his sweetie for the time I wasn't at work or at the conference. We all hung out with the smallest of downsides (didn't get to see Team America together, sigh). I love visiting with my brother & this visit topped the list.

We also went to the Folklife festival. Y'know, my maiden name is Folk. We went to the festival to see J play with the Blind Shoemaker's Union, which we missed by, like 20 minutes. We got there in time to see everyone packing up. Then we wandered around, snapping pics & baking in the rare sunshine of a Seattle day.

Friday night's fun was a potluck with friends & a book exchange, with the left over books being sold & the money going to charity. We left with more books then we brought, sigh. Foodwise, we brought homemade crab cakes, whoo hoo! That was very fun.

Speaking of crabs, I accidentally ordered a bushel of Maryland crabs for my brother's visit. That's around 6 dozen crabs & the time he was out here was hallmarked by his diligence with the crabs. He cleaned out easily two dozen & most for our benefit, as the meat goes bad quicker in the shell. He said he could clearly see the connection between me & my sister Tish through the crab feast. What can I say, I love crabs! Even better, I rushed home from the conference on Sunday, in time to go out for Seattle seafood. Luxury!

Year end work is wrapping up, fiscal year end - that is. It's tough going & I tend to be more brusque when time is running out. I swear I'm trying to listen & do what's best for business - but I can always work on my presentation. In fact, I'll start just now.