Mountains, sea, family and food

Plus scented flowers = heaven

Lavender Hill Farm, Vashon Island

This past week was many versions of my kind of heaven.

Mt. Rainier

I’ve mostly spent my time walking in various places with family and their dog. I couldn’t be happier. Those of you with adult offspring know the particular joy that comes with their company. I have watched them become who they are over many years. Not living close by means these are cherished visits; time is precious.

Almost every day we walk through the neighbourhood with gardens explosively blooming in the very welcome summer sunshine.

Walking around the neighbourhood

One day we took a longer walk farther away in a forest of tall skinny conifers and lush ferns, with surprise wild raspberries. Forever views up and out. The dog was a hiking trooper, leading the way up and up the side of the mountain, over boulders and thick tree roots and scrambling up myriad large rock footholds and dirt hollows. She even noticed but did not chase the chipmunks! Good girl.

Forest bathing

Another day we took a ferry ride to an island. Yay-we love island ferries! We saw a giant troll: check out his birdhouse crown, and the tiny human at the tip of his finger. We strolled through deliciously scented lavender fields (see top photo). There may have been some lavender flavoured chocolate biscuits and delicate macarons eaten that day. There is no evidence to prove one way or the other. Too bad. 😄. Also, a lighthouse.

Car ferry, giant troll, driftwood, lighthouse

But mostly and most important, everyday time with family: quiet time, walking time, puzzle-making time, telling stories that-make-us-laugh time, dog-walking time, dinner-out time and making-dinner-together-at-home time.

Precious time.

Silly time.

Loving time.

Soaking up every minute of it time.

Here’s one of the recipes we made, twice:

Slice just-ripe avocado. Scoop the soft pale-green flesh with a spoon out of the hard bumpy dark green skin and dollop into a glass bowl. Add a splash of chilled lime juice, another generous dollop (or maybe two) of spicy salsa.

Smash it gently, together. Wait a little while for the flavours to mature and soften.

Result: Blended cool and spicy, smooth with spots of soft firmness, coming together in a satisfying whole. Scoop up the lot with salty tortilla chips.

Family time with all the wonderful individual characteristics and joy that makes a mama hugely almost painfully heart-so-filled and happy to be. Here. Now.

Scooping up the whole lot.

Jimi wisdom, Seattle

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It’s a short one this week; I’ve had lots of travel in addition to this precious family time. Hope you all are having good weeks and are getting to spend time with the family that you choose. As always, thank you so much for reading.

I’ll be back next Thursday: it’s election day in the UK at the same time as the US Independence Day holiday. I have thoughts about all that. Meantime, happy end of June/beginning of July! We are halfway through the year!

xx Sabrina

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