Red Hot Poker

One still in bloom and the other as the plant formerly known as the red hot poker...

Morning Dew?

Not exactly. But this was another advantage of my early morning walk--the automatic sprinklers had just finished doing their jobs. The bottom picture reminds me of some fancy cocktail ring...

Beyond the Bus Stop

As promised--I left the house at 6am this morning (camera in hand) and walked about a mile and a half along the beach--to this spot. Then I turned around and came home. (I needed coffee.) So to walk about 3 miles round trip, stopping to take approximately 180 photos (have I mentioned lately how much I love my digital camera?) took me not quite 2 hours. It really was lovely out. If the temperature suits me fine at 7am, you know it's going to be a hot day.

This Morning's Lovelies

I got both of these (in different yards) on the way to the bus stop this morning. (Tomorrow, I promise, I'll venture further than the bus stop with my camera.) It's supposed to be a lovely (and hot) day. So I plan on getting up early and going out prior to the heat and crowds arriving at Alki.

Alki Auto RepAIR

It's hard not to notice an old car in mid air on the way to the bus stop...

Burger Season

My first of the year. Yum. I think I usually begin hamburger grilling season much earlier, but everything weather-related about this spring has been unusual--and late.












(P.S. The Walla Walla Sweets on this really lived up to their name.)

Artichokes

These artichokes are growing in someone's garden down the street. The first picture was taken on Friday morning in the sun at around 9am. The second one was taken this morning about 5:35. (I like the cool earlier morning light better.)

Ladybug at the Bus Stop

Sometimes it pays to lug the camera around...this little bug was at my bus stop this morning.

Abby, the Sentinel

I spent the weekend at Kim's (or should I say Abby's?) house. Abby likes to stand on her hind legs a lot, a skill she uses mostly for spying on the neighbors, but also for dancing around the house.

Sweet Things from Becky's Garden


Fancy Bachelor's Button:











Something I don't remember the name of, but it sure is tiny and cute:

'Cot in the Act

As soon as I saw this kebab recipe in the current issue of Everyday Food, I knew I'd have to make it. When apricots went on sale at my grocery store, I knew the time had come. I only tweaked a few things about the recipe. Instead of salt, I added light soy sauce to the basting sauce. I also tossed the pork cubes with a combo of smoked paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, dried chipotle and kosher salt. Tasty! I served this with plain jasmine rice and a delicious salad of arugula, red onion, apricots, dried cranberries, goat cheese and fennel tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. I wanted to top the salad with pistachios, but I didn't have any, so I used pepitas instead. Still good.





Magazine's finished product:
















My skewers on the grill:

Summer Shadows

Happy Summer Solstice! I shot this on Wednesday night, when I walked through the living room at about 8:30 or so...I couldn't resist all of these shapes and shadows...

Work in Progress

This is my summer cocktail project. This is some sort of mojito-esque libation that I've come up with. Preliminary testing reveals it to be extremely refreshing, but I really need to perfect it--then come up with a proper name for it. It's ingredients are (so far): gin, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon thyme, and a small amount of sugar muddled together and shaken, then poured over ice and topped with club soda. So far, after three different attempts, I'm still thinking that the lemon thyme needs to have more presence in the flavor profile. So, I'll keep working on it. Practice makes perfect.

Still

Still more shots from my walk home today:

See What I Mean

Nice, huh? More from my 2.5 block walk home from the bus stop.

Busy As A ...

Sorry I've been a little lax on posting lately. I've been busy doing things other than taking pictures. But today, I took my camera with me to work, and even though I didn't use it for anything except my tiny walk home from the bus stop, when I saw plenty of things to take pictures of--like this bee. Something happens to me when I have a camera around my neck--especially with my macro lens. I just see the world differently. The mundane isn't anymore. Things are much more beautiful and intricate and interesting when I'm a "photographer" then when I'm just a commuter in a hurry to get home. Stopping to smell the roses is nice, stopping to photograph them is better.

Hey Lady!

This little ladybug was hanging out in the sun in front of the house yesterday afternoon.

Cupboard Was Bare Bruschetta

I needed to go grocery shopping after work, but it was rainy and windy and not all that warm (they mentioned on the news tonight that this was the coldest first week of June here since 1890-something) so I just stayed on the bus and went directly home. So, I had to come up with something from what I had on hand. Tuh-duh: Kale, pancetta and golden raisin bruschetta. I sauteed the pancetta with some garlic and red pepper flakes in a little olive oil, added the raisins and then dumped in the lacinto kale. I sauteed everything for awhile and then covered the pan and let it steam away for quite awhile, then I stirred in a dash or two of balsamic vinegar and threw it all on top of grilled olive bread which I "buttered" with herbed goat cheese. Pretty good for what I like to refer to as a "desperation dinner."

Mission Lowlight

Dave is home, and as a souvenir from his travels, I guess he brought me his cold. I stayed home from work on Friday with a fever and chills and spent the entire weekend lying around feeling crummy. Last night, we went to Mission for dinner, because what could possibly be better for a sore throat than a margarita or two? I got these pictures from our table.