May 21, 2010
beautification, cheery, and tree boxes
posted by soe 11:14 am
It always irks me a bit when I have things in mind for my TBT post and then I forget to use them. In this week’s instance, I’m totally blaming the sick — and taking a second shot with three beautiful flowery things from my week:
1. On an embankment along the highway leading to Crystal City grow a sea of brilliant red poppies and very green grass.
2. Purple irises and orange poppies atop the yarn cupboard in our living room remind me of a Dar Williams lyric (even if it’s not quite accurate).
3. Tree boxes all over downtown have been turning purple and magenta this week as city maintenance crews switch out the plants. Gone are the early spring plants, which were past their peak, and in are blooming petunias and pansies. It feels more summery already.
May 20, 2010
play ball, three, and ripe
posted by soe 11:26 pm
I’m back again after a brief bout with a stomach bug. It’s been a shortened week, but nonetheless full of lovely things. Here are three of them:
1. This evening we have baseball tickets — Mets vs. Nationals. It is pleasantly warm and sunny — perfect for spending at the ballpark.
2. Susan and Phillip announce an addition to their family will be arriving in early November.
3. Strawberries — From our garden. From the farmers’ market. Sliced and juiced and served with whipped cream and lemon pound cake. Whole. Cold from the fridge. Warm during a picnic. Room temperature. Strawberries.
How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world this week?
May 16, 2010
oh, hello there…
posted by soe 11:44 pm
Sorry for disappearing on y’all, but today was Rudi’s birthday, which meant that I spent a lot of time this weekend running around and shopping and cleaning.
The good news is that it paid off and Rudi, who has just toddled off to bed in his old-agedness (Now that he’s a year older than me once more, I can start teasing him again… Clearly his tiredness has nothing to do with the 150+ miles he rode this weekend nor with the hours at which he rose to do so…), seems to have had a nice weekend filled with bike riding, friends, and food. We passed a pleasant evening at Malcolm X Park, where the fountain was running, the drum circle offered an aural backdrop, and our friends helped cap off a great day with a picnic dinner.
One of the blogs I read had a post just this morning about our not taking the time to appreciate the here and now. I just want to put it out there that this evening, surrounded by our six favorite people in D.C., was definitely one of the good old days I’ll be looking back on. I could feel a sense of well-being and happiness wash over me as we lay on the blankets and played board games. It was just … right. Emily Gibbs would be pleased.
On other fronts, the Burrow is still a mess. It’s frustrating, but it feels like we’re making progress toward achieving some balance and harmony with our surroundings again. I have to keep reminding myself that since it didn’t reach this stage overnight, it’s unreasonable to expect to rectify it that quickly. This weekend’s big steps were to put together a shelf we bought back in February (sadly, it’s true; we even schlepped it awkwardly home through the aftermath of Sno(w)verkill) and to start a box of things that should head to Goodwill.
Finally, think good thoughts for my garden, please. The weekend’s hectic schedule didn’t leave time to make it down there, so I’ll be heading over after work, rain storm or not. I hope my plants can forgive the neglect.
May 13, 2010
clean, snapshots, and nest
posted by soe 11:30 pm
Rudi, Julia, and I spent the evening at the Argonaut eating, drinking, and catching up. It was a lovely way to spend a Thursday and a great way to start our weekly three beautiful things post:
1. On Sunday I spent time washing our (subterranean) living room windows — inside and out. The difference was instantaneous — and surprising.
2. A letter from Rebs includes pictures of their new puppy and of a growing son. He’s no longer in that toddler stage and it’s obvious even in still imagery that he’s now a little boy.
3. Phoebe’s nest cam, located in a California rose bush, shows a tiny iridescent hummingbird sitting on her nest and two eggs. Monday morning offered occasional views of the first hatchling and by Tuesday morning, we could see both babies (complete with what my coworker Sarah termed “back mohawks”) during the occasional times when Phoebe left for a snack run. (Hat tip to Jill for the link. And a reminder that the nest is best viewed during daylight hours in California.)
What’s been beautiful in your world this week?
May 12, 2010
around the world in a single saturday
posted by soe 2:25 am
The past two Saturdays have seen me spanning the globe, visiting six countries over four continents but still making it home in time for dinner. You’ve got to appreciate the way modern travel allows such amenities. Or, at least, D.C.’s cultural attractions.
On the 1st of May, Passport D.C. offered folks the opportunity to visit a broad swath of embassies. I got a late start and it was over 90 with high humidity, so I stuck with visiting nations close to home. That said, I still managed to make it to four countries:
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May 11, 2010
a pleasant way to spend a monday evening
posted by soe 12:31 am
The days have gotten long enough that Rudi and I were able to meet up at the garden to get a few more plants in the ground. We ate our first two strawberries of the season (mine was a bit sweet-sour), admired all our sprouted seeds, tied some string to train our peas upward, and added tomatoes, peppers, an eggplant, and a rosemary to our plot. (I still have to plant peanuts and potatoes and squash. Maybe after the rain…)
Monday is a good tv night for us, so we came home to curl up in the living room to watch a lineup of Chuck, Big Bang Theory, and Castle. We ate fondue for dinner and followed it up with a smidge of fudge. I knit. Rudi washed the dishes.
It was a good way to start the week.