11.30.08
Gazzam Lake in November
We’ve tramped the trail before, never reaching the lake for one reason or another. Today we walked the ring-like trail with the lake lying like a dark diamond in a beautiful setting. It took us about an hour to make the full loop, with time to take in the scents, sounds, and sights of a quiet shore in the depth of autumn.
Oh, and the kids didn’t miss the signs at the entrance advising us that bears, coyotes, and spotted owls have been sighted in the area. You can be sure that we heard lots of bears. Or at least a vibrant discussion on what exactly to do when confronted by a bear.
River walks and restaurant reviews
Snow falling into a running river is entrancing.
Snow also makes me hungry. Our short trip to Spokane included 3 restaurant visits, so here are the reviews:
Madeleine’s Cafe and Patisserie on Main positively beckoned us through the snow. It’s cheerful, charming, and decked out for the holidays. Their breakfast offerings are scrumptious, even the bran muffin I so virtuously enjoyed.
Isabella’s Gin Joint serves some of the best steamer clams I’ve ever had, though I found their ambience lacking–really, why does any place use the sickly orange fake votive candles? We didn’t stay past the appetizer, but I’d give this place another chance when there’s live music.
And that brings me to the best of the three, Wild Sage. One of the best restaurants I’ve eaten at: serene and gracious, warm, full of character, and a creative, thoughtful, and tantalizing menu. Starters were the vegetarian taquitos, bursting with flavor from garlic mashed Yukons, salted cabbage, avocado, lime, and chili. I somehow hadn’t gotten enough seafood for the day, so I had the Washington oysters, which were blue-cornmeal encrusted, with a jerk aoli beneath and shaved cucumber and pickled lemon on the side. B. had chevre-stuffed chicken on roasted root vegetables with white cheese grits and a ragout of tomatoes and peppers. It kind of makes me ill to eat $80, and I rarely indulge this way, but if you’re in the mood, Wild Sage is the place to do it.
Sunrise to snowfall
Thanksgiving this year was with Auntie M in Spokane, and Thursday’s sunrise over our ferry ride was fit for the holiday.
The snow flurries started shortly before we arrived. This is the wintery view of the Spokane River from M’s balcony:
So you have this chilly, subdued winterscape to one side and to the other, the bustle of cooking and company. Utterly delicious.
11.25.08
A damp, drizzly November
And like Melville’s Ishmael, where else would my meanderings take me but down to the sea?
Snippets
Walking off the ferry, 6:05 pm, Guy #1: I usually end up eating vending machine food.
Guy #2: I’d rather eat gas station food.
Corner of 3rd and Cherry, 6:15 pm, girl on cell phone: I’m so tired, I’m like dreaming.
Denny Hall, UW, 8:40 pm, student to professor: Sorry I was late tonight. Some $%&# cut my drive belt on my Harley.
11.18.08
Splitting the sativum
This evening I split whole heads of Italian softneck garlic into individual cloves ready to go into the garden. I had the soundtrack to The Mission on and then Arvo Part’s Mass, and I felt happy. It’s the first time I’ve tried growing garlic, and from all I read, it’s very easy. We’ll see what comes up come spring.
I split nine and got 64 little cloves to plant in the morning.
11.13.08
Shelter
Steve, my seatmate last night on the #74 bus: Hi. I’m Steve. (Holds out his hand, which is warm and large.)
Ashley: Hi, Steve. I’m Ashley.
S: I live right over there, got a nice apartment. I’m not homeless anymore. I used to be. My caseworker got me a nice apartment. I’ve been there 15 months.
A: That’s good.
S: I used to be homeless and I worked two jobs. Pacific Lutheran and Anthony’s.
A: Down on the waterfront?
S: Yeah, down on the waterfront.
A: Working two jobs is hard.
S: Oh, I don’t work no more at all. My caseworker got me set up. Got me a nice apartment. I got three TVs.
A: Do you watch them all at the same time, or did you put one in every room?
S: (Laughs long and loud) No, it’s a studio, got a nice kitchen. Got a TV on the counter, one in the corner, one in the living room. Watch the news, watch the ballgame…
A: (nods)
S: I’m not homeless anymore. I used to be. I have a girlfriend. I met her at the post office right there. I met her in 2004, four years ago. She lives on the South side, though. I love her.
11.08.08
Things I know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful
…if I do say so myself. 
This felted wool bag got its start back in August, when I bought the wool from a shop in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island. It’s crocheted, since I can do that without looking, and I worked on it when I watched the Olympics, and then during the presidential campaign speeches.
Yesterday I put it in the washing machine (inside a pillowcase), with a big towel to provide friction, and sent it through a couple of heavy-wash cycles (a front-loading machine doesn’t wreak the same damage as a traditional agitator), and got it to the size I wanted–about 1/2 the size I made it originally.
Now the only thing left is to pick a perfect closure. Shell? Bead?
Here’s a lovely luminary I picked up at the fair trade Christmas market at Rolling Bay Church this morning. This was made by an artist in Indianola, WA, but there were beautiful handmade goods from all over the world.
And here’s the lace-leaf Japanese maple paper I made yesterday, illuminated by the lace-leaf Japanese maple luminary:
11.06.08
Listen to your elders, kids
86-year-old gentleman at Safeway yesterday afternoon, looking at canned turkey gravy: Arrgh. They put junk in everything.
Me, nodding: What–MSG? Preservatives?
86yog: Yeah. Makes me sick. (Laughs) Did you see the Progresso soups stacked up there in the aisle?
Me: Uh-huh. Guess they want to move them.
86yog: Oh, they’ll move them alright. People don’t read the damn labels, put all sorts of junk in their bodies. Almost all my friends are dead or Alzheimer’s got them. You got to eat right (motioning to his cart, which has fresh produce, nuts, and little else).
S. speaks up: My favorite food is lentils and spinach!
A. echoes her: Me too!
86yog: Ah-ha! That’s good. Let me feel your muscles, young man. That’s a good big sister you’ve got there. Knows how to eat healthy. That’s how you get to be 86 years old and shopping for yourself and telling the young folks to take care of themselves.
Psst. We’ll keep it a secret that I went home and made a big pan of macaroni and death by cheese, right? What? It goes with the rain.
