Speaking of crime…

Is there crime in your neighborhood? Do you feel it’s gotten worse or better through the years?

Views from quarantine

The following are views that make me enjoy living where I do:

I watched three Harris Hawks land in a tree across the wall. They love to hang out there. Then one by one, they flew into our yard. I lost sight as they flew over our roof.

Here’s a video of one flying I captured in slow motion:

Look at the sparkle in our pool.
Here’s a young cardinal visiting my Bird Buddy until a Gila Woodpecker takes over.
I was standing outside and these quails didn’t seem to care that I was nearby.

What are your favorite things or views from your home?

All my plans

View of our pool from my gravity recliner.

I had so many plans for this week. Oh well. Life doesn’t always work out as planned.

Here’s what I was excited to do this week before Covid hit:

It is finally be warm enough to get back into the pool. I made lap swimming reservations at the YMCA for this week after it was too cold to swim for months.

I was going to a driving range by myself or with a friend.

I wanted to hike the trails across the street because wildflowers are in bloom.

I got a call from the City of Scottsdale that I got bumped off the waiting list of three months for pickleball lessons today. They had a coveted spot for me.

I was going to a Casino Night fundraiser for the Dream Center which is a residential facility for trafficked girls and boys. I wrote about it HERE.

My husband and I would resume our daily walks morning and night.

I realize it’s not the end of the world that my plans changed. I’m content to sit in the backyard for a few minutes and enjoy the warm sun. Next week, I may feel stronger and be able to enjoy a few of the activities on my list, if not all of them. Notice most of my activities had to do with good weather, sunshine and moving outside?

What are you excited to do because Spring is in the air?

Views from my trip

The house I grew up in from second grade on. No we didn’t have a blue garage! What were these people thinking!

I grabbed the front of the house photo from Redfin.

After my aunt and I left Robe Valley and my mother’s ashes, we drove to my hometown, Snohomish, Wash. During our journey we detoured up Lord’s Hill to my old house that I lived in from second grade until I left for college. My mom sold it after “the divorce.” It was too expensive for her to keep up on alimony payments.

First street Snohomish
First Street, the touristy part of my hometown.
Snohomish first street
Another view of First Street Snohomish.

We stopped for lunch at Andy’s Fish House. The Pacific Northwest has the best seafood. I had chowder, salad and a piece of cod. My aunt had fish and chips. It was delish!

Oto Sushi
While I’m posting about food, I had sushi with my BFF from college at Oto Sushi near my brother’s house. This was called “Skinny Girl Roll” because it didn’t have rice. It was so fresh and yummy.
View from my brother's patio.
View from my brother’s patio overlooking a small lake. It’s a gorgeous home and location. Notice they have one of my flamingos in the backyard!
Nephew playing piano

My nephew played Moonlight Sonata and Für Elise as a tribute to my mom. He used his Covid shutdown days to learn piano!

13 Coins Seatac
The counter at 13 Coins, one of my mom and dad’s favorite restaurants when I was growing up.

My aunt and I spent the night at SeaTac airport after our adventure in Robe Valley and Snohomish. Next door to our hotel was 13 Coins which was a favorite memory of mine with my mom. My aunt said it was a place she and her husband frequented in the 1970s. Sitting at the counter is more exciting than in the booths, because it’s where all the cooking takes place.

13 Coins Seatac
The line action at 13 Coins by the Seattle airport.
brother with two sisters
Mom, her older brother and my aunt who is 11 years younger than Mom.

My aunt shared a small scrapbook she made for my mom’s 70th birthday. This was a photo in it that I loved.

cat on a suitcase
Olive immediately attacked my suitcase when I came home. She made the suitcase her perch for hours.

Thanks for taking a look at my week in the Pacific Northwest.

Are you superstitious?

Angus our yellow lab and Sherman our black cat (RIP.)

Sherman and Angus lived to ripe old ages of 17 and 15 respectively. I was surprised when my husband’s uncle came over years ago and I discovered he was superstitious about black cats.

Yesterday, I was ready to take my daily trip to the post office with my husband’s client gifts. My plan is to go five days in a row with a dozen packages. Any more than that, my mind gets muddled writing addresses and I make mistakes. Plus, the dirty looks from the patrons behind me, isn’t fun. Once I had a woman cursing at me. My daughter was with me and I was afraid she’d beat up the woman attacking her mom. So, 10 to 12 packages gets me under the radar of the impatient. (Boy, do I miss my daughter’s help with this annual project!)

I counted the packages as I put them in bags to carry. 13. I had 13 packages. That wouldn’t do. Why not? I guess I’m superstitious, too. I notice I avoid the number 13 at all costs. I took one package out and saved it for the next day. Whew! That was close.

Are you superstitious? What about? Do you change what you’re doing because of superstitions?

Sherman helping me with my work. Actually, Sherman wanting attention from me and telling me to stop working.

From Summer to Winter

Last week I sought the shade. Now I seek the sun on my walks.

When we left for Mexico last week, the afternoons at home were topping 90 degrees. That is if it wasn’t “monsooning” with thunder, lightening and major rains.

We arrived home Sunday afternoon. I checked my phone the following morning before our walk for the temperature. I did a double take. 46 degrees. Yikes!

I got out my leggings and fleece jacket and bundled up.

What happened to Fall? We went from too hot to too cold in a snap. I used to complain in Palm Springs that we had lousy weather. It was either too hot or too cold. There were only a few days that were just right. It seems that Arizona weather is much the same. But I missed the “just right” days. There were none in September or October. Certainly none in the summer.

My next challenge is getting into my swimsuit and jumping into the YMCA pool. They had been cooling the pool. I sure hope they’re heating it now!

What is your favorite season and temperature range?

Balloons spotted during our morning walk.

It’s all about the crust

Rhubarb Pie
Homemade rhubarb pie for dessert with guests Saturday night.

My mom was one heck of a pie baker. She’d send my brother and I out on our bikes to pick wild blackberries. She warned us not to eat too many or there wouldn’t be enough for pie.

She taught me how to make crust. The secret is to barely touch it. The more you handle it, the tougher it gets.

I remember visiting her with my infant daughter and toddler son. She had made clam chowder (my favorite) and baked a wild blackberry pie.

I raved about the pie and her perfect flaky crust.

She laughed and said she was doing something different now that she was over 60. She showed me the box of Pillsbury Pie Crusts! I was shocked. I literally couldn’t tell the difference between the boxed crust and her famous homemade crust.

I continued to make crust the old fashioned way. But I didn’t like the mess of flour all over the counter and sink. I didn’t like cleaning after making pies. So one day I folded and bought the crusts. My family didn’t notice the difference.

I noticed it was super easy to bake pies and it wasn’t an ordeal. Unroll the crust and fill it. Bake. Presto! You have pie.

I feel guilty when we have guests over and they rave about my pie. But then again, at least they’re not store bought!

Here’s the recipe from my mom’s Betty Crocker cookbook for rhubarb pie:

Rhubarb pie recipe

Do you think it’s cheating to make a pie with store-bought crusts?

Did you grow up with a Betty Crocker cookbook?