Sun, Finally

I walked through a cloud to get to the bus this morning. It wasn't raining, but my hair was damp and my glasses were covered by the finest mist I've ever seen.

By the time I walked home tonight, the shadows were long, 

but the sun had conquered.

Feline Census

Just in case you've lost track:

Nahum

Willow

Theo

and Rose

I am...

Rose.

Hear me roar.

Comment on the Weather

I know, it's not the most unique or interesting topic, but the weather is just weird lately: gray, overcast, and 75 degrees. That's just wrong.

Changing of the Season

Even the blackberry agrees, summer's over.

Contact

She looked me in the eye, said

You deserve to be seen,

                                    attended to,

                                                loved.

Heeding her words posed a challenge,

Even more difficult, the maintenance of eye contact.

Waiting

It feels, sometimes, like I wait a lot—for the bus, in the grocery store check-out line, for someone else to make a decision so I can proceed with my work, for my body to heal so I can return to the activities of my choice rather than my capability. But standing here on a Friday afternoon with my fellow commuters, it occurred to me that mostly I wait for privilege—privilege with which I am so thoroughly familiar I've forgotten that what I'm waiting for is not an inalienable right. And you know what? My bus ride home tonight wasn't nearly as long as it sometimes is.

Fall Color

Waiting for my ride home from work was more colorful than anticipated, in a nice sort of way.

Breakfast

We didn't once talk about what we're writing, or not writing. Though right before snapping the photo, I mentioned that I'm blogging again.

Next Step

Took her to the vet on Saturday. Signed us all up for the kitten package.

View

Seven or eight hours a day, five days a week, excluding holidays, of course.

Early Morning

My 5:30 a.m. walks are a little more cheerful because our town keeps the tree lights up year round. Love that.

Posting

Is it really any different than watching a movie together? Except that I won't know what he's thinking about until he publishes.

Uh Oh

A stray, found hiding out in wheel housings of the SUV parked in front of our house. She's huddled in the kennel on our back porch now, awaiting her future.

They don't have to do anything special, yet I find them adorable. Why is it so much more difficult to do the same with the humans I love?

Sharing

What the Light Was Like*

The light captivated me this morning. 

Winter's gray drizzle began in late August this year, effectively truncating our already abbreviated sun season. We'll have a few more lovely, light days, but not many. In fact, by early afternoon today's promising start had deteriorated to a November-like pall, sans the chill that usually accompanies the damp. The only clue appropriate to the season being this:

not needing a headlamp to walk home from the bus stop after work this evening.

It's taken living here in the Pacific Northwest for nearly a decade to appreciate that absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder.

*This title belongs to Luci Shaw. Check out her book by that name.

Things to Remember

Lately work has been more busy than I'd like. It's good work, but there isn't any time to think things through, or plan for that matter. In the midst of this season, I struggle to remember that it's not always like this. In fact, just a month ago, my employer hosted the organization's annual staff picnic at Carkeek Park where playing rather than working was the order of the day. In addition to the games and laughter, I enjoyed 

the novelty of standing above a quickly moving train

public art

and a few moments of quiet.

Plant Sitting

2.5 more months to go.

I sure hope it makes it.

Celebrating

A few of the fish from Les sardines - celebrating two years

Catnap

He looks happy, though appearances have been known to deceive.

Lounging

Sometimes there is more work than it seems possible to accomplish, but I get to come home to rest and allow my spirit to be restored before trying again tomorrow.

An evening at home, happily alone.

Day Trippin'

Red. Love it.