Sunday, er...Monday Salon

Mount Rainier at twilight 

Weather: Gorgeous. The temperatures yesterday were in the the mid 60s, perfect for working in the yard (which we did.)

Roses, hydrangeas, kale, and moss (oh my): 

• Don and I spent a bit of time on both Saturday and Sunday pruning and mulching the roses. We were late on the pruning according to the old adage to prune by President's Day Weekend (mid-February) but earlier on the mulching than usual so I hope the net result is a good one. 
• The rose bed was covered with moss, as is just about everything around here: our roof, driveway, all flower beds, even on flower pots. I have officially declared war on moss and will at least a few minutes every day this Spring de-mossing something. 
• While moving from the front to the back yard I noticed that the large pot where I grew kale last year is full of a healthy crop. I don't remember throwing down any new seeds but perhaps I did last Fall hoping for one more crop before winter. Hmm...I think I will make a few green smoothies today using the kale.
• Today's task in to deadhead the hydrangea bushes. Thankfully Carly, who is home for Spring break, has agreed to help me. This is another task I should have done a long time ago. Thank goodness for fine weather and daughters.

Jury duty: I am officially on jury duty this week, but didn't have to go in today. I don't know what that means for the rest of the week, however. I seem to have one of those lucky numbers because I get called for jury duty about once every two or three years, Don has only been called once in his life. Lucky me. Not.

Dad and his great grandson, Ian

Eugene: The weekend before last Daughter #1, Rita, and I took her son down to Eugene to visit his great-grandparents. My folks are aging (aren't we all?) to the point that many of their friends are dying for age related illnesses. The previous month they had experienced the death of two of their closest friends. I thought that a visit from little Ian would boost their moods and help shift their focus from looking back to looking forward. I know they were thrilled to spend a little time with our boy.  The photo above is of my dad and Ian. Isn't it sweet?

View of the Olympic Mountains looking across Lake Washington

Friends: I had a chance to spend time with two of my high school friends this past week: Mary Jo and Carol. Mary Jo drove over from her home on the Olympic Peninsula so we could talk about her upcoming trip to China. Carol and her husband Vijay, met Don and I for breakfast on Saturday so we could catch up and find out details of their trip to Costa Rica and plans for upcoming trips. I guess we are now in the age bracket where our friends are all traveling to exotic locations.  ☺

Carly is home for two weeks: She is home from New York for her "last" Spring break. While home she has scheduled a few informational interviews with genetic counselors in the area, putting out job feelers. I love having her home.

Aerial view of elephants by their shadows. Photo from the book: Endangers.

Books read since my last update:

• Finding My Elegy: New and Selected Poems by Ursula LeGuin...not my favorite poetry collection but I recognize that poetry is a very personal thing. Print.
• Endangered by Tim Flach...one of those huge coffee table sized books with fabulous photos of endangered animals. I sat at the library and read this one so I wouldn't have to lug it home. See photo above for a sample of the wonderful photos. Print.
• Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng... a book club selection. An interesting look at an American family along with cultural and ethical topics. Audio.
• Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders...another book club selection. This book has won all kinds of awards. I really enjoyed it. Audio.
• Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes...an award-winning children's book about a visit to the barber. I loved it. Print.
• Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld...a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Not nearly as good as the original. It still enjoyed it. Audio.
• Harry Potter and Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling... a reread. Print.

Currently reading: 

• Emma by Alexander McCall Smith...another modern retelling from the Austen Project. 57%. Audio.
• Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children's Literature as an Adult by Bruce Handy. I am enjoying this nonfiction book immensely. 33%. Print
• Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver...I adore Oliver's poems but I am reading only a few poems every day so it will take me months to finish this large volume. 18%. Print.
• True Grit by Charles Portis. I started this audiobook at the gym the other day but I will have to set it aside as another audiobook came in from the library.

A few other bookish things:

• Pierce County Reads! selected the 3-volume set of graphic novels MARCH by John Lewis for this year's all-county read. I am delighted.
• I've decided, now that I am retired and no longer have to feel "guilty" if I am not reading YA lit, that I can finish a few book series which I had set aside: The Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde, The Flavia du Luce series by Alan Bradley, and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Maybe some others like several of Alexander McCall Smith's series. Yay!

Hydrangea flowers. Photo taken last summer.

Hydrangeas are calling.  Maybe next week I will actually get this posted on Sunday! Bye!