orange

Today I'm wishing my brother the happiest of birthdays.

I'm continuing to participate in autumn color week. If you haven't already, take a look at the Flickr pool - so much creativity and beauty to be seen.

On my mind today are the thoughts about doing what you love found here and here.

Happy Wednesday!

green

(This week I'm participating in a week of autumn colors. Today is green.)

Some green for your Tuesday. I especially love the image of the heart shaped lake; Alexi took that on a recent backpacking trip around Mount St. Helens.

autumn color week

This week I'll be participating in Jan's week of autumn colors. I enjoy having an 'assignment' to focus on while taking pictures and blogging; it helps me notice things I might not otherwise. Today's color is YELLOW - regular readers may remember it's my fave...

(at Camp Orkila this past weekend)
(at the Washington Park Arboretum last fall)

The Herbfarm

The weekend before my birthday, Alexi and I celebrated by having dinner at The Herbfarm. Each week, The Herbfarm Restaurant "chooses the best from farm, forest, and sea to create thematic 9-course dinners show casing the culinary glories of the Pacific Northwest." I'd been curious about this restaurant for a long time, but wasn't sure how it would be to sit for a nine course meal. The seasonal, locavore focus, and the food exploring nature of (my twitter friend) the proprietor Ron Zimmerman compelled me to visit. It was a memorable event that I look forward to repeating; everything I had hoped for and more. (And the time really flew by.) Read more about The Herbfarm here.

The garden:

Hazelnut lined pathway:
Recycling via Basil and Borage (and I now really, really want a pet pig):

Inside:

In the wine cellar:
The library:
View of the dining room from the library:

The tiniest cucumber I've ever seen:

A few more photos of the evening can be seen here.

ice cream social

I took these photos last weekend at an ice cream social we attended. What's interesting to me is how the light already looks different, a week farther into fall.

Have a sweet weekend!

the best day

I had a very good birthday. Cards in the mail, emails, phone calls, facebook messages and your wishes here in yesterday's comments came in all day long. The boys surprised me with homemade gifts, and Alexi with a slide show of my life. And I had such a perfect day with them, ending with a memorable meal at Delancey. Thank you so much everyone for all the love.

September 24

Today is my birthday. Alexi has taken the day off; we plan to go on a bike ride together and have lunch out while the kids are at school. And of course we'll celebrate all together in the evening. I'm so looking forward to the next forty! I'm working on a list of goals for the year to come; what do you hope to accomplish in the next year of your life? xoxo

smitten

(Seen on Goat Mountain trail 217 by Alexi a couple of days ago..I have no idea what any of them are. I'd love to hear if you know.)

I am planning to transition into fall gracefully as there are so many things to look forward to. Color and more color, cashmere, boots, soup, crisp days, my birthday, pumpkins, my anniversary, tights...

If today's high of 87 and low of 53 are a sign of things to come, I'm smitten.