Before & After

Our family has had the opportunity to help out at our local pregnancy clinic, Pathways, over the last couple years. Recently the clinic completed a major remodel of their basement area where clients can shop for clothes for their babies. The results are amazing! I got to help take some before and after pictures to document the transition.

Where I Stood

....as I took "Prickly"

Prickly

Glow

...from an early winter sunset.

Tiny

Around here, winter is hummingbird season. They've been very busy visiting our two feeders recently, but they also like to rest in the trees around our house.

Sprinkles + Reflection

When I first thought of sprinkles, the first image in my mind was the kind on cupcakes. However when I saw those at Starbucks today, I didn't have a camera. So, here's a different take on sprinkles--it's been "sprinkling" outside most of the day (yes, typical Northwest). I also happen to love the reflections in the water on our back deck, so here's a two-for-one. :-)

In a Row

I recently started taking violin lessons again. It feels good to be challenged to improve and try new things again!

Droplets

Baking

A weekend baking project for a get-together we went to: coconut macaroon cups with lemon filling.

Mugs and Memories

To celebrate Christina's birthday, which is this weekend, she, Mom and I went out to breakfast this morning at one of our favorite little coffee shops. Di Tazza is in walking distance of our house and I think it's one of the best coffee shops I know. (Granted I'm no coffee connoisseur. In fact, I often don't even have coffee. But they have really good chai lattes and amazing pastries!)

I think this is an appropriate post for the memory category, because we have a history of celebrating birthdays by going to Di Tazza. Thanks, Mom and Christina! It was a fun start to the morning.

Christina's mocha

Two lovely ladies.

My orange-glazed blackberry bun. It was so good!

I also tried getting a matcha latte for the first time. It was different, but tasty.

Dirty

Still working on juicy, but here's dirty...another rather unusual subject!

Winter weather is here (which in the Northwest means rain) and our cars are starting to show it. Here's a different view of one of our cars that needs to be washed. :-)

Rusty

Rust...that's kind of an unusual subject isn't it?

Streaking rust spots in the bird bath.

The band on a half-barrel planter. 

November Photo Challenge

Hello! Happy November! Time flies, doesn't? It's amazing that it's November and December is right around the corner! I've gotten inspired to do another photo challenge this month, similar to the one I did with my friend Missy last December. I'm going to follow my own rules. :-) That means I don't have to get to post each picture on its assigned day. I may even skip around a little. But at least this gives me some ideas of things to take pictures of. Feel like a little photo challenge? You're welcome to join me. I'd love to see what you come up with. So here's the list, borrowed from an unknown source (I found it on Pinterest).

San Francisco!

We had one last adventure in September. Christina and I went down to San Francisco with two of our good friends. We had a great time, but we were also really tired by the time we finished. We walked a lot!

We rode the BART to downtown San Fran from the airport. We started out by riding the cable car from near the BART station down to Fisherman's Wharf area.

I really enjoyed the architecture in San Fran.

The cable car turn-around at Market and Powell, where we got on. To get on you have to wait in a huge line, but this is really the only place you're sure to get on, as the cable cars tend to be full at all the other stops. It's literally a turn-around--they manually spin the trolleys around to send them back down the line in the other direction.

The turn-around is sectioned off with a cable and the line forms all the way from the trolley stop (on the right side) around to the other side of the track (on the left).

We waited, and finally had our own turn to hop on the trolley. Several of us got to ride on the running board. It was fun. It was also slightly dangerous, especially being on the left side next to oncoming traffic. Anytime we passed oncoming trolleys or cars the conductor would shout "Lean in, left side!" and we would try to lean into the car so we didn't hit anything.

Steep hills.

On the downward slope towards Fisherman's Wharf. (That's Alcatraz out there in the Bay).

I was very bad about taking people pictures (as usual)--but Christina did better. Here's one she took of Cori, Breanna and me checking out the area around Fisherman's Wharf.

Boats near Fisherman's Wharf.

One of the ships at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

We stopped by Ghirardelli Square a couple times. The square used to contain a chocolate factory and still has multiple Ghirardelli shops on the property.

We didn't buy this 5 lb. chocolate bar (though we did buy chocolate!), but it's pretty impressive, isn't it?

Tasty clam chowder at Capurro's. 

Exploring Pier 39.

The weather was really wonderful! Perfect for seeing the Golden Gate bridge from the end of Pier 39.

Alcatraz. We didn't get to go on the tour, but I hope if I get to go back to San Fran that I can do that.

The musical steps at Pier 39.

We trekked back from Fisherman's Wharf into the North Beach neighborhood on a quest to see Lombard Street (the curvy street).

I loved the houses in North Beach!

I noticed a lot of scooters in San Fran.

Lombard Street. The curvy portion is at the very top (you can hardly see it in this picture). We were a tad crazy and walked to the top. 

You know it's a steep street when they have to add an extra triangular piece to the bottom of the garage!

Looking up the curvy section of Lombard.

Looking across to Coit Tower.

Cars weaving their way down Lombard.

Looking down Hyde Street at Ghirardelli Square and the Bay.

After our hike up Lombard, it was time for a treat at the Ghirardelli ice cream shop.

(Photo credit to Christina)

Last stop--In-N-Out.

(Also Christina's picture)

It was a great trip. Thanks, Breanna and Cori, for joining us!

Takhlakh Lake

This has been a really fun September! I have two wonderful trips that I'm very excited to tell you about. The first was a family camping trip to Takhlakh Lake. We've heard of Takhlakh Lake for years. I guess at first I was the one who really wanted to go there. Somewhere along the way, I kind of lost my enthusiasm, but Christina was still really interested in going. I'm so glad she pushed for us to finally go this year. It was probably one of the best camping spots I've ever been to. Takhlakh is a little lake at the bottom of Mt. Adams, about two hours away from our house. On still days, you can see an almost perfect reflection of the mountain in this lake. We were blessed with the very best weather you could ask for and some wonderful reflections in the lake. 

I'm not going to apologize--there are a lot of mountain pictures in this post. With every different time of day, the look of the mountain changes and I think it's all worth showing.

The afternoon that we arrived, the moon was rising right above Mt. Adams. 

Mt. Adams at sunset.

Again at sunset, from a different spot on the lake. There's some people in a canoe on the left side--I really wished we had some kayaks so we could go out on the lake!

The lake was a short walk from our camping spot. We went back to look at the mountain repeatedly each day. We also went  a couple times at night. Early in the evening the moon was out and the mountain was still reflected in the lake, but now illuminated by moonlight. Then we went back later in the night. The moon had set, but there were stars reflected in the lake--it was so beautiful! I wish I had pictures of those two views, but I don't. :-(

Sunrise--sunbeams shining over the shoulder of the mountain.

Shortly after sunrise. That ripple was created by Dad throwing a rock--it just highlights how still the rest of the water is.

Mossy trees around our campsite.

We did go on a short hike. Dad and Christina climbed on some lava rocks near the trail.

There were mushrooms everywhere!

We also saw some pikas on the rock slopes by the trail.

 Takhtakh Meadow--the trail's destination.

 One of the signs on the trail claimed that you could see Goat Rocks from the trail. We never found a spot where you could, but we did find a side trail that climbed up to a viewpoint where there was an excellent view of both Mt. Rainier and Goat Rocks.

Mt. Rainier

Goat Rocks

One more shot of Mt. Adams.

We had a great time, just relaxing out there for a couple days. The weather was a lot warmer than we had expected, which was a pleasant surprise. We even went swimming in the lake one day. Another thing that impressed me was how quiet it was up there. There's no noise pollution and not even the constant sound of a river or the ocean like we are used to at other camping spots. It was very peaceful!