Words.

Hi. Are you still here? Coming to The Hut? Life around here has been busy and full and we have been sick and healthy and sick again and you know, I have an unpublished post waiting in the queue-something I wanted to share with you that I've been working on but all this sort of is irrelevant because a friend of mine, Amy, has horribly and tragically died in a car accident. So sudden, so painfully sad. I will miss her because, well, of course any reason you would miss a friend but you know, you can't imagine how lovely Amy's spirit is. And the thing I think of every time I close my eyes or wake up or sit quietly in any space since her accident is this: that darkness in grief, that split second of realization and then lingering period of complete agony of not having this person in your physical space anymore, that scary cavern of empty space where she no longer is, that fear of life without her, that list of unanswered questions, that questioning why her, that not being able to say goodbye? Amy's family feels that right now. It makes me physically ill to know people I care about are hurting like this. I've been there feeling that and it's just awful. Anyways, maybe more on this later (I'd sure like to share some fun stuff about Amy)...maybe not. This wound is fresh and has privately torn open an old one for me.

Escape To Alcatraz.

What do you ask for your 10th birthday if you are Savannah? To go the Alcatraz with your best friend! So early Saturday morning Savannah and I picked up Wrenna and Krista and headed off to the city. Because it is Fleet Week in San Fransisco we knew the traffic would be crazy, we took the ferry.

Little and big Girls were spooked by the haunting audio tour inside the prison.

We all marveled at the view of the bay from this standpoint. Such breathtaking views.

We returned to the piers just in time for an incredible air show! The girls splashed in the water while Thunderbirds, Blue Angeles and a biplane performed ridiculous tricks and stunts in the bay.

Savannah's request for lunch was to eat at Greens. Our food was delicious and the view, lovely.

 

Thank you Savannah for choosing a fantastic way to celebrate a big birthday and to Krista and Wrenna for joining us in the fun.

Gardenwood.

Tara's new house in Poulsbo has a name! I swoon at a property with a name, don't you? The previous owner and builder of this lovely spot was a Master Gardener. The acreage is lush and vibrant, curated meticulously with a variety of plants, trees, flowers, fruit and vegetables. There is a tree house, rope swing, island with moat(!), acreage enough for a hike, barn, ponds, large living space...

(Tara on a hike around property)

AND A SHE SHED!! Yes, Tara has her own little cottage! Previously a potting shed, I can't wait to see what she makes of it.

I cannot tell you how lovely a feeling it was to sit at Tara's kitchen table and chat over coffee while Littles played nearby. Such peace and comfort to drink from those same mugs and share in the newness of this Washington life.

Oh, and Georgia (one of the Morris' cats) made herself right at home in Ivy's suitcase. I guess she needed a little bit of Camino to feel at home.

Seattle Trip.

Ivy and I flew North to Seattle for a few days, reuniting with our best girls Tara and Olive. This is our first trip together, just the 2 of us. So lovely to connect with Ivy in a way I could not have done at home.





Ivy and Olive headed to Pike's Place.

Gum Wall.

Tara! So good to see this face.

Dahlias aplenty.

Balloon Man.

Ferry to Bainbridge Island, on our way to Tara and Olive's new house.

A perfect Autumn day. Space Needle in the distance, beyond these silly Little Girls.