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They say it's winter but I don't believe it (she says, looking suspiciously out the window at the bright sunny day, and at the temperature, which stubbornly stays in the high 60s). I could use a good couple of weeks of rain. This time of year I miss Oregon so much. I get so tired of the sun. I miss the forests and the rain and the chill and the gloom.
These adorable photos by my brother, of a recent mushrooming trip he took with my dad, don't help much:
These adorable photos by my brother, of a recent mushrooming trip he took with my dad, don't help much:
I love this one; Dad's hat looks like a gnome cap as he goes through the woods...
Instead of mushrooming, I'm trying to come up with some winter activities to help console Northwestern heart languishing here in sunny CA (surrounded, it must be added, by the love of my most wonderful partner, who makes it completely worthwhile, although a rainstorm sure does help).Since I have this goal of having an art show next fall, I've got to finish my painting. One a month will do it. I'm slightly behind. So there's one activity.
I'm trying not to bake since Terri shouldn't be eating sugar (and frankly, I don't need it either) but boy, that is difficult for me, especially this time of year. I'm thinking of, instead, switching to delicious vegetable gratins and such. Cheese instead of sugar. It's not really an even trade, but I need some sort of vice! I may have to start with Ruth Reichl's cheesy pumpkin bake. Mmm.
What else can you do when you can't control the weather? Well, our house is f-f-f-f-freezing, so I'm enjoying wearing my slippers and warm pjs. At least it gets dark early so I am stocking up on good books to read. I feel another Charles de Lint phase coming on...
I read in the London Review Of Books about a biography of John Cheever... I haven't ever read any Cheever, but this essay makes him sound fascinating, in a grumpy, closeted-gay-man, suburban-utopia (which is really miserable) sort of way. Actually, maybe it was just a really good essay. He sounds like a grump, and his books sound rather bleak, so maybe I'll pass and just enjoy the essay.
I think I'm going to try to write more about everything I read, not just the books. I'm also going to do more cooking and art posts, and less blah-blah-blah posts. I say that now (she says, finishing up what could be classified as distinctly blah-blah-blah...). I am completely boring myself to death so something's got to change around here.
4 comments:
*Laughs* well you aren't boring me! I love the pics of your dad, and I totally understand the temperature vs. winter thing. It is currently 65 outside here and rising. At least it's getting cold at night though, so that's a start.
i love your blah blah blah posts but a new direction for the blog sounds fun.
i always enjoy it when you talk about your dad here, he seems like such a fascinating off beat guy.
too much sun leaves me downright depressed after awhile. we had a few beautiful days of gloom and drizzly rain. i felt like i was in england. it was wonderful.
Barefoot: oh good, glad I'm not boring you. I don't necessarily want endless rain and/or snow. Just a little less sun and maybe some temps in the 40s-50s, please.
Tammie: my dad is definitely offbeat. what tipped you off? the sweater? :) The sun definitely bums me out this time of year, although I do really love having warm sunny springtimes.
You need to come to MN for the fall at least. Days start off below freezing and gradually warm to the upper 40s or low 50s. We had a streak of 60 degree days last week but that was the last hurrah. It will only get colder from here.
All those mushrooms look yummy. I've never been mushroom hunting before but that is just as well because I can't tell the difference between most varieties and would no doubt end up with a bucket of trouble and some poison oak/ivy rash to boot!
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