Under a Red Roof

Summer Road Trip: Tieton

August 19, 2013 in Exploring, Traveling by Colleen | Permalink

Southbound on Highway 97

Yakima Canyon Bridge

Dinner in Yakima, we didn’t try the bacon special.

Our Tieton (Tie-eh-ton) home, El Nido Cabin no. 6, lovely and comfortable, with everything it’s right place, to quote a favorite song. Tieton lies fifteen winding miles from Yakima, and worlds away, really. On the surface, it is agricultural, surrounded by miles of orchards, a smattering of vineyards, and idyllic rolling hills, baked and golden by summer heat.

What you might not know is that the town is also an incubator for small, artisan businesses, an enterprise called Mighty Tieton. There are artists, book binders, printers, and cheesemakers, to name a few, all working to infuse new life into this tiny town. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that I discovered their endeavors and planned our journey after enjoying a bottle Tieton Cider Works hard cider, either, some of the best I’ve ever tasted.

The cabins are situated on seven acres of land, beautiful in its near wildness. Birds and other creatures chirp and rustle, while underfoot, the ground crunches with twigs, dead grass and eager Russian thistles. Here is a patch of choke cherries, long chains of dangling jewel fruit; there, a hedgerow of wild roses, electric colored hips glowing in soft afternoon light. And farm equipment, ancient and battered, but looking as if their caretaker has just stepped into the shade for a spell and will return any moment.

Making friends

We love this cider!

Picture takers at The Tasting Room, Wilridge Winery. It’s biodynamic and delicious!

A horse named Nell

Pears

For my nephew

Towering fruit crates

Ed Marquand, a kindly fellow with fabulous spectacles, is responsible for getting Mighty Tieton started, after getting two flat tires on a bike ride through the town. He runs Paper Hammer Studios and gave us a tour of their operations. With one fancy printer and an old-timey book binding machine alongside a hundred year old paper cutter nearly as large as my bathroom, it is a small operation. Fine books are made by hand and cheeky prints, too. We came home with a few treasures.

On the home stretch, with Mount Rainier from the east.

Tags: Traveling

Summer Road Trip: The Methow Valley

August 18, 2013 in Exploring, Friendship, Traveling by Colleen | Permalink

Soda Lake

Alkali Lake

We’re our way to the Methow (Met-how) Valley now, cruising along near-deserted highway no. 17, with scores of miles between automobile sightings. It was that dreamy hour, early in the day, the heat not yet ripened, the wind scarcely a breath upon us.

Wheat and sagebrush under high clouds and faded blue sky:

East, West, North, and South.

Alone, but not lonely.

Full of love and awe.

The Rolling Huts, our modern home in the Methow, though I think they might need a bit of coaxing to actually roll. Perfectly situated for star gazing, and fortuitous timing for the beginning of the Perseid Meteor Shower, we laid in quiet witness of countless shooting stars, the slow descent of giant fire balls, zooming bright satellites, and our thick with dreamy stars Milky Way.

The wesola polana (happy meadow) and a couple of her visitors.

The Methow River and my favorite rock skipper.

More love.

Liberty Bell Mountain

Silver Star Mountain

The old-timey town of Winthrop. We saw no gun slingers or rabble-rousers, only like-minded tourists wilting in August heat.

A fellow looking much like a prospector made certain we did not miss this bridge and accompanying riparian entertainments (said with a hearty laugh and nod to Keeping Up Appearances). We were mighty grateful.

Deer Ears

Choke Cherry

A River Runs through it.

That smile!

Just down the road in Twisp, I met Jillian of The Noisy Plume! We had a tasty breakfast at the Glover Street Market (stop in for a smoothie or breakfast sandwich or waffle, then grab a bar or two of Molly’s Soap – you won’t regret it). As for the meeting, after the twitchy nervous-making beginning was melted and spent, there was much laughter and discovery and the baring of sweet souls. Happiness!

Up Next – Tieton!

Tags: Traveling

Summer Road Trip: Walla Walla

August 16, 2013 in Drinking, Eating, Exploring, Quoting, Traveling by Colleen | Permalink

One of the reasons I haven’t posted much, as of late, is this road trip we took last week, full-on sky and heat.

I have a thing for power lines, humble totems of our modern age, despite conducting work that borders on epic. Oh, how I love a pun, too!

This photo makes me think of a passage from the Upanishads:

Bright but hidden, the Self dwells in the heart.

Everything that moves, breathes, opens, and closes, lives in the Self — the source of love.

Realize the Self hidden in the heart and cut asunder the knot of ignorance here and now.

We stayed at the Loma Loft in a historic neighborhood near downtown Walla Walla and were able to walk most of the time.

Like most places, I found scores of exquisite details everywhere I looked. The hubster is a big fan of the tin ceiling, and I am always a sucker for glorious light.

The Peach Basket Classic was in full swing. Three on three hoops, with young men and women dribbling for bragging rights. It is fun to stay at the YMCA!

Sweets and treats to be had everywhere, too, oh, and wine, lots and lots. We tasted our fair share and bought more than a few bottles.

We did not partake of any Hot Poop. Knowing it was available was adequate.

The sculptures and this building are part of Whitman College. It is a lovely campus, a fine mix of new and old.

The hubster makes himself at home.

Frosted

I think this is the best cupcake I’ve ever tasted. It’s definitely the most adorable, a perfect match to it’s name, too, the Shirley Temple. The hubster had a chocolate with coconut frosting, but there was only a bite left by the time I took my picture, so use your imagination for that one, or head to the shop yourself.

These last two were actually taken in Milton-Freewater, just across the border in Oregon. Where we filled up on wine in Walla Walla, we tasted fantastic hard ciders here, Blue Mountain to be precise, the last photo their namesake. I’ll bet I have a friend or two in Colorado chuckling about the “mountain” part.

Next up – The Methow Valley!

Goin’ Back…

July 8, 2013 in Exploring, Friendship, Listening by Colleen | Permalink

Goin’ back a spell for some of these. Time and photos pile UP. While you are here, have a listen to this, a literal match to today’s title, and just a plain perfect song, truth be told. It’s sung by the uber-talented and handsome Devendra Banhart; the reason for our being at the Crystal Ballroom and taking the photo, besides the fact it is neon, of course.

Fun with Matt and Beth and their cute kiddos (thanks for the last photo, too!). A jam packed day it was; with a field trip to the beaver pond and the puppy house; yumminess galore with the nibbling of forest greens, roasted marshmallows, and more; star and planet gazing (Saturn!); much laughter, romping, and silliness; and whispers and whiskey in the dark. I’m so glad we are friends.

We had a little hot spell and took it in stride, kicking it in our hillbilly swimming pool and eating food that requires no cooking. Boysenberries and peas grown in our very own garden patch and my not world famous but maybe it ought to be(!) spicy peanut sauce. Oh, and a little pink fizzy wine – doing it like the French do.

Our sweet friends Jeff and Rena treated me to dinner when I was in Denver. They are blissed out on fabulous Dae Gee Korean BBQ and lively conversation. I was, too.