Imagine Europe

Can you tell I was in Europe the first few weeks of September? What?! You can't see the pictures?

Ahem.

We were in Switzerland...yet again. It is never as glamorous as it sounds, and always takes a toll in more ways than one. The weather, for the most part, was unseasonably cold and wet. I'm told the weather here at home, while we were away, was absolutely lovely. Sigh. I didn't take a great many photos but I really did want to share some pictures I took in Rome, where we spent a few days. (Rome, the city where people dine outside at 11 at night...There, of course, it was all lovely sun and heat.)

Yes, I want to share those pictures but alas, my camera has suddenly, inexplicably died. From one day to the next. The battery is fully charged but the camera, regardless of any urging and pleading on my part, won't do a thing. And my computer lacks a memory card reader. So, techno-dud that I am, I am waiting for some sort of revelatory notion as to what to do next, short of buying a new camera altogether. Each day I try turning on this one (a Panasonic Lumix DMC FX-07, by the way), hoping for a miracle. No luck so far.

So close your eyes and imagine Caravaggio paintings. Imagine Raphael's "The School of Athens". Envision me in a 16th century apartment in the Campo di Fiori. Isn't it nice?

Happy six years old, Rafe! (August 29)

Rafe entered our world six years ago, in a whirlwind. He was due September 7 and my c-section was scheduled for August 29. All the plans were in place for a friend to come over in the morning and watch the younger boys while Hans and I would calmly head to the hospital. Rafe apparently knew that calm birthing experiences are not my norm and decided to behave accordingly. We ended up rushing to hospital in the middle of the night so he could beat his scheduled arrival time by a few hours. He's been on the go ever since. Happy six years to you, Rafe Bastien!

Willows respite (August 24)

Hans and I spent an overnight respite here at The Willows Inn on Lummi Island. Lummi is a small, sleepy island, easily reached via a ten minute ferry crossing but seemingly a world away.
You can while away hours just sitting on the deck of the inn.

The Willows is part of the Slow Food movement, serving all manner of local fare. Spot prawns served on Sunday evenings draw crowds all summer long. The vegetables are fresh from the garden, above.

We love Riley and Judy, the owners of the inn. Riley's an idea guy who loves to get his hands dirty. He and Hans spent more time talking about chicken butchering than I ever thought possible. Don't even ask how one actually puts that device above to work.

Riley's among the handful of fishermen who catch via the ancient Native American practice of reefnetting. Once you've had wild reefnet salmon caught just off Lummi, everything else will pale in comparison. This is food the way it's meant to be!

Fair Week! (August 11-16)

"Wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'...."

I "heart" pictures of ridiculously happy children living it up on kiddie rides.

Are these two babies the essence of cute or what?