Vacation

The word vacation comes from the Latin word vacare which means to be empty and stems from an Indo-European root eu which means to leave or abandon. Not only are we leaving or abandoning the office, but we are mentally moving out of that head space.

I had no idea I needed a vacation so badly, but now (after being refreshed) I can look back and see all of the reasons why a break was so necessary. The economy is shit, everyone is broke, work is stressful, it has been raining since October and two days off per week just doesn't cut it.

So, I went home "sick" on Thursday afternoon and was ever so "sick" on Friday as we flew to San Francisco. We walked all over the city, seeing Museums, strolling through parks, and basking in the sun. That's right, it was sunny and warm the entire weekend.

We drove up to Napa on Saturday and it was even more glorious there. Warmer and less breezy. We took a picnic and after our first tasting, bought a bottle and drank it on the perfectly manicured lawn, paired with a variety of cheeses and fruits. The dog cooled his belly on the shaded grass. We then toured the beautiful valley, admired the rolling, vine-covered hills, and made a final stop at Mumm, famous for their sparkling wines. A little bubbly to finish off the warm day filled my angsty soul with calm. And the best part? It was only Saturday.

Sunday morning greeted us with yet another sunny, breezy day. We could smell the ocean everywhere we went. We had a nice breakfast in a coffee shop in the Mission before calling our mothers on their day, not daring to tell them we were going to eat ice cream, piled two huge scoops high on top of sugar cones, for lunch and then headed out to explore the Sutro bath ruins and hike along the trails overlooking the bay.

This week, despite how busy I have been, I am completely refreshed, genuinely happier, and ready to take the world on. We should most definitely be given more vacation days throughout the year. We would all be easier to get along with!

Some photos:



Renzo Piano's California Academy of Science



Herzog & de Meuron's de Young Museum



James Turrell's "Three Gems" skyspace installation



Napa Valley



Merryvale Winery



Mumm's Winery



Mitchell's for lunch!



Sutro Bath Ruins



Tunnel at Sutro Baths



No comment necessary

Have stress, will travel

sun, fun, wine, good company.....can't wait!

Garden Sequence

And that, my friends, is how you put dinner on the table!

And then, there was sun......

it really makes a difference.

Garden Bed, Part Two

We let the soil sit for two weeks, turning it every few days. There are more worms in there than when we started, which is a good sign, and I'm sure after a few good rains, there will be many more.

We went to Portland Nursery to buy seeds and mushroom compost. We combed the compost over the top of the soil about half an inch thick and then planted the seeds directly into the compost. It will help with nutrients and act as a mulch. We then diagrammed the beds, sectioning them up and planting seeds according to how much distance each plant needs. The packages give great directions as far as how close to plant the seeds, how far to space the rows, and how deep to push them into the soil.

We planted on a cool, cloudy Saturday morning and a few hours after we were finished, we received a nice, gentle sprinkle. Then, we had sun for a day and rain for three days. I figure those seeds are liking the weather, although personally, I could be happy with more sun.

Most plants will start to come up in a few weeks, at which point we'll have to keep the birds and cats out of the beds. Maybe chicken wire? A screen of some sort? In 40-45 days we will be able to pick the lettuce. Following the lettuce will be carrots, various herbs, radishes, beets, chard, broccoli, collards, cilantro, peas, etc.

In about a month or less, we will plant our summer squash, tomatoes, spinach, green beans, and anything else we start to crave. I will keep you posted.

Just a Taste....

I think I was happy in my dream last night
or was that this morning?
I can't remember
what happy feels like, but it seems
I was light.
no pressure in my shoulders.
I must have been drinking wine or coffee,
but now I'm making that up -
because that is what happy would feel like
awake
and maybe in this alternate reality I create
when I am breathing calmly
fresh sheets snuggled in around me
mind shut off from internal nagging,
happy is cool breezes and lush foliage
playing in moonlit stares,
maybe happy is calm
and I will never get there
awake.

Am I allowed to be obsessed?

Uh huh........