picnic dinner at sunset

sunset at Golden Gardens, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Here's something spontaneous that I want to repeat every single night of the summer: we made calzones (personalized with our names spelled out in olives and tomato sauce), jumped in the car, and drove to the beach at Golden Gardens. The calzones were still hot when we got to the beach five minutes later.

We sprawled out on the big pink blanket and watched the other families on the beach while Bauhaus kicked as much sand as fast as he could onto the blanket and everything. He dug a substantial hole and lay down in it, leaving us with a small hillock of sand to rest on.

We took lots of photos in the luxurious evening light. It was almost 8:30 when we took these, and there were still lots of people enjoying our neighborhood beach. This first summer evening is a perfect example of why I wanted to move here. Calzones, sandy dogs, and 9 o'clock sunset.

These are my era-appropriate sunglasses that I wear when we drive in the camper. I believe they once belonged to my sister Eva, who is also era-appropriate to the camper. Eva is coming to spend the summer with us. I can't wait to share this wonderful place with her, including many more picnics.

pie and roses

pie and roses, originally uploaded by isabelle gr.

Summing up May, a month which begins with handpicked flowers laid out on the front doorstep and ends with strawberries ripening in the garden, is best done quickly, before the delicate memories wilt under summer sun. This month brought lots of celebration, including an elegant mother's day brunch, several spontaneous and chilly barbeques, long distance graduation toasts, and a few relaxing evenings in our little "garden" with friends.

My friend Kim, an artist from Brooklyn, came to visit with KJ, another ex-New Yorker friend who lives here in Seattle now. These two were beyond gracious guests: Kim walked right into the kitchen and started baking a strawberry-rhubarb pie! The little rose next to the pie is our very first blossom of the season. I couldn't take a photo of our first strawberry of the season because I had to wrench it from the jaws of our beastie.