Favorite weekend photo

Casey grabbing a morning nap in whatever sunshine is left for the weekend

Glimpse of blaze

Paying attention this time of year is important. Like noticing how the autumn blaze maple in our backyard serves nicely as the opening act for sunset. Within minutes, in fact even as this glimpse is archived, the crimson tangle of the young maple in the foreground recedes into early evening.

Knowing full well that this 6-year-old beauty will grow to at least fifty feet we've considered letting an arborist have his way with her. But she's so stiking, when the regalia of her neighborhood rivals are in recycling bins, that we'll likely let it slip. 

Maybe sometime next year...maybe not.

Morning snuggle

Unabashed snugglers, Casey and Stella can usually be found vying for positioning in front of the fireplace stove each morning. And if it results in spooning...not a problem.

Tis the season, for seasonal brews

Deschutes Brewery's Jubelale

There is no denying it, Pacific Northwesterners are shameless beer snobs. Washington and Oregon are famous for not only tavern brews, but a bountiful supply of microbreweries. And this time of year seasonal ales are memorable, with batches worthy of comparison.




Tonight we sampled Jubelale from the Deschutes Brewery in Portland, Oregon, and this winter ale is going to be hard to beat this year...dark, malty, memorable...and its Caseysworlds #1 ranking is well-deserved. But it's early yet, 58 days til Christmas, but we're off to a great start with this brew.

When you got it, flaunt it

While most maple trees are native to eastern parts of the United States, Washington State does all right with its varieties and in our neighborhood their fall colors are striking.  Serving as a backdrop today for a round of Frisbee tosses these ornamental rivals were really struttin’ their stuff, OK maybe not struttin’, but flaunting them big time.

Hard turn to autumn

A quick pose on a Samish trail - and our favorite photo of the week 

Memory lane

After switching on another user on the laptop, one that is rarely if ever used, the forgotten desktop photo, above, just popped out at us and tugged at our heartstrings. These shots of 10-month-old Casey go back to 2008, Thanksgiving 2008 to be exact, when we found a getaway in the San Juan Islands that served as a refuge for our rescued border collie.






He could actually run around, really pour it on, without being afraid of anything and everything that moved.

We turned him loose on a secluded beach on the north end of Orcas Island and watched him go, without worrying that he would just keep on going. It’s like it opened up a whole new world for him.

Taking it all in at twilight

Altostratus clouds over Sehome Hill and a break in the weather

 
After dodging intermittent rain all day, it was an impressive fall sunset with midlevel clouds rolling in from the west and the promise of sunshine on Sunday.


And we couldn't help but notice that even Casey seemed to be truly appreciating the wonder of it all.

Before long...opening a can

Casey must have picked up this bad habit whenever we left him home alone. Just think what he could do with opposable thumbs. 

Plush toy cuddly

Geez...ya think Casey is partial to his new stuffed animal toy. The only thing he's missing here is a good book.

Won't be long now

Whatcom Falls today, at one of the lowest levels of the year, was worth a second look. In a matter of a couple of months this tranquil scene will turn almost torrential. The video below was taken on December 14, 2010.

Evening furnace slumber

If these two could begin to understand the concept of a thermostat, they wouldn't be near as startled each time the fireplace furnace kicked on. Who knows though, maybe they do...they seem to have no problem at all settling back into their autumnal nap regimen once they do get the picture.  

No time to waste

Just out on the interurban late this afternoon, and as it turns out, a few steps ahead of sun down - it's only a little after 5:00 pm in this shot.  It's always surprising this time of year how quickly it becomes a race against time and sunsets to get everything in during a day in the life of Casey.

  

Favorite weekend photo

You're going to bed now?!

Occupying Bellingham

A big part of Casey’s world this weekend was his hometown’s involvement in the Occupation Movement. Bellingham joined over a thousand cities in the US demonstrating to create a new world – by ending wars, protecting the planet, ending corporate welfare, taxing the rich, and more – with an occupation all of its own. Over a thousand people demonstrated downtown, then marched to it's first of many general assemblies, for as long as it takes.

What's taken us so long?

Backyard Pinot

I guess our vast Pinot noir harvest was way behind schedule, but today the sun came out early, and we could no longer ignore the stalks forcing their way through the lattice.

We at least had to get our share before the red-naped sap suckers, jays, juncos and flickers hogged them all.

No wine this year but after removing the seeds, marinating them in a raw sugar base, our “take” was a perfect addition to a Greek salad.



Now that our marauding flocks have picked our "vineyard" clean – we can only hope the house and yard isn’t on the receiving end of more than our share of the purple by-product.

Bring it on autumn

If there’s one member of this family that shamelessly basks in the relative comfort of burning fossil fuel, it’s Stella. She’s been waiting to hear the gas heating stove click on again since last April.

Now that evening temperatures have gotten to the nipply stage, this kitty is all about soaking up her share or more of the radiant heat.

Oh yeah

Pre-kennel discipline

Every night, at a reasonable hour, not pushing midnight like his “parents”, Casey checks out for the evening in stages. The culmination of various nap positions is routine, if not ritualistic – the nose-to-rump donut, the couch collapse and the super-trusting spread eagle, among others.

Before you even notice he’s missing though he’s tucked away in his kennel in our bedroom and out for the night.

We could all learn a thing or two from this ritual, might even end up getting some decent shuteye.

Favorite weekend photo

Mr Contentment

Casey's house

A birthday surprise Monday from Victoria's talented friend Carolyn, a watercolor of our home exterior, including Casey's favorite Frisbee field, is already on prominent display inside. Now if there was only a running Border Collie in the foreground, how cool would that be. Just kidding, Carolyn.

     

Favorite weekend photo

Birthday daisies and petite syrah

The earth might laugh in flowers, according to Emerson, but sunflowers in full bloom, with petite syrah to finish off a birthday weekend, now that’s even more special.

Stags Leap, Victoria's favorite wine and a birthday treat

  

Birthday hens and chicks

A cluster, or more accurately, a mat of succulents called chicks and hens was just the perfect gift from daughter-in-law Ernelyn, grandson Ezra, and son Ben, to start out Victoria’s birthday weekend.

This mix of parent rosettes, “hens”, with the smaller offspring "chick" rosettes, planted in a homemade planter, was a surefire hit with our family green-thumb. And if Vic's lucky they’ll flower someday, as long as we're patient. In three or four years stalks of yellow and pink flowers will be the eventual payoff. In the meantime, it's a smile.  

Brew break

A late afternoon caffeine stop at Avellino’s, a favorite downtown Bellingham espresso haunt, is almost unavoidable on a day like today.

The catch is to steer clear of the éclairs, muffins, cookies, scones et al, another nearly unavoidable trick for many of the regulars.

 

Never one to pass for a service dog, inconspicuous Casey still had to wait

outside – aaw - after a swing by the baked goods.