A Rested Mind & Body

We flew to Seattle yesterday afternoon, fully refreshed from a few weeks of rest and relaxation, mixed in with buying at the show and vintage shopping here & there. The above my rotation of books for the stay. I like to jump around and read a few at a time when we are at Hawthorne. Some I finish while others I will pick up where I left off in October. I raced right through Famous Father Girl which was written by Leonard Bernstein’s oldest daughter, Jamie. I found it fascinating and sad all at the same time.

We hit peak tomato season right on the head and tomato sandwiches were on the menu often. Bartlett House makes this seeded loaf of bread that proved awesome for making them. You need a hearty bread to stand up to all the juices of the tomato once you start in on it. The simplicity, heaven.

Folks often ask how we don’t take everything home that we see when out shopping for vintage goods for the shops. Short answer, sometimes, we do! Not really, but when something catches my eye enough that I go back to a store to buy something, then I know it was meant to be. Red Chair on Warren almost always has a gem I can’t pass up. This pair of English plates heading to WestWard this week-end and I can hardly wait to put them into action.

The plums this visit were out of this world. Above a still life from Talbott & Arding. Eaten just as they are is perfection. I also like roasting them while next to a chicken along with green olives for a simple, simple supper.

Bailey waiting by the door when TPS goes for a bike ride watching over things and waiting for his return gets me right in the heart. She is such a good traveler. You can see the limelight hydrangea a bit poking up from the windows on the right. Seems like they grew a foot while we were there. It was hot, humid, sunny then super rainy at times, which they seem to love. They were an amazing part of the enjoyment on this incredibly restful, reviving stay.

The flight back uneventful (which my Dad always joked and said was the only way to fly) until we got close to Seattle and the smoke from all the fires out West just heartbreaking. We had read all about them while in the Hudson Valley but when you see what it is like from the air, it is sobering. Sending love and safe thoughts for all battling the fires and a speedy recovery.