The DH and I recently attended a concert by the  Midnight Serenaders  at the Chinese Classical Garden.  They sing vintage jazz and swing, an...

This tightly wound tea, when given the right conditions, unfurls.  It stretches and dances.  It becomes its best. Its essence is extraordin...

Photo by Mitra This photo holds special meaning for me.  When I saw it I was immediately taken back to this moment (last night).  Summertim...

Thinking of purple... Lavender fields, lavender in my tea tin, not all lavender is the same color, taste, or smell.  The lavender color of ...

7 work days until sabbatical begins! During my time off, I'll be enjoying a visit from my niece (and her mom and grandma). I'm re...

We were out for a long training ride on a lovely Saturday morning, when we decided to take a detour.  We'd spied the Lavender Festival ...

This weekend I'm celebrating this land...its glorious landscape and diversity, its fertility and multitude of riches, its forgiveness o...

Oriental Beauty Tea, unfurling in its own sweet time I'm struggling with control right now.  Well, that I don't have it.  And this ...

In front of Mt. Hood, from the Japanese Garden Sunshine, 75 degrees, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, tea picnic, shopping, dinner out....all ...

Just because they're pretty and I live in the city of the rose... These two shots came from a rose the DH brought me last week.

I visited the International Rose Test Garden yesterday, and it was heaven!  The roses are coming into the first flush (bloom), and the color...

I've been waiting for this strawberry, the first from our garden, for several weeks.  The blossoms came, then the little green baby fru...

Matcha - High in caffeine because you ingest the entire leaf I'd like to share with you this informative post on About.com:  Factors i...

Eat.  Ride the bike (Up, up, up the mountain). Eat. Put my feet up. Eat. Do the dishes. Sleep. Eat. Ride the bike (Long). Eat.  Do laundry ...

There's a new Teavana in town. I had the chance to visit it last night.  These stores are fun for me because they do a great job with ...

Tweed Ride, San Luis Obispo I was walking down the street in San Luis Obispo, CA a few weeks ago.  I looked behind me for a moment, and cau...

Perfectly sliced berries in a strawberry shortcake Strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite treats!  Nothing says early summer to me like...

The DH's braised leeks Leeks are a new crop for us.  They like long, mild growing seasons which we have plenty of around here.  We feas...

I chose the title of this blog post deliberately... practicing joy .  Because sometimes we just have to make ourselves practice something t...

I'm happy to be participating in Sew, Mama, Sew!'s latest giveaway day.  Spring is so special, for so many reasons - even with the...