A strong appetite, average palate, and weak writing, mixed with outdoor adventure.

A strong appetite, average palate, and weak writing, mixed with outdoor adventure.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Ski Day

I took a ski day today. An unremarkable event in a state full of skiers, but do realize that skiing is not my sport. I make my way down blue runs with the same level of confidence that a worm brings to a fishing contest. I envision blown ACLs, with skis and poles scattering behind me as a summer full of summits escapes me. I generally question the why, a cost/benefit analysis of time and/or money spent to the relative reward. It is a fruitless calculation though, as rare is the day, ensconced in the clarity of rarefied air, that I simply do not appreciate my position.

My standing about alpine terrain, today with the grandeur of the Fraser Valley spilling before me, that I once again realized, a lesson that is learnt anew with every break from the mountains, that it is not necessarily the sport, but the position and the people. To be with people I care about amidst that dramatic topography of the state I call home, is a reminder of what is important to me. Whether it is flailing on skis or moving fast and light on a summer’s morning, sharing the crystalline air and the frost-nipped mornings of the high country with friends and loved ones is always special. A schoolboy giddiness pervades as I down coffee, eager to hold onto to the excitement that grips me. And today, like nearly all days on the high, combined camaraderie and fear, and as always, relationships deepened amidst the laughter, nervous and otherwise, as vertical feet were gained and lost in a wash of sun dappled snow.

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Monday, March 19, 2012

Bikes, again

Expect a lot of chatter about gardening, likely combined with some smugness. Such as, our heirloom tomatoes, which are being grown organically, taste sublime when combined with hickory smoked salt, and are especially flavorful after a bike ride. Speaking of bikes…
Seed trays and dirt, brought to you by bike. This ride was fun as it was early, and Barley (dog) ran along side us. Between heavy loads and excited dogs we were a spectacular bike crash waiting to happen.

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Aleka, who has always ridden, got a new bike last summer. A Linus, made for casual warm weather rides. It has seen intermittent use over the winter, but a summer full of patios and backyards, accompanied by cocktails, is its true calling. In the mean time, kids bikes at Costco have been sampled.

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Lastly, my niece and nephew are absolutely killing it on bikes. Surgery has kept Morgan off of two wheels, but she will be ready to roll right in time for spring in Virginia.

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Saturday, March 17, 2012

How I Roll (or why I bike)

The scene below, is the bus pulling away as I stand on the other side of the street.

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This happens without fail. Supposedly this bus runs every ten minutes in the morning, but my presence obviously creates a hiccup in the space time continuum, as every time I reach the western corner of the Ellsworth/Lincoln intersection, there is a bus disappearing from sight. Which is immediately followed by a slowing of all buses behind it, creating a gap in which I can almost walk to work.

Interested in particle acceleration? Maybe the intersection of quantum physics and transit? Or the story of the man who never caught the bus? Meet me at the corner of Ellsworth and Lincoln, and bring a bike, it is far faster than walking.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Green Thumb

Aleka and I are joining forces to garden this year. This is not her first foray into food production, but it is mine. This means we have one amateur gardener, one neophyte, and enough enthusiasm to ensure that we run headlong into a world of cellulosic confusion.

There are over 200 seedling “pots” combining soil, water, and seeds, which are resting on wooden shelves in front of a south facing window. Each pot has several seeds, so it is a matter of the strongest will survive which will involve the selective euthanasia of ~600 sprouts. We intend to be ruthless, but know that the plants will have the last laugh when we while away the hours weeding and fretting over pests.

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For those of you gardeners out there who are curious as to what has been planted, here is the list, all from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds:

  • Molten Fire Amaranth
  • Envy Soya Beans
  • Catskill Brussels Sprouts
  • Extra Dwarf Pak Choy
  • Arugula
  • Forellenschluss Lettuce
  • Henderson's Black Seed Lettuce
  • Oak Leaf Lettuce
  • Red Welsh Bunching Onion
  • Black Hungarian Pepper
  • Red Belgian
  • Orange Bell
  • Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach
  • Striata D'Italia
  • Costata Romanesco
  • Connecticut Field Pumpkin
  • Basil - Thai Sweet
  • Cherokee Purple Tomato
  • Buckbee's New Fifty Day
  • Jujube Cherry Tomato
  • Peppermint Tomato
  • Chives Common
  • California Poppy - Wildflower