When I was a child, my mother used to show me the Big Dipper in the night sky and Orion. I dutifully nodded but was never able to discover them myself. To me, they were stars like any others. Beautiful to look at. Somewhat mysterious. Certainly, no constellations. Then, our city built a planetarium, and […]
Across the Fence
Across the Fence: A Leisurely Loop
Last weekend, my husband and I decided to hike on probably one of the last sunny days of this year. So, we packed our rucksacks and walking sticks and drove over to Packwood and a tad farther on. The Ohanapecosh Campground was our destination, and from there we had planned to walk the 2.7-mile-long Silver […]
Across the Fence: A Jewel at our Doorstep
Last weekend we explored our region again. Would you think that after eleven years of living around Western Washington, there are still new discoveries to be made? Indeed! A drive to an area a little beyond Enumclaw took us to the Green River and its incredibly romantic landscape. Luckily, we had decided to go early […]
Across the Fence: The Shades Between
“Why do you hate him so?!” The ensuing “discussion” was one of bashing each other for holding a different opinion. It could also have been the question, “Why do you love him so?!” It set me off on another path of pondering only recently. Indeed, is there really only hatred or love around us these […]
Across the Fence: What’s Antique
The first time I realized how exciting antiques are was when I was window shopping on a Sunday night at a closed antique store on Mill Street in St. Peter Port on the British Channel Island of Guernsey. I was waiting for a free table at a nearby bistro-restaurant, and I had nothing better to […]
Across the Fence: Let the Mind Travel
It is summer, and although a lot of people are usually traveling for their vacation, a certain virus has curbed our options big time. Some find it deeply disturbing. Traveling is a symbol of freedom, after all. At least if one can choose one’s destination, can take along anything one wants, and finds all the […]
Across the Fence: What Keeps Us Going
What makes us do what we are doing, apart from maybe earning money by doing it? Why are people creative? Why do we plant gardens? Why do we learn languages, exercise, acquire skills? Why do we try to get to know about topics, to understand things? I have been pondering a lot these past months […]
Across the Fence: The Icing on the Cake
When I was a little child, anything sweet was an absolute treat. The icing on a cake was heaven on earth, and one of my favorite cakes was a Madeira cake with a blood orange sugar glaze. Not so much for the pretty pink color, but for the unique fruit flavor, the slight acidity, and […]
Across the Fence: The End of a Road
This year, I’ve not been watching the Olympics so far. I remember happier games from way back when that stick to my memory. The 1984 ones in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, will stay my favorite ever. Maybe it’s my end of the road in following up; the Olympic games have become a muddle of impressions […]