Another year logged

Birthday coffee at Bread & Cie, our "local." Celebrating my 67th year. 

So many lunches here, so many coffees and matcha lattes. Next time, ask to toast the bread more!

Another birthday post celebrated here in 2010: https://variousandsunday.blogspot.com/2010/11/birthday-cupcake.html 

Peace to all beings. 

Treasured life experience

I had the incredible fortune recently to visit a resort in Utah that is nothing short of magic. My family included me in the trip last minute, and because I was in a bit of an anxious state, I almost declined. I'm so glad I got myself together and went. This was the view outside the back of our room. I can't explain how the silence and the light on these mountains affected me. It was a quiet healing. I was just recovering from six days on an anxiety medication that turned my nervous system upside down. As it left my body, this was what I needed. Pure peace and quiet amid the most incredible beauty I have ever seen. 

A visit to a local, native-owned jewelry shop was another highlight. I bought a necklace and earrings, and my niece bought a necklace, which made me so happy. This trip ranks as a top life experience. I will never forget it.  

Another scorcher

These two. BFFs. Now that Ella is deaf, Gwynnie stays closer. Here they are basking in the a/c dreaming of walks and prowls. I love them both so much.

Thank God for libraries

I stopped by our local library today. It's been so hot and the a/c felt great as I walked in. I looked for something by Thich Nhat Hanh, but didn't find the one I wanted (Peace is every breath). I'll find it on Libby. I sat down at one of the computers to check the catalog, and sleeping under the desk was a big black dog. His owner ushered him closer, even though I was saying, he's fine, don't move him, it's okay. The man was watching spider man content. I looked for the book, saw it wasn't there, and moved on to peruse the Garden section, cookbooks, the biographies. Nothing sparked joy. At the end of the stacks at the back of the library I heard the low sound of a man snoring. He was sound asleep, taking a break from the awful heat in the refuge of the library. Thank god for libraries. 

We do an awful job of offering any comfort to the people living on the street. There is so much neglect. 

Light in all its forms

Today was a fortuitous day, and not just because there was a parking spot right out front. I went with Brian S to a store called Home Ec, on Adams Avenue (where all things reside apparently), to give the owner of the store the opportunity to see Sherri's collection of delightful, pristine aprons and tablecloths. The owner had just looked on Ebay to purchase some aprons for the store, but did not buy any for whatever reason. I think because Sherri's aprons were meant to be "rewilded" to this very store. It makes me so happy to see her things being carefully placed into the world with such intention.

James bought this collection of flowers before he left for San Carlos. I love the colors together. And I love capturing the light.

A little memory of Bell'occhio in SF, a gem like no other

Bell'occhio was located at 10 Brady Street in San Fran. Such a gem of a store. A "treasure chest" as it was called in Remodelista. Fantastic article at this link with so many great images of the shop.

One of the most unique collections of home wares and jewelry and soaps and ribbon and dish towels, and, and, and... The doors have closed, and it's been a while now. To relive the grandeur, here's Claudia Schwartz's IG page.

A while back, I posted about the shop. I took pictures with her permission. You can see that post here.  

Favorite coffee spot, lately

Ever since I found Rikka Fika it's been a love affair with everything they bake and prepare, but also the space. Per Google, "the name combines Japanese and Swedish, meaning "first day of Summer" (Rikka) and "coffee break" (Fika). It is designed as a peaceful, sunlit space focusing on specialized coffee, matcha and Japanese milk bread (shokupan) toast to encourage taking a break from daily routines." Hmm, I've never seen the toast on the menu. Must investigate next time.

All's right with the world

Gwynnie had her dental procedure yesterday and was at the vet for 10 hours. It was a nerve-wracking experience, both the lead up of the three weeks wait for the appointment and then having to keep her fasted from 3am (yes, she wakes us to eat something at 3am) until we dropped her off at 7:30am. The result: she ended up getting six extractions, which is no small amount, though they apparently do have thirty teeth. Regardless, she came through like a strong cat, eating the food I sent with her while at the vet's, and then wanting more when she got home. She was alert on the drive home looking out the top of her carrier (which I open) at the sunlit mountainside along the freeway. Clearly loopy, but also seeming to feel fine. Litter box use has resumed and she's walking more steadily. I'm so relieved and so grateful it all went well.

Here she is just an hour or so after getting home, looking a bit glassy-eyed out the window as she listened to the neighborhood owl hooting outside. 

Still Christmas in the greenhouse

This poinsettia is going gangbusters. I have watered it since Christmas and it keeps growing. It seems to really like it in the greenhouse. I love the pop of red. It's sitting on my brother's baby chair. His birthday is Wednesday, tax day. 

Sweet picture of Oreo watches over me as I putter around in there. Gail had that painted for me when he passed away. I will treasure it always. And one day, I will see him again. I think of Sherri and her beloved Tallulah Mae. I pray they are reunited.

Marta coffee shop

Taken at Marta coffee shop on Adams. 2804 Adams, to be precise. This is blue corn sourdough bread. I could have gotten it toasted slightly darker, to make it crunchier, but it was so good regardless. And the decaf Americano was delicious, and served in a sweet pottery mug. It's hard to get a good decaf sometimes. But my nervous energy thanked me.

More light

The lunacy that is the US. The sadness of what we are inflicting on people in the middle east in the name of helping them. The casualties of war. Oh, but that's war, they say. 

May Pope Leo's words have some impact. Peace to all beings.

Light

Seems we need more of it these days. Sending light to all who need it, so that loss can feel less heavy, and that hopefully the good memories are shining over us so we can reconnect with our loved ones who are gone. Missing friends and family on this Monday. 

Love to all. May the divine energy that emanates around us, within us and from us heal the earth, everyone on it, and may all beings be free from suffering.

Recent reads

Recent reads I have enjoyed. Clearly slanted to the Japanese cozy fiction sub-genre:

Feb 2025 – The Restaurant of Lost Recipes, by Hisashi Kashiwai - so fun and makes you want to go ask them to cook for you. They are food detectives who help you get lost experiences back in the most delicious ways.

Dec 2024 – Before Your Memory Fades, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - part of the series.

Oct 2024 - I'm Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy - not as harsh as the title might suggest. A very honest account of a child actress and how she was "mothered."

Oct 2024 – Inside Out, by Demi Moore - there's more to her than what we all know. Intense, difficult childhood. 

Oct 2024 - Convenience Store Woman, by Sayaka Murata - she's an outlier who finds peace in her work.

Oct 2024 - Strange Weather in Tokyo, by Hiromi Kawakami - a sweet love story.

Sept 2024 - What You Are Looking For is in the Library, by Michiko Aoyama - more magic; the main character, Sayuri, is a large, calm, and perceptive woman who creates felted trinkets.

July 2024 - A Quitter's Paradise: A Novel, by Elysha Chang - a professional woman who didn't want what everyone expected her to want.

Nov 2024 - Crying in H Mart, by Michelle Zauner - I hung on every word. So good, and you can almost smell the bubbling soups she describes.

Nov 2024 – Kitchen, by Banana Yoshimoto - more delicious food descriptions, and a great story.

Nov 2023 – Before the Coffee Gets Cold, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - magical, about time travel. It's part of the series. I read them all.