a perfect frosty frame around barbara’s house this morning.
thanks for all the weather news about the PNW.
i imagine when i get older i want to live where i can see more stars at night. hear less city sounds.
a new adventure in 8-10 years to coincide with retirement.
i have to be on the west coast, close to ocean, forest, cool air.
santa barbara area is my first choice, but it’s too expensive.
extreme northern california is too rural. i need to be near a major metro area with a big airport.
can’t tolerate constant gray or constant drizzle & mist (as i hear portland has)
want a woodstove, except don’t want to burn wood – maybe those eco pellet thingy majingies.
maybe a houseboat is in my future. like sleepless in seattle.
it’s fun to dream.
my acacia is blooming!
shhhhhh…don’t tell moss cottage of my plans.
this morning i went car sketching. trying to get better at painting buildings in a non-fussy sort of way. i am drawing with a pen less and less. i just want to paint with watercolor & gouache. impressions. the pic came out blurry but i like it.
looking east from barbara’s house.
more acacia blooms.
who knows where i’ll wind up.
maybe in south america.
can’t wait till i get to my island in july. here’s a sneak peek of the house we’ve rented.
we’re gonna drink our morning coffee in these chairs. i wonder if mt. baker has snow in summer. one of you will tell me.
Oh that house looks dreamy. I love love love looking across the sound to the city. Perfect daydreaming spot.
The idea of seeing snow on a mountain – from one’s back porch, on the ocean, no less!! Living in the very center of central FL, you’d think we get to go to the beach all the time. The truth is, I know few people that actually go to the beach here more than about once a year because either coast is about 2 hours of driving each way, and life gets in the way.
The women’s artist colony – THE DREAM!! And I totally agree, the west coast has all the right ingredients for a place where one feels like one can be one’s real self. Not the self that one puts on to fit in, blend in, camouflage. I think I’ll love it very much; first time I went to WA was for Journalfest at Ft. Worden (one of Teesha’s events) some years ago, and I had been there all of about 3 hours. I remember standing on a hill with the autumn leaves on the ground, twilight making its way over the Sound, the lights blinking on the ships in the channel headed to Whidbey and points beyond, and saying to the wind “One day, I’ll live here – I don’t know how, but one day, here I stay.” It just felt like coming home – to a place I’d never even been. There’s magic in that water and air. I really believe it.
Wishing you a happy Valentine’s day and happy dreams of mossy trees and happy clouds!
i want to go to there. to our women’s artist colony in paradise.
LEZ GO!
I think I’ll piggy back onto your post, since I need to move NOW and have no idea where to light. I’ll just hover over here and see what your delightful folks have to say. Maybe get some ideas. I’m thinking west coast. I have a checklist. Similar to yours.
west coast is my preferred world – the climate, politics, geography all combine to form a perfect universe where we who are a bit different than the average bear can find our dens. i think a women’s artist colony made up of cottages with a view of the sea, all resting on 2 acre plots would suit me fine.
Okay! I’m voting for the women’s art colony with cottages, ocean view, pets accepted, lots of garden space. I’ll donate a little library “house” on my front yard for sharing books.
yay!!!!
Mt. Baker has lots of snow in summer as do our other volcanos-Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Glacier Peak and Mt. St. Helens.
from a hiker
I’ve been craving yellow lately and your acacia blooms were just the thing I needed! Think of all the trips you could take testing areas you might want to retire to. 🙂
I’ve never seen acai as a plant. They are beautiful. Isn’t it fun to dream of where you’ll go? Enjoy your lake cottage!
Violet, and MAM ~
Yes , I can HIGHLY recommend the Los Osos area… Gorgeous, peaceful, iconic. Few tourists; plenty of wildlife for you ~
I lived there for a number of years, and it is where I consider my spiritual home to be…
I can show you all the best places!!
sounds like paradise…next time i scoot up the coast i’ll stop and check it out
Yes, Miunt Baker is always snowcapped.
You are going to have such fun on “your” Island!
don’t i know it! looking forward!
I live in SW Washington, 1.5 hours from Portland and about 3 from Seattle. I grew up in central California. I feel utterly blessed to live here. I live on a slough just off the Columbia River. There are birds and otters in my slough. I can hear seals and fog horns. There’s enough sunny days to keep me feeling sad, but not too many hots days. Sometimes I wear fleece in August. I’m an hour away from salt water. There are mountains and so many trees. I think you would love the PNW. I lived further north in Bellingham before. I watched snowboarders in July! I loved it up there but think I live it more here. The way real estate is in LA, if you move to a smaller town in SW Washington, you can buy a very lovely home with pretty much everything you want and have plenty left over for art supplies and travels. Cool thing where I am is no income tax in WA, and no sales tax in OR. Win win win!
are you close to astoria oregon? sounds like a very nice area!
I could live on the central coast of CA. I have a bestie who lives in Los Osos and I love the area. Close to SLO and near the ocean but not Santa Barbara prices. I hear the south of France is rather tolerable, and the wine is also drinkable. However nothing beats my neck of the woods. Encinitas is truly a paradise. But don’t tell anyone I told you so.
los osos…who knew? i must investigate and also encinitas…
love these ideas from my favorite bunny
Hi Mary Ann, Greetings from NW Florida. Today in this part of Florida was stunning. In fact, if I didn’t know better, I’d swear spring was here. Some of the azaleas and tulip trees are blooming and that kind of makes me sad, because it is way too early. Some of the coldest weather I’ve seen on the Gulf Coast has been in late February. But with climate change and all that it entails, maybe they will get lucky this year and not get nipped back by a frost.
You are so right to be thinking of where you want to live after you retire. The years between your age now and retirement will fly by. We always think we have a long, long time to think about that stuff and plan, but that is an illusion. Seems like time picks up speed with every year. So one day you’ll look up and it will be time. Having plans (and flexibility with those plans) will make that major transition in your life much easier. Asking questions from your followers is a great idea so you can hear about places you’ve never visited to maybe give them a thought. I happen to love the Asheville, North Carolina area, but it can be pricey, too. There are other places in that vicinity, however, that may not be out of the reach of us peons.
Today my husband and I got out to a place only 20 miles or so from our house in a little town called Milton. They have a Riverwalk there with benches so you can sit and literally watch the river roll by. Lots of people were out with their boats….everything from nice, expensive fishing boats to little skiffs barely above the waterline. The birds were singing, the sky was blue and all seemed right with the world. We just needed a break and that was a nice thing to do. I took my camera and took pictures and got some of a mocking bird and a red headed woodpecker.
We stopped by a hardware store and got a squirrel proof bird feeder. We’ll see how that works out when I hang it out tomorrow in our back yard. The squirrels around here are persistent little beggars and may or may not be deterred by the metal on this feeder. But they suck my current bird feeders dry as surely as if they were a Hoover vacuum cleaner! So I have to do something for the poor birds. They do eat stuff I scatter on the ground but I want something hanging up so I can SEE THEM.
Enjoyed your words, as usual. Keep on telling us your thoughts and, of course, showing us your art. 🙂
milton sounds beautiful!
i thought bird feeders were for squirrels…
enjoyed your thoughtful words marcia 🙂
I just spent 4 weeks in NW Florida!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Camped in St. Andrews State Park….went to the 30A Festival….Apalachicola…who knew!!!!
Hi again, Mary Ann. Funny. I just came in from outside, and I was admiring how bright the stars are tonight, especially Jupiter which is brilliant and huge. Came in to read this and you said that seeing stars was important to you. Yes, you will see snow on Mt Baker. Sometimes, at the end of the summer, if it is a very hot summer, some of the peaks lose much of their snow, especially Mt Hood, in Oregon, but June should give you some incredible views.
The only sounds outside tonight were some human voices across the cow pasture, and a couple of cows softly mooing. Otherwise, it is perfectly still. Last night one coyote was calling and calling. Some nights I hear a whole pack out in the cow pasture behind my house. Some sounded like youngsters. The other day on a local Facebook group, there was discussion about some people hearing and spotting wolves around here. I suppose it is possible, since there are some packs on the other side of the mountain. I sure hope not, because they would most surely have to be shot because of all of the dairy farms here. Recently, a whole pack was destroyed n Eastern Washington. Broke my heart:( One person said they saw several around a cow carcass near here. It is sad that people and wildlife are now in such close proximity due to humans spreading out into wild areas, and also the reintroduction of wolves, which then spread into civilized areas. Cows are an easier target for them than deer and elk. Well I could go on and on, but shall refrain. This is turning into another epistle.
That rental house is BEAUTIFUL! Perfect spot for lazing in the sun and watching the sparkling waters of Puget Sound. You will enjoy the stillness…might even see some orcas and sea lions!
One show I love, which is on right now, is Long Lost Family, where people search for long lost relatives. It can be so touching…sniff! New season.
So sorry I get so wordy, sometimes. I need an editor! Before I go, I do love that painting you did! Nice!
I meant in July, btw…
LaConner is a nice spot and you could get a lovely place on Puget Sound overlooking Whidbey Island. Close enough to drive to Seattle. As long as you don’t mind fighter jets flying overhead. LaConner also has a beautiful Quilt and textile museum. Mary Ann
Yes, Mt. Baker has snow year ’round. If we’re having a great summer you’ll wonder why anyone would try to dissuade you from living here. In many ways it is fantastic. But, if we’re having a “normal” winter, you may have a solid month of gray days. Also, in at least two counties, one including the City of Seattle, the transit tax is very high. I have a relative living in Snohomish County (the one just north of King County where Seattle is located) and the transit tax alone for his motorcycle is $400. This area is one that’s difficult to retire in unless one has fairly deep pockets. I have many single friends looking for alternative locations. If one doesn’t care about an ocean, Nashville is an incredible place to live: very affordable, great restaurants, loads of music (not only country) and great people. I’ve lived on both coasts (grew up in the Seattle area), lived in Nashville for four years and grieved for a long time when I left to come home to Seattle. Family brought me back, and its worked out very well, but Nashville is an awesome alternative. You could afford a nice home and plenty of money to travel. Food for thought.
I will start practicing making fires in that chiminea thing or whatever it is called. We might need it at night. unlikely but possible. Plus I call dibs on the chair on the left for the view of Mt. Baker.
P.S. Your acacia is going completely nuts!!!! And it looks magnificent.