Food is Fuel

Doesn't that make food seem boring? You may not have noticed this but I love food. Despite my undying  affection, sometimes its easier to numb the taste buds and eat the same thing for days on end. Because its cheaper, healthier, easier, whatever. And so today I embarked on granola making. The funny thing about bulk bin scoops is that they are much larger than cups. So if you take out 6 scoops, you end up with a hell of a lot more than 6 cups. And very oatmealy granola.
Logic wasn't functioning today. Now there's breakfast for two weeks.
If ever your mother tells you to eat your greens (because you need your folic acid), calmly inform her that your granola does that for you, no greens necessary. Provided its got lots of seeds in it.

One of my goals in life is to see a mango tree. Not only that, but to see a mango tree fruiting, to be able to have fresh delicious mangoes...Even Alaska the black bear from Alaska thinks mangoes are the way to go. As you can see he's trying to hoard them all to himself, like the greedy little omnivore he is. I wonder what a real bear would do with a mango.

The more typical poor (pouring) spring weather seems to have arrived, and I had the chance to retreat to Bellingham (where it only rained one day!) for a bit.

After breakfast at a place called Homeskillet, where your potatoes, meat, veggies and eggs are served in a 6inch skillet, we endeavored to hike Oyster Dome on a shorter, easier trail.

 We started at an overlook, cutting out about a mile of grueling elevation climbing trail. This is Samish Bay, and lots of farmland of Skagit county.

 Shellfish beds of Taylor Shellfish Farms, and a prickly/swamp/black gooseberry flowers in full inconspicuous splendor.

Sweetly fragrant false solomon's seal, and sword ferns sending up an array of new fronds.


 The view at the top does not disappoint, even on a grey day like this.

Did I mention I traveled by train?

 Shellfish farm from ground level. If you look in the Samish bay pictures and see a train track, well that's where I went. Chugga chugga woo woo! Five great blue herons, 4 bald eagles, one oyster catcher.

Now I'm back in Salem, working when it doesn't rain (too hard). Its a pretty posh gig compared to crawling around in the reservoir last winter. 

One awkward couple photo, served with a side of cheese please.