We stop to visit the boy's beloved cactus room whenever we're in the area.

I first took him here a few years ago--it seemed right up his alley, and I was right.
It sparked quite a succulent fascination/collection.
Now it feels like our succulents take up more room in our apartment than we do!
They are taking over, Jumanji-style.

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Live Wire Farm: Timber hooks
OtchiPotchi's new doily pebbles
I'd like one of each, please.

Taking advantage of some sun to do a last few summery things: a visit to the dahlia garden.

About two hours after I took these photos the sky turned dark, dark grey and rain poured down for the rest of the day.

My whole life, I've considered myself a dog person.
I used to not really care for cats.
I didn't dislike them, but they were fussy, too stand-offish, they wouldn't love you like a dog would--all of the usual reasons.
I even used to think that I couldn't ever truly understand someone who loved cats over dogs--we'd be separated by denominational differences, if you will.

But then we adopted Echo.

I can't imagine our apartment without her now.

Food lately:
a moat of syrup,
a ring of sushi,
and baking this.

Changing colors.

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Two photographers:
Hisham Akira Bharoocha
Minna Kulmala

Stephanie Renee of the lovely Dores is the winner of the celebratory print giveaway! Stephanie, I'll be getting in touch with you soon.

Thanks to all of you guys for your sweet comments.

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Margaret Howell: exactly how I'd like to dress, &
An interesting take on the "Fall Essentials" editorials every fashion magazine seems to be doing.

End-of-summer feasting,
first (on film) at an outdoor concert with friends
and then a beauty from my own tomato forest.

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José González's new band, Junip.
Album is out September 14th.
Completely perfect for Autumn, it seems to me.

It makes me very excited to announce that I am now selling prints of a some of my favorite recent film photos in my Etsy shop! I hope you like the ones I chose.

To celebrate, leave a comment here telling me which print you like best by Tuesday, 9/14 at 12 PM Pacific time and I'll select one person to send a free 5x7 print to!

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."
-You've Got Mail, Tom Hanks

I can't believe it's September.
Can you feel the changes in the wind?

Part II

Part I

My parents are originally from Philadelphia.
They spent their 2-week honeymoon camping in the Pacific Northwest.
A few years later, they picked up everything and moved across the country to Seattle.
This is one of the main reasons they moved: the Olympic Peninsula.
We've been visiting each year in August for as long as I can remember.
The boy has come along the last few years, too.

This visit to the coast celebrated 31 years of marriage.


Congratulations, Mum & Dad.

A few more photos from the last time we went across the mountains, just developed now.
I loved talking to the boy's Dad about his dahlias.
Next year he will stake them up,
but they looked beautiful to me.
Maybe next year I will add a dahlia or two to my apartment garden.
With the tomatoes, it will be a forest on my patio,
& no one will be able to get in my door.

Another walk, this time around our neighborhood.
We made friends with some huge blackberry patches,
and they turned out fingers wine-colored.
We'll be back soon to pick more:
those berries have cobbler plans in store for them.

An evening walk.

We talked about how unusual this summer has been--so chilly and grey.
But we remembered all of the summery things we managed:
all the time spent outside, all the weekends away, all the summertime traditions.
We decided it has been a good summer,
just a different kind of summer.