Although Natalie and I aren't eating as much local food at home as we did three years ago when we were in the first month of our year-long experiment of only eating foods grown in Washington state, we still try to source most our food from local farmers. And even when we go out, like tonight, we try to eat at places that use local ingredients. Tonight's stop was at Crown Bar, where I still had to hold back from having a drink due to the antibiotics that I need to take for another day to finish out my full course of medicine.

Given our interests in eating local food, how could I not link to an article today by Mark Bittman in the New York Times profiling Wendell Berry?

Spring is the perfect time to start eating local food in the Pacific Northwest. Farmers markets are opening across Tacoma and down in Puyallup, offering the perfect opportunity to meet and talk with your local farmers? Start with fresh greens and look forward to fresh strawberries and local specialties like rhubarb in the next few weeks. And fresh flowers.

Now is the time to explore local food. One ingredient at a time. You'll likely be surprised to find the variety of local ingredients and how eating food that is in season is really not that limiting after all.

 

Friends have heard me talk about the tale of bananas and how we need to enjoy what we know as bananas, before they are as dead as the Dodo bird. Boing Boing writes about the issue and the next big banana with an intriguing question about what the banana that your grandchildren will know will be like.

And to stick with Boing Boing, how about the story of a soccer ball of special significance to its owner that was swept away from Japan during last year's tsunami and has now landed on the shores of Alaska.

Meanwhile, back here at home in Puget Sound country, the number of small earthquakes over the last few days continues to build. Are they building toward the first significant earthquake in more than a decade? No one knows, and no one worth their salt as a geologist or scientist would dare hazard a guess. You can see the latest on this page from the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network.

Happy Monday!

 

Amidst all of the enjoyment of the sunshine today, it was a fantastic day for watching and photographing clouds. Truth be told, I missed shooting photos of the best clouds from very early this morning as I set out on my run.

Welcome to summer in Puget Sound country!

 

Every year Tacoma has a first weekend of spring much like this weekend. Sunshine is just part of the requirements for this first spring weekend, which seldom falls on the same calendar weekend one year after another. I tried to make the most of the warmer and sunnier weather with a 20-mile run on Saturday after I did some yard work, then with a 5-mile run this morning at Point Defiance Park before doing more yard work and planting another row of peas in the garden this afternoon. Tonight, light rain is watering in those pea seeds and with any luck, between the warmer temperatures and longer days, these peas will sprout from the ground in no time at all. Bring on the sunshine! Meanwhile, I need to get back to the work routine tomorrow just to rest and get ready for another busy weekend next week.

The packages have been opened, the rain has returned and now it is time to settle in for the real winter. That means it's time to settle on a new project.

What shall it be?

Every now and then, we have to step away from the routine, from the work and running and projects around the house, and venture out to chase a rare bird visitor. Yesterday was one of those days, when we joined with birding friends in chasing an Asian visitor bird, a Black-tailed Gull, along Marine View Drive on the east side of Commencement Bay in Tacoma.

Despite the dreary weather with threatening rain, the bird was there - a new "life bird" for Natalie and me, practically right here in our own back yard.

It was an hour well spent, and we were impressed with the fitting tribute to Dick Gilmur at this memorial birding pull out along the busy road.

Taken with the iPhone