Another [birth] Day in Paradise

Enough was finally enough. Vaccines administered, booster in arm, time to go. Masked up, boarded a flight, and stayed at this small hacienda outside Puerto Vallarta for the better part of a week. Came home unscathed by the plague, ready to keep venturing out. Don't know when, don't know where, but I'm ready to cross borders again. 

Hacienda Maria-Elena

 

Kitchen assistant, Fernando, who served meals, drinks, and snacks; my new best friend.

Spent the week alternating between this spot...

...and this one. 

This was the view I had when I looked up from my book(s) from the couch;
five books in five days.

Jen and me.

So Many Views of Mt. Adams

Took a long drive East/Southeast toward Mt. Adams last week for a few days of [mostly] radio silence, reading, walking, and... not working. Been a while since I've had any real R&R. 

I really dislike the word "glamping" but I very much like the idea of being in a campground setting while staying within four walls, sleeping in a bed, having a bathroom and a kitchen, and gazing through a huge picture window to appreciate the outdoors. I definitely wouldn't call this "camping" but I'm not going to use that other word either. 

There was a town a few minutes down the road (using the word "town" loosely; three streets and a general store) but this felt like the middle of nowhere. I would often drive for 20 minutes without seeing another car. 

all the huts are positioned so windows don't face windows of other huts. 

there's a toilet and a hot shower behind that door!

everything you need to prepare a meal - or you can grill outside. 

one word: cozy. 

there are over 40 huts on this property - all laid out so as not to intrude on anyone's solitude. 

  

Turns out there's an Abbey/Buddhist temple/Druid Sanctuary out in the middle of nowhere/rural Washington so I stopped in for Tuesday services.

Buddhist temple / barn... fine line.

grounds at the abbey.

While driving from the hut outpost to the abbey, I passed a sign for a National Wildlife Refuge, so I drove in one day to see what kind of wildlife might be hanging around. I ended up going for a long walk in the woods. 

this is the only wildlife I saw, a tiny snake near the parking lot. I'm afraid of snakes but this one was more like worm. I'm also afraid of worms. 

A Wedding in the Family

This all took place in August and some of the photos are watermarked, but you get the gist. 

The Stahl House

Took the BEST house tour before I left L.A. The story of the Stahl house began when a small parcel of land was purchased by Buck and Carlotta Stahl in 1954 in the hills above Sunset Boulevard. The house was finished in 1960 and is a glorious example of mid-century modern architecture. The things I love most about the house is that it's small. This is by no means a mansion. There are two bedrooms, three bathrooms, and an open-plan kitchen, dining area, and living room. I think the pool takes up almost as much of the lot as the footprint of the house -- but the view and the access to the view from nearly every spot in the house is what makes this place spectacular. 

very unassuming entrance, but check out the view to the right. Also, my car looks great in the driveway, and I should totally live there. 

every other glass panel slides open almost all the way around the house.

I could be very happy here.