Happy Ginger Cat Appreciation Day! To the gingers in our lives. Be they weird or be they lovey-dovey, be they hairy and fur-shedding. To all the snugglers, destroyers of the things, sleep-on-your-head kitties. [And all the other things our gingers do!] Celebrating the gingers!
Put the weirdest, funniest, cutest, or scariest thing your ginger has done in the comments below. We will celebrate with you. Or despair. Your choice!
This post has a compilation of the four different gingers I know and love. Three different households, but alas, I’ve never owned (or been owned by) a ginger.
The look. The nap. The ready-to-attack.
Especially the leave-me-alone.
Let’s not forget how helpful they can be!
Ahem. YOU again?
Happy Ginger Day!!
Gingers in order of starring role: Reeses, Peanut, Daisy, Marmalade, Reeses, Marmalade, Daisy, Marmalade
We headed out for a cool walk/hike last weekend. Located at the top of Snoqualmie Pass just off of I-90, the Snoqualmie Tunnel is an old railroad tunnel that stretches about 2 miles one way. The distance is not the same as other places I looked, but let’s just say 2-ish tunnel miles to get to the other end. If you want to get back to your car, then 2-ish tunnel miles to get back. LOL
Yes, this is how we do it.
Take the Hyak exit and follow the signs to the large parking area. Restrooms are available. The parking lot sits next to the Palouse to Cascades Trail, so if you don’t want to walk in the cold damp dark, you can head east and walk along the backside of Keechelus Lake (which is very low this year due to drought).
Just inside the tunnel. The light at the end looks like it’s just right there. But there are two miles to go before it’s just right there.
There is a short walk (the sign says .4 mile, but it didn’t feel that long) to the tunnel entrance. It felt cumbersome to be dressed so warmly when out in the sun, but we dressed for the cold dark tunnel. Coats, long pants, gloves, hats, flashlights. If you have a scorcher of a day, this hike is a great way to escape that heat!
Our obligatory “here we go” selfie at the beginning of the hike.
It’s always a bit disconcerting to see nothing but a tiny dot of white far in the distance. But your eyes adjust and you get used to seeing nothing except that bit in front of the flashlight. The tunnel runs pretty straight and mostly flat, but at both ends there are areas where the center is higher than the rest. There are also ditches along the sides, mostly with wood coverings, but some covers have broken through. I wouldn’t want to fall into one of those places, so I’m quite happy to carry my flashlight to make sure I keep away from the edges. Expect wet areas of dripping water.
In the tunnel selfie. No turning back now. Haha. But we did see one couple head in with 2 little dogs. And pretty soon he came back with 2 little dogs while she continued on. The dogs were NOT a fan of the tunnel.
Noises are amplified and echo back and forth. We arrived early and mostly had the tunnel to ourselves as we headed west. It was quite relaxing. The views once you get out of the east entrance of the tunnel are beautiful. You can hear traffic on I-90 and see far down the valley. We watched a small plane looping around doing some sightseeing. Wildflowers are blooming like crazy right now, so I had fun snapping photos. There are a few picnic tables and a forest toilet (no running water). The trail continues on, but we were not equipped to keep going. ONE day we will be, because I would love to go on to Annette Lake.
Almost to the west entrance (the end of our 2-ish mile one way walk) where we hung out for a bit before heading back.
We hit the crowds on the way back. Multiple groups with electric bikes passed us in both directions. Some people were walking, a few with dogs. I think we only saw one person with a manual bicycle. This was definitely the most traffic we’ve seen in the tunnel over the numerous times we’ve visited.
Pretty foxglove stealing the wildflower show!
Despite the crowds, we had a lovely hike. Cool, dark, refreshing. Ahhh. And snacks waiting for us back in the ice chest.
What a beautiful world we inhabit! Creation is amazingly intricate. I am thankful for the wonder and adventure of experiencing God’s world.
Today I am reminded of my dad, who has a birthday on April 22. He would’ve been 84. I’ve only recently realized his birthday and Earth Day are the same day. He loved getting out in nature and often hauled us with him, whether we were exploring the Arizona desert, finding dirt roads leading up into the Cascades, or looking for dead snags to cut for firewood. Of course, that last one meant we the kids had to carry the logs back to the truck, and if dad had anything to do with it, he would cut something down a hill, meaning we would have to haul uphill. Every. Time.
Let’s celebrate and give thanks for our wondrous world. And while we’re at it, pick up a few extra pieces of trash, recycle what we can, and care for what is around us.
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. -Colossians 1:16-17 NIV
I’m a tea lover, and I’ve enjoyed my fair share of chai tea. But once I read this picture book, I knew I had to follow the recipe for myself and make homemade chai.
Masala Chai, Fast and Slow
Written by Rajani LaRocca
Illustrated by Neha Rawat
Candlewick Press, 2023
I may have mentioned once or twice that I really enjoy reading picture books about food. Being able to learn about traditions and families and such deliciousness is a treat for my heart. Masala Chai, Fast and Slow plus deep sips from a pretty teacup. Ahhh.
I watched a webinar where Rajani was sharing about her picture book and masala chai. Thanks, 12×12! After I requested my library purchase a copy, I was the first one to check it out (I love that). I kept it out for the maximum of time. Later, I checked it out again. But this time (also nearing the maximum time=number of renewals I can do) I made sure to collect all the ingredients to steep my own masala chai.
The recipe makes quite a bit of chai, so I needed to make it on a weekend when I could share. Which is the point of masala chai. Sharing and connecting with family and friends.
I gathered the ingredients suggested by Rajani in the back matter recipe (I love it when recipes are included in a picture book, and back matter is the bomb): milk, black tea bags, cinnamon sticks, black peppercorns, cardamom pods, whole cloves, fresh ginger, and sugar (or honey).
I decided to actually follow the recipe the first time around. Shocker, I know, since I usually wing it when trying new recipes. The resulting chai tea was delicious! Warm, spicy, fragrant. Ahhh. This recipe is a keeper. Good thing too, because I have a big bag of whole cardamom pods.
Masala Chai, Fast and Slow is delighfully tasty. I can’t wait to brew another batch.
This adorable (and on a scale of adorable, it’s a 12) picture book is a delight to read. With much thanks to Jena Benton and Kim-Hoa Ung, I was gifted a copy of A Gift for Nai Nai. Thank you!
The beautiful illustrations pulled me in, and the special relationship between the little girl and her Nai Nai – which, thanks to the short glossary, I now know means paternal grandmother – added heart and love.
This picture book reminded me of my own mother who loved to crochet. She spent hours, days, and weeks creating gifts and clothing not just for her own family, but so many others in her circle of family and friends. I read this book with a large dose of nostalgia.
I enjoyed not only the crochet connection, but also seeing through the illustrations that Nai Nai uses a wheelchair to get around. My mother-in-law was limited to a wheelchair after breaking her hip. Despite losing some of her mobility, Nai Nai continues to create a beautifully crocheted hat she gives to Lyn Lyn each year. Framed photos on the wall showcase a few of the fun hats.
Nai Nai has a birthday coming up, so Lyn Lyn decides she wants to learn to crochet. The struggle is very real (my own mother tried to teach me to crochet). With an AWW-some ending, A Gift for Nai Nai is a satisfying and warm-hearted read.
I had to share the “undie” from A Gift for Nai Nai. An undie is the cover beneath the paper book jacket. Sometimes illustrators create new scenes on the undies, just like Kim-Hoa Ung did for this picture book. Love it!
Plus! Kim-Hoa Ung included directions for making a simple crocheted hat similar to the one Lyn Lyn made for Nai Nai. This picture book is colorful, engaging, and filled with all the coziness of a warm fire on a snowy day.
This pink Easter egg ducky is a gift my mother crocheted for me many years ago. The egg is resting on blanket squares I crocheted (cough cough) several years ago. They wait for me to connect them. This is about the limit of my crocheting abilities.
A Paula Wiseman Book, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2024
Oh, this is the one to read today! This picture book is filled with hope and love, beauty and patterns. Beautiful!
Thanks to Kathy Temean and her blog, Writing and Illustrating, I won a copy of Gabi’s gorgeous book. Thank you both!
Each time I’ve read Look, I’ve been filled with the JOY of discovery and delight. There is so much to be found on each page, and the colors and words make the journey effortless and thoroughly engaging. With the detailed cut-paper illustrations, patterns pop from the page.
My Goodreads review:
This book is absolutely gorgeous! Filled with hope and love and a search for patterns, the poetic words by Gabi and the cut-paper illustrations by Samantha combine to make a beautiful journey for a young reader. A day in the life of a young child who goes out and about with his mother. LOOK helps the reader see the wonder of it all and allows them to take a peek at the grander picture of the whole world, but also at the tiniest of details. Ten thumbs up.
