ironymaiden | floating leaves

today

weezlgrrrl showed me a maple leaf she found on the way
to work. it was in what i consider the most beautiful state of an
autumn leaf, not completely transitioned, the red marbled with gold
and green.

yesterday was the anniversary of our arrival in Seattle, and it was
devoted to homemaking and spending time with friends. (another
anniversary as well, but i think it's fitting to have spent the day
cultivating hope and comfort.) our windowsills are the perfect size
for paperbacks, and i got two more bookcases in the morning, but i'm
still not sure that we have enough shelf space. i keep finding more
boxes of gaming books. (not like we rival

mysticalforest and

trueunicorness, but there are still many.) i found the box
of autumn decorations and chose to put them up rather than carry them
to the attic. i may even get a flag pole to put out my flag of giant
leaves and acorns (ack. i swear it's not as cheezy country craft crap
as it sounds.)

mimerki and

butterflydrming stopped by in the
afternoon and we went off to Floating Leaves for tea. i plan
to spend more time there; the atmosphere, tea, and service are
delightful. the conversation was free-ranging,

butterflydrming made and gave away cranes from her new origami
paper, and once C joined us later i'm sure we were a little boisterous
for the readers around us. we had two pots of tea, both delicate, and
wonderful: Silver Needles white tea and Green
Peony. the link shows the lovely shape of the bundles of tea
leaves. they appear to bloom as the tea steeps.
from there we headed for "poseur vampire diner" Hattie's Hat. and then
there was ice cream. (ice cream!) and then we sent the girls home and
did some more work. every day i see a little more of the floor and a
little less of the walls.
this week has been a series of great encounters with good friends,
great dinners, and beautiful locations. (and little Seattle pleasures,
like buying my nephew's birthday presents at Archie McPhee.) even as
the days shorten, i'm glad that we're here. seeing the steel gray sky
and feeling a nip in the air puts a spring in my step. bring on the
rain and the rest of the fall. i feel grounded and loved. i'm ready.