Category Archives: Happiness

Cherry Blossom Blizzard

Posted on April 4, 2021 by amanandhishoe

Each year, the blooming cherry puts on a different show. Some years the tree is a cloud of white flowers. Other years the rains knock so many blossoms off, it looks bedraggled. This year it is blooming with a thick … Continue reading →

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Edison Chicken Parade 2020

Posted on February 24, 2020 by amanandhishoe

The 2020 Edison Chicken Parade was yesterday, Sunday, February 23. The parade happens every year at noon on the last Sunday of February. Which means next year’s parade will be on February 28, 2021. The parade this year was eight … Continue reading →

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A Question No More

Posted on February 3, 2019 by amanandhishoe

Until a short time ago the question was, “Will it snow this winter?” That question is now answered. It snowed this winter, a soft, gentle, beautiful snow. I can go ponder other things. Many of the better things in life … Continue reading →

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Another Handy Phone Trick – Egg Candling

Posted on August 21, 2018 by amanandhishoe

This probably wasn’t in any Silicon Valley developer’s mind when they added an LED flash to a phone, but an LED flash on a cell phone works great to candle an egg. The case on my iPhone has a cutout … Continue reading →

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Ode to Rhubarb

Posted on April 29, 2018 by amanandhishoe

The first picking of rhubarb is always an occasion to celebrate. Rhubarb is a celebration of everything green and red. Few vegetables crunch the way rhubarb does when you slice it with a knife. This year’s first rhubarb picking became … Continue reading →

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The Secret to Happiness: Who Knew?

Posted on April 22, 2018 by amanandhishoe

The flowering cherry may have scattered its blossoms, but the Rainier cherries are just opening up. The pear trees are in full bloom too. And under the blooming pears, I’ve found the secret to happiness: ducks. All it takes is … Continue reading →

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Happiness Is …

Posted on March 31, 2018 by amanandhishoe

Happiness is watching red wing black birds gathering cattail fluff for their nest. Happiness is freeing Daisy from her nursery. Her chicks are a week old today and ready to explore the wide world. Five of them are actually Buff … Continue reading →

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Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! or Do You Love Me Now?

Posted on January 2, 2018 by amanandhishoe

Fresh out of the oven, dog treats made from okara, whole wheat flour, grated parmesan, and bacon. Takuma and Ena are asking, “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” before they are even cooled. The nice thing about making your own dog treats is … Continue reading →

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Royalty on Display

Posted on December 14, 2017 by amanandhishoe

The Prunus subhirtella is in bloom … delicately. From fall into early spring, this cherry is a pleasant reminder of what spring will bring. On a warm, sunny, December day, King Richard struts his stuff. Have a few roosters, and … Continue reading →

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All the Way from Umingmak Nuna

Posted on November 2, 2017 by amanandhishoe

A carpet of fallen leaves greeted me when I went out to the cabin to make tofu this morning. “Whoa!” I said when I stepped through the gate and saw all the leaves, wheelbarrows and wheelbarrows of leaves for the … Continue reading →

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Leaves of Peace

Posted on October 31, 2017 by amanandhishoe

Raking leaves is so peaceful. Nothing says peace like a pile of fall leaves. We saw two swans flying over the fields today. Perhaps they arrived this morning. Perhaps they had just flown in off the sea and were looking … Continue reading →

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First Frost

Posted on October 30, 2017 by amanandhishoe

Frost left a light touch this morning, fringing leaves on the ground with a delicate white fleece. It was winter’s first soft walk through the garden. All the garlic is planted. Some tulips and shallots remain for me to safely … Continue reading →

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Slurpling and Mooffling

Posted on October 29, 2017 by amanandhishoe

On a misty morning, I hear the snow geese flying overhead. When I’m lucky, the mist parts, and the snow geese flutter across the blue sky. A generous gift of pine needles from friends makes for nice, soft foot paths … Continue reading →

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Spring in Fall, or How to Sleep Like a Log

Posted on October 24, 2017 by amanandhishoe

It feels like a spring day, not the middle of fall. 124 days from the summer solstice, the sun is as bright as a day in late February. Just two more months and the days start getting longer. The ducks … Continue reading →

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Whole Wheat Sour

Posted on October 20, 2017 by amanandhishoe

The days are woolly and windy. Leaves are everywhere. Branches, whole trunks at times litter the ground. “Go inside, you old fool,” they yell. “You can sweep us up when the sun comes out.” Inside, it’s a chance to experiment. … Continue reading →

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Golden Fall Day

Posted on October 10, 2017 by amanandhishoe

How many people get to pedal past scenery like this on their way to the post office? Chuckanut Mountain is so serene on a day like this. Maples along the way are on fire. Trees have it all figured out. … Continue reading →

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It’s a Good Day in October

Posted on October 8, 2017 by amanandhishoe

It’s a good day in October that starts with fluffy clouds drifting across a blue sky, and ducklings who come scurrying out of the hoop house to greet you when you open their door. The compost pile is breakfast for … Continue reading →

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End Times, Beginning Times

Posted on October 1, 2017 by amanandhishoe

It is the end times for the tomatoes. A week or two and they will be all gone. The next Sungolds I pop in my mouth, I need to close my eyes so I can remember all winter long how … Continue reading →

Posted in Happiness, How Things Grow | 4 Comments

Pure Soy Milk

Posted on September 26, 2017 by amanandhishoe

I received the OK from the Washington State Department of Agriculture to sell my soy milk. I’ve looked at the soy milks sold in grocery stores including stores like the Skagit Valley Food Coop and Community Food Co-op in Bellingham, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking-Roasting Tips, Happiness | Tagged | 2 Comments

Tea for You and Your Cat

Posted on September 4, 2017 by amanandhishoe

Along the path out to the tofu house catmint blooms. Its leaves have such a delightful fragrance, I couldn’t resist making tea from them. The tea they made was so refined and soothing. It’s the type of tea a delicate … Continue reading →

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