Incredible day: we shopped for Thanksgiving preparations, and I got so excited that we're doing it together- on our own.  It's sad to not be gathering with family, but it's also really beautiful to try out all the stuff we've "learned" and "gleaned" over the many years of being hosted in such gracious and sweet company.  Shopping today, together, was so fun- a little scary picking out the turkey, but challenging and positive and, somehow, already rewarding.  

The rest of the day was just errands and coffee and stopping by my favorite place for $2 pints on Wednesday, for fun.  All was lovely, and I'm listening to country music and my sweet husband and pup are so bonded, cuddled in bed asleep.  Grateful and wishing all well.  My heart goes out to those moving and migrating and seeking shelter from the storm.  

This morning, Clementine and I took a drive.  We went North, crossed one of a multitude of local bridges over the Spokane River, wound our way through curves and altitude changes in Riverside State Park, then were in the middle of nowhere.  I ended up consulting a map we got on our ride into town during the move, but it was a reassuring feeling to see that I didn't really need it.  I knew what direction of town we were outside of- I just got a little scared not recognizing anything.  It gets pretty remote pretty quickly!  

I was looking for homesteads.  I always imagined we'd end up in a cabin on land, with countryside as far as the eye could see.  Making the drive this morning kind of felt like coming to peace with committing to the City of Spokane, and letting go of rural living.  Letting go in order to make room for ideas to come.  

I watched the CMAs the other night- parts of it, clips- we're on Pacific time!  I just have to say, officially, that I am in LOVE with country music.  I think it does so much right.  I love the lyrics, the notion of ballads being current and relevant, the idea that romance lives and breathes and words matter.  It's so beautiful.

I'm listening on Spotify right now, and I'm just so grateful to the songwriters and musicians that put their work out there.  It's such a pleasure to discover and enjoy- night after night.  Additionally, I think Nashville should be recognized for its collegiality!  It's wonderful to see artists love and support each other!

In other news, here's what I came home to after yoga:

Our little girl is growing up.  I found another tooth of hers this morning, and I'm in this very (silly) self-conscious quandary about what to do with them when I find them.  It seems, at first, like I should throw them away...like nail trimmings or her waste.  But, then I think of how we have the Tooth Fairy, and I remember my mom saving my baby teeth.  So I've been saving hers.  Here's what we've got:

Normally, I don't lay them all out like that on the counter for display.  They're typically kept in a little tchotchke from Anthropologie that I won for some cutesy endeavor.

See, not that crazy, right?

Met a friend (my first actual Spokane friend!) for a walk in the woods today- specifically, Riverside State Park's Bowl and Pitcher Area.  Bowl and Pitcher are these giant rocks formations out of and around the Spokane River.  There's something called The Swinging Bridge that you take across the river and hiking trails from there.  Clem came along and never stopped pulling.  Perfect.

Walked to work- some photos from our neighborhood's rendering of Fall... 

Being able to walk into town from our little neighborhood brings me such joy.  Trampling through these leaves, looking at how secluded we are down in the valley, seeing my neighbors offering their tiny libraries, hearing trains and traffic passing overhead on the bridges and byways. 

Additionally, then I get to walk home, and it's quiet and a time of transition- preparing me slowly for the next part of the day.  

Clem and I loaded up in the car for a quick run to Trader Joe's for last minute stuff before her uncle comes to visit for the weekend.  Then, we continued on to the Spokane International Airport (we are only 70 miles south of the Canadian border!) and went to meet uncle's plane.  We parked in what they call the "cell phone waiting lot"- first time using one and I love it!

These pics are a bit excessive, but show you what fun we had while waiting.