I love Swiss chard and enjoy its beauty as well as its taste and healthfulness. One way to prepare it is to cut the stems out and steam them first, cut up, so they are a bit more tender, and then take the leaves, pile them up, and slice them into half-inch (1 cm) ribbons and put them in the steamer basket with the stem pieces. Cook ’til tender. Then either a cream sauce or an Italian one with garlic and olive oil, and you have a yummy treat for a cold night.

Fresh-washed green, yellow and red chard being sliced into ribbons

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Here’s a photo, taken in July, of the overlook near my house at sunset looking out to Vashon Island, I believe. I don’t know the names of these cute, mini-funnel-shaped pink clouds. Anyone?

Pink clouds at sunset overlooking the Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest

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These birds were migrating in late August off the coast of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest. You can see the surfers in wetsuits in the water, too. It went on like this for the longest time. Uncountable number of birds.

Birds in migration off the coast of Seaside, Oregon in late August

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From a trip to Port Orchard, WA last year just at this time, a very wet pier on a very wet but lovely day. Let’s take a little stroll, shall we?

Reflections on a wet pier in Port Orchard, WA

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Browsing through some photo folders I saw this image from a July day on Lake Burien. Straight out of the camera!

Sunshine on lakeside houses reflect on the waters of Lake Burien, WA

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When I was in the Seattle Asian Art Museum recently, I saw this detail of antique Chinese embroidery of ocean waves that I thought you might enjoy.

Detail of silk embroidery on antique Chinese robe

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My sister is traveling in China and her first stop is Shanghai. This was from her first email letter home. Thank you, Jo!

View of the Pan Gate Garden in Shanghai, China

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I posted a similar photo a number of years ago but you don’t mind seeing it again, do you? This columnar apple tree was in my backyard in a pot.

Sentinel columnar apple tree’s fruit, in the rain

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Browsing through the archives, found this image from a golf course visit with hubby at this time of year, a few years ago. He played; I photographed.

Clouds at dusk reflected in a golf course pond

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This image of a dramatic sky over Puget Sound was taken in Des Moines, WA (south of Seattle), right near a friend’s house. She can walk across the street and see this!

Dramatic clouds over Puget Sound in Washington

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