American beauty

Last week was rough. I was confronted with bad news and disappointments, professionally and personally. No fun. Lots of negative feelings flowing left and right. The weekend, however; now that's a different story.

My colleague Mark and his wife Lettie hosted a harvest festival on their farm in Stanwood, raising money for charity. The setting was as American as it can possibly get: a country band playing in the decorated barn, surrounded by hay bales and pumpkins. Plaid shirts and cowboy hats everywhere; hot dogs and corn on the cob. White fences and pickup trucks; pecan pie and hot spiced cider. It was completely different from everything I have experienced so far during my first year here, and I truly enjoyed getting a glimpse of it.

I spent the night in the guest cottage, sleeping like a baby in the countryside stillness, and after a lovely breakfast Mark took me for a ride through Stanwood to Camano Island, telling me all about the farms and fields we were passing. The day was crisp and sunny; fall at its best.

As usual, my photos convey nothing but a fragment of the beauty, but I hey I'm trying, ok? Ok.

What can you say, but thank you? Thank you very, very much.