to washington.

Last weekend I took the ferry on over to Washington to go visit my close friend Melissa.  Here are some of the sweetest moments from my trip!

picnic.

I met up with these pretty people at the bakery and we walked down to the corner mediterranean deli to pick up spanokopita and tiropita, the owner was so charmed by us that he gave us free dolmades and hummus and gathered his co-workers to "see what was brightening his day". Carrying our picnic basket and blanket, we then collected fruit and old-fashioned sodas from the downtown market.  Receiving so many smiles from passerby along the way, we took all our goods to a lush park down by the water and shared our fruits and sodas, happily enjoying the beginning of all this springtime weather.

little things.

Appreciating the little things about Victoria, like the bike trail that meanders around little bays with fisherman setting up their boat for the day, or that my bike ride to work involves pedaling through cute neighborhoods where the flowers are in full bloom and everyone's always out tending their garden, not to mention the shifts where I get to appreciate the sunrise on the way. Then there's always my favorite park where you can see the snow-capped mountains of Washington state across the water and there are 100's of dogs always running around off of their leash.  And of course, there are the days off that involve decadent chocolate chip, coconut, and almond pancakes with maple syrup I brought all the way over from Vermont.  I've got to appreciate these things, because before I know it I'll be packing up heading back to Vermont to return to school.

spring.

When I visited the south it was SO sunny outside.  I was in shorts and dresses and so happy to lay down and soak up the warmth.  Returning to the north I've been reluctantly putting on warm socks and a sweater.    However, the flowers are still blooming and the springtime bird calls are sweet to wake up to no matter where I am.

**photos in Asheville, NC
***the last photo was an accidental double exposure - a cafe in vermont over a cat in asheville!