We’ve been hanging out in the back yard in the evening.



There are quite a few of those butterflies & when they’re not flitting around, they’re soaking up the sun… one even landed on my big toe for a minute last night.

We’ve had a couple of cats hanging around — one’s gray & the other is orange, but they both have very strong stripe patterns & look like they could be related. They look healthy & cared for. This one jumped up & lazed on the pergola bench for a little while the other day.

I was reminded this week that it was 10 years ago that we visited Kate in Scotland and drove up to the Highlands, hiking up to the Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye in the cold & brutal wind. (We did other things, too.)
I’ve recently been reminded, too, of getaways at this time of year to Las Vegas, North Carolina & Denver. So many fun trips!
And, sure, I’m going to a Taylor Swift concert in a few weeks, but mostly, I’m going to Amsterdam… with my sister!! It’s been ages since we’ve had a 1:1 vacation together, and I’ve never been to the Netherlands before.
We’ll be there for five full days! Even if you X out concert day, there are still four other days to explore. We already have tickets to the Van Gogh Museum, and there’s a long list of other possibilities, including a canal cruise, riding bicycles, visiting the Heineken brewery, a bunch of other museums, the botanical garden, some shopping… including yarn stores! Amsterdam is home to Stephen & Penelope’s! I haven’t lately been as enamored with Stephen West’s designs as I once was, but it would be a fun stop, and there are at least four other shops on my list of possibilities (I will not be going to all of them!).
I know for sure that Annie wants to visit Winkel 43 again for apple pie, and I want to find & enjoy a fresh stroopwafel somewhere!
I’m open to suggestions if anyone has any to share.
And have a great weekend!! It’s JUNE tomorrow!























