a good read

1. Just as I glance up, the woman across the train aisle smiles at something in the book she is reading


2. A cheap mystery and an ice cream cone keep me company on a lonely ferry ride back home


3. The pleasure of picking up a well worn book and knowing that the story is familiar and comforting

fragrant, steam works, and familiar smile

1. Red, blue and yellow alpine flowers line the trail and fill the air with a sweet and hot fragrance
2. In my search for wakefulness I meander into a coffee shop. I'm just in time to see steaming hot water pouring abundantly from a copper pipe and into the coffee machine
3. Completely unexpectedly, I see a face I recognize from a life time ago. Mr Cooper, my high school janitor, still shares a friendly smile and a kind word

up, up, and away

1. A balloon floats out of the sunroof of a car passing by. Inside I see a child's hand clinging tightly to the string
2. I look down from the train as it crosses the river. Below me on the beach I see a bright yellow sun umbrella in the shape of a sunflower, placed right where I've often thought would be a great place to sit.
3. As I walk into the park across the street, I hear music. Standing in the grass is a man playing jazz on his trombone

weekend away

A weekend away with friends leaves lots of beautiful memories.

1. Discovering an old church tucked up on a hillside overlooking the ocean and rambling through the graveyard just as the sun is setting.
2. Combining cleanliness with inspiration in the outdoor treehouse shower
3. Glimpsing an orange-red sunset through the trees and meandering through the woods until we come to the water's edge just in time to see the last drops of sunshine.

friends, mario, and sanctuaries

1. Three girls sit on an outside patio, laughing and looking like they are having the time of their lives together
2. Mario my Italian coffee shop man, who always says Ciao Bella! when I (and every other woman) walk in the door and who loves giving out powerful mixtures of whipping cream and espresso topped with chocolate sauce (is there a name for this?)
3. Coffee shop sanctuaries that provide cool relief from my oh-so-hot third floor apartment

water baby, lick, and waffles

1. Swimming in the outdoor pool across the street as the evening sun bathes everything in an orange glow. Swimming outdoors again today, this time in a salt water pool that overlooks the ocean.
2. An impulsive trip to the gelato store with a friend
3. A weekend of breakfasts - crepes one day, waffles the next, and yet more waffles today - eaten while listening to good music with good friends.

breeze, community notes, and friends like these

1. The trees outside my window are dancing and rustling in the hot summer breeze


2. Across the street at the community centre, a live band is rehearsing. I can't quite tell what they are playing - classical/jazz/blues/Latin American/German waltzes? Nevertheless, the sounds bring the street to life


3. A buzz on my doorbell. A friend has brought me coffee and a croissant to make my paper writing just that much easier