Fairyland Treehouses

My friend Walt is a master woodworker and craftsman. He once made me a desk by taking about 40 measurements, writing none of them down, and then came back one day later with...a complete, perfect desk. I will definitely post photos of that epic desk down the road.

Walt has scaled back from building houses to crafting houses for dolls. Or fairies, or action figures. His grandkids test each fairyland treehouse and put it through a rigorous test of durability. He uses all recycled and found materials. While I photographed the treehouses, I could see a younger me being absorbed for hours at a time with a imaginative playland like these.

Check out his Etsy shop, Fairyland Treehouses.

Blue Star Coffee Roasters

I had the distinct pleasure of working with Meg and Dan Donahue of Blue Star Coffee Roasters this winter on a photographic portfolio for their brand new, super spiffy website. Not only is their coffee literally the best in the country (and they have a plaque to prove it: 1st Place in America's Best Espresso), they approach their craft with a care and precision that is remarkable, but they are also warm and generous people to boot.

It's not a bad work day when you get to photograph, and then drink: 2 espressos, 1 cappuccino, 2 mochas, and I'm not telling how many americanos. All prepared to utter perfection.

imbibe

What's better than a gin and tonic? A gin and tonic in the mountains! What's better than a gin and tonic in the mountains? A gin and tonic in the mountains with brandied cherries!

a touch of the homeland

The fire hydrant outside our new house was made in Iowa. Hard to believe it has been 4 years since I moved from Iowa to Washington. Lots to explore here still! I wonder what this flowering tree below is?

balsam root hike

 

a day back in february

Red Eggs

For Easter this year, I hard boiled eggs in a homemade natural dye. Red eggs or kokkina avga, are a Greek tradition. I paired these eggs with my (slightly Greek) family's tradition of an egg bashing contest. I found the recipe for the onion skin dye here, but used shallots skins instead of onion skins.