After climbing
Mt. Sea Cucumber last month, I could feel my project motivation dropping off precipitously, almost in tandem with the rising temperature, if you can believe such a thing *glances back wearily at nine years worth of depressed summertime posts.* Fortunately, I took a quick sojourn this past week to the Pacific Northwest, which, as it turns out, is
definitely where Stardew Valley is located, and also is sometimes
so chilly in June as to make me very slightly glad to be back in Texas and shorts. Truly a miracle.
 |
| Peach trees and flowers, just right there in one place, now I know what region is hogging all the plant bounty in this country, and frankly it's appalling |
 |
| Rivers... |
 |
| *and* mountains? What indulgence, what absolute intemperance of nature |
The real tip-off was that all the ingredients I have been scouring Central Texas grocers in search of--fiddlehead ferns, morel mushrooms, flowers that look very much like Blue Jazz--were just piled up on tables right next to each other, mocking me and my limited carry-on space.
 |
| There is no taunt like the taunt of a highly regional expensive foraged item |
Anyway, now that I have been to the very source of the thing, this magical land where plants seem to stay alive without Herculean effort, I am feeling refreshed and ready to make *checks notes* I dunno, hashbrowns or something.
The journey continues...
