Space Dust

Elysian Space Dust IPA beer

A few months ago, I notice some big trucks had shown up on the streets of Bellingham, with the moniker of Elysian Brewpub on the side. They were advertising a beer I had never heard above before, and I did a little digging and found out about this brewery, based in Seattle, that has been around since 2015. How did a new IPA come out and I missed it?

There are so many local breweries in my part of the country, especially around Seattle and the Pacific Northwest in particture. I guess I'm not the only one who likes her beer a little hoppy on the side, bitter but not puckery. I was once an afionado of dark beer, bur once I discovered IPAs, my tastes began to change.

The Elysian Brewing Company has apparently been around for longer than that: I found this information online:

Three-time Large Brewpub of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival, Elysian Brewing Company operates four neighborhood restaurants and a production brewery in Seattle, Washington. Known both for classic styles and for flexibility and innovation, Elysian has brewed over 350 different recipes since opening in 1996. While Elysian’s brewers use a variety of unusual ingredients, they are seasonally notorious for their pumpkin beers. Each year Elysian hosts the Great Pumpkin Beer Festival, where dozens of different pumpkin beers are poured, some of them from giant pumpkins.

 Well, just for grins, I tried a little of the pumpkin variety and thought it was truly awful. I think, for now, I'll just stick to IPAs. Have you ever tried pumpkin beer?

(smile)

Today's snowdrops

Taken February 10, 2026

After showing those wonderful crocuses last week, I put on my winter puffy jacket to explore my nextdoor neighbor's snowdrop collection to share with you. It's a sunny day, with bright blue skies and a bit of a cold breeze, but this is what I saw. Just gorgeous white flowers that sure do look a lot like snowdrops, don't you think?

Every day we gain more daylight and are a little bit closer to the vernal equinox on March 20, now just a wee bit more than a month away. I truly do hope we have a moderate spring and summer and leave the other parts of the country to deal with the extremes. We usually are blessed in this area with moderate temperatures, but with the world turning a little topsy-turvy, who knows for sure?

It's beginning to take more time on my part to write these posts, since my eyesight continues to fail and it gets harder and harder to find the right keys. I struggle with frustratioh. If I didn't have my two days of service at the Senior Center lunchroom, I might find it even harder to cope with these current difficulties. I serve some people who are completely blind and rely on their partners to help. This is probably the best thing I could have done to help me keep perspective on losing these faculties myself. My central vision is going away, but my peripheral vision is better than ever.

Not to mention all the grateful thank you's and pats on the back that I get every single day. When I am lining up the endless number of walkers along the wide wall, I am so glad that I still have the ability to walk without assistance. When the time comes when I need one, I will have already learned all the tricks. Life is a delightful learning experience.

(smile)

Making up for lost time, it's raining

So pretty!

I went looking in my photo gallery for a picture of snowdrops, which are just now beginning to pop out of the ground. But instead, I decided to use this lovely picture of crocus, taken in February a while back, and I was mesmerized by the beautiful purple color, my favorite shade, too.

Do you have a favorite color? And, if so, are you still a fan? When I was a young girl, I remember admiring pinks and purples and noticing the way they shimmered in the sunlight, as opposed to brown and grey colors. But I've never been keen to wear red or orange, which I now associate with old people.

Somehow, I became one of them while I wasn't paying attention, and I realize that I sitll don't wear or look much at those colors. Of course, losing my central vision and losing the ability to appreciate detail has also dimmed my enthusiasm for vibrant colors, and the happy days I spent with coloring books ane crayons. My sister and I spent many hours cutting out and designing dresses for our dolls. Alas, it has fallen away. 

I don't know if I dreamt much last night, but I met John at the coffee shop, and asked him to let me out halfway to my home, so I could listen to a podcast but not have a long way to walk. It's dry once again, after lots of rain.

I allow myself one 12-oz beer a day these days, which sometimes seems like not enough, but it really is. Now I am quaffing the last of it, and getting ready to sign off. Hope you're doing well.

(smile)