February has felt deceptively spring-loaded this year, so naturally for the last week for the month winter reasserted itself. Over the course of the week it snowed 3, maybe 4 times. Obviously I lost count. Each time it snowed just enough to mask everything in a sparkling dusting of white, but by late afternoon any trace of the snow had melted away. During the week, I managed to make it out for a few walks around the neighborhood and along the Powerline Trail to enjoy the temporary winter as it melted.
For the first weekend in quite some time, Andy and I avoided hiking entirely. Instead we opted to play tourist, starting with a trip the the LeMay Museum in Tacoma on Saturday. I visited years ago for a work event, and I knew it would be the kind of museum Andy would love. We spent a few lovely hours wandering through the exhibits, Andy peering closely at the cars to figure out the mechanics of the more unique cars. Sunday, we spent the day on Capitol Hill, starting with a stop at my favorite pastry shop in the city to pick up macarons, canelés, and an amazing goat cheese & apricot danish. After stocking up on pastries to bring home, we filled up on brunch at Lost Lake then wandered through the Elliot Bay Bookstore next door. Before heading home, I decided we should stop at the nearby Volunteer Park Conservatory. It's been on my list for ages, and a gloomy winter Sunday seemed a good time to check it off the list. It was strange to so many interesting plant species crammed into a tiny space, but room filled with tropical plants was my favorite. With a small waterfall, and jungle of greenery, I could've happily spent hours reading on one of the benches.
