The rainy season is finally here. According to my Google lady, it is supposed to rain non stop for at least 2 weeks. The difficult part is not the rain though. Rain gear can fix that. The difficult part is grey skies. Just like in Alaska the dark fucks with your brain here it is the grey. Might be the time to get my “happy” light out and settle in waiting for the sun. It can also be very cozy. Time for finishing books, red wine, wool sucks, and hot miso soup.
I am currently reading “The Living” by Annie Dillard. I picked up this book because it is about homesteading and the development of the Pacific Northwest in the 1800s. It is mostly about the Washington State’s Tacoma area but has some references to Portland which was already a town. The story follows a few families from different corners of the country who made a long journey to homestead in PNW. At first, the book tells about the first-generation of homesteaders and the difficulties of the beginnings and life changes. About one third into the book it jumps to the second generation and follows their lives. It goes on for the rest of the book. I know because I have read the last paragraph of the end as I always do. Annie describes the political and racial state and troubles associated with it. I was surprised to know that Chinese people were seen as an abomination and were extradited from Watcom County where the action takes place. The book is intertwined with US history which I am not really familiar with so it is also an educational opportunity for me. Dillard’s writing is engaging, the storyline holds your interest with a few twists. I have been reading a chapter a night before bed. I savor this time.
All in all, it seems that I am ready for the rainy season. Let the greyness hug me like a cozy blanket.
