Back from the Bay

I'm back from my trip to the Bay Area. It went very well, partly thanks to a shift in my focus. Instead of trying to find the places where great hordes of my friends would be congregating, I contacted a few friends and spent quality time with them.

My friend, Carrie, and I went to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. It was amazing as always except for a strange display of Gold Rush memorabilia in the temporary exhibit room. So amazing, in fact, that I almost completely forgot to take photos.

This trip finally saw the return of my kefir lime tree to my own life. My friend, Tien had taken care of it for a couple of years before it went to live with another friend, Celena. Well, she's moving to Portland this year so I decided to bring the tree home with me.

Here are two shots of the tree wedged into the van. Poor thing!

And here it is in our living room, from which it will move in a week.

I don't know if people are familiar with this tree and why I would go to so much trouble for one. It's the fragrance. For people who are familiar with Thai food, it's the perfumy lemon scent that defines Thom Kha, the spicy coconut soup that starts many Thai meals. It's also a contributing factor in many, many other dishes.

I got this tree when it was about 10" high with only 13 leaves. Bringing a tropical tree to Oregon means that I will need to modify one of the yurts to add a sunny greenhouse annex that shares warm air with the main space. And it will share its fragrance with the house. Yes! I have a feeling Thom Kha will become my standard "welcome" dish for visitors. It's quick and easy if you happen to have one of these trees on hand.