roofs

On gratitude, a new year, and hooping

/ Tracy Abell / 15 Comments

I’m pleased to say we had a three-day break in the rain and as of yesterday, we have a new roof! Today I’m exceedingly grateful for the thorough contractor who managed the project and gave us peace of mind. Let it rain!

Yesterday we joined friends Jo and Caleb at Finnriver Farm & Cidery in Chimicum for a beautiful send-off to the new year. Zippy and I’d never been there . It’s a gorgeous setting and the nearly-full moon and fog only heightened its allure. Finnriver has land and community partners that include the North Olympic Salmon Coalition which explains why there’s a gigantic salmon on the property.

Zippy, me, and Fin the Migrating Salmon

Despite that beautiful, community-oriented experience last night, the blues grabbed hold of me this afternoon.  I begrudgingly did my weight-lifting routine (gotta get strong enough to punch Nazis!) which eased some but not all of the sad. I needed my foolproof method for escaping the doldrums.

Hooping! I listened to loud music as I danced in my hoop for twenty minutes and now feel SO much better. My plan for 2026 is to hoop every single day for at least a couple minutes. What’s coming is gonna be tough and I need to be strong, both physically and mentally. So, if you happen upon me posting here about feeling sad and blue, PLEASE ask me “Have you hooped today, Tracy?”

I hope your first day of this new year has brought you some joy. Remember, there’s always a dance party over here and everyone’s welcome. Solidarity! ✊🏼

Solstice beauty

/ Tracy Abell / 22 Comments

Today is the shortest day of the year which means tomorrow we start gaining daylight. HOORAY! For me, the winter solstice is the most significant day of this season. Why? Because the day always gives me a much-needed emotional boost, and this year’s solstice is especially welcome because there’s sunshine. Not only that, these lovely roses are blooming next to our front porch.

December 21, 2025

How could I feel anything but hopeful as I gaze upon those sun-kissed blooms?

I’m documenting my hope and optimism here because we’ve been swamped with rain (with much more in the forecast thanks to the atmospheric river) and have learned our aging roof has multiple leaks that are causing widespread microbial growth. BOO HISS! We’re gathering bids for a full roof replacement we hope/need to get in the very near future–all we need are two consecutive days of clear weather to get started. I’ve got a new mantra: Rain, rain go away . . . and please don’t come back until our roof is intact!

Happy Solstice, everyone!

Now you sedum, now you don’t

/ Tracy Abell / 11 Comments

It’s gray and gloomy today, belying the unseasonably warm weather (which refuses to give us a drop of much-needed moisture!), so I went in search of a cheery image to brighten the day. I selected a photo of sedum that’d bloomed in the front yard last summer.

June 10, 2021

I then went in search of a quote to accompany my photo, but was unsuccessful. Instead, I learned that sedum roofs are quite popular in other parts of the world. Sedum has a very shallow root system and not only that, “The metabolism of Sedum differs from other plants. At night, carbon dioxide is absorbed through the stomata and converted into malic acid. During the day, under the influence of sunlight, the malic acid is decomposed and photosynthesis takes place. The stomata in the leaves are only open at night. During the hot and dry day, moisture loss is minimized.” How cool is that?! And how beautiful is this roof?

Image found here

My new dream is to live in a little cottage covered by a sedum roof.

Good thing there’s no such thing as climate change

/ Tracy Abell

In the last ten months, every house in our neighborhood got a new roof following a hailstorm last summer. In fact, roofers were working on a neighbor’s house minutes ago when the sky turned dark and another hailstorm blew in.


As Marcel watched, hail drifted up against the sliding glass door within minutes.

Here’s a view out the front window.

I’m very worried this storm just ruined all the new roofs. Again. I hope I’m wrong because otherwise there’s a whole lotta shingles headed for the landfill and a whole lotta hammering in our futures.