90 Degrees - but winter hasn't entirely gone away.

This week we skipped spring entirely, going straight to summer for a day or two. After a few cold, wet, gray days came a small heat wave, in which the temperature did indeed go to 90 on Saturday afternoon.


Meanwhile, as a reminder that winter is still not entirely over, the Seattle Times featured this picture, of the newly-refurbished Paradise Inn at Mt. Rainier, still surrounded by snow drifts.

Many mountain roads (some opened only a few weeks ago) are closed again because of avalanche danger from the rapidly melting snow. Down here at sea level, sunburn is everywhere.

Saturday night I was lucky enough to have a ticket for "L'Allegro, Il Penseroso and Il Moderato," Mark Morris' athletic, inventive, exciting 1982 ballet, performed at the Paramount Theater with musicians from the Seattle Symphony, the Seattle Symphony Chorale, and four splendid soloists. Fabulous experience - and I want a dress just like the simple but elegant costumes the women on stage were wearing. Dresses were cut to fit the upper body and swirl away into a flared skirt, and appeared to be made of double layers of chiffon, in colors that blended or contrasted, depending on the dress.

The Paramount, one of Seattle's few remaining grand early 20th century theaters, was the perfect venue for this performance. Several years ago an early Microsoft employee/investor, who retired with enough money to do anything she wanted, took on the restoration of this building. It's now the location of choice for touring musical theater and dance companies. From its ornate lobby to its high-ceilinged main theater and heavily-ornamented proscenium arch, it's a setting that adds immeasurably to every performance.