Karen, Steve, Rowan and Amelia

Karen and Steve are friends of mine I know from Bristol where they used to live. I met Steve through attending his yoga classes and Karen was the bright, chatty lady who showed up on the mat next to mine one day. She had moved over to marry her man and settle in the UK. They moved back a couple of years ago following the birth of their first child, Rowan. I used to live near them and hold Rowan and take him for walks to gibe Karen short amounts of time with two arms. Karen,also an accomplished hatha yoga practitioner as well as nutritionist and cook, taught me a lot about yoga and food. They moved to near Karen's parents just outside of the casino town LaCenter, in Clarke County Washington, just the other side of the Columbia River from Portland. They have a house on 5 acres of land that they are busy planting and making beautiful. Recently, about 5 weeks ago, Karen gave birth to Amelia so once again it's a precious, tender time to be visiting them.

I've got to figure out how to put some pictures up. Amelia is a tiny adorable bundle of snaffles, squawks, yawns and grunts and soft, feathery hair. Rowan is a cherub of blond curls and honey skinned sweetness- a big aficionado of Thomas the Tank Engine.

My bedroom is an enormous tent pitched under an apple tree out the back. It's full of mattress, duvet, pillows and flowers. During my first night in it I was serenaded by coyote lullabies, perfect sound track for the vampire novel.

It's wonderfully chilly at night to justify optimum snuggling under the covers and a fantastic nights sleep, jet lag allowing. Last night I woke up to pee and wondered out to also check out the crisp night sky pierced by fierce bright stars. I couldn't see the threatened Perseid meteor shower but the display was pretty gorgeous nonetheless. Later i woke at 6.30 to a pale blue sky and birds darting everywhere making shadows against the tent. I opened out one of the sides and lay and gazed at the sky for ages as it came into daytime fullness, and contemplated coffee. Having got up and went to the house I encountered Steve balancing exquisitely in elegant adho mukha vrkasanas (hand stands) and pinchamyurasanas like a handstand but with the elbows bent) and Rowan eating home made muesli before doing a bit of his own stylee yoga.

I went back to the tent with coffee and did a little practice before I got a visit from the little fella, all smiles and curious about my new house. Managed to get a chatty yoga practice in the kitchen, nothing like a distraction like talking with a mate to get me to do yoga, before I succumbed to the home made muesli.

Everything Karen and Steve make tastes delicious. Karen's extensive nutrition training and her homey cooking make for hearty, robust food sensations. Thanks to her I eat eggs, butter and all the other fun stuff. Yesterday we went to the farmers market in Vancouver, a nearby town. It was pretty full on with fruit, veggies and flowers and for some reason dogs. Lots of people promenading pedigree pooches amidst the stalls. Very cool from Rowan's point of view who was able to check out the doggies, forage for fruit (later paid for by Karen), train spot on the adjacent railway line, spot some low flying planes and hang out on the playground – Rowan heaven. I swanned around in a stoned jet lag outofitness buying flowers, blueberries and hot dogs. Luckily Karen bought the sensible stuff.