THE DUST WILL WAIT

I've heard the voice of this little wren in the bushes around my patio  -- echoing through my back yard as if through a megaphone.  So much volume coming out of this little feathered bit of avian life. Today it actually perched in the top of the pine that grows in our neighbors yard and hangs its branches over into the corner of our back yard.  As it declared its territory I dare not infringe -  instead I stayed on my side of the yard and used the digital zoom to captured its aria of spring. I was hoping another Bewick would respond.  Perhaps now would be a good time to find a wren box and place it in a safe nesting spot.

A quick trip to Portland, OR and then headed home.  We travel east on I-84 and pass through the Cascade Mountains via the Columbia River Gorge.  Our trip takes four hours or more depending on how often we stop.  Once we passed through the mountains and could see the weather to the east I was infatuated by the storm and snapped a few photos through the windshield.  For two hours we chased and occasionally crossed paths with small squalls that lagged behind.  We caught up with the main cloud formation at dusk in the valley we call home.  As always I wonder why I didn't take the time to pull over and make an artistic attempt to focus.  As beautiful as this storm presented, it reminded me that there are many who have been dealing with some very frightening weather in their own valleys.  My hearts go out to them.