THE DUST WILL WAIT

  When I came around the corner at dusk to see this stranger on the fence, the sight stole my breath.   So, I grabbed my cell phone and stole their moment.  Tit for tat. Yes, another February with lots of cold and snow.  

 I took a short walk up the creek in the cold.  My attention was drawn to a song sparrow flitting down to hide in the wintry browns speckled with snow along the water's edge. That is where I spotted the little dead plant hooked on a rock mid stream, growing an ice sculpture off the splashing current. It was probably 12 inches across and I wondered if it would continue to build   Or, will the dancing rill eventually shake its delicate art free and send it downstream.  

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.

Christmas Eve Morning we find ourselves once more in Portland, Oregon at our youngest daughter's house where I am using her strange little lap top.  The keyboard is made for miniature fingers and some of the buttons can do strange and improbable tasks.  If only one could make me 36 once more. I slept (not) to the stereo qualitity of two snoring men.  It is a small apartment and the things that happen in the apartment upstairs are no secret either.  Even Curlymop, the 5 year old granddaughter, was awake until 11 p.m. as the result of sipping someone's Thai Tea.  That could have been part of my wakeful problem, too.  I actually blamed it on the salad;  I crashed and burned on a whole chili that I misidentified as a dark peanut. When I did nod away, I dreamed that I didn't get any Christmas Cards.  That has been on my mind because I didn't send any this year, or for several years past.  It has to be very much like blogging.  If yo...

Today, I walk earlier than usual and experience a slight bit of unease. For the first 30 minutes I see only two other people . There have been rare reports of cougar and bear along the creek – the knowledge of which makes me very aware of my isolation. When I turn back, I begin to meet more people, the majority of whom are wearing MP3s and IPods. We smile in greeting and I say “good morning.” Of course they do not hear me. Nor did they hear any of the bears or cougars that snuck up on them from my earlier flight of imagination. Unaware of the obbligato springing forth from the heavy underbrush, they miss the evasive fluttering of a Bewick's Wren. I watch it pause from its busyness and I sigh as it tilts its head back to sing with enthusiasm. How can such a loud trill emanate from so tiny a creature? They do not discern the performance of the wind symphony. Sometimes it plays a legato b...

There are many things I thought about sharing that could tell you so much about my little corner of the world. When I first moved here 38 years ago, the local growers of Italian descent were famous for their sweet onions. They still grow them, but the wineries are now the tourist draw. Perhaps people grab a bag of onions when they are in season to compliment their wine purchases. That thought makes me giggle. The rolling wheat fields are picturesque and for many years the backbone of our agricultural economy. There's the state penitentiary on the hill that houses many guests who would prefer to be somewhere far away. One university and two colleges keep the town filled with energy in learning, music, and art. One can't walk down the street without being influenced by the culture of youth. But, the one thing that stands tall above them all are the beautiful Blue Mountains. They are the arms of the seasons that wrap us in their ever changing embrace. They are the giver of streams...

The old timers say this winter "is like the winter of..." Like when they were kids. I would be one of them (old timers), but I grew up in the Seattle area. However, I do admit to memories of the winter of 1969 when the Puget Sound area had one of those freak snow storms. Eighteen inches blanketed our small farm. We have that much here tonight and more falls as I write. I discussed the snowstorm with with my friend Glenda on the phone this evening and it went as follows: Me: I can't believe it is still snowing, isn't it just beautiful? Glenda: Yeah. At first it was pretty. Now it's just STUPID ! (She has to go to work in the morning, her husband is recovering from leg surgery, she doesn't have snow tires, she's out of sick leave because she used it all when she broke her leg during the last big snow, she was worn out from shoveling, and she was a little misty eyed from having just received a letter from her son in Iraq.) Me: Oooops. So, Glenda, ...

Someone else had the same idea today as did I. A walk in the park. I doubt she left her house with the thought that her distant image would show up on a stranger's camera, much less a blog. Whoever she be, I appreciate her accidental posing for me with such grace. A few weeks ago I would have sworn that we would be knee-deep in snow by now. But, here it is, November 2, and the fall weather has been most appealing. We trudge through carpets of leaves and sparkling showers of much needed rain. I lift my thanks for the sunshine that sneaks between the clouds and smiles through all the colors. I do love autumn.

Robin (of Pensieve ) invites one and all to join in July's Poetic License as she introduces her own style of poetry. Read about it here. The abbreviated version is: the style involves the five senses, reflection and some play on words. I never follow the rules entirely - but my work is close enough to join the thousands (big smile) who will participate by linking to Robin's post on Friday. Yesterday we had our first rain of the summer. These thoughts were lingering in my head long before her invitation arrived. So, it was easy for me to be pensieve about SUMMER RAIN Dawn's pitter-patter on the skylight and the echoing murmur in the downspout stirs me from my slumber. The dampened breeze through the opened window feathers my cheek and teases my lashes until they open. Countless aqua dribbles explore the dusty trailed pane while triumphant drops bounce through the screen to sparkle on the sill. Earthy scents waft on the gentle zephyr, replacing the night's stale ...

Cloud of pastel pink green Rainbow arc Hearing theme from close encounters ? No photoshopping in these pictures. Does anyone else think these are strange messages in the sky? (The color may be from a fading Circum Horizontal Arc ? )

Nekked Lizard Adventures is hosting todays Fun Monday. There are two Nekked Lizards, so I'm assuming they are co-hosting. They gave us an assignment with some parameters: FIVE PICTURES - FIVE WORDS PER PICTURE. I guess they wanted less jabberwocky. Well I'm ready to shut up and go 5 x5. Are you? A favorite place to walk! The sky reveals a raptor. The brush conceals the deer. Gopher snakes enjoy the sun. And I enjoy it all! Please sign up to join the fun. Or, just pop over to the hosts blog to find all the participating links. I know the Nekked Lizards will welcome you. One more Fiver: They are not really nekked.

My friend Elizabeth Joy at Wildflower Morning , is inviting bloggers to join with her in an event that is sure to cheer up anyone with the winter blues. She says: Every winter I find myself longing for spring . I ju st love the warming rays of sun and the wildflowers that start to open. It is my favorite time of year. Wildflowers bring me so much joy. So, I propose some wildflower fun this winter to take us into the first days of spring. I will have a different theme each week through the m iddle of March. Join right in by making a post on your blog fitting the theme. This week, January 16-22, we will post our favorite wild flower picture from springs past. I began using a camera in June of 2006 - the same time I started blogging. Prior to that the hubby was our camera man. We had a small digital camera that was easy to use and carry. One day I dropped it on the concrete. Had I known how much I would enjoy the new camera, I would have dropped the old one much sooner. When I r...

Sunday proved to be the perfect day for us to choose the long road home. It took us about an hour longer in travel time. Chinook Pass was gorgeous. The clouds lifted and the majestic mountain posed in white chiffon, blue silk, and green velvet. She towers over 14,400 feet. Driving up the Western slope. The pass reaches its summit at 5,432 feet. A view from the first east side curve. The cars on the highway look like ants.

I nearly walked through this Golden Orb-Weaver web at my brothers house this weekend. It wrapped up its dinner and put it away for later.

House Sparrows caught in the act. A honey bee I don't know who his friend is.