Memories of Fall

I found this fall reflection several weeks ago amidst the wreck and ruin of the abandoned and vandalized mega-church across the street.

Finding beauty amidst chaos ... sort of like life, yes?

Happy Thanksgiving

I heard something outside, rustling through the leaves.
Upon checking it out I found
Two cute little raccoons,
Smorgasbording in the compost.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

The Well Dressed Mushroom

Dressed for winter,
Deep in the woods.

A fashion display
of leafy cloak.

Fireplace Dude

I found him hanging out in the wood pile, and couldn't bear to throw him on the fire. He now has a special place to stay, safe and warm. I think he may be dancing for joy.

This Funny Face!

He sits in front of the house,
Waiting for an emergency.
Flat tire.
Dead battery.

Maybe it's the boredom
That makes him have
This FUnny FAce!!!

Behold The Sunrise!!!

This was one of those moments of wonder that make getting up early worthwhile.

Nature's Perfection

A perfectly landscaped lawn and flower beds surround the VA Clinic building in Hillsboro. I could find no pictures begging to be taken - everything seemed to be too perfect, too sculpted, too fake.
Until I saw this beautiful mushroom, tucked away in a corner of the manicured lawn.
Now THIS is perfection!!!

Further down the street, in a little sculpted "wetlands" area, I spied this wonderful face on an old dead tree. I had to turn the picture upside down, but ain't he cute???

Happy Halloween - Scary Face!

Made by a torn awning backlit by a blue tarp.

Or is it?

A Small Slice of Portland

It was noon when I got to Portland, the church bells told me so.
When I tried to see them, I was disappointed to see
Only the huge loudspeaker! No bells!

Walking down to the South Park blocks Farmers Market, I came across this unique building decoration.

I gave him some change and he played me a song.
Isn't he cute?

I fell in love with the First Presbyterian Church, built in 1886.

And was struck by the balance of old and new.
Light and dark.
Reflections of sunlight trying to break through the clouds.
It never did.
But was a beautiful day anyway.

Rainbow Colors of Autumn

I found this grove of autumn glory in Hood River and had to try to capture the colors and textures it presented. Shortly after the shot, the rain began pouring down ... of course we were walking!

And look what happened as soon as we got back in the car!

Eye Wash Fountain

This sign caught my eye ...
Made me giggle.

Eye Wash Fountain ...
On top of a pile of broken glass.

I hope nobody needs to use it!

Scary Face

Just in time for the Halloween season ...
Do you see the scary face here?

And you thought it was just another float plane moored on the Columbia River ...

Cedar Waxwings

There was a large flock of beautiful birds taking their fill of the berries in the yard ... they flitted around crazily, yellow-tipped tail feathers fluttering.

I hadn't seen a cedar waxwing in years, now I was blessed with many.

Arrrgh!!!

The "Lady Washington" was docked in Hood River for their annual Harvest Festival.
If she looks familiar it's because she is also known as the "Interceptor" in the Pirates of the Caribbean; Curse of the Black Pearl movie.

"Oh, the Dauntless is the power in these waters, true enough, but there's no ship as can match the Interceptor for speed."
- Murtogg to Jack Sparrow

Anchor

Jack Sparrow Stood Here!!!
At least that's what I want to believe ...
(Yes that's me)

As we were leaving, we interrupted a local policeman -- writing a parking ticket for the ship!
Actually, it was just a fun photo op.

Picture on Log

The picture in this log jumped out at me. I see a small deer at the bottom. The top is a barren desert landscape, complete with setting sun. If you enlarge the picture, you will see the rose blooming in the twilight against the sun.

At least, that's what I see. What do you see?

Clouds Have Stripes!

I'm listening to the much-needed rain hit the roof this morning. The clouds came in yesterday evening, and they were fantastic.

I caught these zebra? tiger? -- cloudy stripes in the front yard framed between the fir and oak trees.

Nutty Owl

I found this nutty little owl on the ground beneath a tree in the parking lot of a church. Isn't he cute?

Drying Corn

What can be done with a case of corn from the Gleaners? Too much to eat, too beautiful to throw out, too old to freeze or can. I'm thinking winter chicken food! Dried by the sun and breeze, a beautiful yard decoration for now. I have done this every fall, and have yet to get tired of seeing the plump golden kernels shrinking and turning dark yellow and orange through the fall harvest season.

Duck! It's Bathing Beauties

I caught these lovelies taking advantage of a late morning sunbreak to do a little bathing. Shortly after I took their portraits, the sun went away and so did the fun.

A Walk on the Wild Side

Juvenile Downy Woodpecker

Late Thistle flower, wet from rain

Duck sleeping on submerged log

Fall Cattail

These photos courtesy of a walk at the Fanno Creek Nature Preserve in Tigard, Oregon.

Abandoned Roses

There used to be a "meditation garden" ...

At the now-abandoned-and-wrecked mega-church.

We still go there and meditate in our own way.
Amidst the hidden beauty
Of the overgrown gardens.

How to Win the Chicken Wars

The cute little chicks are all grown up now. They are way too big for their temporary pen, and busted out ... free to roam the yard. After they started digging up my mom's flower beds, my brother-in-law helped me build a larger new home for them.

I used an old drawerless dresser turned on its side for a small shelter. They roosted on the top. Yesterday I decided to add another partial (lidless) dresser on top to make laying boxes.

Evening came and the ladies went to bed. On top of the open "nesting" area. They fought for supremacy along the narrow slats at the top. Every time one of them moved, another fell off and the war for a sleeping area had begun.

And it was NOISY.

I decided to put a 1X6" piece of lumber across the top for them to roost on. When I had put in the dresser, the chickens went crazy getting away, so I figured I wouldn't have a problem.

Wrong.

As I slid the piece of board across the top of the nesting area, the chickens immediately decided that this was a very good idea. They hopped right on. So here I was, trying to position a board -- still halfway out of the pen, with 13 chickens crowded ONTO the other end. I had to tip the board back and forth, chickens swaying with each motion, to inch it into place.

Silence ensued.
Blessed silence.
Good night ladies.
Sleep well.

Rise and Fall of a Mushroom Family

I found this little family of mushrooms out by the driveway. I took their portrait, then hurried away to find my sister, who was part of the work party cleaning up my parents house.

We rushed back to where I had found them.

And ...

Sniff, this was all that was left.
Sigh.
Snort.
Mmmmmm I'm getting hungry.
Mushroom omelet anyone?

Don't Wok the Frog!

My sister and I were sorting through a pile of metal.
Look what we found watching us!
I hope his new home is just as comfortable and safe
As the bottom of this old frying pan.

Sweet Dreams, Chickens

Red and Vulture ...

I woke them up to take this picture. They clucked for a few minutes, then went back to sleep.

Every night they sleep in the same place, near the front window so they can see inside to their family. I guess the nights are getting cooler, because they scootch up like this on purpose!

Doesn't look very comfortable to me.

Providence Angel

Three weeks ago, my daughter was here at Providence Hospital in Newberg for surgery on her finger.

It all started as a small bump on the outside of her left ring finger, nestled against her pinkie. Then it started growing. The doctor said it was probably a "keloid", and not to have it removed because it would grow back.

Eventually, however, it started getting bigger. And painful. Over the past year it increased in size from a pea, to a marble, to the size of a nickel - and 1/2 inch thick. Back to the doctor we went. She wouldn't touch it. Then came the referrals. The general surgeon wouldn't touch it. The hand specialist wouldn't touch it. When the dust finally settled, we had found the perfect match - a plastic surgeon who was referred to as "an artist with a scalpel".

During the surgery wait, I wandered outside the hospital. Directly overhead, I saw the most amazing clouds ... and this wonderful angel. I knew my daughter was in good hands.

The surgery went fine, the "benign nerve sheath tumor" was removed, and my daughter has her beautiful hand back. It is now completely healed. Thank you God, Providence staff, and Dr. Gruber for doing what you do best and well.

Weddings and Things

The past few weeks have been wonderful. And awful. My little sissie, AKA "Honey" got married. She is so beautiful, it was wonderful.

My parents are getting ready to come home after their accident, and that will be wonderful as well.

Still, so much needs to be done so that they can be safe and comfortable in this old house. I sometimes despair that it will all get done. How could one house collect so much dirt ... cobwebs ... junk? Fifty plus years of living ... raising children ... memories ... here. So much stuff. Every nook and cranny jammed full of stuff. "I might need that someday". It's a curse we have. Something I am trying to break through myself.

It's hard to let go of the stuff of life isn't it? When I had meningitis 14 years ago I lost a lot of memories. To me, "stuff" helps jog those memories and old feelings out from the fog they are stuck in. I am afraid I will lose them forever. But I can't keep all this stuff.

Staying busy is not an issue now. Finding a moment alone and at peace is what I crave. I don't know when this will happen, if ever.

And the stuff? I guess I need to learn to concentrate on the words of my recently-married-little-sister ... "Sometimes you just gotta close your eyes and throw it away".