Broken Pottery

This pretty little jug used to hold sprigs of dried grasses, and it was beautiful. It was used it as an outside decoration one summer, and was much admired and happy. Winter came, and the poor little jug was forgotten. It felt abandoned ... and cold. One night it froze solid, and split in two. A child came along, found the broken pieces, and tossed them aside where no one would be hurt by the sharp jagged edges. It landed in the most beautiful garden, where it blended in perfectly.

It's jagged edges now worn with time, this pretty little jug is happy again, as you can tell. It has found its true home, amidst the ferns and leaves of the garden. Beauty comes from being content and happy in our lives, no matter what our circumstances are. This pretty little jug can show us how.

This Heart's For You

I've seen this old log hundreds of times ... nothing special, just an old log turned into a makeshift chair near the old trailer. Today, with the rain ending and the sun trying to break through the clouds, the light was just right as I walked by and saw it -- A HEART FOR BETH! Yeah, this one's for you, sissie-kins! Hope you enjoy it!

Other Side of Oregon City

I had an hour to kill in "old town" Oregon City today, so I went down by the river to get some pictures of the historic old bridge. I apparently went to the wrong side of the walkway - (to the South there is a path/stairway down under the road and onto the pristine rocky edge of the river) - and ended up on a well-worn muddy trail that never did get to the river bank down below. There were lots of fishermen in boats on the river, and $$$$$ houses on the opposite bank, with fenced off lots and beautiful docks. Where I ended up, however, was a summer homeless camp, not used at this time of the year, but waiting for its warm weather tenants to find it again. There were beer cans and graffiti, mud and old tarps, magazines and wet sleeping bags.

I never did get pictures of that historic old bridge. After all, it's been photographed a billion times already. I got to see something more ugly, more gritty, more REAL. I don't regret finding this place. I may go back someday. Until then, in the words of the graffiti artist ... "Bring peace to OC".

Spring versus Winter - Round 2

Catching huge snowflakes on my tongue, trying not to freeze my toadies ... icy slush catching in the honeysuckle leaves and new spring shoots.

Winter versus Spring, Round 2 goes to ----- WINTER!

Mika Uppa Tree - Again

I have never seen a cat so eager to climb trees. My mom says she must have gotten it from me, and I can remember climbing nearly every tree in the woods behind the house (in my younger years, of course!).

Mom says I was about 4 years old when she found me clinging to the very tip top of a tall fir tree, swinging back and forth. She says I about gave her a heart attack! I don't remember that, but I remember traveling with my family to Yellowstone (at about age 4) and climbing up the first tree I could find every time we stopped. I can remember my mom calling for me and someone else answering "she's probably uppa tree!"

Anyway, I caught Mika in yet another tree today, and just had to take her picture. Do you see why I love her so? Note the second cat, hot on her tail ... shortly after I snapped this picture, the combined weight of the cats (there was a third one, not in the picture -- also up the tree) dipped the branch and they all clambered off.

Spring versus Winter

The past few days were almost balmy, making my heart yearn for spring. Last night, however, winter came back ... freezing raindrops onto flower buds, and painting the delicate emerging leaves with the colors of fall.

Winter versus Spring ... round 1 is a draw.

Raindrops in the Dark

When the world seems dark
With no hope at all
Look around ...
See the drops of dew
Sprinkles of rain
Slivers of rainbow
The sun is going to shine again
And warm us to our very soul.

Fairy Tea Party

When we were young
We dreamed of big things
We dreamed of little things too
Like how the fairies, gnomes and elves
Would drink from the tiny cups
We would find in the woods
And fill with water
So our friends wouldn't be thirsty
And we'd put out little tiny pieces of bread
So they wouldn't be hungry
I remember our tea parties well
Do they?

Yellow in Winter

When the colors of the winter world are brown, black and green ... well, I couldn't resist trying to capture the rare glory of bright neon yellow.

Ice Queen

On a recent cold morning, I took this photo of a frozen puddle in the parking lot across the street. When I got home and looked closely, I was amazed to see this complete face of a lady I call the "Ice Queen". I sent a copy of the picture to my sister, who has the amazing gift of seeing things in clouds, trees and all things nature. She was the one who encouraged me to blog the queen. Hmmmm that didn't sound right did it? Hahaha

Sunrise Kitty Silhouette

I always carry my little camera with me; I never know when a good picture will pop up! Like this one taken just after sunrise a few days ago. I was out getting wood for the fire, and heard a loud "meow". Looking up, I had just enough time to see one of our cats in the tree, and pull the camera out of my pocket in time to take a picture before he continued his trek up the tree to the roof. I love the contrast of tree, sky and kitty silhouette.

Cookie cutter world

Okay, so the other night I was watching Law & Order, SVU. Elliott's mom was portrayed by a stunning older actress who did so well acting like a bipolar crazy-sane artistic woman who refused to admit she had a problem, that she should have won an award. She was great and I adored her!!!

Her granddaughter ended up being severely bipolar as well, with the choice of going either to prison or to a mental institution. Elliott confronted his mom about her past psychotic "episodes" with the hopes of getting her to help convince his daughter to take the institutional approach. She had a smile-cry look on her face, hair wild in the wind, when she answered "In my day, eccentricity was acceptable".

My next altered book page was born, as my feelings about our if-you're-not-like-me-you're-nobody society raged out of me. It used to be you could be "eccentric", "artistic", or just plain "different". Now they have to have names for this, all properly diagnosed and prescribed -- if you dare to not be the norm .. or take your kids away if your house isn't perfect ... or pull you over if you drive an ugly car ... and so on.

This page isn't finished, and won't be for quite some time, if ever. I plan to have anyone who feels "tagged" or "labeled" add their own words. Someday this page may be finished; most likely not until it is completely covered and covered again.
Sigh. Off the soapbox and back to reality, right? They may call me what they will, I still dare to be different.

Hawthorn berry surprise

Sometimes it's the little things that catch my eye. A tiny white mushroom standing stark against a green fern. A red hawthorn berry, in the dead of winter, the only color I see for hours. A spiderweb turned into spun rainbows nestled in dead branches on the rich forest floor.

This lone hawthorn berry surprised me. I had been out tramping in the wintertime woods of browns, greens and blacks for quite some time. For being so small, this perfect red berry seemed to jump out and call to me to notice and appreciate it's beauty. Usually these berries are long gone by the end of January, so I welcomed the surprise of it's presence. Soon my woods will again be full of color ... for now I will treasure this little red beauty and the promise of spring.

Shy Little Mushroom

There has to be a story behind this shy mushroom! I will have to go for a walk tomorrow and search for the story in the woods where fairies play and gnomes stand guard ... yeah, that's what I'll do.

Bright eyed kitty

Maybe I should have labeled this "kitties-uppa-tree". The black cat with the glowing eyes is Junsu, Georgia's friend. Mika is the gray one (my baby). She is constantly climbing "uppa" trees ... and no matter how high she goes, she hasn't gotten stuck yet!

After losing several cats over the last few years, I vowed to never become attached to another. Mika had other ideas. She wouldn't let me remain neutral and wormed her way into my heart with her sweet spirit, loving nature and just plain determination. She is now my faithful companion, foot warmer, and court jester. Love you, Mika.

Rainbow Time!

Cold winter morning
Clear blue sky
Hot fire in the stove
Coffee is perking
The sunrise is here
Look! It's Rainbow Time!

Flood debris

I had a rare moment to myself yesterday, and stopped to look at the flood damage along the Clackamas River near Oregon City. Huge logs had washed up over the sandy banks where we used to picnic. The sand itself had scoured away to boulders and pockets of river-worn rocks. The saplings along the water's edge had trash ... mostly plastic bags and fishing line ... caught nearly 10 feet up their trunks. I found this water-worn tree along the shore, still cradling the stones that it grew up with. I thought it made a very evocative picture.

This Dog Rocks!

I didn't even notice until after I took this picture that this beautiful rock is actually the side view of a dog! He's simply beautiful!

Rainbow net

The many colors of the rainbow revealed in the most unexpected of places ... a spider web, deep in the woods.

Look what you can find when you get up off the couch and look around! Even the smallest of nature's treasures can reveal great beauty ... can spark your imagination ... can color your world with rainbows!

Black, white, blue

These are the colors of winter ... taken on a frosty, clear, cold winter day.
Black of branches, white of frost ... outlined against dark blue of sky.
Makes me crave hot chocolate!