277/365 Early Morning

Winking tail lights trace

An intricate path as folks

Make their way to work.

276/365 Anticipation

Preparations add

to the growing excitement

surrounding a trip.

275/365 Slow Night

Crawling painfully

past each number the clock's hands

bring me no relief.

274/365 Windy Day

Russet, gold and green

Quiver against cloudless skies

As autumn winds blow.

Surrender

Who am I kidding?

 

There will be no wrap-it-all-up

posts to finish the trip to Oregon.

We returned about a month ago

 and I don't know how that is possible.

 

Much has - as it does - happened in the last month

and keeping up is enough of a challenge

without always trying to catch up.

 

So forget about a description of the

incredible fresh crab bisque

I enjoyed at the coast.

Not going to happen.

 

There will be no tales of

grilling fresh fish

fingerling potatoes from the garden or

steamer clams.

 

Fajitas

 featuring peppers, onions and tomatoes

from the garden?

You'll never hear about them.

 

Fresh eggs from backyard chickens?

Pretend it didn't happen.

 

The polite, handsome,

cowboy/students

who offered to replace our broken

windshield wipers in Laramie

will not get the ink the deserve.

 

The last blurry, rain-soaked

seventeen hours in the car to make it home

will simply remain a memory.

 

I'm through talking about it.

 

 

It's 5AM Monday morning and

I'm headed to the gym.

 

 

 



273/365 Autumn on the Lake

Crisp reflections on

Still water mirror scarlet

Accents set in gold.

272/365 Twilight

Tasks left for day’s end

Are rescheduled, as fading

Light forces a halt.

271/365 Friday Evening

Shared conversation

And food create mellow moods

And week’s end good will.

270/365 Peek-a-Boo Moon

October crescent

Hangs low above the roofline

Hidden by treetops.

269/365 Hummingbird

Green flash against clear

Azure sky seems misplaced as

Golden leaves languish.

268/365 Conspiracy Theory

Our best intentions

Are thwarted as well-meaning

Loved ones interrupt

267/365 Making Hay

Bold in the warm sun,

Marauding squirrels pilfer

Nearby bird feeders.

266/365 Fire

Flickering chatter

Warms the room holding the damp

Autumn night at bay.

Short Shrift

I'm afraid Mt. Hood and remaining portion of our trip

are going to be condensed.

 

 

Lessons from Daily Living 101

interfered with our plans

 for a day of hiking on Mt. Hood, but the necessary

phone calls were made,

details feel into place,

a late start was deemed better than no start

and we drove over to the mountain

on a cloudless afternoon.

 

Mt Hood is a beautiful sight. 

Unfortunately, an unexpected camera glitch left

me with no pictures.

You'd be right in guessing we took the long way

and enjoyed our glimpses of it's  

classic, snow-capped shape as the curving road

brought us closer.

 

Tim and I also went on our own

one afternoon when Jacob was working and

found Lucia and Moulton Falls

near Battle Ground, WA.

 

 

 We clambered around on the rocks,

Tim picked up bottles and cans left by

inconsiderate partyers,

and we marveled at the size of the trees.

This was the type of old Pacific coast forest region

that I'd been expecting.

 

Food?

The food deserves better treatment

than to be summarized thus:

it was great!

So I will put together one last post

soon.

 

 

 



265/365 Relaxation

Weekend rhythms slow

As homely concerns call for

 Leisurely efforts.

264/365 Sick Day

Of all the ways we

Express those “three little words”

Chicken soup’s matchless.

263/365 Waiting for the Rain

Dark clouds gather, pass,

Then re-form, through a long day

In which no rain falls.

Sauvie Island

The next stop on our recent travels

in Oregon was Sauvie Island.

Only 10 miles from Portland, Sauvie Island is

a blend of agriculture

and wildlife.  And shipping.  There are several camp grounds

and a marina of house boats.  It's one of Jacob's

favorite local spots.

 

 

My guess is that this is the Sauvie Island

excursion boat.

 

But this one is on its way to the ports.

As we stood there we googled the name of the ship

and were connected to a real-time gps signal

 tracking it - including our location - and its

progress toward Portland.

Who knew?

We drove through orchards and truck farms.

These are hydrangeas

- one of several fields -



 

and the were surrounded by fields of roses.

 

We stopped at a local market and bought

apples

sweet corn

pepper jelly

and a beautifully utilitarian market basket.

 

We followed a sign to a nearby orchard,

looking for gravensteins,

and heard some of the local

history/legends from a woman who grew up

on the island.

 

A good day.

262/365 Serendipity

Unexpected gems

Drop from unknowing lips to

Prompt inspiration.

261/365 Focus!

Sweeping second hands

Chides us about dawdling as

Deadlines creep nearer.