Hiking with Friends

Letting my soul catch up to my body today!

A sensible man will remember that the eyes may be confused in two ways - by a change from light to darkness or from darkness to light; and he will recognize that the same thing happens to the soul.  ~Plato

Flowers above 7000' feet

Amid the alps eternal snows

Alone the alpine flower blooms,

Content, that, thus Heaven's gate

They dwell in grandeur and in gloom.

 

The mountain bears it's lofty brow

And to it's bosom tempts the storm;

But in it's chink of rifted snow,

The floweret rest in secure and warm.

'Tis born or storms and swathed in snow,

It's nutriment keen, frosted air:

Yet fairer, sweeter, purer flowers,

Not sunny vales can claim or ware.

~Augusta Cleveland Prindle

Me & My Big Fat Finger

Another bee sting today.  What is going on this year? 

It's swollen to the point that I can't really bend my index finger, 

so I'm constantly pointing and people are looking.

Fisherman's Prayer

God grant that I may live to fish
Until my dying day,
And when it comes to my last cast,
I then most humbly pray,
When in the Lord's safe landing net
I'm peacefully asleep,
That in His mercy I'll be judged
As good enough to keep.

On the River

Give me joy of a day on the river

And I'll not ask for more:

The gentle rhythm of soft waves lapping

And everchanging shore.

Past fields and villages, velvet lawns,

Curtains of sweeping willow,

A soft breeze whispering through the reeds,

White sails a-billow.

~David Hope

A small bird sings a merry song

High in a leafy tree.

How can he sing when, weary, I

Wish I were glad as he?

Sing on, small bird, sing loud and sweet~

And lend your wings to tired feet!

~The friendship book July 26, 1972

Forest Floor

I go...

For the song of the birds, the chatting of the squirrels & chipmunks, the thundering sound of deer hooves on the hollow forest floor

Some people go to spas, some out to lavish dinners, some buy expensive clothes

 My soul is filled with things money can't buy

I expose my belly to nature and it welcomes me

I go........

I spy

Ponderosa Pine

Berries on the  river path

 

Collared Dove

 

Carnival workers vs. collard dove.  Both invasive to my yard.

The Fair is Coming to Town

The circus fair has officially come to town.  We can hear the excitement from our back porch.  I did a little judging of vegetables tonight and witnessed the construction of rides and cotton candy booths.

Need a Vacation?

Overworked......

 

And Underpaid.........

Sweet Williams

Sweet William he rose in the month of May,
He a-decked himself in blue,
Saying: I long to know that long, long love has been
Betwixt Lady Marget and me.

No harm, no harm of Lady Marget,
Nor she knows none by me,
But before tomorrow morning at eight o'clock,
Lady Marget a bride shall see.

 

Lady Marget was a-sitting in her bowing room
Combing back her yellow hair,
And she saw Sweet William and his new wedded bride,
To church they did draw nigh.
And it's down she stood her ivory comb
And back she threw her hair. 

 

And it's you may suppose and be very well assured
Lady Marget was heard no more.
The time has passed away and gone
For all men to be asleep,
And something appeared to Sweet William
         and his new wedded bride
And stood up at their bed feet. 

~excerpt from Fair Margaret and Sweet William

17th Centry

Hive Five

 

Started bee research again this year.  It's pretty early in the season and colonies are beginning to adjust to their journey back to Central Oregon.

 

Removing the Drone:  it's time to get out, all you do is eat and breed ~typical.

My husband being the good sport helping me monitor hives on a Saturday morning.  At least he gets to hang out with thousands of females early in the morning.

When the Chit Hits the Fan

My husband's company sponsored the local horse races on Friday night.  With sponsoring comes a plethora of chits for beer or spirits.  Everyone has been asking what is a CHIT?

[ chit ] –noun
1. a signed note for money owed for food, drink, etc.
2. any receipt, voucher, or similar document

Reminders of Home

On our way back from my hometown we stopped for a quick visit to Palouse Falls.  I loved hiking around here when I was younger.

Traveling home this is a sign "you're almost there"

The one and only........

Cool Relief

 

It's been so hot here this week. The sudden jump of 30 degrees in temperature and acclimation is difficult.  I'm thinking fondly of the cooler temperatures and lovely glaciers of October in Iceland.

Night

 

No one but Night, with tears on her dark face,
Watches beside me in this windy place.
~Edna St. Vincent Millay

Get to Crackin'

Rainbows apologize for angry skies.  ~Sylvia Voirol

Pumice

Central Oregon is full of pumice stone.  Good for exfoliation when the wind is blowing.

Day Off

July 4, 2010

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.  

~Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams

Fungus

Tried hiking to Black Crater today but we ran into too much snow so we decided to look for mushrooms instead.  Didn't find any edibles but enjoyed the fungus we did find.