A Few Blocks A Few Years

I've been thinking about getting a picture of these autumn crocus for the last few days. They are in an open lot a few blocks away where the uninsured church/used bookstore was that burned down a few years ago.

It was interesting that as I was bent down in a crouch to take these shots people I have never seen before, particularly two older distinct women gravitated towards me from I don't know where. 5 years in the neighborhood and I've never seen either of them before.

The power of spontaneous wildflowers.

Transitions Abound

No really... this is a fall picture. I took this last weekend in the neighborhood. Sort of a call out to you all having late spring now. 

Too short an interview but a definite new book to consider if you gravitate towards cats is Cat Sense. I was happy to hear that de-clawing is now illegal in Europe. He has some very helpful things to say about introducing cats to each other and about how and why they do or don't get along.

I put my beloved younger cat Stella down on Friday. It was very peaceful and I am glad she is not suffering anymore. 

Sammy and I are sad but adjusting to having her gone. It is both disconcerting and a relief not to have to be constantly vigilant about her comfort and her meds which I have been doing for the better part of this year. Hopefully that is the end of cancer diagnosis's in this house for any sort of foreseeable future.

Mighty Fine Blues

Just took this. Nothing makes me more happy than the light around the time of the equinox. The fog cleared this morning about 11am and it has been mild and clear and gorgeous ever since.

Last week I listened to Faithful Place by Tana French in audio format and now after hours of this lower class Irish accent it is stuck in my head. What a brilliant book this is! Just remarkable. I'm curious if you have been to Dublin what you'd think of it. It seems to me based on descriptions I have heard that she has nailed the joys and the brutal cost of growing up there.

French says in one interview I read that the next book in the series, #5 will follow the young Holly five years later. I still have #4 to listen to. Nice to have them both to look forward to.

A Quiet Morning Away

I took this at Kes's request this morning. We  had a lovely birdy outing up in north Portland and this sculpture was near the visitor's center at the Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area. Right in the heart of the industrial area is this oasis. Gorgeous 30 bird flocks of white pelicans in flight as well as more egrets then any of have seen in one place ever. It all worked out perfectly.

Here is a link to the new bird cast site from eBird. Cornell is doing such great stuff with citizen science these days... wonderful.

Into the Woods

Ah the woods. Last week I finished listening to the audiobook version of Tana French's  In the Woods. Just marvelous. Dark and funny and beautifully written.  I'm reading the next in the series in e-book format. And that is what I would like to be doing right now instead of drawing next week's yoga class but..oh well. After.

I actually have a real link today. Have been taking care of both the cats and myself and that hasn't left much time for web surfing.

There is a new Citizen Science project put on by Audubon for recording information about Hummingbirds here on our continent. You can get as involved as you like. One siting or commit to more. They are particularly interested in how climate change is affecting the amazing little birds...

Respite Care

Smoke and marine air made the Columbia River Gorge hazy today. But still, the elevation was exhilarating and well earned this morning. We are moving into fall and more photo ops will present themselves as we do.

It was very nice to have a day off from work after all the stress of the last few weeks.

We are all hanging in there for the moment. :)

The Healing Field

So yesterday I had the rest of a rather large atypical mole removed from my upper back. I'd had part of it out a few weeks ago and the pathologist recommended that it was best to have the whole thing removed. I got a little woozy during the first procedure so this time they gave me drugs.

Wonderful useful drugs. And so last night I was a little ummm, well, drugged and found myself listening to The Infinite Monkey Cage episode from about a month ago on Quantum Cosmology.

Ha! I kept falling asleep. But after three tries and a listen today I managed to hear the whole thing. Even if I maybe understood about 5%. It was fun though. :) And I'm healing nicely. Maybe it was the proximity to the Glastonbury Healing Field?