Sunrise, Sunset

I thought the clock said 5am.  I got up and packed my stuff so I could leave Portland early and get home before the heat made it into the 100's in Eastern Washington.  Had my apple and yogurt to eat on the way.  Put my glasses on and "surprise" I had actually gotten up at 4am.  I was on my way before 5 o'clock.  The traffic was teensey.  The sunrise behind Mt. Hood was spectacular.  I was past Troutdale ahead of the morning rush.  I had time for breakfast in the Dalles, two eggs over easy and bacon.  Hit a small windy dust storm on I-84 right about where the "dust for 40 miles" sign was.  That was the only time I rolled the windows up.

Driving into the Walla Walla Valley around 10am I could see our home turf was socked in tight by smoke and dust, sigh.  The compensating feature is the gorgeous sunsets all that particulate creates.  It got to 108 degrees in places yesterday.  It was my turn to bring the meat to the family dinner so I got several roast chickens at the grocery and chilled and cut them up.  No ovens for me this week.

I was in Portland several days with my youngest sister.  A fellow visiting from Europe driving a rental car blew through a stop sign at about 50 mph crashed with her and her two teenagers.  She had put her arm up just as the air bag deployed and it knocked her hand into her mouth and rearranged her teeth.

The car is totaled.  They spent the night in ER but went home around 4am.  She and her daughter have "mild' concussions but all considered it could have been much worse.  She thinks her car, a newer Honda Civic, saved their lives and probably much worse injuries.  Because of this I am happy to give them a plug.  The other driver was ticketed.  It was his fault.  All the paperwork, and calling.  We were wondering how people who actually end up in the hospital cope with all that?  God help them.

I took her to the orthodontist  and her doctor.  Mostly I spent time with her.  Her hand looks like an old boxing glove and has her teeth marks in it but it should be fine.  Again, I'm grateful.  Then the last day we rented her a car.  They were out of four-door sedans so they gave her a Chrysler Town and Country mini-van.  She said she didn't think she would want a mini-van but that it was so large she felt very safer in it.

Kittens R Us

Marigold and her three little kittens.  They are orange, black, and black with some tortoise shell markings ala Mom.  They arrived this morning, one of the more charming surprises the summer has brought us. Although the two year old Ella looked at them right after they were born and said "Ew, messy!"  She oughta know.

My grandkids' kitty adopted from the pound and supposedly spayed, has taken on the appearance of pregnancy!?  What the heck?  They are taking her back to the vet at the pound for check up.  Oh, oh!

Where there's smoke..

We've had some spectacular sunsets recently unfortunately its because of the many wildfires burning in Central Washington.  The small town of Pateros has been evacuated and as many as 100 homes have burnt to the ground where several fires joined to become what is now called the Carleton Complex.  Major highways are closed off and on through our area, I-90 and highway 2 east-west as well as many smaller byways.  In-laws who live near Twisp-Carleton have been without power for three days since the poles burned.  No power, no pump, no water.  They and their critters are packed up and ready to flee.  It seems petty to complain about the smoke in the air here.

Photo Brian Kammers July 2014

Day Trip

Go through here to

To get to here

Lake Wallowa Oregon

Brief respite from the heat.

Ch’i Shan Wu Chin

Clearing the mind and sliding in

          to that created space,

a web of waters steaming over rocks,

air misty but not raining,

          seeing this land from a boat on a lake

          or a broad slow river,

          coasting by.

Happy Independence Day

Hot 'n clear

My friend Nancy told me today she can see the north side of Mt. Rainier out the window of the rehab gym in the hospital in Tacoma.   She was thrilled.  She has the same view of Mt. Rainier out her living room window at home and she's missed seeing it.  She's been told her infection is under control and they got her up on her feet today!  The ramp up to her front porch at home is finished except for painting or staining.  The doctor says he thinks she could possibly go home in two weeks.  A much better prognosis than a few days ago.  I am doing a little happy dance.  I think she must feel like she's been on one of those whirling Octopus rides you see at the fair, whirling around while you whirl around.

Here's link to a Halopets donation page featuring a Woman and Her Seeing Eye Cat from a 1947 Time Magazine.  It's time travel.  The little peek inside her Los Angeles home, looks like a studio, tiny little plywood lined post war studio.  She's wearing the same kind of dress my paternal grandmother used to wear.  Same kind of shoes too.  My grandmother did all her house keeping in those heeled shoes and stockings. The cars are pretty interesting as well.