Who's On the Green Tortoise?

(If you object to your photo's use, please comment on the blog and it will be removed with my apology.)

Green Tortoise- Day One- Going to Death Valley

I woke up with a headache that probably came from driving in the sun, so I got up early and had coffee with Grandma and Grandpa. We took Molly the dog for a walk in the brisk, morning air and then set out to follow Grandma's directions to the bank. A combination of poor directions and bad following took us to parts of Vallejo that we hadn't intended to see. Clarification of the directions led us even further off the path, but we soon spotted the landmark we were looking for from the top of a hill, and completed our errand.
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After lunch Grandpa dropped us off at the ferry terminal. We enjoyed the lovely views during the hour ride and disembarked at the San Francisco ferry terminal with plenty of time to see the town before catching our bus.

We paid a small fee to store our packs and tent at Greyhound for the day and walked around the docks and then through Chinatown. We had dinner at You's Dim Sum, where the name was the only English, but the food was both delicious and economical. We took a box of Dim Sum to go and headed for Union Square to see the Christmas lights before going back to the bus station to claim our bags and wait for the Green Tortoise.

A homeless man living in the bus station showed us the back alley where the Tortoise picks up passengers and advised us not to wait there, loudly warning other bus station denizens not to harm us. When we went back outside around 7:30, most of the other passengers were dotting the sidewalk corner with backpacks and sleeping bags. Finally the Green Tortoise pulled up, people paid the balance due, signed risk waivers, and loaded their packs under the bus. Ki'il and I went to the back of the bus, taken up by a large sleeping platform, and settled in. We introduced ourselves to other passengers to facilitate the "Buddy System" and settled in for the long ride. To my left was a Swiss geoscientist who was ending a business trip with the Green Tortoise tour. France, Burma, England, Wales, Holland, Spain, Germany, and Canada were also represented.

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Two dinettes and sideways bench seats filled the front half of the bus. At our first stop, they were converted into similar sleeping platforms to the one in the back, and everyone bunked down for the night. We lined the back platform like irregular cordwood; every other person facing the opposite direction, alternating feet and heads. Soon all was silent except the regular breathing of the sleepers.

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rc
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Day Two - Golden Canyon

Day Three- Ubehebe Crater

Day Four- Mosaic Canyon

The End

On The Road

I slept fitfully the night before our trip and got up early. I showered, had breakfast, and packed the truck, and soon Ki'il arrived and we were on our way. It was a pleasant day for driving, so we made good time. We stopped in Ashland for lunch. Ashland is a pretty, little, refined town full of lovely little shops and restaurants. Ki'il had a panini sandwich with tomato basil soup and I enjoyed a Greek wrap and turkey rice soup.

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When we pulled into the Scholar's Grandma and Grandpa's in Vallejo, they had dinner waiting for us. I could see by the books that filled their shelves and hear in their mealtime grace much of the religion that I once followed. However we had a nice red wine with dinner. Grandpa tuned into Bill O'Reilly after we ate, but no political discussion ensued. I was tired from driving and excused myself to go to bed early.

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rc

Maple Leaves

Perhaps the pretties leaves of the fall, these were clinging to a half-fallen tree dangling over DeWitt Run. The next day, A.E. plucked them off one by one and we watched as they spiraled down to the water and floated away.

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rc

Ork Rock

I went for a walk today. I need to lose a few pounds or buy new clothes. It seems more economical to exercise a little. This is where I walk; I have yet to get a really good picture, but this one isn't bad if you click for the full-size image.

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rc

Dunes

I'm getting ready for another busy week. Ki'il and I are taking an impromptu trip to Death Valley on the Green Tortoise this week. Must pack layers of fleece and a sun hat.
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rc

Disposing of the Body- dream journal

I was present when the murder happened, but I don't think I had anything to do with it. They loaded the body in my rental car anyway and told me to get rid of it. It was in pieces in a plastic bag. I drove all over looking for a suitable place. Finally I came to a church at the end of a dead-end street. For some reason I went in. There were a lot of people there having some kind of party with games and food. I finally left and drove the other way, coming to another dead end. I turned around again, and when I came to a fork in the road, I turned right. Then I saw a police car behind me with the lights flashing. It turned left, but when it saw me, it turned around and followed me. This road ended in a dead end too. I left the car in the parking lot by another church and ran.

Sronnoc Esor

Begin the Holidays

I attended a recital of Handel's Messiah with Ki'il at the local community college yesterday. It was a nice enough performance of music that is always beautiful, but I was very surprised to see the choir filled with mostly white-haired women. There were only a few college students and very few men at all. In addition, the hall was more than half empty for the free performance. I guess they come out en masse if a professional wrestler comes to town.

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Rose

Scary

The dream I awoke from was so terrifying that I can't write about it. It included a lot of travel for indocrination into some new cult, but that wasn't the scary part. We spent a lot of time waiting in airports and trying to find food, and at the very end met some prodigious musician. I was attacked in a stairwell, but I couldn't scream. My attacker was riding me piggyback, and I was running all over looking for someone to help. I finally ran out onto the street and mouthed the word "help" to bicyclists standing on the corner and they rescued me.

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There, I wrote about it.

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Sronnoc Esor

In the Fog

I got up in time to enjoy the dense fog around the bay this morning and play with my new camera. I'm quite delighted with the images I'm able to capture.

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Much more to come.

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Rose

Spoiled Rotten

When I picked up the mail at the post office yesterday, I had to make two trips because there were so many packages. jc was sleeping, so I got out the box cutter and started opening them. There were a lot of gaudy athletic shoes, a Monster cable, a spare laptop charger, and then the jackpot: a pristine used Pentax istD digital SLR. While at Freddy's buying batteries and an SD card, I found these Grinch pants on special. So here's an anonymous picture of me wearing Grinch pants and using my new camera.
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When we pulled out of China Bay after lunch yesterday, a dragging sound told me all was not well with my truck. jc took a look in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn and saw something hanging loose under the front end. We pulled into the service center of the dealer across the street. They said if we stopped by in the morning someone could take a look. I stopped after work in the morning and was told that the guy in the body shop could take a look when he came in, but that he didn't keep regular hours and only came in when he had work. Maybe I could try tomorrow...
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I drove aimlessly, wondering what to do. I nearly passed the Les Schwab Tire Center before stopping there with the idea that they could tell me where to go. I was barely in the parking lot when a clean-cut, fresh-faced young man met me. He took a quick look and offered to fix it. I gave him the keys and he drove off. He was back in a few minutes to tell me that he had replaced a few missing bolts and it was good as new. No charge.
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rc

Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light

I finished reading this before going on vacation, and the story is still compelling to me. The book is an edited compilation of Mother Teresa's private letters. It reveals the deep joy she had as a young nun, which caused one confessor to warn her of the dangers of "ecstasy". It then goes on to explore the horrifying emptiness of her soul, which began shortly after the commencement of her work among the poor. It is not my purpose to assess the truth of what Mother Teresa believed, but rather to accept that her world view was valid for her.
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I feel compelled to point out that Mother Teresa vehemently denied that she was a humanitarian, insisting that her purpose was to bring souls to Jesus. This is an important point for me to make because of the conservative Protestant view that she was trying to gain salvation by works. Quite to the contrary, Mother Teresa wrote that she would gladly continue to endure her desperate earthly existence for eternity if it would bring glory to God.
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I find the progression of the way Mother Teresa coped with her depression to be fascinating. I don't think that it detracts from her virtue to say that she was depressed. It is my opinion that she would have felt the same personal bleakness of soul no matter what her course in life, and that she interpreted it as the feeling of God's absence in the context of her life. She works through this darkness in a way that gives personal meaning to it. She refuses to accept her feelings as truth, continuing to pour her life into work for a God whose presence she does not perceive emotionally, but cognitively. By the end of her life, she has transposed what she believes gives God pleasure onto her own persona in such a way that it becomes the only pleasure she is able to experience.
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If I interpret Mother Teresa's story in light of my own world view, it is true that I find her more than somewhat pathetic; however, in accepting her set of values, she becomes one of the strongest women in history, a truly selfless saint, a single-minded soul who is true to her ideals throughout her lifetime. Although Mother Teresa felt deep despair for most of her life, she is known for her cheerful smile.
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R. Connors

(More) Travels

I made it home late this morning. I woke up yesterday to realize that I was getting my period on the day of my return trip. I came close to having a panic attack worrying about how I would cope if it was bad. I popped prophylactic narcotics and stopped at the drug store and bought Thermacare wraps.

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At University Park airport, I had the surprise of running into Brenda and Bill at the yellow car rental. I used to work at the green car rental there. I rented from Mark at the red one. We sat in the back office of yellow and reminisced about the old days when I used to sit in Bill's garage on cold days listening to music while he worked. Brenda and I spent evenings going back and forth between the green and yellow offices and outside, sharing all manner of experiences and man troubles. I unloaded the leftover beer I had on Bill, who gratefully accepted it.

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I managed to sleep on most of my flights. I finished reading the first book by Kathy Reichs, Deja Dead, which had a thrilling story, but I found the character development on the TV show to be better. I battled a queasy stomach all day, most likely brought on by nerves, and finally succumbed about twenty miles from home. I should have puked in Denver and gotten it over with.

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I gratefully fell into my own wonderful bed when we got home, and I've been here ever since, with my kitties surrounding me. The worst of my period waited until today, so I'm breaking in my new heating pad and catching up on my online television watching. I was introduced to Big Bang Theory by both Big M and XBFRN, and enjoyed back episodes of the delightfully intelligent and socially inept braniacs this afternoon.

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East, west, hame's best.

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Rose

Road Trip

Pennsylvania hardwood forest

Monday morning I was off on a road trip to see my old friends. The first stop was SheWCBN. She was beautiful and comforting and accepting. We sat and drank coffee and talked. Our topics run the gamut and have no limitations. Her new baby is delightful. He’s at the rocking stage of crawling, and he entertains himself. The morning passed quickly, I had a very pleasant beer with lunch, and was on my way to the next stop.
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I stopped at a beer distributor along the road, only to discover that in Pennsylvania, buying beer is far from simple. They only sell it by the case. You have to go to a bar for a six-pack. I continued on my way, but my Mapquest directions failed me and I couldn’t find my hotel. I finally called XBFRN, who I was supposed to be meeting, to get help. He stayed on the phone, giving me turn by turn directions. We got sandwiches and beer and hung out watching television just like old times. He is as easy and comfortable as ever to be around.

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I slept badly and woke up early, so I headed off for Tera’s. She hasn’t changed much either. We visited and her girls showed off their handstanding and floor sliding abilities. Pretty women run in that family. She can’t understand my current belief system, but does a fair job of agreeing to disagree. I fed my uneasy stomach the potato soup and grilled cheese Tera prepared and said goodbye.
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My cousin L.D’s house was a turmoil of children doing chores, so she took me to the bar where she works and I sipped a delightful creamy porter, brewed locally, while L.D. drank a cosmo and we indulged in girl talk. L.D. is like another sister, always a delight to spend time with, always cheerful and accepting. The afternoon was over too soon and I drove back to my parents.

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rc

Sunday

DeWitt Run

I told Mother I would meet them at church Sunday morning, but wound up sleeping through it. I went with them to the evening service instead, running into several old friends and acquaintances. My favorite encounter was with Shirley, a friendly woman in her sixties. She said, “You’ve put on some weight. It looks good.” Few people could say that convincingly, but she managed very well.
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Above is the creek that I played in as a child. In the summer we built dams, waded, caught crayfish and salamanders for our personal collections, and made elaborate stone houses for our little, plastic, dollhouse dolls, who all traveled by boat. I spent hours roaming the hill across the creek (pronounced "crick") when I should have been doing my homework. From there we carried endless buckets of water for the garden and for our chickens, rabbits, and dogs. When it rained a lot, we would watch for exotic debris. We would wade miles up and down the creek in search of clay, or the right smooth stone, or simply adventure or escape.
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rc

Farm Animals

We took A.E. up the street to see the neighbor's goats on Thursday. After that she played outside, getting as dirty as any country kid. Friday we went to the farm and showed her the cows and horses. This is the last picture of the trip before my memory card bit the dust.

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After that the family went out for lunch. In the evening Little M had us over for homemade ice cream. We rewatched A Few Good Men and munched chips. A.E. drug out the kid-sized rocking chair and a teddy bear as big as herself and had a grand time.

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Robin woke me early to say goodbye on Saturday morning, and the rest of the day passed uneventfully. I relaxed with Mother and Father, reading, playing Scrabble, and finally solving a Kakuro. The parents seemed so much more relaxed without all the extra company to entertain.

Back at the Ranch

view of home from woods

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Robin and her family were already there when I arrived at Mother and Father’s. I got my old room in the basement, the one Father built on for Baptist Nun when she moved home after college. After only a few hours sleep the night before, it was a relief to fall into the comfortable bed, pull the quilt up around my ears, and sleep. Halfway through the night, I was reminded of the room’s position directly below the house’s one bathroom by the sound of floorboards creaking and the toilet flushing.
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Thanksgiving Day dawned early. I awoke at first floorboard creaking and took a walk in the woods. We went to Big M’s house for turkey dinner complete with Little M’s signature stuffing balls. After lunch, we exchanged gifts. Robin and I won’t make it back for Christmas. I got a book about Confucious from Robin and chocolates and a gift card from Big and Little M. In the afternoon, I had a nice conversation with Little M in the kitchen. I like her as a sister-in-law.
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We went to Aunt Janice’s in the evening and ate the leftovers of her Thanksgiving feast. Aunt Janice doesn’t like turkey and always has ham, which was quite good. I would also highly recommend Wegman’s cranberry relish. A few family secrets were shared, and I found myself deep in a friendly, sparring debate with Uncle George: an unexpected but pleasant surprise.

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Rose

Travels

Yet another airport proves to charge for wi-fi, so I’ll begin typing the account of my family visit into a Word document like I should have done days ago. My flight out of Eugene the day before Thanksgiving was choppy and uncomfortable, and my gastrointestinal tract was decidedly unhappy even before I left. I sat on the floor when I arrived in Portland doing yoga and deep breathing until I felt a little better. I read and dozed a little on the long flight to Cincinnati, and by the time my third flight finally arrived in State College, I even felt a little nostalgia about arriving back “home”. Notably, all my flights were on time or early.
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On the half-empty flight from Cincinnati to State College the man who was supposed to sit next to me showed up late, out of breath, with an overdeveloped sense of male entitlement, trying to shove an oversize carry-on under the window seat of the commuter aircraft. I had first tried to get up from my aisle seat to let him by, and second offered to put the bag under the seat for him. He seemed to see nothing inappropriate about getting in my personal space to do it himself as if I weren't there at all. He had decided to sit in the empty seat across the aisle, but there was no space under the seat. He then asked if I could just put the bag in the empty seat next to me "so we can take off." I reminded him that that would be against regulations and the flight attendant would never allow it. He then shoved the bag awkwardly in the space under his feet. I waited to see what would happen. The flight attendant came around for her final check and told him he had to stow his bag. We cooperated simply, and she expertly slid the bag under the seat in front of me after I slid over to the window seat. Mr. Ego then asked me if I would like to switch seats with him for "more leg room." I politely declined, stating that I would prefer to stay where I was.
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I suppose anyone who flies has stories like these. There's a different twist on inconsideration and stupidity every time. More on my trip to follow.
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rc

Shadow Eyes

This little kitty loves to take a nap in a laundry bin.

rc

Thanksgiving Solstice Christmas

I'll be leaving Wednesday for my childhood home in Pennsylvania for the Thanksgiving holiday. I'll be seeing Mother and Father as well as Robin and Big M and their families. I completed my holiday shopping, so I could present gifts in person. TSA warns us not to wrap gifts, so I had fun making machine-embroidered gift bags instead. I'm finishing up the laundry tonight, and as a truly risky move, packing without a list.

rc

A History of God- book review

I've finally finished this book, which I've been working on for a little over a month. A review of any meaning would prove difficult and lengthy, so I'll simply post some of the notes I made for myself while reading. I found the book to be well-researched and carefully thought out. Karen Armstrong is the voice of reason, but also the voice of hope.
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"Effectiveness rather than philosophical or historical demonstration has always been the hallmark of a successful religion."
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God is beyond thought and cannot be attained by thought. It is only possible to know God when one becomes aware that God is unknowable.
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Humans create gods that resemble themselves.
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The roots of monotheism are steeped in pantheism.
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Because God is essentially unique, he cannot be compared to anything.
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"A compassionate and commited atheism can be more religious than a weary or inadequate theism."
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I am left to continue my journey of spiritual exploration and discovery. I do so with the expectation that there is more to find. I am confident that the belief system I have left behind has great lack. I am open to learning from any source. I find myself growing from the despair I felt when I first questioned my beliefs and the consequent insecurity in expressing myself to a new confidence and curiosity, and yes, a certainty that there is something out there for me to believe.
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Rose

Idiom of the Day

"close enough for jazz"

whatever is being done need not be done especially well, just 'good enough'.

the reason for the lack of effort is the laid back and relaxed attitude jazz musicians are reputed to have.

rc

alternate reality- dream journal

I was in some sort of large, fenced city. I got the vague impression that everyone there had been brought there against their wills, but weren't conscious of it. I noticed some men sneaking around trying to get over the fence. At first I thought they were trying to get in somewhere, but I later realized they must have been trying to get out. When I asked people how long they'd been there, noone knew, but they could tell me what year they came, and some had been there for many years. It was a beautiful setting with ponds and mature landscaping. Birds were everywhere, including an osprey-like bird with an unusually long and scary bill. I asked the people if they could have sex here. A few married couples raised their hands. No communication with the outside world seemed to be allowed, but I got a text message on my cell phone: "Help! I'm broke. I need money." It was from our former Landlady and I erased it and mentally dismissed it. It turned out to be from my old friend Hippie Girl, who then showed up very clandestinely at a shopping center. I was very pleased to see her after a long time. (Sarah Snook, say "hello" to your old buddy from Camp Joy if you read this.)

Then I woke up.

Sronnoc Esor

Old Town

This was taken a few months ago. It's Old Town as seen from across the Siuslaw River with the Coast Range in the background. Last night there was a big windstorm, leaving many along the coast without power. No ill effects here. I'm having a lazy day in the hotel before heading back to work tonight.

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rc

Shadow

Still

10 Questions for the Dalai Lama- movie review

When I saw the Dalai Lama at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables a few years ago, my understanding of lamas didn't go much farther than the Ogden Nash poem. Browsing through Netflix links today I chose this documentary, and I'm happy that I did so.

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It's impossible not to respect the understated wisdom, good humor, and non-violence embodied by this great man. I am inspired by his wisdom, intelligence, and simplicity to challenge myself to embrace these virtues.

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Rose

This is True

As I waited at our tiny local post office in the village market this morning I browsed the daily local news organ, The Cofffee Break, printed on a single folded sheet of colored paper. The police blotter is printed there in its entirety. I laughed outloud when I read this item:

A bag of marijuana was found and turned in at the police
station. The owner can claim it by showing up and identifying it.

Travels

I can't prove it, but the best part of our Portland trip was the spectacular scenery along the way. We left as it was already getting dark, but the twilight reflected in the Umpqua River like a ribbon in the darkness. We walked to BJ's Brewery from the hotel for a late dinner and a brew, and even in the dark I couldn't help but notice the beautiful autumn foliage along the way. At lunch I walked outside the conference and looked out over the sparkling Columbia River at majestic, snow-covered Mount Hood. As I drove around Portland, failing to find the Japanese Garden, more fall leaves were everywhere. Our drive back today was dominated by foggy farmland, with trees and barns and farmhouses rising out of the fog. The fog lifted as the slanting sunset light colored the distant mountains purple and the countryside a rich amber, before settling behind the hills with a farewell blush above the horizon.
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I did accomplish practical things. I nearly finished holiday shopping. I'm still stymied by a certain camofluage-loving brother-in-law though. I bought materials for holiday cards and gift wrap. I even shopped for myself and enjoyed it, something that extended deprivation of civilization made possible. In lieu of the elusive Japanese Garden, we had lunch at Blue Tangerine. I had a delicious Persian vegetarian appetizer platter. Sadly, they were out of Turkish coffee. I like meat, we have steak three times a week at Dahlia Man's, but the vegetarians really know how to flavor a meal.
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Now, back home, and happy.
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Rose

At Rest

I sit alone on the wide, pebbled verandah. A vibrant, golden-leaved maple stands nearby, its top rising nakedly out of the yellow glory like a different tree altogether. On a straight, lower limb a grey squirrel reclines, balancing easily though the branch is smaller than it. The squirrel closes its eyes as the warm, autumn sun warms its fur; it stretches out a jittery front leg for balance when a light breeze stirs its resting place. I ponder the harmony and peace inspired by this small, resting creature and the golden leaves complementing the bright blue of the cloudless sky.

rc

Dearth

My blogging has been abyssmal, and my new excuse is that the camera batteries will no longer hold a charge and I am forced to resort to pictures from my archives that were not deemed either good enough to publish or bad enough to throw away. I had an unusually bad period this week when I was supposed to be having fun. I've recovered however, and we're headed for Portland today for a conference tomorrow. I'm hoping that civilization will have a new camera battery, thus reigniting my creativity.
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rc

Oddments- dream journal

My dreams last night involved church, an open air movie, a six-inch long, braided facial hair, a naturopathic healer who wanted me to catheterize myself, seeing my nurse practitioner in an office that looked like an abandoned warehouse, a park with pretty trees, being lost on icy country roads with threatening hillbillies, Trent Gravely in a very beat-up minivan, and probably twenty other strange elements that I can't remember.

Sronnoc Esor

Marina

Here's the view of our town from across the marina. We live a block back, nearly dead center. This, because I have nothing substantial to say after working the last two nights. I should wake my brain upsometime in the next few days.

rc

On Friendship

It's been a busy but relaxing week. SPM came over for dinner on Thursday, bringing most of the dinner with him. I tried a new recipe for beer bread, which was well appreciated by all who tried it.
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On Friday, I hung out with Ki'il. We had lunch and went for a walk on the beach, then attended a lecture about Camille Claudel at the local community college. It was still early, so jc and the Scholar joined us for a trip to Coney Station where we shared a pitcher of Jubel Ale and smoked a few chocolate cigars. We had a fantastic time.
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Good friends have been few and far between in my lifetime, so I'm deeply grateful for the ones I have now with whom I can enjoy all the everyday, simple pleasures of life. I've often felt like an outsider or fifth wheel in groups and had the distinct impression that I was invited along merely out of kindness.
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Some of my readers are True Friends. You know who you are. I lift my glass to all of you.
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Rose

PC

Is it appropriate to discuss personal religious beliefs socially? I was trained to actively proselytize for my faith, yet those who do so are perceived by many to be among the most offensive. Last night at work, I experienced the other side of the coin. An associate, who I'll call Blondie, seems to have taken me on as a project. I've been reading "A History of God" by Karen Armstrong. It is what it says, an academic approach to monotheism through the ages. It attracts a lot of attention. After glancing through it, another coworker asked, "Is it favorable to the lord?" Well, what do you say to that?

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During a conversation about the origin of the details on Christmas, I mentioned that the pope superimposed the Jesus celebration on the existing pagan solstice celebration to promote observance. Later Blondie asked,

B "Are you an atheist?"

rc "No."

B "What are you then?"

rc "I'm an agnostic."

B "What does that mean?"

rc "It means I'm not sure of anything."

B "Do you know what faith is?"

rc "I don't want to get into a theological discussion with you."

B "Do you know what faith is?"

rc "Yes."

B "What is it?"

rc "It's believing in something that you can't prove."

B " 'Faith is the substance...' "

rc " 'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, for by it the elders obtained a good report.' I've read the Bible five times. I used to be a Christian."

B "Oh, so you know what faith is, you're okay."

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I'm not precisely sure what that means, but that's what happened.

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rc

Raptor in the Wetland

Big M sent me this picture of a Pennsylvania Bald Eagle, which he took in the created wetland near his house, where I used to live. When I went to crop out the bird, I found that I couldn't stand to cut out all the background because of its nostalgic beauty.

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I seem to be settling into a schedule of working Monday and Tuesdays now. The hospital where I've done nearly all my agency work so far is busy and short-staffed. They also like to have generous staffing ratios, which makes it a nice place to work. They've been asking for me nearly every day this week.

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rc

Fire- dream journal

I began sitting in an auditorium discussing religious sects. Then I was going around cleaning apartments. Finally, I wound up at my childhood home, sitting outside with Father. I don't know what we were watching to start out with, but a fire swept across the hill behind the house. As the sun sunk behind the hill, the fire raged larger until the bright orange flames rose high over the silhouettes of the tall trees. Then a fireball exploded and a tall cedar fell down very near to us. I flinched to the left and pulled Father with me, but we were not close enough for the tree to hit us.
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Sronnoc Esor

Dahlia Matriarchal Cheesecake

Dahlia Man entrusted me with the recipe for the traditional German cheesecake of his grandmother, his mother, and his wife. He tells me he wasn't disappointed by my attempt at its recreation today. Instead of cream cheese, this cheesecake is made with cottage cheese and other secret ingredients. It is deliciously unlike anything else I have ever tasted. Dahlia Man took one look at the cheesecake and pronounced that the dinner table tonight would be surrounded by the spirits of his maternal ancestors.
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Rose

Hunting Color

When I set out this morning, I was worried that our day would be a disappointment because of the high winds and threatening clouds. A few miles inland the wind subsided and the sun even peeked through for a lovely day. As pleased as I was with our drive in search of color; I was that disappointed with the failure of my photographs to capture it. We had a lovely drive, punctuated by a stop at the Covered Bridge Winery, where I wasn't even allowed taste because I look younger than thirty and wasn't packing ID, and Ki'il came home with cranberry wine. After that we stopped at Sugartree Farms for some pears. As we drove home in the rain in the dark, dodging debris on the highway, my heart nearly stopped when blue lights appeared behind us out of nowhere. I was going well below the speed limit. I was relieved to see that the protector of the peace was headed the other direction.

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Rose

Golden Falls

After the hike through fairyland forest to the foot of Golden Falls, we climbed the switchbacks to the top. The songbirds were active and we saw the usual kinglets, chickadees, and nuthatches. I think we only saw two other people on the trail, although there were more at the parking area by the time we got back.

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rc

Silver Falls

Golden and Silver Falls is about 25 miles inland from town. There is a good stretch of pock-marked dirt road at the end. The walk to Silver Falls, shown above, is a short easy one. It peeks out at you through the trees as you approach in a truly awe-inspiring display. There was just starting to be a little fall color when we went last week. Reports are promising, so we're going to try again this week.

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Rose

Environmental Action Day

I wanted to post pictures of leisure activities of varying impact on the environment today. I had a little change of plans, first involving rain, and second involving going to work. Our beautiful Oregon coast attracts a large number of people who engage in pasttimes that burn fossil fuel. Perhaps the biggest is ATVing on the dunes followed by boating and RVing. I am joined by others like SPM in envisioning a world where people go hiking, canoeing, bicycling, and tent camping instead.

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In matters not directly related to the environment: I cut my own hair today for the first time. Well, I'm not counting that time in junior high that I cut my own bangs with hideous results. I'm pleased to report that I did such a good job that jc refused to believe that I did it myself. Cutting my own hair is not really about saving the thirteen dollars that I pay at the budget salon. It is a direct result of the fact that I hate making an appointment then waiting in the salon for a haircut that wasn't what I really wanted anyway.

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r connors

Playacting- dream journal

I was in a play. I had to wait backstage a long time before I went on. When it was finally time, I couldn't find my costume, which was supposed to be some type of sari, and had to go on in a peasant blouse and skirt. When the curtain was pulled, I saw that there were only a few people in the audience. Most of the chairs in the auditorium had been folded up and stacked on the side. The director then told me that this wasn't the actual showing of the play, but a rehearsal. I said that was good since I didn't know my lines. I then summarized my lines and went backstage again. After that it became clear that a complicated conspiracy was underfoot to cover up for some crime.

Sronnoc Esor

A Delusion of Satan- book review

Frances Hill's well-thought book is a compelling read. She proposes that we take that which we fear and despise most in ourselves, attribute it to others, and destroy them for it. She goes into great detail describing the ways in which the Puritanism of Salem Village predisposed its young girls to clinical hysteria. The stifling, paranoid, Puritanical lifestyle also made the adults more than ready to accept accusations of witchcraft and prosecute those accused of it as fully as possible.

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It is a case where blind faith and fear, for a time, triumphed tragically over reason. The best and worst in humankind is seen, and it is prudent to take warning from it.

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r connors

Comfort Food

Tonight for dinner Dahlia Man and I had bratwurst from the Black Forest Kitchen with sauerkraut and dumplings and fresh beets. We washed it down with Alaska amber ale. It took us both back to the German-inspired foods of our childhoods.
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Rose

Tied Up

As Ki'il and I drove back the dirt road from Golden and Silver Falls yesterday, we both noticed the same black and white, curly-horned cow standing by the same tree at the roadside where it had been hours earlier. I stopped the truck and we got out to investigate, thinking the cow must be stuck on somethig. It was standing at the top of a fairly steep bank and a muddy rope was tied around its neck. The rope led down the bank to where it was tied to a fallen log. I then noticed the open gate, which would necessitate the tether.
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I'm sorry I couldn't help you, Cow. It doesn't seem like you could possibly have wanted to stand in the same spot for so long. You were a handsome cow.
~
Rose

Rainy Day

Rainy days call for a reading list. Here's what I'm attempting.

rc

Green

As the fall rains begin, it starts to get greener around here. Caught this little guy in the lawn this morning.

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It was Spa Day for Shadow today. She got a manicure, pedicure, shampoo, and shower followed by hand dry with warm towels. She started squalling when she got wet, but when jc took her paw she stopped squalling and laid her head on his hand. The mommy is the mean one. Ailleanach's turn is up when I can catch her.

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rc

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postscript: Ailleanach got bathed and about eight front toenails cut. She cooperates quite well with the bath, but gets downright brutal when threatened with toenail clippers. She enjoys a cuddle in the warm towel after the bath, and this is the only way any nails get cut at all.

Over the Hump

My bad day is over the month. We visited Ki'il and the Scholar's new home last night for a nice dinner. I was pretty much stoned from sleep deprivation by the time we got there, having worked the night before; but I enjoyed their company. Ki'il shared the therapeutic heated tile she brought from Korea with me.

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Today we stayed in bed with our laptops for the most part.

Knot

I received my bequest from Granny's estate today. It was a much larger amount of money than I expected. The executor made a reasonable request: think about how Granny would have wanted you to spend it. I've never received a gift of this size before, and I'm a little overwhelmed by. I sort of wish Granny would have spent it on something extravagant instead of being so frugal. Thinking about how frugal she was makes me ponder a wise use for it even harder. Here's where I come to the recurring theme. Granny's bequest would comprise a tidy fraction of the amount necessary for an adoption. Thinking about adoption so concretely scares me to death. Maybe the reason I'm not a mother already is that I'm not suited for it or nature didn't intend it for me. I suppose I'd be thinking more rationally if this hadn't happened on the first day of my period, when I'm already bound to be more than a little of kilter. I'm going to wait a while.

Rose

Visitors

I looked out the window this afternoon to see these half-grown twins happily munching my lush, un-mown grass. Mama was in the lot nextdoor watching carefully.

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Dahlia Man paid me one of the nicest compliments I've ever had today:

"In many ways, you remind me of my first wife Dot."

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Dot was the love of Dahlia Man's life, and she died young of cancer, so that means a lot.

~

Rose

Textures

moss on a fir

Sitting Under a Tree

I worked three nights over the weekend, which was just what I needed to get my butt out of the lazy mode I was in. After a good sleep in my own bed with the kitties today, I biked to the bay and sat under a mossy tree to read John Locke's rationalist theory on knowledge. The sun shone. A stiff breeze blew off the bay. Geese migrated overhead. Locke was a very welcome voice of reason after taking months to muddle through Descartes' god-centered theory of existence.

Tonight I'll be enjoying another voice of reason. My new hero is Temperance Brennan, the uber-rational star of Bones, along with all the uber-smart squints who work with her.

Rose