Usually my feelings about Fall here in the Pacific Northwest are more mixed; excited about cooler mornings, rain in the garden, digging out warm clothes while mourning the end of languid days, sleeveless shirts, warm skin, and thriving gardens. Instead, I was fighting inevitable change, a losing battle.
seasons
Sprung
When we first arrived in Portland our son warned us that spring was actually several seasons in one - fake spring, late winter, early spring, summer, real spring, winter again, and so on.
Embracing the Seasons at Elk Rock Garden
Winter teases with a promise of renewal as new growth pops up, often subtle but sometimes shouting out loud. There really is reason to go outside.
Train Tracks to Nowhere
An old railroad is given new life, and a reminder to mix life's sweetness with the challenges.
River’s Sweet Songs
Driving west out of Portland on route 26, Sunset Highway, farmlands taper off, and forests grow dense, expanding into the open space. I feel an inexorable draw toward the coast while on this road - continuing straight you arrive at Seaside. Veer southwest on highway 6, there's Tillamook. Or head northwest on 47, Nehalem Highway, … Continue reading River’s Sweet Songs
Bottom’s Up
Here's the thing about retirement. I look at the weather forecast, I look at the calendar, conclude that nothing can't be postponed, and look for a new place to explore. If it's hot I look for a shady hike, and if it's cold I look for one in the open. If it's been pouring I … Continue reading Bottom’s Up
Over the River and Through the Woods: A Tale of Two Bridges
Big city driving is confusing, and if you don't know where you're going, you end up somewhere else. The complicated, unfamiliar choices come at you fast. Just trying to navigate along one side of the river, you somehow end up on a bridge to the other side. At which point there's no turning around. "Wait, why … Continue reading Over the River and Through the Woods: A Tale of Two Bridges
De-Constructing
Time to de-construct the garden, pull out the old, make way for new. Divergent feelings, mixed blessings, another cycle done, never to be repeated, at least not quite like the last one. The crops moved through their cycles, some more exuberantly than others, providing a fantastically green backdrop for our yard, a rich view from … Continue reading De-Constructing
Seasonal Straddling
Mid-September It's a bittersweet transition putting on my fleecy clothes in the mornings. There's relief in the early cool breeze coming through the windows but I already miss the summer heat. It's a greedy feeling, holding onto summer, wanting heat, enjoying the cool, wanting fall colors. If only, if only. The garden begins it's slow … Continue reading Seasonal Straddling
