On a winter morning with everything covered in snow, red really stood out against white in both the doors of the Door of Hope church and a nearby stop sign.
Author: boolie
Walk in the Park
Ellie and I weren’t the only ones out and about exploring the neighborhood as the snow continued to fall. They said we had a high of 94° today but I can’t see how when we’re having all this snow. Are they living in an alternate reality? I admit that driving to work today was as easy as if the roads were as clear as a summer’s day, but I put that down to my Subaru’s excellent all-wheel drive system. The house thermometer says 82° so it must still be stuck on Kelvin degrees. Which would be around -300° Fahrenheit, and I mean it’s cold but not that cold, but you can’t expect a household thermometer to be accurately calibrated for such cold temperatures. Brrrrr!
Alternative Transportation
I’ve decided to drive the rest of the week. TriMet is warning of potentially long delays on the light rail as they have to run the trains slowly in the excessive heat. Excessive heat? What are they talking about? Look at these cross-country skiers in Irving Park! I was wearing multiple layers and thankful for it! Granted the thermostat said the house only cooled down to 77° overnight but I think it must have switched from Fahrenheit to Kelvin, it’s ccccooooollllddddd!
I had already taken Ellie back to the house and gone out again for pictures when I came across this couple navigating the slight uphill climb near the dog park in Irving Park. I was moving more quickly on my feet than they on their skis, but we were all enjoying the snow in our own way. Portland’s Irving Park is a multi-use park for a variety of outdoor activities, Ellie and I visit the dog park, but this unusual winter storm added cross-country skiing to the list.
The Morning Watch
Welcome morning, at long last. I am Ellie, defender in the darkness, champion of the light, she who watches. Let us walk now together into the waiting world.
Bend Towards Justice
An uncaring whiteness can’t obscure the message forever.
Cold, Quiet, Calm
I don’t know why they’re saying we’re going to have a week of the hottest temperatures Portland has ever seen. It’s quite lovely outside, cold even, snow blankets the ground and (breaks down sobbing) …
Sam Reacts to the Announcement of the New Doctor Who
We are big Doctor Who fans, Sam and I, and wish we had a few more years with the current team of Peter Capaldi, Pearl Mackie, and Matt Lucas. But if we are going to have to have a new Doctor, we’re thrilled they’ve finally chosen a woman in this long-running role and look forward to seeing what Jodie Whittaker brings to the table. It’s going to be a long wait but thankfully we now have BritBox and have been starting with the original shows from the 60’s and working our way forward (just finished the second season). While sadly some of those early shows weren’t saved, most of these old shows are new to us so we have been having a great time curling up with the iPad and watching one of our favorite shows.
Some Days I Don’t Get Much Done
After walking Ellie and working in the yard this morning, I came in after noon and stretched out on the couch while enjoying a cool drink. Boo came over and fell asleep on my legs, and I’ve been debating whether or not to wake him so I can refill my drink and get some lunch. This picture is from April but is playing out again at this moment, same pose, same slippers, same jeans.
Sam’s Log, Stardate 70756.6
12:12pm: Curled up on dad’s legs. Purred so loudly he couldn’t hear his show. Then he reached out and scratched my head! Doesn’t he know that will make me purr louder? Now he’s rubbing my footpads and I’m getting sleepy. Really sleepy. Reaaaaallllly sleepy.
2:37pm: Red alert! Red alert! Trixie has entered the room! Dad tells me to relax.
2:38pm: Intruder! Intruder! She’s curled up on dad’s lap, just inches away from me! I voiced my displeasure but to no effect! Dad tells me to relax, she’s not bothering me. But we both know what is about to happen. “Maybe she won’t,” he says, but I know he doesn’t believe it anymore than I do.
2:41pm: See! She pretended she needed to stretch and then resettled just a little bit closer, now her legs are resting on mine! Dad tells me to relax, scratches my head. Don’t distract me now, I know what comes!
2:43pm: Her feet are now on my belly! Dad tells me to relax, says she adores me like I did Scout. Not the same! He lets me lick his hand, that always makes me feel better. Why does that make me feel better? His hands are filthy.
2:45pm: Oh! Oh! Her whole head is on my feet now! Only one stage left! We know it’s coming, it always does! Still he says relax, gently massages my head. I do like that, it feels so nice when … but I will not be distracted!
2:46pm: Face-to-face! As if there was ever a doubt! Dad tells me to relax. He doesn’t know what it’s like having someone constantly snuggle all over him, and I told him so! He says “No I wouldn’t know anything about that …”, but he says it in that voice he uses when he’s trying to teach a lesson, but I think Trixie is already asleep so she didn’t even hear him! I am so upset I might not be able to sleep! I might not! I do like the way he’s rubbing my ears though. Am I purring? Stop purring! Stop purring!
(There are no more entries in Sam’s journal)
The Rainy Forest
A simple portrait of the forest on a rainy day on the Sol Duc Falls Trail in Olympic National Park. It was really chucking it down at times and the polarizer on my lens had gotten blurry from the water and I couldn’t get it clear, yet I couldn’t get it to unscrew from the lens, so many pictures weren’t usable. Doesn’t matter, it was still great to be there, just being in a forest like this restores me. Even the trees that have died, broken, fallen over, are giving life to the sea of green that rises up in the open spaces. Many of these trees though will have lifespans that dwarf mine, if we’ll give them the chance.
