Wildfire Weather

Hi!  Thanks for coming to visit : )  It is good to greet you from home, although I had a great time traveling. With pretty cotton yarn Betsy gave me awhile ago, I even got two dishcloths knit while I wasn't driving.

When we heard that there were some wildfires in northern California we decided to take the coastal route [always my favorite anyway : )] to try to avoid driving through smokey areas...a plan that did not entirely work.

While driving through Crescent City, CA we stopped at Brother Jonathan Point where I took this zoomed in view of St. George lighthouse which is seven miles from shore and difficult to see in the foggy mist that day.

Then looking to the south I took this less zoomed in view of the Crescent City lighthouse which I enjoyed touring many years ago when we lived in Crescent City.

South of Crescent City there was a huge herd of elk in a park protected area on both sides of the road.  Aren't those antlers amazing?

Then, not many miles south we started running into smoke from a wildfire east of Eureka, CA.  Typically this is the time of year when lightning strikes start wildfires and the on going drought in the West has made this year particularly vulnerable to fire and the loss of many homes and a few lives so far, too, as you may have heard through the news.

As we continued driving south, the smoke lessened and we enjoyed driving through a redwood forrest CA state park.

My youngest son, Tim, and I stopped in the northern San Francisco Bay area to pick up three family members to continue the drive to Burbank, CA, and the 50th wedding celebration for my older sister and my bother-in-law.  We saw many orchards along route I-5, and were very curious to know what was growing in them because we could not see as we sped down the road, and we wished the farmers had put out signs to inform us : )

Many sections of the southern freeways have oleander bushes growing in the median strips, which I think is a lovely choice.

My nieces planned a wonderful party and helped us make wonderful memories as we celebrated.

My oldest niece's sister-in-law made this amazing cake which made me think of Anne's wonderful sugar craft work. 

After several days of visiting we drove north and my family dropped me off to visit with my friend of forty years, Paula, and her husband Lee in San Jose, CA.  Paula and I met at the church we attended, and Lee told my husband, Louis, that IBM was hiring for a position he was interested in getting and did get.

Paula is an animal lover and has a beautiful little flock of chickens in her backyard.

This feathery girl seems to be thinking..."Did I really lay that!?!"  : )

My pictures don't do justice to this pretty and productive flock!

Paula drove me up into the San Jose foothills and this is a view of the southern Bay Area and some of the golden hills of CA.

While there are few trees in the foothills, the eucalyptus and old oak trees are especially beautiful, I think.

We enjoyed seeing this small herd of horses, also.

There are so many vineyards up and down CA, it always impresses me as I drive by them.

This thought provoking message on the mount impressed me as well.

The modern windmills springing from more and more locations pose a pretty and practical presence to me although some protest their worth.

The diminished snow cover on Mt. Shasta in northern CA while normal for this time of year also reminds us of our increased drought conditions.

But in spite of the drought, our household has been given or picked up fruit and vegetables which are being processed.

Various family members are canning and freezing the results and we are having yummy fresh produce meals as well.  A Fisherman Friend has given us delicious fresh salmon to enjoy several times, also.

The wildfires have made some of our sunsets especially colorful.

But it has been concerning to not be able to see Mt. Hood very well because of the smokey haze, as in this view several blocks from our home that I have often shared with you on clearer days.  Can you see Mt. Hood?  It is a bit of a shadow in the upper right of the photo...honest!

While I was traveling,  my youngest daughter attended the county fair and sent me this delightful Smiling Sheep photo which is the last image I will leave with you in this post.

Wildfire weather is a time of tragic loss for some and great concern for others.  Forestry experts explain that forrest fires positively contribute to the growth cycle of forests,  but we still mourn the loss of lives and property they bring.

Today marks the six year anniversary of the death of my husband of 38 years.  While I am celebrating with those around me who are marking 50 years of marriage, I am saddened and jealous that I can not celebrate 50 years of marriage or more with my husband.  Yet I celebrate the positive time we shared, particularly our shared faith: that pleasures on earth will be followed by the incredible pleasures of eternal life through Christ.

Months ago I added a page to my sidebar but did not bring your attention to it.  It is entitled "Louis."  In it I describe my view of my time spent with Louis on earth.  Adventures!  I invite you to read about them if you are curious : )

Since coming home during our stretch of wildfire weather, I have been picking sun gold cherry tomatoes, knitting, swimming, attending church, having luncheons with friends, planning to restring some cobalt blue glass beads I have been collecting along with those Teresa gave me, writing a poem, drawing, painting a watercolor picture, and planning a business link to this blog...my adventures continue!

Please tell me about your adventures whatever your weather may be.  I am eager to know!

Gracie xx

What Came First ?

Well . . . in this case the chickens came first.

When my husband and I were very young, my husband's uncle made an egg cup for him , and my mother made an egg cup for me.
Our families did not meet until nearly 20 years later.

My husband was born in Portland, ME. Within six months of his birth he and his parents moved to CA and he was fondly nicknamed, Buddy.
Six years after his birth, I was born in Lawrence, MA, not many miles from Portland, ME. ; but I lived in Andover, MA for a little over four years on Flying Feather Chicken Farm and then I moved with my family to a poultry farm in MO.

In 1971 while visiting my sisters in CA, my older sister and her husband introduced me to the sailor who became my husband six months later. We had many adventures together for nearly 38 years before he died of heart disease.
When I look at our egg cups, I fondly remember the strong common bonds we shared. As Christ followers we were convinced God had brought us together even though there were times we were so angry with each it was tempting to believe God made a mistake ! But He did not.
When I saw the pattern for crocheted Easter eggs on Teresa Kasners blog I decided I wanted to make a basketful of eggs ; but the first two I made are just right to fill Buddy and his mate.
Do you agree ? < 3

Another Launch

In May, 2011, my oldest daughter, her two little grand girls and I drove from Portland, OR,  to the CA San Francisco Bay area to visit family and friends. One of the specific goals was to visit my older sister  and her husband, who were  preparing to move.  They have been in their home for over forty years!  It has been a West Coast gathering spot for the extended family for that long and difficult to say good-bye to even though we are happy my sister and her husband are moving closer to their daughters.  On the way down we took the coastal route and stopped at a scenic outlook in Crescent City, CA for this picture.

Then we headed down through the redwoods.

After visiting at least some of our family members we stopped to enjoy some time with our forever friends.  We also checked out their backyard flock of chickens. The grand girls got to go hunting for eggs!  We are keen on having a little flock of chickens in our backyard and are checking out how we can best make that happen.

On the long trek home via I-5 at least some of us got to view majestic Mt. Shasta in northern CA.

Some of us saw sheep!

And some of us counted sheep...

or at least went to sleep...