A Beautiful Weekend

Last Saturday Mike and I both a "stuff" to do at our respective homes.

I finally removed my holiday lights from the front porch and trimmed all my roses. I even dug out and removed the one center rose that was actually not a rose, but only root stock, anymore. I will bring one of the "Judy Osborn" climbing roses that were rescued from the old Osborn home last year to, hopefully, climb on my porch. While outside trimming roses and removing lights, a mom and two young girls came by. They we from a local Girl Scout Troop solicting canned goods for the food bank and selling Girl Scout Cookies. I succomed, donated some cans and actually purchased two boxes of cookies. I also made a friend in the process. I just love my little old neighborhood where everyone looks out for one another. The little girls knocked on Edna's and Jessie's door. Edna answered the door, but was unable to ambulate to get canned goods. (She's having another knee replaced next month) So she called out to me and I fetched the canned good and gave them to the Girl Scouts. The mom confided to me that, they too, look out for the elderly couple that live across from them. I hope my neighbors look out for me when I need it as well.

After my chores were complete I drove to Mike's via Highway 30. It was a beautiful drive. I arrived in time for us to take a beer and Riley to visit the large stump in the new (ugly) clear cut to watch the sunset. The East wind was blowing spray from the waves and the sun turned the spray pink. It was very beautiful.......and very cold. I did manage to get some photos of the spray and the sunset before we, literally, ran back to the house and to the fire Mike had so thoughtfully built in the woodstove.

Sunday dawned as beautiful as Saturday. Riley and I took our run on the logging roads and returned, where Riley received his requisite treat. Eventually Mike & I decided it was too pretty of a day to waste dragging more branches onto the burn pile. He charged up the battery in the Jag, we took the top down and drove down the cost towards Nahalem and Wheeler. Of course, we were bundled up with jackets, gloves, hats and hoods, but it was sooooo nice to get out. We managed to find Tom and Peggy's new home in the process of being built. They will have many fine views from the lovely windows in their new house. I hope we get to see it closer to completion. It seems like it will be really nice.

In the winter, when it has been cold, rainy, snowy and we've been pinned down in the house, it always feels like thumbing your nose at the season to take the convertible with the top down and the sun shining and go for a spin! Kind of like cheating somhow.

The last photos are ones we took on that trip. The coast was beautiful and we enjoyed the respite very much. We arrive back home just in time to watch the sun set through the trees again. Next weekend we'll be at John & Bonnie's for Superbowl Sunday. I hope you'll all join us there.............at least in spirit if not in person.

Sort of Back to Normal

The coast is kind of back to normal. The snow is gone from the beach and the wind is not so bad. The weather last Saturday was actually really nice. I ran in the sunshine for the first time in a while. I must admit that I had enjoyed the crunch, crunch of my runs in the snow, but the sun was wonderful for a change.

Riley seemed to like the sun as well, but then Riley just likes it when I run. I did discover that he wont allow anyone to get between us. As I went out of the SE corner onto the logging road, I heard someone talking to Riley and they knew his name. It was Chad and Nicole, neighbors down the hill. They were out for a mountain bike ride and we passed each other back and forth several times as we had the same destinations. Riley stayed very close to me and didn't allow either of them between us, even though they are "friends" and he enjoys their affections and accepts their "pets." That was very comforting to me. He doesn't usually stay close to me but now I know that he would if there was someone else on the trail.

I took some shots of the storm littered beach while Mike was attending to a remodel on Tanana street. It's interesting to see what has washed up with all the violent wind and tides. The beach was semi-deserted and fairly cold, but beautiful just the same. A seagull was holding court on a chimney and managed to stretch himself out to look almost as long as a heron. Made a lot of nosie too.

This coming weekend has yet to be decided. I need to (finally) remove the lights on my house and badly need to cut back (additionally) my roses. Mat Zafino, the weather guru, says this is supposed to be a "nice" weekend, perhaps even into the high 40s or low 50s. Just not rain and snow would work for me so I could go outside without freezing. Besides, I'm way too tired to decide what to do tonight. I hope everyone enjoys the weekend. Perhaps I could even run here in St. Helens without slipping on the ice or being on a treadmill (UGH) at the gym.

It's Still Winter

There are children sledding on anything that will slide on every hill in this part of town. Some of the streets are actually blocked off for that purpose and some are not sanded yet so they're being used. It's really fun to watch. I tried my hand at my cross-country skis this morning, skiing up and down 4th Street for a while. Of course, just as my neighbor, Bart, came out of his house, I fell! He told me, however, that the streets were sanded all the way into town and that I could likely get my truck up the hill.

I did retrieve my truck and then walked to Red Apple making a circle around to Old Portland Road to assess the condition of the streets. They look good at this point, but it's snowing again right now. (Right now is 2:00pm) If it doesn't snow too awfully much, or if they sand well again, I should be able to get to work tomorrow. This is BORING!!!

The (unintentionally) sideways picture above is of a very industrious little woodpecker I encountered on my walk today. He was so busily pecking away that he allowed me to get very close before he moved to the backside of the tree. He was quite pretty with a red topknot.

Well, you've probably had enough of me for a few days. And I've certainly had enough of being somewhat home bound. I hope my next photos here will not be of snow....again.

Winter and More Winter

Eh Gads, what a Winter it has been, and continues to be. The winds at the coast were so destructive, then the snow came and stranded folks on Elkwood Mountain Road. Cars were at the bottom of the hill both by design and default. I finally was able to drive up Sunset Saturday afternoon, but only by virtue of my studded tires in the back. They didn't work so well today, but more about that in a minute.

Riley loves the snow: you can see him posing for a snow-shot here. I went for a run on Sunday morning and I think he ran three times the distance I did because he kept zooming up into one side, back across the road and down the other side only to reappear again right beside me. He was more than a willing running buddy and even took another jaunt with Mike and me later in the day. What a totally cool dog!!!!

Yesterday I drove to work from Cannon Beach over what ODOT called "patches of ice." I call it packed snow not breaking up from David Douglas grade to almost Manning! I'd sure like to know how they come up with their definitions.

This morning, however, was a real surprise. Rachel called me at 6:00am. As I was saying "hello" I looked out my kitchen window and said "Holy Cow" it's a blizzard and 5" of snow!!!! Of course, that's why she was calling. It snowed here until about 2:00pm. My "high" temperature was 29 for the day. I amused myself (after about 20 phone calls that is) by walking around town taking photos. Some of those are here. I have many more as I had lots of time!

Then, THE BIG MISTAKE was thinking that (with my trusty studs) I could try a little drive to the local store. Oh sure.....at the bottom of my 4th Street hill I couldn't stop and my brakes locked. Fortunately, the were no cars. So I decided to turn around and go home at Old Portland Road. I turned OK with only minor difficulty and started back up the 4th Street hill. No way! Even my back tires spun, studs and all. I do still remember to turn into a slide! I backed down the hill and my little red truck in parked nicely (I think) in front of a house on lower 4th Street. If (big if) I can drive tomorrow, I'll have to hike down the hill to my truck. Perhaps they will sand the street again tomorrow. If not, well, perhaps I'll paint my kitchen.

Five Hours Later, Success!!!!!

It's now 10:30pm and I THINK the green is gone.
Although, in my mind's eye I can still detect the green, I am trying to convince myself it is only my imagination. So, now I believe I will take a shower and go to bed. Hopefully I will not dream of shiny green paint!
I really like my colorful little house, bathroom included. And now you've all gotten to see my whimsical Cat toilet seat too. I love things that make me laugh. I hope you laugh too. Everyone should laugh more. I will eventually get my home the way I envision it. The kitchen gets some of this lovely Adobe Red Paint as well. Except that the kitchen has conventional white stuff on the walls and not the green monster.
Good nite to all and sweet (red) dreams!

Shiny Green That Wont Go away

Today I finally planned to paint my bathroom. I painted much of my home last Winter, choosing Adobe/Earth tones that look very nice with my old house. Two rooms were painted by the previous owners in a paint that offended me from the instant I first saw the house. The bathroom and my bedroom had, below the plate rails, the dark, SHINY green visible above. Yuk!! I have nothing against green, you understand. Grass should be green, leaves should be green, green apples should be green.......even Green Eggs & Ham (Dr. Souss)! But this paint looks like it belongs on a 1940s Signal Gas Station (one of which my father owned) and I can't bear it. The bedroom will eventually have bead board below the plate rail, but for the bathroom I chose an Adobe Red (a sort of brick/tomato color) that goes with the paint in the living-dining areas. I even treated and sanded the awful green stuff this morning, then wiped it down and left it to dry while I did some shopping. I blue taped all the edges to cut first and began to paint. Whoa!!! I had a hint then the green wanted to stick around. At this point it is nearly 5:00pm. The walls (blissfully small) have three coats of Miller Paint Baked Apple Red and, as you can see above, that damn green is still visible. Yikes, and I really wanted a shower this evening too. Everything from the bathroom is residing in the kitchen, Mellow has howled in protest all day and Cuddles just gave up and is sleeping on a (red) dining room chair cushion. For my part, I have had one Sierra Nevada Ale and just may have another.

On a lighter note, Rachel's and my adventure to buy a doghouse for Thumper turned out well yesterday. We managed ("we" being the previous owner of the doghouse and I) to coerce enough strong fellows in her neighborhood to lift a 200 lb doghouse over the fence and into my truck. We caravaned to Rachel's home and, while we were talking, her father managed to take it out of the truck all by himself. Damned engineers! I imagine, though, that getting it into her backyard was not quite as easy as getting out of my truck. I hope it went well. I hope Alexis has changed her mind about the doghouse. For some reason, Lexie decided that Thumper didn't want the doghouse. I can envision Lexie in that large house playing with the dog at some point. I sure hope so.

Well, on to 2007. I hope everyone had a good start on this New Year! Rains continue here and my shop has sprung several brand new leaks. I think a new roof, or at least lots of tar, is in my future as soon as the rains subside. Either that or I will need to buy stock in a pail manufacturing comapny. Hmmm, wonder if we have that industry here in St. Helens?

Egads!!!! I just realized that both my front and back doors are painted with that same, horrible green paint!!! Well, perhaps a belt sander is in the budget.