Sitting out the Storms

We had snow last night on Murphy Hill, Elevation 720 ft.  It closed Hwy 18 during several accidents. The weather report said that we should be on the look out for mass flooding. So we geared up, reacquainting ourselves with the location of the propane, lanterns, camp coffee pot etc.

It rained this morning, and then clear.  We watched the storm pass right over us from the ocean over to the valley and up to the cascades.

Here at the lake, the water is high, the wind is still and the fish are jumping. We watched as our neighbor pulled up a large trout onto his dock with some grandchildren. That got the boys excited!

Here are some pics of our day – On December 30, 2009 – A Winter Advisory Day:

At the Grand Ronde Health Center,
I went in for a Thyroid Appt Today.
Murphy Hill , Hwy 18

The boys fishing for trout and checking the crawdad trap.

  

 
A father’s look of joy at watching the boys play with the dog.

 

Worms from the compost pile. Rich Beautiful Earth. 

Morning

October 10, 2009, Morning on the Lake with Loons, Coots, Egrets, Devils Lake, Otis Oregon

Coots

Fishing

Kingfisher and Mergsenger at Devils Lake, Otis, Oregon

Walking on Water

Beautiful! Love these pics from December 2009 at Devils Lake.

Hope in a Cup

The cup - labeled Hope. Hope in a Cup. Who Knew? The waves outside are pretty high, the waves inside were high, crazy hormonal day. And yet, for the low low price of $3.75, hope. Bottoms Up.

Birding

The birds are incredible here on the lake, and seem to favor our little fish on the north end for breakfast each day.  I looked up a website that lists the known birds on the lake, labeled my Sibley Guide Book with little posted notes, and have started to categorize those found near our home.  We have seen Coons, Egrets, Herons, Mallards, and a few yet to be named.  Photographs are difficult as the pup seems to want to help in the efforts.  We’ll keep photographing and categorizing all the birds found on East Devils Lake.  Wonder if we’ll find one not on the list?  Lets hope. 

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December 23, 2009

Happy 20th Anniversary to Us!
These are pictures of the sunset this evening. Stunning.

Morning Calm

I love to rise early, set the coffee, complete a couple of chores, all before seven. I love to have a steamy cup of strong coffee with half and half to sit and watch the lights turn up. Darkness is extinguished by the seeping in of light traveling from the east. On the coast, all of my windows face West. There is a hill to the East that blocks my view. On the High Desert – the windows faced East and you could watch the ribbons of yellow, orange, red, race across the sky as the earth tilts forward, eager to start the day.  I have not seen that here, only the dim switch being turned up and up.  The Lake is calm. The Fog is high. A promise of a new fresh day, with the added expectancy of rain or more weather coming in.

This morning’s thought was of increase. I see quite a few of my friends in their path toward their fifties increasing year by year. IN business and personal financial accumulation.  The pile of toys and goodies, planes, house boats,  equipment, lavish homes, fine furniture – stirs , honestly, a dual swirl of thought in my mind. I admit to the – why wasn’t it easy to move forward for us thought. Why didn’t my hard working husband who never missed a day of work these last 25 years not grow in his financial wealth? It seems that every few years our slate gets wiped clean and we find ourselves starting over. Starting Clean and Fresh with New Adventures.

I was raised in my formative years by my homesteading grandparents. I have never had a thought in my head embracing a five or ten year plan of increase. Except in Gardening and Firewood. Prepare the soil. Prepare the wood shed. Prepare and plan and be ready for what comes. Plant in season, burn wood in the cold.

So I admit to my selfish thoughts this morning, but then look at the lake as the fog lifts and the darkness is overshadowed. Calm. Still. One can see individual leaves in the reflection. And yet, last evening,  a conversation could not be heard on the deck over the roar of the wind and the splashing of the waves. 

The fish eat the vegetation. The water filters itself through the D River to the sea. The people tend to debris. We live off the fish. If the lake were to increase every year in water, fish, vegetation and debris it would become unhealthy. Un living. and all would die. Choked Out. Humans needed to replant quick fresh growth, or time and the Lord to introduce healing.  Even the snow on the Mountains has a purging time each year in August, ready again for fresh increase of snow in October.

So have we, this month, sold most of what we own, purged down to a 17 foot trailer u haul, sold our favorite vehicle, made 6 trips to the dump so far, one more planned tomorrow, many more things to still be rid of. And financially, we start just as fresh as Brokentop in September.

And yet, each year it really isn’t a do-over. It is like the soil. We till it, enrich it, help it to keep the nutrients. Each year the growing season is easier and becomes more effortless. The seeds grow and adjust to the climate, the perennials are nourished. And the restart of spring is less harsh.

The fog is lifted, the lights are on, the electric lights are clicking off around my visual boundaries of East Devils Lake. I think a nice sweater and a refil of coffee is in order. :)

“Best Places to Live”, Bend, Oregon

A pondering question has flittered through the minds of my family this week, as we venture into the world outside of Bend.  What is different? Why are these people so very different?  This morning – it came to me.

Attitude.  The people in this town are not living with a Best Places To Live town attitude.

People move to Bend to size down, to family up, to exercise more, to explore. To Ski. To hike and bike. To spelunk. To Float. To join community. A fresh start. A change of lifestyle. They go there to become the best that they can be in Spirituality, Health, Fitness and Lifestyle.

People are eager to meet new members of the community. People want to know your journey – who/what/why are you there. What do you expect to get out of the move. Many a glass of wine has been sipped on the subject. The number one question asked is, “What brought you to Bend?”.  I soon learned that there were as many reasons spiritually as financially. It would be followed by, “How long have you been here?” if not included in your first answer.  We were there for almost 5 years. At first, most of my long time resident friends could only state 5-6 years. Now I feel like I have become a Bend-Ite.  

There is a feeling of sharing and growth. Everywhere I went people wanted to share the secrets of the mountains, rivers, caves. Share their knowledge of the rocks, science, history. Share their joy of a favorite 2 man run taco bar. Their favorite draft on tap. Favorite place with Wi-Fi and a fire. Books are written on it. Blogs are shared.

Here in this place, by the lake, near the ocean in Lincoln County, the pulse is different. They have made it through another season of tourists. I remember that feeling long ago when we lived in a coastal town before. The sigh of relief when the locals are able to walk into a store and get service without a line. They are tired and hardened by the constant need to find work. Downturned economy? It has been here since I remember as a child. Lines of people waiting for someone to post a job at the employment department. Hungry people waiting for food. Tired fisherman long lost the will to fight the government who constantly ups the regulations on their living. Moms in despair of the future of their kids should they stay in these towns. Young adults who feel set for life when they earn over $9.50 per hour.

The Bend-ites know that the tourists are the ticket to keeping the town. Find more people to join the ranks, have need of housing, have need of restaurants, and your way of life continues. I know from working with Economic Development companies and with the County’s department that people who move /live/stay in these coastal counties do not want change. Or growth. They lived it. Raised it. Earned it. Saved it. Time to rest. In peace. Without people or interference. They do not want to pay for the next generation who appears to not want to pay for themselves. They do not want to fund the infrastructure of roads and buildings for new businesses to come in tax free or deferred. They do not have the patience to wait at a stop sign, or the peace of listening to traffic easily.

But in these down times I see that both of these towns have ways to learn from each other. Coos/Douglas/Lincoln county can teach people how to dig deep, dig down.  Persevere in troubles. Live simply. Appreciate every penny and day. Cling to family. Hold on to tradition. Honor the fore fathers of the town. Acknowledge the elders. Loyalty to the pioneer families. Complete loyalty to local businesses.  Crook and Deschutes County can teach appreciation for the natural surroundings. An urgency to become better in health and spirit. An openness to different people and ideas. A heart that grows with new friendships. A love for the land no matter the weather. Support of new business and growth. The joy of learning about each other and supporting each other.

The daughter of a Coast Guard Retiree, and the wife of Coast Guardsman, the Daughter in Law of Air Force Retirees, and a fellow Coastie myself, I’ve done alot of moving. Been exposed to many a different American Cultures.  This has been the most shocking and un describable. Even the children comment. Are puzzled. I will continue to put a written typed finger on it, and will see what my role is in bringing the two cultures together.

Like a cork

Looking up a bird this week, I found that we had a family of American Coots in our lake.

These birds so far are the most intriguing. They dive for long periods of time. Pop up several feet away. Gather close, and drift apart. Their beak is like a chicken’s, triangular, not like the flat duck’s.

Content. They seem to enjoy their surroundings without quick flight. As the lake waters change throughout the day, moving to the pressure of the weather, they stay. The higher the waves, the more they seem to let go of their desire to strongly swim. We’ve been through one storm so far. The waves splashing over  the dock 2 feet above normal level.  And yet, there were the coots. bobbing up and down. Care free.

A descriptive sentence from the Sibly’s book caught my eye – “They float like a cork.”     Oh to float like a cork. Letting go when the weather gets rough. Knowing this too will pass.