It's For the Birds (But Not At All Worthless)

Every winter a magical thing happens in the Willamette Valley region of Oregon...

the valley gets visitors.

To be completely honest, it gets a LOT of visitors;

~

Now, during the winter, you can see these feathered visitors in quite a few places--

by rivers, in wetland areas, by a casino we drove by...

but one of the best places to see them is at a National Wildlife Refuge.

The Valley has three of them: William L Finley (south of Corvallis), Ankeny (south of Salem) and Baskett-Slough (near Dallas).

~

Sunday we went to Baskett-Slough, hoping to see some of the swans I had seen there before.

No such luck this time, but we saw hundreds of geese--maybe even thousands.

This was my DH's first time here--

we stopped at the kiosk along the highway (22),

but then we drove through the refuge like we had done at Finley NWR.

Driving through a refuge is an awesome way to see any wildlife

as your car serves as a 'blind' ...

oh, by the way, during the wintertime access is somewhat limited for us humans to let the Geese get some much needed rest before they head back to their northern homes.

Suggestions? Bring a camera with a zoom lens and a pair of binoculars. Drive slowly and bring my eagle-eyed DH (OK, not that last suggestion...but it does help to have someone who can see things from miles away). Sometimes you will see the waterfowl in the grasses which are near the ponds; sometimes you will see them in the fields.

I LOVE it...

Oh--I should say that geese are not the only visitors in the refuge...

you probably already guessed that--

but they are the star attraction:)

For more information, see the link below.

Thank you God for the PNW's winter visitors!

Lenten Blessings,

Aimee

Links:

http://www.fws.gov/WillametteValley/Complex/dusky.html

(information on Dusky Canadian Geese and links to all 3 of the Willamette Valley NWR's. The Dusky Canadian Geese are there from October/November to early April)

Snow on Vines: A Trip to the "Wine Country" of Oregon

The other day, after I had gotten over the excitement of snow at our place,

I asked myself...

I wonder what a vineyard looks like in snow?

So, a friend and I took off to explore that area of Oregon,

after Japanese food, of course.

I've been to this area before;

I try to make a trip here at least once a season because of the spectacular views.

Depending on where you are,

you can see the Coast Range (and we know I love those mountains)

or the Cascade Mountains (and I love them too).

This photo, unless I got really turned around on the sometimes rough roads, should be of the Coast Range...and I believe that is the Tualatin Valley between the mountains and where my friend and I were.

Despite the cloud cover and my less than perfect photo,

it was really beautiful with all the snow.

Another view of a hilltop vineyard.

As you can see below, the snow was hit and miss,

depending on where you were in this group of hills.

Nevertheless, it was a great trip and come later spring,

I will be back to find more of nature's treasure.

Lots more photos,

but it's time to work as my DH has promised me another trip this weekend if I can get a lot done today around the house

(he knows how to motivate me on dark, gloomy days like the one today.)

Lenten Blessings, Aimee

Photos: Early March in the "Wine Country" area of Oregon.

Snow in March--Really?

Right now, you won't see one of these signs on our road

and the view outside our living room window doesn't look like this.

You won't see this beautiful river behind our house

or snow on a roof like this

(actually we don't have a cedar shake roof, which is why you won't see this).

Nope, you won't see anything close to this amount of snow at our house right now...

but had you seen me at around 0600 (6 AM) this morning,

you would have seen some snow on roofs, plants, trees and

you would have seen me taking a lot of photos, dressed in my pj's and with a smile on my face~
They say March snow here is very, very rare...

but I think it is priceless!

Lenten Blessings, Aimee

PS: you wouldn't have seen this either:)

Photos: My Hood National Forest + Byway, winter 2012

So Close; So Far

It is so close...this jar filled with pastel colored, chocolate almonds.
So very, very close.


I can smell the candies within.
I can feel the hardness of the candy shell under my fingers.
I can taste the smoothness of the chocolate under the sweet candy shell.
I can hear the crunch the candy makes as I chew it slowly (or quickly depending on how much I am craving it).
I can feel the satisfaction of having given in, once again, to my carbo addiction...

Hum...(thinking).


It is so close...this jar filled with sweet, calorie laden, pastel colored, chocolate almonds.
So very, very close.
But for today, for this moment in time, it is just too far.


Lenten Blessings, Aimee

The WORD on Wednesday

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Lenten Blessings, Aimee

Photo: Mt Hood National Forest, winter 2012

Birds of a Feather

You and I have visited here before...do you remember? It wasn't long ago at all, but once I find a place I like, I tend to go back...This place is unique because it is located on two rivers--the Willamette and the Clackamas. It is also special because my DDIL (dear daughter-in-law) was the first one to take me here a long time ago.

Last time we were on the Willamette River side of the park;

this time we'll visit the other side of the park.

But be careful, very careful for I hear there are gangs there...

Yep, you can see that this place is just overrun by them...

seagulls,

ducks,

pigeons.

Scary, huh?

OK, more funny and cute than scary...

I admit:)

Actually, they kind of remind me of the dancing gangs of Westside Story

(oops, there I go dating myself again).

I've always been very partial to waterfowl. When we were younger my sibling owned two ducks--one yellow (Daisy Mae) and one that looked a lot like the duck in the front here (GiGi).

I can hear the music now...can you? Dance ducks, dance...

This one must be sitting (or standing) the dance out.

Oh, oh...this sitting things out seems to be a growing trend.

Can't blame them though--it was more sittin' than dancin' weather.

Until next time...stay warm

(and in the PNW, stay dry).

Lenten Blessings, Aimee

Notes: photos taken near Oregon City on a very, very wet day.

Is It Spring Yet?

I know it isn't, because the calendar says we are still in February...

and the forecast is calling for possible snow (yea, right...sarcasm intended).

But everywhere I look...

blooming daffodils, pieries and more!

Perhaps I forgot to turn the calendar page?

Perhaps it really IS spring.

Perhaps, but I think more proof is in order.

Searching for spring...any signs of it where you are?

Lenten Blessings,

Aimee

Photo: one of our beautiful PNW rhododendrons.

You will notice, please, it is in my current favorite color:)

Walking in the Footsteps of my Great-Great Grandfather

Oregon was a lot smaller then--

back when my great-great grandfather and his family were called to come here

and spread the good news of Christ.

It was before the turn of the century when he came--

not by the Oregon Trail, like two of my pioneer families did,
but first by train to California and then by ship.

He was not here for long,

he would die of tuberculosis, quite common in that time,

but he accomplished what he was sent to do...

I hope that I can say the same.

Here is one of the places he preached in.

It is was a one room schoolhouse before they added an addition in 1911.

It is (and this makes me very, very happy) still used to teach...

not reading, writing or arithmetic,

but textile skills.

And BTW---if you want to see some fantastic photos from an artist I hold in awe,

please see Teresa's blog. You will be amazed--I know I am.

I have been here once before, with my parents, during a spring drive.

But I wanted to come back and take photos with a little better camera than I had then.

And besides,

who wouldn't want to come and walk in the footsteps of their ancestor again?

To experience a little of what they would have experienced,

to see the sights they saw.

I never tire of this...

making the past come alive!

Making new memories...

Here in one of my favorite places---

I touched a piece of my past

and remembered the man and his mission.

Have you walked in the footsteps of any of your ancestors?

I highly recommend it:)

Lenten Blessings,

Aimee

Note: all photos taken this weekend except for the one of Mt Hood...you'll see why shortly when I do post the ones I took on the mountain:) Oh yes, my heart called me to the mountain and real snow this weekend and, of course, I heeded the call.

About the school---it is now Damascus Fiber Arts School.

Teresa has posts about it here

and here.

The information about my ancestor comes from a book that his son wrote, genealogical research of my own and some other family.

Soon to come: the rest of the weekend...and later more coastal photos.

But now it is time to take the dogs out.

Note for my followers:

I just wanted to take time and welcome a new follower; also to let all of you and other visitors know how much you bless me by your presence:)

Late February Garden

Everywhere I look the garden is showing signs of waking up.

Lenten Blessings, Aimee

Notes on photo: moss, cyclamen (indoors right now), camellia sasanqua, forsythia (forced, but the plant outdoors is starting to show color too), pieries, primroses, tete a tete daffodils, praecox rhododendron, evergreen huckleberry and primrose (in center).

Today we went to a nursery where there was a great buy on primroses. As you can tell I am still not over my craving for the color pink; no, not even close. My poor hubby, I am afraid that soon he might see pink 'blooming' everywhere. As you can also tell, I am not tired of playing with Picasa yet...but I do have quite a bit more on my 'to learn' list:)

What color are you drawn to this month? Have you visited your local nursery yet? I almost, almost, almost bought some herbs, lettuce and more bulbs...but the snow level is dropping and we've already had some hail. Despite the blooming taking place in the garden, I think we're not done with winter yet.

Of Mountains + Valleys

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth...

Lenten Blessings, Aimee

Notes:

Psalms 121: 1-2 KJV -- my favorite Psalm since I was a teenager.

Photos taken in several areas off one of the main highways to the Oregon coast;

love those backroad adventures! Collage created using Picasa.

Recent playlist for Lent:

Casting Crowns, "I Will Praise You in the Storm"

Kari Jobe, "The Revelation Song"

Phillips, Craig + Dean, "You Are God Alone"

Lent Begins: Ash Wednesday

In this life on earth we travel many paths...

The year we lost mom, I traveled this one with my dad and best friend.

This path was new to me then and each curve of the road revealed more of the beauty of creation...

Valley, hills, mountains, woodlands, forests, rivers...it was truly beautiful and I eagerly 'drank' in each new sight!

Shortly after we turned onto this new path that year, I remember stopping at a wide pullout and getting out of the car.

Walking as close to the edge of the cliff as I dared, I saw what looked to be some kind of waterfall...but so much of my sight was obscured by the seasonal growth of weeds, I had a very limited view of its true beauty...

Recently my DH and I returned to that same spot. The ground was wet and muddy; secure footing seemed unsure in the area I had stood before. But then my wise hubby pointed out another place where it was drier and cautiously I walked towards the edge.

I looked out and down, this time through the minimal foliage of wintertime and this is what I saw...

Today Lent begins...another opportunity to focus on the Creator; another chance to let Him remove the 'weeds' in my life (politics, TV, bad choices, wrong priorities, etc) so I might see more clearly what is true and what is not; another chance to more fully realize just how much our Abba Father loves His children...just how much He loves me.

And though I will never fully see or know Him on this side of eternity--just as I could not see the whole waterfall even with a lot of the weeds gone that day; I know God will reveal more of Himself if I set apart time to meet with Him. And so the 'drawing nigh' time begins anew...with a refreshing of the Spirit to follow.

Lenten Blessings, Aimee

Note: Three Rivers Highway, Cosper Creek Falls.

Shrove Tuesday (AKA Pancake Day)

Have a blessed Shrove Tuesday--Lent begins tomorrow!

Aimee

Notes:

Meyer Lemon pancake (from a mix) with imported Sicilian orange marmalade (although this combination was OK, next time I'll use lingonberry or another berry preserve with the pancakes). Also pictured: lemon soy yogurt (interesting taste; first time to try it). Another first-coconut milk yogurt (I will try this again, wonderful after taste, slightly different consistency than milk based yogurt). Soon to try: coconut milk.

Photo edited in picasa (another first---a very, very fun first) :)

There Are Only Two Kinds of People...

I used to think there was just one kind of people.

My type.

People whose time at the coast wasn't complete

till they had seen one (or a hundred) of these babies.

People who would save (or bring) food for them--

or at least hoped someone else would.

People who knew the BEST places to find them

(and considered this knowledge something to share only with their best friends...

and other family, of course). And then after making them affirm, most sincerely, that they would never divulge this information to anyone.

And so the years passed by and I continued in blissful ignorance

until THAT day...

the day I learned there was indeed another type of person...

the kind that didn't like seagulls,

the kind that thought of them as (sob, sob) nuisances...

I am still recovering from the shock of that day.

So what kind of person are you?

Do you like them,

have hundreds of photos of them and

gleefully jump up and down when someone feeds them

(so you can take more photos to add to your collection?

Or do you consider them something akin to the birds

of that famous movie by Alfred Hitchcock?

Blessings, Aimee

In Celebration of Pets

Today I woke up early to get some chores done;

I listened to the TV to see what the weather would be like today...

and found out it would be cold, wet, most winterlike.

~

But then it happened,

for the reporter announced

that today was unlike any other day...

in fact, today was special, very special

because

of

them.

So in honor of

their special day...

always make sure they have a warm bed to sleep in and good food

(even if they take over your bed and beg for treats).

Always make sure that someone kind is watching over them;

because you are their whole world!

Love them when they go the extra mile for you--

because they do it just because it's

for you.

Cuddle them whenever they need that extra touch of reassurance

and

always keep them safe from danger.

Make sure they have toys--

even if they drag them out and you end up stepping on them

(in barefeet in the middle of the night)

And even if you know,

that unlike kids who grow up,

you'll always be the one to pick those toys and bones up.

But most of all,

LOVE your pet--no matter what kind it is--everyday,

not just today!

Have an awesome LOVE YOUR PET DAY...

and give your little or big one an extra treat and hug today

because they deserve it:)

~

Blessings, Aimee