Nubes....

Still....

Nothing special...just a picture I took in Hood River a few months ago that I like...it's nice to be able to revisit the shots so easily on the PC...it's difficult to remember what life was like before computers...maybe we lived more.

O is asleep and I felt like writing a bit. It's quiet. NPR is off. The pups lay resting...and I sit here in the dining room listening to the soft rain fall upon the house. It is a nice rain today...it comes and goes in terms of it's strength...now it is just a mist-like spray. I can see by looking at the plum tree that it has rained all night. It's branches arc over with the weight of the water on it's leaves. He looks like an old man...still and waiting...not too happy. It must be stressful to be bent over in that position...and I'm afraid I don't have good news for him as it's suppose to rain all weekend...

The garden is coming alive...and with it's awakening, it too has awakened my spirit...I embrace this new feeling within me...It's exhausting to feel blue inside...to try and muster joy daily...even though your well is empty...for that's how I've felt this past winter...I sometimes find tears in my eyes when I look out at my garden...planting it has been one of the greatest accomplishments of my 40 year old life...I look forward with much anticipation to see it grow and shelter me.

Joe pointed out to me the other day that I go through these obsessive stages...and now I am 100% obsessed with photography...I can't deny his conclusion...I hope this is not a fleeting interest...and I do not believe it so as I am constantly thinking about photography...I even with dream with f-stops and shutter speeds...I look forward to a photographic outting...just me and my Olympus.

Yesterday I took my first GREAT black and white photo all with manual settings. Granted, the expression on my subjects face is not wonderful at all, and therefor makes the photo unshowable...but alas, the settings were right on...the sharpness of the face...the lighting...just beautiful...Of course, taking pictures of someone eating is not the brightest idea...

I've been VERY SLOWLY reading my buddism book...and it has really made an impact. I am more aware of how I'm feeling at a given moment throughout the day. I tend to acknowledge my feelings more...and by acknowledging them more, they seem to diminish in their control over me. I became aware at how much anxiety I am feeling...(I say am, because I still feel it...although not as much)...Yey! for that.

Progress.

Gigi...

Plum Flowers...

JM...

White...

"21 Days"

Was the subject of an email I received this weekend from a dear friend...it included the following words:

"That's how long it's been since you added anything to your Sheltered Space of Being. Just thought you might need a girlfriend to remind you that it's there, and that it's probably named that for a reason. Remember to take care of your own heart and soul. :-) "

I was very touched for the reminder...and the love...so dear Leslie, these are for you:



I spent a couple of hours this afternoon playing with my camera...and trying to learn it's numerous functions...and this was a photo I took which made me happy...so I want to thank you again for your love and friendship...

The Garden...

My Beautiful Pulgon...

Family...

Yesterday we gathered at dad and Jeri's for a KILLER asado...it was really delicious...I ate so many sweetbreads that I could feel my arteries moaning...and the costillitas were pretty good too...(Dad, you are getting better at your cooking...!)
Owen was passed around like a danish at a Weight Watcher's meeting...he was loved and squished and kissed in abundance...I think I held him once all day...:-)
I love you all!

Happy Valentines Day

These beautiful roses were sent to Joe and I from dearest Mary...Thanks Mary!!!

Chiaro-Oscuro

We had a ferocious, (love that word) wind storm yesterday and this meant that dinner at dad and Jeri's (in honor of Santiago's visit) was sans electricity. Luckily, we were all advised of the situation before heading over there, so we made sure we had our long underwear on.
It was a lovely evening...Santiago arrived safely from Buenos Aires, albeit a little tired after the long flight. Dad made the best salmon ever in his life and Gigi her usual killer smashed potatoes...O laughed so much he peed his pants. Grandma Jeri even read to Santi and Owen by candlelight...
Life is about gatherings like these...nature...the people you love...good food and lots of laughter...

O and I

A Lovely Walk...

After we arrived home from our drive out east, Jeri and I went for a little walk down the main drag in Bingen. The weather had turned rather cold and the afternoon was beautiful.

We checked out the market, local antique shop and post office.

This is a very small town, but it has it's charm...the location is incredible and I could easily find myself living here for a few or many years. We will see what the future brings.

Vacation...

We are having a lovely time here in Bingen/Hood River...The drive down on Friday was not too bad...traffic and pouring down rain gave us moments of grief, but we arrived into Portland, where we proceeded to call Joe on the cell and he met us on I-84. Aren't cell phones great?

Dad and Jeri's house in Bingen is adorable. It is somewhat furnished by the owners, (dad and Jeri are renting it), and is filled with ecclectic and peculiar items....I may photograph some and post them for your viewing pleasure!!!

Our weekend was spent mostly at home, although we did venture out to downtown Hood River, where we looked at homes and propeties. Jeri invited us to lunch at a wonderful little bistro, where I've probably eaten the best hamburger ever...(Oregon beef, as noted on the menu...) and a small glass of Guiness...

Yesterday we ventured out east, to The Dalles and our little Stonehenge.

While Joe and Jeri sat in the front seat, I hung out in the back seat with O and the Oly, which I clicked and clicked as the car sped down the highway. I managed some pretty nice shots...

New Year's Eve....

Thank you Cheryl and David for another memorable night chez you guys...It was an encore performance of New Year's Eve, 2004...even O was there last time, although he was just our little Speck back then...


Chris brought some heart wrenching new photos from his recent trip to New Orleans...Leslie and Greg sang some "new old" songs by Emmylou Harris and James Taylor, along with their beautiful Bossa Nova song, Tender Night (was it?)...(you'd think I had 7 glasses of Champagne...but my memory loss is really age related...)



Miss Victoria brought another new poem to share with us...grafitti on our souls...Subhankar brought Nora and Robert Frost, although he and the butterlfy where only on a page...





And Madame Cheryl collapsed from exhaustion after table dancing for 3 hours straight, (I promised her I would NOT post the pictures!)...and I annoyed everyone with my picture taking, but aren't we GLAD we have the fete documented???

On Friendship...

And a youth said, "Speak to us of Friendship."
Your friend is your needs answered.


He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.


When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the "nay" in your own mind, nor do you withhold the "ay."
And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;
For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.


When you part from your friend, you grieve not;
For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.


And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.
For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught.
And let your best be for your friend.


If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also.
For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?
Seek him always with hours to live.


For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.
And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

Kahlil Gibran, THE PROPHET