Frozen Lily Pond

We had our first freeze of the Winter season. Except, technically, it is still Fall. I guess mother nature has her own internal clock that does not match up to our man made calendars.  I didn't mind. It was kind of nice to cuddle up in the house with blankets, hot tea, and a good book.

I did get some cool pictures of the lily pond. Too bad they didn't have a chance to bloom this year. I'm curious to see what will happen in the seasons to follow, how this pond freeze will effect their regeneration.

lillies trapped in the ice

air bubbles in ice

yen and yang of the thaw

pond crater

ice circles

looks cold in there

Being Squirrely

On weekend mornings I make coffee, feed the dog, curl up on the couch with my cup of joe and stare out the window into my front yard to watch the day unfold. The following pictures are what happend on one such morning all in the span of about thirty seconds. Why didn't I take a video... I don't know...it all happened so fast, and I was laughing to hard to think about it, I guess.

I am squirrel.

I have smelled something that makes me very happy (it's not the orb - i don't know where that came from)

it's someplace at the base of this tree.

 i will pounce on it. it will be mine.

 the pouncing didn't work.

 i will use my entire little brownish grey body.

 i will roll over and over on it.

i am not satisfied.

another roll and a flip. i will attain the smell.

i'm not sure what just happened.

Because when you're lost...

...look for a landmark. The Landmark Saloon is one of my favorite Portland OR bars. It has good drinks, and a BBQ wagon in the backyard next to the fire pit. Yep! Fire pit. All of these amenities do not even compare to folks who work here. Good peeps for sure. They always make me feel like family -not just because I come here often, they treat everyone that way! The music is always live, and top notch. Growing up in Texas, I heard my share of good 'ole country music. I rebuked it in my 20's and 30's and dove head first into the mosh pits of punk in the Los Angeles music scene. Now I've slowed down a bit as I am we'll into my 40th decade (ack!), and maybe I just yearn a bit for the familiarities of home town and family, but this old country bar with its old country music has my heart at this moment in my time.