A Steeple Race

Today I am going to my oncologist.  Afterwards, I hope to hightail it to Mt.Angel.  The Steeple is coming down for repairs.  I took pictures of the before yesterday, and hope to get to St. Mary's before they actually take it down.  I thought you might enjoy the pictures.  I don't think my doctor's appointment will take long.  I just don't know how long it will take for them to remove the steeple.  Oh boy, oh boy, I hope I make it:)

Blooming Kinda Day

Hope any mothers reading this had a good Mother's Day yesterday.  My day was how I like it.  Layed back, slow pace, kids at my beck and call:).

Bailey gave me a sweet trio-vased flowers.

LL gave me beautiful roses.  Very unusual color.

We all end up at Mom's house.

Last year we all visited outside for Mother's day.  This year the weather was nasty, so I am glad Mom's living room is large.

Kane cut some lilacs from my tree and he and I made several bouquets.  We took a couple over to the St. Louis Cemetary, where LL's parents are buried.

The weather was grey and threatening, so we did not stay long, but I wanted one more picture of cherry blossoms.  I know they wont be around much longer.

It was a nice day.  Bailey's friends worked on this computer last night and it is working much better.  So, hopefully I will be back to blogging regularly.  They did a great job and our computer is working great.  Uploading my pictures are still taking forever, but that is more of a internet connection issue that we still need to fix.  I think I am going to owe a couple of Bailey's friends Lots and Lots of pizza:)

LL and I went for a scooter ride on Sunday.  Our weather is so unpredictable lately, that when we saw it would be nice for a few hours, well we did not want to waste it.

I made sure my Baby was on board so I could take a couple pictures.  I wanted to get a picture of Mt. Angel from a different angle.

After taking that picture, I turned around to look at the huge nest on a pole.

I realized there was a couple birds and a good person would have left them alone.  But it was me, so I made LL ride over to see if he could get them to move.

Well hello there birds.

I need to get moving.  Hope to get up north to Whole Foods.  Need to do it early because even though I have been careful with my eating, I have been having "issues" over the last few days.  It always seems no matter how I am eating, after my body adjusts to the change, I start having "issues" again.  But it is still a huge improvement from when I was eating gluten.  I am just a little sad that once again, I am having to be more of a hermit.  Oh, I still can get out and go places, I just can't eat that day till I get back.  So since I am already hungry this morning, I need to get going because from start to finish, this trip will take about 3 hours, plus I want to stop by Mom's.  So have a great day.

Decompressing

How does a girl get away and clear her mind?  She.............
Gets her motor running
Heads out on the highway
Looking for adventure
At the Oregon Gardens?

OK, not how the song should go, but I did take the scooter out with Baby On Board(camera).  Rode up to the Gardens and took shots of signs of spring, water, the beautiful Willamette Valley. 

CROCUS

AND MORE CROCUS

HEATHER

DAFFODILS

SAND

WATER Love water with a fast shutter speed

And a glimpse of the beautiful VALLEY I live in:)

Boy that was fun!

Flinging with Spring

The yearning for spring is a yearly ailment of mine.  I have not been quiet on this blog about my winter woes.  I must say, February, although still winter, holds so much hope for what is to come.  I love spring and summer and watch for signs like a mother watches out the window for a long lost child.  I must say the day held much hope for the days to come.

My girls have their new feathers on and Harriet here is already providing her daily egg for me.  She is always so considerate.

My daffodils are pushing up, despite being covered with old dead leaves that we forgot to pick up.

My tulips look to be right on time also.

A couple weeks ago, I scoped out a shot I wanted to capture on the next clear day.  So on my way to mom's house, I pulled the car over, got out and did my best to get Mt. Hood and the farm in one shot. 

I noticed a break in the fence.  Lucky me, so I schlepped through the ditch and mud.

The hill behind the farm is the Abbey hill, the Monastery where I like to go and take pictures.

I did a bit a grocery shopping before going to Mom's.  Kris was there and we had lunch with mom.  That pretty much ended my day.:(  "Issues" you know.  But later I did get my cookies baked.

Bailey wants to help frost them.  Then I hope to wrap them up and give them to neighbors.  That is if we don't eat them first.

STOP THE CAR!

When LL took me out Monday to photograph the flooded areas, we were definitely trying to beat the rain.

While driving, I yelled "Stop the car!" "Why?" "Didn't you see the goat?" "What goat?" "The goat on the stump." "Uhh No. Do you want me to turn back?"  "Duh....."

This is definitely a time I wished I had a telephoto lens.

Do you see it?   NO?  Well let me get a little closer........

Now do you see it?  NO?  OK let me try again

There he is.  I really have good eye sight:)

Nusom Road

While out taking pictures of the flood waters, LL and I decided to take a look at the road that literally broke up the week before. 

This is Nusom road in North Howell, the farming community I grew up in.  My brother now lives where I grew up. 

This is the road I would normally take to get to his house.

I think it will be awhile before they have this road fixed.

Today, I have my work cut out for me.  Don't know what happened to my home.  It looks like a flood or tornado hit inside my house.

Hazel Green

                                        I went out yesterday afternoon to take a few flood pictures.  The waters in our area had already crest and were receding.  Some areas were not as bad as I had seen it in past years, others were worse.
                                             

A good measure is always Hazelgreen road by Malorie's Dairy. 

There were several roads washed out in our area

Many people were out taking pictures of this area.  This is the road I usually take going to Target in Salem.  Growing up, this area was flooded often, but with tiling in recent years, it is a less often occurrence.

I have a few more pictures to post in a little bit. 

Week 3, 2011

Today is Martin Luther King holiday.  LL has the day off.  Not sure what the plan is for the day.  I have had many days of "issues" so I can't predict what the day holds.  I really would like to go do something fun today while LL is off.

I don't have plans for Tuesday.  Wednesday, my sister has surgery so I hope I am able to be at the hospital.  Luckily, I am willing to take more of a chance going than I normally would, because the hospital is just around the corner from my house.

Thursday and Friday, I will probably visit her as much as I physically can. 

LL wanted to take me out to the creeks and rivers to photograph yesterday.  We have had tons of rain and the waters are raging and flooding.  I was not able to get out yesterday, except to go to mom's, so maybe today I will have a nice long photo session.  If I get some good pictures, I will post again today.  Have a great day.

How Berry Sweet He Is

After a very long and painful bout with my "issues", I decided I better get outside before snow, ice, or rain came down.  Of course I took my buddy Beau with me, and after his grooming and his cute bandanna, he has a little spring in his step.

So we walk to the post office and then the park.  He loves the park.

He likes all the trees to use to take care of business.

I was bundled up but boy was it getting cold.

So far, my favorite type of photography is closeup nature.  I, for some reason get great satisfaction zooming in on something small and unique with a blurred background.

As I am writing this the snow is starting to come down.  Oh boy Oh boy.  Why I get excited I do not know.  It rarely accumulates around here.  If it does though, you can bet I will be posting some pictures.

I Don't Want To Be A Hermit

The other evening, I went to my mom's house to watch movies.  LL was out of town for work, so Bailey and I thought it was a good time to go and watch movies that my mom DVR'd.  The movie was OK.  It was Valentine's Day.  I might have liked it more if I didn't miss a lot with bathroom runs.  I took the opportunity to take a picture before we left. 

Rett, Evelyn, and the pillow in the middle is Bailey.

Yesterday, I decided to take a walk while the weather cooperated.  I am noticing my spring flowers starting to come up.  Isn't it a little early? 

While walking, I decided to take a picture of one of the most beautiful historical houses in town.

It is just around the corner from my house.

After my walk, I decided to let the girls free range for the day.  They didn't even wait till I got out of the way.  As soon as I opened their trap door, they ran out and went to town eating all the bugs and foliage they could get hold of.

After my walk, I tried to get some things done, but again, my "issues" got in the way.  Spent most the afternoon sitting and running to bathroom.  Not sure why this is all starting up again.  I have been very careful with my diet.  Maybe my body, after adjusting to the diet, decided to behave the way it is most familiar.  Maybe it doesn't matter what I eat.  Maybe I will have to accept I will be a hermit for the rest of my life.  I don't know. 

This morning, I have an important meeting for my sister Kathy.  Kris will be there.  So, if I do have problems and have to leave, at least Kris will be there to advocate for Kathy.