2011

Looking forward to 2011 with my love Kirsty, Alaska, friends (new and old), and family (new and old too!). Peace to you my friends, may 2011 be good to you all.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas my friends!

Peace to all.

Hanging About

Not a lot of blog-worthy events to report, just enjoying the solitude of the walks, good coffee, great scones, and plenty of reading. I'm going to spend a couple more weeks in Ashland, then drive up and see Jamie and Greta in Seattle for a few days. After the 1st, I am driving back to San Diego to spend a few weeks working on my tan before heading off to see the French Alps and my sweetheart, Kirsty! She is managing the Shemshak Lodge ski chalet in Courchevel 1850.

Hanging out in Lithia Park with some fun guys:

Get it? fun guys, fungi. . . Maybe I'm getting cabin fever.

Peace my friends!

Ghost Leaves

I am intrigued by the ghost images left on sidewalks by leaves that have fallen, stayed in one place for a bit, then were blown away, leaving an imprint on the sidewalk. It doesn't happen on all sidewalks, and I don't know how long the image lasts, but I'm guessing it has to weather away as neither rain nor shoes remove the imprint. A reminder to me that even though something is gone, sometimes a part is left behind, at least for a while, as a sign of what had been. Happy birthday, Pops. He would have been 86 today.

I was walking through Lithia Park this morning in 30 degree weather, and as I came around a bend, I saw very wet and cold trees lit up by the sun. The trees looked like they were giving off steam as the sun heated them up.

The park was very wet this morning after the rain and snow we had for the last couple of days. Quiet, wet, and cold. Nice walk, just me, the deer and the blue jays.

My Friends, I hope you soon find some time to enjoy a walk or two.

Peace

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have so much to be thankful for every day. Family and good friends have truly blessed my life!


Peace to you all.

1st Snow in Ashland

I awoke about 4 am to the sound of the wind and rain lashing the trees outside my window. I listened, luxuriating in two of my favorite sounds. After a bit, the sound of the rain stopped as the temperature dropped enough to turn the rain to snow. Dawn slowly revealed the beautiful whiteness of freshly fallen snow. I felt like a kid on a school day, throwing open the window to take it the cold and snow!

Snow is falling, lightly at first. Then it started coming down in larger flakes as the temperature went down to the high 20s.

No sitting in this chair with a coffee this morning!

 Leaf on my window sill.

In case you forgot what I looked like.

Peace my friends!

Walking in the Rain...Or Not

The weather in Ashland changes like, well, the weather. One minute it is cloudy and dripping, then it is sunny, then windy. Or, sometimes, all three at the same time. The weather can be 180 degrees different from one side of the valley to the other. Makes for an exciting walking environment.

The folks I have seen in Ashland are, and not really wanting to use a broad brush on them all, seeming a bit more at ease than other places I have visited. Happier? I don't know, but folks seem genuinely pleasant, happy to see you, or help with a question. And tourist season is over! Maybe its all the dope they smoke up here. Ok, I haven't really smelled any ganja, but a lot of folks seem like they recently visited their local medical marijuana store for a refill on their prescription. Whatever the reason, it is a nice feeling.

Walking around everywhere is a different feel for me. This is the first place I have been where I did not, at least, have a car I could use. But Ashland is a nice town to walk about, and I am enjoying it immensely. Or is it immensely enjoying it? Which version am I hanging a participle or dangling a modifier, or some other such crime against proper English? Frank?

This person is a little behind on his/her leaf raking.

A few Buddhas under my back stairs. Gotta love it!

I was startled by two black tail deer grazing on a bush next to the sidewalk I was walking on. One looked at me like "what, never seen a deer before?" before he went back to nibbling.

Seriously.

More amazing leaves. Here from a tree called Forest Pansy. No snickering from the boys in the back row.

What walking around leads me to. Not sure why this is here, but would like to find out.

Whatever works, dude.

View to the east while walking one day. Dry, sunny hills. Next. . .

I turn to the west and see the rain coming down (it is starting to rain on me as well).

A monument to recycling in someone's yard.  Folks are very big on that here. Very. Big.

Abiding in Ashland my friends!

Peace.

A Riot of Color

I took a walk in Lithia Park today and was amazed at the colors of the leaves! Fall is in full throat here and the leaves are falling all over town. As I was starting my walk, I was looking up and admiring the yellow leaves. A gust of wind blew and it started raining leaves all around me. I made a pathetic attempt to capture some of the leaves with my camera, but I seemed to have lost a step since my eagle capture in Alaska. Must be all those scones and bread I ate in Europe. The park is a wonderful, peaceful place. I will spend many hours in this park, absorbing the good energy. Enjoy the colors my friends!

So many leaves! There is something fun about walking through the leaves, kicking them about. Brings back memories of oh, so long ago.

Here is my pathetic attempt at capturing the fallen leaves (the blurry ones).

The shades of reds, yellows and oranges seemed infinite.

Nice of the city to let us know!

The park follows the Ashland River.

Nose bleed height!

Stunning colors!

I stumbled upon this amazing, natural "rock garden" deep in the woods. It must have taken millions of years for the wind, water and ice to carve these unique structures. Truly an enchanted place.

This isn't in the park, but is where I am staying for a few months. The inside walls are still the original brick walls. More on Ashland later after I get a better feel for the place. One thing I noticed is that cars stop for anyone within 3 feet of a crosswalk. Both sides of the street. Kinda militant about it.

Peace.