Saturday Morning in Vernonia

This morning I woke up with renewed determination that I was getting outside to walk around the lake fairly early. I thought I would write a quick blog for my www.leangreencafe.blogspot.com site while the bath water ran. When in the photo sharing mood, I tried to add the picture in this blog for my title page. The two colors at the top of the photo gave me trouble in choosing a color for the title and blog description. After saving the colors and re-editing many times, I finally chose the mother Merganser duck with her ducklings for the title page, and am sharing my first choice in this blog. Now that it's eleven o'clock, and I am really hungry for breakfast, I am reminded of my nagging realization that to even open my laptop is counterproductive in getting my exercise in. It is too tempting for me to write or work, or to correspond with family or friiends. I think because I am single, and live in a small town, my need for social life tends to prioritize itself. I can't tell you what a struggle it is to discipline myself against the rationalization of 'I'll just see what is going on in my email and my blogs."

The snow has mainly melted, which after the 2 feet with freezing rain within the layers, is a huge relief. The town of Vernonia and surrounding areas of Birkenfeld and Mist readied themselves for flooding with the warmer temps, melting snow and all the rain received. We have avoided more flooding for the most part, though the pastures and puddles seen from Highway 47 going towards the Scappoose/St. Helens turnoff are reminders how angry the chocolate waters of the Nehalem River can be. Poor Washington already had huge amounts of snowfall, and the rain clouds shifted North to cause flooding and mudslides there. I noticed a very large Rhododendron in my neighbor's yard that became uprooted and fell over with all the saturated ground after the weight of the snow. There is ample cleanup to do after this winter spell.

The lake froze over except for a small middle place where the ducks seemed to congregate, while remaining wary of the hunting bald eagles. It struck me that many unemployed Americans probably feel like this scene, in that life is getting more difficult and fraught with economic edges closing in. (A neighbor of mine said only I could see the political irony in a picture like that.) I saw this scene amid giant snowflakes when I walked around the lake one morning a couple of weeks ago. I laughed aloud, it was so beautiful. I was also reminded of the forest treks I made as a youngster in the Spokane, Washington woods, alone and immersed in the beauty of Nature. I am amazed at how much time I spent alone as a child, being the second of ten children, but life at home was not pleasant. I'll include a poem I wrote about those forest treks very soon. For now, it's about jumping in the tub to warm my bones, drinking an energizing cocoa protein/rice milk drink I shake up in a pint jar, taking my Vivix tonic and walking around the lake.
Best to you,
Pamela