Santa?

This unintentional Santa (Ms Claus?) was spotted outside the Senior Center in Olympia.

Whispers in the Wind

It's been windy here for a couple weeks, one storm after another. Last night the wind was again filling the air with sound before tangling with the trees. I was about to walk up the hill on a path that takes me through the woods. I paused, hearing something in the wind. I didn't know until that moment that it was a sound I recognized from previous windstorms. It was the sound of trees about to be blown down.

I stood there, thinking it might be dangerous walking through a section of trees that has been losing members in almost every blow. I listened carefully. The brunt of the wind was currently further up and to the west. It was safe to walk through right now. I continued up to the house.

Today I headed down that same path, and found a tree had fallen across my two path alternatives, the fence and the road.

The largest section of tree is across the fence and road. The fence path is the one I often take at night.

The other section is across the inner path, the tops of the branches tangling with another tree that fell a bit further up. This is where I walked up the hill last night. I heard these trees. They whispered to me that they were about to fall.

Wind

Wind sings its way up the hill.

Raven flies across the slope, turns away from the wind, then into it,

Playing in the sky, flying joy into the air.

Trees catch the wind for a moment and learn it's song,

Then join in with a bass note.

Wind moves on.

Air is filled with song.

Jesse's Shelter

Another shelter retarped - and just in time. Didn't get to dry out the bedding, but Jesse doesn't seem to care. Like Charlie, he's quick to show appreciation of work done in his benefit.

Autumn Blows In

We're late! We're late!

It's November, and still sunny in Cascadia!

Come clouds,

Come rain,

We'll fly.

Wind knows the way.

Wind is swift,

Wind is sure.

Wind will carry us,

move us,

and let us settle.

We know we've been missed.

Welcome wind. Welcome clouds. Welcome rain.

Winter has begun.

Car Shelter

I got a propane barbecue through freecycle (ongoing preparations for potential power outages), and decided it needed a dry place to live. The perfect excuse to get a Costco carport for - gasp - my car.

My friend came over again, and this time we got the shelter up in 2-1/2 hours. I believe we are now experts.

And, besides the barbecue, gas canisters, and some charcoal for my hibachi, it also fits my car! I've already experienced the pleasant sensation of unloading my car free from rain and wind.

Mountains in Autumn

Mount Rainier

Mount St. Helens

Driving into a Cloud

On a beautiful, sunny day, driving south towards Olympia. Clear skies, bright sun.

Then, in the distance, a gray-white smudge.

Getting closer, it was obviously a low-flying cloud.

Which enveloped the world, and became fog.