Archives for category: Seasons

Green Autumn

November 13, 2014 //

We’ve had a green autumn in Oklahoma. I don’t remember having a mild summer (well, for us), followed by a very warm fall before. We’ve had some autumns when our trees turned brown too quickly because of the hot summer. This year, hmmm.

It’s November and the temperatures have been in the 70s and 80s. I’m not sure we’ve even had a hard freeze. About a week ago, the maple tree in my front yard burst into color…finally.

This week, the temperature was almost 80 on Monday and, then, it dropped overnight to freezing. On Wednesday, we woke up with winds and temps in the 20s. When the wind blew, my maple dropped its leaves. That was typical. But…in my back yard, some of the trees hadn’t even turned yet and there was a flurry of leaves falling…all green. I’ve never seen a green autumn before. Oh well. Not much to say…we went from one extreme to the other. As Will Rogers said, “If you don’t like the weather in Oklahoma, wait a minute and it’ll change.”

Tags autumn, Oklahoma, weather, Will Rogers

Categories Reflections, Seasons

The Importance of the Pumpkin Patch

October 20, 2014 //

My husband was a man, a big kid actually, who loved Halloween and everything about it. Every fall, we drove out into the country, when it didn’t take so long to find the bare countryside, to look for the perfect pumpkins. Everybody had to have their own, with his being the biggest one. This was one of those holidays when I was along for the ride because I wasn’t good at making costumes and he was in charge of the carving and I just made popcorn balls and caramel apples and handed out the treats on the big night while he walked the streets with the kids and other fathers in the neighborhood.

We didn’t take as many photos in those days of film and flashbulbs, but I treasure the ones I have, especially now that my husband and son are both gone. I’m pretty sure they have pumpkins in heaven however. No doubt in my mind that they are getting ready for the big night in whatever afterlife they inhabit. By the time our grandchildren were born, the pumpkin patch had expanded with animals and rides and photo ops galore. Taking the grandkids to the patch was a way to keep my own kids’ memories alive and well. So there are lots of pictures of these kids, now in high school, getting their pumpkins, just as their parents did.

And their parents take pictures that are part of the family tradition, the things that remind us of the best of times and hold us together in all times. All my grandchildren are in middle school or high school now, except for the youngest, my son’s daughter. He went to the patch with his nephews and niece when he was in college…And took his own daughter for her first visit, his last before he died. She gets to go back now, following family traditions, making her own. They say that all we can really give our children are memories, and these are some of the best. These days I look at my family and go back to look at the years that have done by way too quickly and I’m strengthened by the continuity of the traditions and the love I see in the photos. The Pumpkin Patch is important in our family, but so are other traditions. We can all make our own…and should.

Tags family, Pumpkin Patch, traditions

Categories Events, Family, Holidays, Memories, Photography, Reflections, Seasons

Okie in Oregon #3

October 13, 2014 //

It was hard to leave the central coast of Oregon but time to come back. I never tire of watching the waves crash around me, so we went up the coast to get back to Portland this time. One more look at crashing waves, please. We drove up the coast, leaving Highway 101 to hit the coast drive to Cape Kiwanda… and Cape Lookout, both with their views and beach warning signs. Believe me, I wasn’t planning on going off any cliffs.The final Cape was Cape Meares, which was the most delightful of all. Besides the views…there was the Octopus Tree, a 300 year old Sitka Spruce tree that fits into my memorable trees collection.And the shortest lighthouse, at 38 feet, on the coast.My tour was interesting, giving me insight into the life and work of the lighthouse men of our past. Not an easy job. This one had the original glass for the clear sections, beautiful in the sunshine. We headed back to Highway 101, stopping in Tillamook, where barn quilts decorate buildings all over town. I wasn’t familiar with this until this summer, so now I’m looking for them when I travel. Here are a few I saw. I can’t go to Oregon without getting Tillamook Ice Cream, the creamiest ever. Besides they have wonderful flavors like Marionberry Pie and Huckleberry. Tillamook Cheese is a destination, a farmers’ co-op where you can watch the cheese being made, shop and eat, tasting all the flavors of ice cream, milk and cheese. I can get the cheese at home, but not the ice cream! I always have to stop, joining the crowds who share my passion.Our next stop was at one of the amazing beaches in the world, Cannon Beach, home of Haystack Rock. On this particular day, it was sunny and warm. People were sunbathing in Oregon in October. I had to stop at both ends of the beach for the beautiful views of the rock. Here’s looking from the south to north. And north to south with the rock shining in the late afternoon sun. You can’t imagine how big this thing is. And how big the beach is. Incredibly beautiful. And fun.I got a clear shot of Tillamook Lighthouse, perched on its lonely, dangerous rock, from the beach, looking north.Although I could have dawdled all day on the beach, we were trying to reach Astoria by dark, so we headed north. It was late in the day, but we were able to go to the top of the hill where the Astoria Column, concrete carved with the history of the region, sits. I was too tired to climb the 168 steps to the top, but the views from below were incredible and the column is an incredible piece of art.Looking towards Astoria, you see the bridge that takes you from Oregon to Washington, and you feel chills thinking of the Lewis & Clark expedition charting these waters. Looking to the view, where the mighty Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean is breathtaking in its importance. On the other side of the hill, the Youngs River and the Lewis & Clark River enter Youngs Bay before joining the Columbia. The charming city of Astoria is the oldest settlement in America west of the Rockies. I’ll return for more. I did love the trash cans in Astoria, symbolic of one of the major industries of the area.We headed east to Portland, leaving the coast behind us. The next day, we went into Portland for the underground tour, which was very little underground, but a lot of colorful history of the wild and wooly days of early Portland. Very fun.I’ve been to Portland various times in the past five years, enjoying the diversity and casualness of this beautiful city. We had a wonderful tea and late lunch in one of the few Chinese restaurants left in Chinatown. I really wanted the Hung Farlow to still be open, but they are saving the sign. Portland has the signs saying “Keep Portland Weird,” just as Austin has signs that beg us to “Keep Austin Weird.” I’m thinking “weird” is just a word for being open to everything. There were more homeless than I remembered from my last visit, but just as many colorful people, trying to be as weird as possible or to fit in however they can. It’s part of the charm really. We finished our tour and joined local friends for a fun Thai dinner, watching the sport of Sepak Takraw, a combination of hackey sack and volleyball, on the television. We’d passed the famous Voodoo doughnut place on our tour, but stopped at the second location on the other side of the river to stock up on the notorious doughnuts. We HAD to have this Portland experience and included one Voodoo man doughnut in our box for fun. The next day, our final day in Oregon, we traveled to Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood. It was a beautiful day, warm even at 6,000 feet, and the views were spectacular.Timberline is an old WPA lodge and everything inside is hand made from local materials, including the furniture, drapes, hand wrought iron, carvings. The building, used in the opening shots of “The Shining,” is a tribute to the craftsmen and women who worked in the program, not only grateful for jobs during the depression but showing deep pride in their creations. It was a total delight. The six-sided fireplace, made of local rocks, runs up through the three stories of the main lobby, with three fireplaces on two levels.I loved the scenes carved in linoleum on the walls of a meeting room.The views of Mt Jefferson and Mt St Helens in the distance were lovely.And the mists over the hills gave us the layers of blue against the clear sky. The top of Mt Hood was rocky, but they continue to manicure the dusty snow for the skiers we passed coming and going up the mountain.Our Oregon trip ended with meals with friends before we headed back to Oklahoma the next day. This Okie left with more lovely Oregon memories to fill my senses. Okie in Oregon. That’s me.

Tags Astoria, Astoria Column, Cape Kiwanda, Cape Lookout, Cape Meares, Mt. Hood, Portland, Tillamook, Timberline Lodge, Voodoo doughnuts

Categories Friends, Memories, Nature, Photography, Places, Reflections, Seasons, Travel, Uncategorized

Okie in Oregon #2

October 12, 2014 //

Traveling coastal Oregon along Highway 101, there are signs that we just don’t see in Oklahoma. We have tornadoes, earthquakes, and thunderstorms, but we don’t have tsunamis. Everywhere you go, there are warnings and I find myself trying to figure out how I’m going to get high enough to escape the giant waves. In Oregon, the forests reach the coast, often on high cliffs. You’d have to scramble to get up, up, up!

The “run like hell” sign is a joke, but that’s basically what you do. Not to be messed with. But most of the highway is delightful and scenic with beaches and trails around every turn, different each time you visit.

I love the beauty of Florida beaches with their smooth white sands, unique shells, gorgeous sunsets, and warm sun, but there is a dangerous element with the Oregon beaches that brings ever-changing surprises. You never know what the beach will hold. This year, we had the mildest, most perfect weather imaginable with only a few hours of drizzle preceded and followed by warm sun and calm seas. You still enter every beach by passing by the instructions and warnings for visiting. And then, you’re at the ocean on small beaches, long beaches, wide beaches. Surfers, beachcombers, sunbathers, picnickers, dogs and children. Perfect beaches. Coming from Oklahoma, I eat all the fresh seafood I can get. I haven’t had a bad meal on the coast yet. Here are some of my favorite places that we add to our list every time. There’s Mo’s with locations up and down the coast, but we like the one at Otter Creek. Mo’s is famous for their clam chowder, but a friend had a wonderful Oregon shrimp sandwich.Gracie’s Sea Hag in Depoe Bay is right on Highway 101 and our favorite place on a Saturday night, eating in the bar, when there is entertainment, dancing, and bartenders playing tunes on the liquor bottles. It’s a perfect seaside vibe, right across the street from the sea wall. We have several favorites in Newport, although I’m sure there are many more. Lunch at Port Dock One is a must because your dining companions are sea lions, at least in the fall, when the males come up from California and you can be seated right beside them. They are constantly entertaining, but then I don’t have to listen to them all day. The food is good, too!I love Gino’s, with the owners from a fishing family. The popcorn shrimp is delicious and the soups scrumptious. It’s on the bay front without a water view, but they make up for it with their masses of colorful buoys. It’s clean, fun, good. Love Gino’s. And you HAVE to stop on Highway 101, south of the Newport bridge for crab. It’s a fish market, restaurant, convenience store combo. Yum. For the nicest dinner possible, go to Depoe Bay and visit Tidal Raves, again on Highway 101. You must have a reservation as there are few tables, but an outstanding view and incredible food. I love the Seahawk bread, which could be a meal in itself, and the Rock Fish. Oh my.
If it’s raining or you’re just in Lincoln City, sit near the fireplace at Pier 101 for more seafood! Can you ever get enough when you’re on the coast? I had the Cedar Plank Salmon, which was crusted with a maple bourbon sauce. Need I say more?
Enough with the food. I’m ready to fly back now, although I have to admit that I went for a hamburger as soon as I got home to beef country. Oregon is known for its greens, forests of pine trees carpeted with masses of ferns and decorated with moss and lichens. The coast gives you the contrast of the blues of the ocean with the colorful nautical elements. Besides the buoys, there are the crab cages stacked by the fishing boats and the containers ready for the ships in port in Newport.

The famous bridges designed by Conde B. McCullough are elegant in their Art Deco beauty. I discovered the one in Florence on this trip, but they are everywhere in the state, including Newport. Here’s the one in Florence.
North of Florence is Cape Perpetua with cliffs, forests and extraordinary views. The park encompasses the mountain and the coast for a sample of the natural wonders of the state. With the Heceta Head lighthouse at the south end The view from the point is endless, especially from the World War II lookout where you can stare out to the open seas.Back along Highway 101, you can see the raging wonders of The Devil’s Churn, where the waters froth like fresh cream… …The Spouting Horn spurts up as the waves rush in……and the pounding waves sink into Thor’s Well in an ever fascinating rush of water.

Our glorious days on the Oregon coast ended with a different sunset every evening…

…and our final night in Depoe Bay found us watching half a dozen whales spouting and leaping in the orange waves. The perfect ending to our days on the Oregon coast.

Watch my blog for our final days of this trip.

Tags Cape Perpetua, Depoe Bay, Devil's Churn, Florence, Gino's, Lincoln City, Newport, Pier 101, Port Dock One, The Spouting Horn, Thor's Well, Tidal Raves

Categories Friends, Memories, Nature, Photography, Places, Reflections, Seasons, Travel, Uncategorized

Okie in Oregon #1

October 11, 2014 //

This Okie girl likes to travel just about anywhere, near or far from home. On my third fall vacation on the Oregon coast, I found my favorite places, discovered new ones, and brought home all the photos and memories I could jam into 12 days.

My friends and I fly into Portland to spend the night before heading for the coast. Our traditional beginning is to stop at the fruit and vegetable stand and stock up for the week. It’s not that we don’t have good fresh items at home, but it’s fun to see the bounty of Oregon. The fruits and vegetables delight, as do the dahlias. We see fields of them blooming, ready for picking in September.

This year, we stopped for some wine tastings along the way. The vineyards are gorgeous and lush in the Oregon valleys, even with the droughts that have plagued the state. We visited Raptor Ridge, Adelsheim, and Stoller – all wonderful vintners whom I have worked with in Oklahoma. It was fun to see their vineyards in person. Not only are the vineyards and orchards full of ripe fruits, but the hazelnut harvest is underway in the fall.Our other favorite stop is always Farmer John’s for some strawberry shortcake and more fruits and vegetables in another beautiful Oregon valley.

On the way out, we noticed this reminder of the fires that are always a threat to this beautifully wooded state.Our next stop is the ocean, traveling through valleys that end with the sea, heading south to Depoe Bay, located on the central Oregon coast, our headquarters and home for the next week. The sun was shining, the air was warm and our view of our little cove on the north end of Depoe Bay’s sea wall was magical.It was a homecoming this time, all of us familiar with the setting. We spotted whales from our balcony, spouting close by. That was a first for us, even though this is the whale watching capital of the world. Our day ended with the sunset seen from the sea wall before we headed to the comfort of The Spouting Horn, overlooking the world’s smallest harbor, for our first taste of seafood, followed by homemade pie. I had Marionberry pie because I can’t get that at home. The lady who makes the pies is in her 80s and I take advantage of her skills at every opportunity. We ended our first day in front of the fire, enjoying the warmth as the evening cooled. We were back in Oregon, ready for our next adventures. I woke early the next morning and went walking along the point, looking back to see the fog come in over Depoe Bay. This Okie girl feels right at home, even though it couldn’t be further from my beloved Oklahoma. It has a special place in my heart.

Come back for more Oregon adventures tomorrow.

Tags Adelsheim, Depoe Bay, Farmer John's, Oregon, Raptor Ridge, Stoller, The Spouting Horn

Categories Friends, Nature, Places, Reflections, Seasons, Travel

Missouri Meanderings

August 2, 2014 //

Road trips teach you so much about the country you travel, letting you enjoy the scenery and absorb the flavors of the communities you pass through. I always think of the first people to explore these areas and what they saw, the thick woods, the flowing rivers, the mountains and plains, pure in their abundance, beautiful in their vistas, frightening in their scope. What courage, or ignorance, they brought on their journeys.

My recent trip through Missouri was full of summer beauty from the Ozarks to the Mississippi. Missouri borders my home state of Oklahoma and neighboring Arkansas, so the scenery is familiar to me, but recent rains and the July bounty made it a lush vista to view as we traveled through.

First stop was in Springfield, a wonderful city where I saw this sign that seemed so perfect for the area……and ate a delicious steakburger and fries in this landmark stop.Leaving the interstates, which is the best way to explore and enjoy, it was mowing time and the hay bales, now round instead of the familiar rectangles, gave a somewhat festive design to fields we passed……and even the medians.We stopped in Fulton to visit the campus of Westminster College, where two of my children graduated. The Winston Churchill Memorial, where Winston Churchill gave his famous Iron Curtain speech now is the home of a piece of the Berlin Wall, repurposed into a sculpture by Churchill’s granddaughter and a Christopher Wren designed chapel. The church bells chimed and I smiled at how that wakes the students across the campus early in the morning.I walked up the hill to the columns which my daughter and son both walked through twice, as they entered as Freshmen and as they graduated, a Westminster tradition. I’m not sure what it is about columns on Missouri campuses, as there is a similar set on the campus of the University of Missouri, 25 miles away.Heading north to Hannibal, we left the southern Missouri Ozark regions and headed into the agricultural fields nurtured by the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. It’s almost harvest time and the corn was high, rippling off into the horizons to the rolling hills beyond. Soybeans were the other crop we saw bursting in the fields.
In Hannibal, we traveled the Mississippi by riverboat, feeling the pull of the river’s strength and its ability to lull you along on a summer day. Eagles rested in trees… …and barges were pushed along by trusty boats like the Sir Randall with its two-man crew.Signs of times gone by when the frozen river was cut up and the ice stored in straw until summer when it could be used for ice cream.We left Hannibal for St. Louis, choosing to travel the road along the river.This route took us along the river for beautiful scenic outlooks, starting with Lovers Leap which showed the layers of the bluffs along the river……and gave us lovely views of the river’s twists and turns.Far below us in our view of the swollen river, we spotted a bit of a town and a cemetery that seems to have survived the rages of the river.The reality of living along the river was apparent when we explored the town of Clarksville…which boasts that you can touch the Mississippi there. I did put my feet in, but the river was high as evidenced by the sandbagging that lined the streets closest to the water.The richness of the soil was shown as the road took us once again into the rich farmlands with corn stretching as far as we could see. We came around a bend and spotted this house, deserted and surrounded by corn.A road took us into the cornfield for a closer look at the other side with an overgrown yard of flowers.Across the road was this once beautiful home.I wonder what stories these two places, surrounded by the corn, could tell.We reached St. Louis, where stories of history awaited.On our way home, we stopped by a roadside stand, back in the Ozarks of Missouri and bought some of the summer fare to take home and enjoy a Missouri meal. We grow all these things in Oklahoma, too, but it was a nice finish to our short trip through Missouri, where we were treated like the neighbors we are.Happy summer travels!

Tags Clarksville, corn, Mississippi River, Missouri, Springfield, Taylor's

Categories Places, Reflections, Seasons, Travel

Tears and Cheers

May 16, 2014 //

May is the traditional graduation month for everyone from preschoolers to graduate school. This month, my daughter-in-law has finished nursing school and is now a licensed LPN and two of my grandsons are moving on to high school. Everyone else is moving up a grade, just not such a milestone. It’s the season of recitals and commencements, a time to celebrate what has been accomplished in the school year.

I’m a sucker for these things, smiling through welling eyes, as proud as anyone can be. I wish I had the guts to jump up like the lady behind me today and shout, “That’s my grandson,” when her smiling boy received a special award. I’m a little more restrained by upbringing and by nature. But I appreciate the emotion and smile with her and understand completely.

As a grandmother, I’m feeling the same and different emotions than I did at my own children’s achievements. I’m proud for the grandchildren and mostly glad that I can be here to share their achievements. I’m proud of and for my children, too. It’s a richness of emotions.

Then there’s that feeling of time flying by, that gratefulness for what you’ve been given and the nagging question of how many more of these you will get to see. I’ve got a four year old granddaughter and I keep in my heart all the time that I’d like to be here when she gets out of college. I’ll be about 82. Not out of the realm of possibility with my genetics, but never a sure thing. I’m bound and determined to keep up with the grandkids and be as healthy as I can to enjoy everything to the fullest. That needs to be my mission in life – watching my health. Not always my priority, but should be. Reminding myself again now.

Anyway, here’s to May when we share tears and cheers with those we celebrate and make all their achievements our own, when we even celebrate those we don’t know because we’re proud for them and for their families. We come together to celebrate some of the best emotions that life gives us. What a joyous season!

Tags graduations, recitals

Categories Events, Family, Reflections, Seasons

Ode to California

May 13, 2014 //

California – I keep going back there. Not that it’s the most beautiful state or has the greatest history or the greatest people or the greatest anything other than maybe the greatest diversity of everything. I’ve traveled all over it in winter, summer and spring, seen it in its many colors, met the people along the way. It’s a place where everything changes as you go down the road. You leave a city and are in a desert or on a mountain or on the shore. It’s got it all in one big melting pot of people who vary from region to region. California could be three or four states, each individual. It’s bounded by the Sierras on the east and the Pacific on the west with bountiful valleys and mountain ranges in between.

After driving over 1,800 miles around the state in the last few weeks, here are some of my favorite spring images that speak better than I can write.

In the Spring, the hills that are golden in the summer have a fresh green…

El Mirage still holds that never catchable lake in the distance…

Death Valley is still desolate…

…but there are flowers where only baked rocks exist in the heat of summer.

The Sierras suddenly come into view, rising out of the ground in a never ending ridge north.

And skiers rush to mountains that received 22 inches of snow the night before – in April and May… There’s the perfection of Lake Tahoe…

the beauty of the Sierras with the spring thaw filling the creeks and rivers… …and flowers that bring color to the hills.The buildings of the little mining towns give a sense of the excitement of the history of the area from San Francisco to Sacramento to Nevada. You can visualize the wagon trains, the Pony Express riders, the stagecoaches, and the first railroads that brought people from the east. You can see the places Mark Twain made famous and picture the characters who lived this life.

And then you reach the coast and its giant Coastal Redwoods. My visit to Muir Woods was a complement to my visits to Yosemite and the Sequoias in past visits.And then it’s the California coast, from the bay area… …to the beaches…from Pacifica to kite surfing and sailboarding meccas… to sunsets…to Big Sur in all its beauty…

The wildlife is abundant, seals, otters, whales, and the ever delightful elephant seals……and animals we were promised but never saw…
Southern California beaches had birds and dunes to climb… Here’s to the best restaurant name ever – in Lompoc. Too bad it closed.And back to Los Angeles, city of dreams, freeways, and endless fascination.Cheers to California with all its natural wonders, it bounty of natural resources, and the people who make it even more interesting. Spring with the California poppies blooming everywhere is truly a delight.

Tags Bay Area, Big Sur, California, Lompoc, Los Angeles, Muir Woods

Categories History, Nature, Places, Reflections, Seasons, Travel

Spring is Here

April 18, 2014 //

Today, Good Friday, I’m going way back to a poem I wrote in 4th grade. Enjoy!

Spring is Here

Spring is here, the grass is green;

Fish are bubbling in a spring;

Frogs come out of their beds of mud,

Tiny leaves are all in bud.

Birds are singing in the trees,

Singing in the gentle breeze.

Spring is when the tulips come,

And the bees begin to hum,

Stars shine brightly in the sky;

Mother sings a lullaby.

Round the maypole, round we go,

Turning this way, to and fro.

Spring is here; let’s give a cheer!

Tags Good Friday, poem, spring

Categories Memories, Nature, Reflections, Seasons

Raking Leaves

March 16, 2014 //

It’s almost Spring officially and I’d put off raking the leaves covering my flower beds as long as I could, so I enlisted the help of my 4 year old granddaughter and went at it. She learned to use the leaf blower, which was fun for her but she didn’t have much of a plan for blowing other than the laugh out loud joy of making the leaves fly. She was better at raking until she said she was sweaty…

While I made a big pile, all the time thinking I probably should have done this last fall even though I hauled bags of leaves out then, she decided to make a nest, feathering it with plumes from an ornamental grass and sticks. This was quite the project and she absolutely did have a vision for this.

While I raked, she nested, finally taking a fake nap for my benefit.

It’s ok that I didn’t get these raked last fall. We uncovered tulips about to bloom and made room for the other spring plants to reach out to the sun now that the temperatures are getting above freezing. In the fall, she jumps in the piles. In the spring, she makes a nest. I wonder if that’s some primal instinct.

I was thinking about raking leaves when I was her age. We had a big brick incinerator in our back yard where we burned them. You can’t burn leaves in the city now, but the smell of those burning leaves stays with me. I do miss that smell, a smell of my childhood.

We stirred up a lot with our leaf play. A lot of dust and smells, a lot of imagination, and a lot of memories.

Tags fall, leaves, raking leaves, spring

Categories Family, Memories, Nature, Reflections, Seasons

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