Laughing With Mother Nature

        I don’t know which Easter – two years ago I think – when I learned the resurrection rolls (some call them tomb rolls) from Emily Belle Freeman (In one of the Easter videos that she did with David Butler)  Neither David Butler nor I had ever heard of the disappearing marshmallow treat.  They souned good along with symbolic message and I tried them. 

          I vaguely remember explained the symbols as I held up the marshmallow and said that it would represent Jesus’ body and that we would symbolically prepare the body in oil (melted butter) and fine spices (cinnamon and sugar) and dress His body (the crescent roll or biscuit or whatever I happened to use) and when we opened the oven His body would no longer be inside.  I don’t know what recipe I used. 

          Yesterday I decided that I would surprise the other two as they slept, I would prepare the rolls so that they would be ready when Richard and Jaime arose.  They looked like small rolls going in, but quite disastrous coming out – more representations of the stone that had rolled away leaving several muddy trails.  I didn’t even think to take pictures of my step by step process.  When I decided I would blog about this, there was only one roll left.  And it actually does look appealing as a cookie.  But it is not a cookie but a deflated roll. 

          The results of my tomb rolls were not near as bad as the cold weather that was far from spring in air quality – though we have had signs of blossoms and new growth.  I admire the courage of the plants that have broken through despite the painful bites of the elements.  I  don’t remember such a cold Easter. Couldn’t tell that from today. 

Mother Nature’s April Fool’s joke.

Science Fiction Vibes

         Yesterday Richard decided he wanted to drive to Ashland to take some watches to a vendor – though I didn’t think it necessary to make a special trip.  I told him we should pray about the decision to go – afterall the nation is experiencing untamed weather, we are still not receiving local news and perhaps we should remain at home. 

          I took the closed pumps as a sign.  We had gone to four different gas stations before finding one that still had gas.  They expect they will run out today.  Oh, my word!  I feel like I’m living in a Sci-Fi.  It’s been raining non-stop.  It’s a wonder that we don’t have a lake in our backyard.  On the plus side our grass is very green.

Gray and Dismal

 

Almost every morning

I will look out the window

and notice that the sky

and much of the scenery

have seemed to disappear.

 

Gradually the fog will lift

and the scenery will start

to show along with the sky. 

 

It is passed noon and

there is still a hollow and

pale gray lingering where

the sky normally hangs. 

 

It is dismal and wet. 

I would like to see

some color.

Lost in the Sauce

 When we lived in West Valley

I rarely used covers at night

Maybe 10 times a year

Maybe

Even after we moved here

And I would fall asleep on

The recliner,

Richard would cover me

But the covers would come off

Long before morning

And then we moved into a

Different house

And suddenly my toes were always

Cold

And so I would keep them

Covered

But lately it seems like I

Am covering all of me.

I think the earth is spinning

Nearer to the sun and then

To the other extreme

So far away from the sun that

Its always cold

Hard to imagine that just over

six weeks ago I was complaining

about the heat.

Ten weeks ago it was in the

Three digits in California

We had moved to Oregon for

The constancy – which

We have never had.

I don’t want three digits and

Then near freezing (or

Below freezing) 

At this point I don’t

Think it even matters

In what state or nation

Autumn is still producing

Gorgeous colors

That’s nice.

There’s a perk.

Blue Skies, Black Clouds and Fog

          Driving to Roseburg yesterday seemed almost like driving into the Twilight Zone – sort of a slow strobe effect. 

Mist    

disappearing scenery  

blue skies  

inviting sign  

just kidding          

dark clouds          

is that smoke or rain?      

sunny blue sky above the dark clouds         

fog again    

cold bleakness     

inviting warmth     

all within a matter of minutes   

so surreal

This is just our neighborhood.  The change
was a lot more drastic going to Roseburg. 
Bluer sky and darker clouds.

God Said "No"

 Jaime said she would not have classes today

or tomorrow and

could I come get her?

but she would need to return on

Saturday as she has tickets

to see a play.

An hour and a half is not that far

But gas prices are outrageous.

Perhaps I could just spend a 

few nights in Ashland.

Richard said it was okay.  

We prayed about our decision.

John Mayer did not reveal a

promising forecast - though 

yesterday did seem more driveable

than it is currently.

I went and got my hair done yesterday

and was talking to my hair dresser

who also advised against driving down

with all those mountain passes to go through.

What mountains?  

I'm from Utah.  

Those are just hills.

Snow is/was in the hills.

It melts pretty quickly.

Too cold to snow.

But not too cold to freeze.

And it has rained.

I could slip on ice.

Or another car could slip

into me.

So many drivers seem to be

in a hurry.

I wouldn't be in a hurry.

I would be hitting every rest stop

between here and Ashland

the way I had hit

every rest stop between Myrtle

Creek and the Young Women's 

camp that was located outside of 

Eugene.  I made it there

Surely I could make it to Ashland.

But it was better weather when I had

retrieved Jaime from camp back in

2019 (here).  It was in June - before 

the outlandish weather that seemed 

to come along side the pandemic.

Both Jaime and I were looking forward

to the possibility of my coming for a visit.

The warning signs are there.

The answer was "No" 

at least this time around.

Mystic Skies, Heat and Snow

     You know it's hot when Richard is the one who suggests to open a window or turn on the fan.  Surprisingly I don't think I felt as warm as he did.  I was comfortable and in no hurry to leave the bed.  Perhaps 20 min or so had passed before I decided to get up and open the window at least a crack.  I also threw his pajama top over the vent - he must have been hot!

    This morning I noticed the box had been moved from the vent in the bathroom.  I will have to find something less bulky.  But as for now the window remains open.  True there is a chill - but I have put on a long sleeve shirt.  The scenery is so pretty outside

.

NOT the Triple Digits

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/100-million-heat-warnings-dangerous-record-breaking-heatwave/

While I feel for a huge population in the nation right now, I feel quite blessed to have had my windows open allowing the cool air to come in.  That can be done from midnight to about 10:30 and then it starts warming up – but not to the triple digits – at least not thus far.  I really do feel bad for those who are currently experiencing extreme heat as I have been there before.

The weather has been really nice – although today may be the last day.  It looks overcast like the sky wants to rain.  I LOVE this temperature (60 degrees Fahrenheit) and wish it could just stay this way always.  I don’t even mind if the skies are grey if the weather will stay as it is. 

The only number I would like to see in the triple digits is a daily addition to my bank account.

What Strange Weather

 I feel like it is a safe guess

to say that my family has been

to Yellowstone at least 15 times

from the time I was born and up

until my father’s death. 

 

I remember fires having

closed Yellowstone Park –

but never flooding. 

This weather has been so strange.

I know that I mentioned

how tired I get

each time the wind blows. 

I don’t know why it has sent me

into a coma so often – like

I’m taking sleeping pills that

knock me out into another week. 

The fact that it really does happen

is strange.

 

I also get hot

whenever it rains. 

When I am sound asleep and

the rain is pounding

on the roof, it is not the

sound that wakes me up. 

 

It is the rising temperature

in my body. 

Why does it do that? 

Why would I get hot when

the rain itself is so cold? 

That is also strange.

 

I never referred to the summer

as “fire season” until

I moved to Oregon. 

The first exposure I had to it was

the year 2015 when

we first moved to Oregon. 

 
I don’t remember the fire marker

being set to low in

July through September.

I don’t recall our first exposure to

 smoke and haze until

August of 2015 when we

chose to explore Grants Pass. 

It has been smoky most Augusts that

we have assisted at the pear farm

in Medford.  Strange.

 

And now it’s wet. 

Wetter than I remember Oregon

being this late in June –

if at all. 

I don’t wish to see fire season delayed. 

I would like to not see it at all. 

Or smell it. 

Or breath it. 

 

https://www.oregonlive.com/wildfires/2017/
09/the_worst_wildfires_in_oregon.html

I want to stay safe. 

I want the weather to stay cool. 

I like the 50 – 60 temperatures. 

I don’t like the constant vacillation of

“today will be in the low 40s but may

end in the high 80s.”

  That isn’t nice!

I Can’t Believe I am 60 now

 Ever since Jaime was born, I knew that I would be 60 years of age at the time my baby graduates.  I am 60 today.  She graduates on Friday. Wow.

The weather has been perfect.  But my allergies have not been.  I haven’t enjoyed the day as much as I would like.  As of now, I don’t plan on attending church tomorrow.  Perhaps I shouldn’t have done so in the first place.  Perhaps I would be over this.  Perhaps.  I still don’t know for sure.

Richard did make a cake for my birthday.  Perhaps he shouldn't have as he has been really good with his diet until today. Jaime and I watched Soul.  I played a few games on the kindle.  Not much celebrating.  

Black Clouds and Blue Skies

 

         So many times I have heard people say “If you don’t like the weather in ______ stick around for five minutes and it will change.”  And it does.

 

         I was having lunch with some friends on Saturday.  We chose to eat outside as the air felt nice and warm enough to enjoy.  Carol and I both noticed black clouds hanging to one side, and yet the skies were blue with moving white clouds to the other.  Seems like the blackness pushed its way into the blue which caused a gray –

And OH . . .

So much wind.

Without warning, the wind blew debris over us.  It looked like it was black hail falling upon us – and twigs in our food.  We decided to move indoors right before it started to rain!

I remember feeling hot that very morning.

 

So we really have had warm and cold experiences within the matter of minutes.  I find myself dressing in shorts and sweat shirts figuring at least half of me will be protected.

What?????

 Last week when Roland left the house, it was always below freezing.  This week it will be in the low 50's.  Are you kidding me?  I am going to die come summer.  If I look at 40s and 50s as "no coat" weather, how am I going to survive 90 and triple digits.  I'm not.  My posts are dwindling as it is.  When they cease to exist (probably in the summer) than chances are looking good that I will too. (Well, I will exist, just not in an earthly form;  I am okay with leaving my body behind)

It’s Backwards – Welcome to My Laundry Room

               Often when we have been out walking Bonnie we will generally walk the same four streets.  Occasionally, we will allow her to lead.  She likes to go up where the new houses are being built.  Some are stick houses and some are manufactured – like this one.  

          It was in the street for a while as the equipment that was supposed to move it went out of commission – I don’t remember how long it had been in the street before it was moved – unfortunately with the front facing the backside (maybe a yard though that part doesn’t appear to be promising right now) and the backside facing the street.   

          It is understandable why they did it that way.  Not totally, but the mistake may have been in the awning.  After all there is an arch over the backdoor and two lamps at what should be the front.  Big windows – living room.  That is where the front door should lead, right?  But all that is visible to the neighbors below – not that either view is rather spectacular.  The home owner has a view of houses either way.  No checking out the living room window to see who might be in the driveway though.

          The way the house sets right now may have one saying, “Welcome to my house.  Here is the laundry room – right next to the door – just in case you would like to remove your clothes and come into the kitchen . . .”

          Roland and I had actually looked at a house that was closer to the high school.  It was turned around so that we had entered the back – oh, and there are my appliances right next to the door.  Hello.  Oh, if it’s spaciousness you want, continue to the back of the house which is really the front.  You will have a view of a rock from your living room.  What the heck?  Roland didn’t want to move there because the house was backwards.  I didn’t want to move there because of the shared driveway.  That can get annoying when the neighbors seem to have more vehicles than drivers.

          I think all housing came to a halt when it snowed followed by rain. There have been several popping up and mailboxes going in.  Thus far the mailboxes haven’t been assigned numbers. Further up the road is an unfinished stick house.  The roof had been outlined but not completed.  Must have been murder on those building the house, but from mine and Jenna’s point of view it appeared as a gingerbread house the way the snow covered the beams. 

          Weather has warmed up enough for the crew to fix the damage and continue with their work.  But I still think the other house should be turned around.

Jumping Out the Old and into the New

          Roland had agreed to pick up a friend of Jenna’s in Winston and take them both to the stake dance.  We allowed ourselves to agree to stay to chaperone.  It was fun watching the kids dance – or jump rather.  To every song!  I may have had the energy to do that when I was a youth but not now.  I can’t even go four minutes of jumping – let alone four and a half hours.  I hope that all of the youth may continue with that energy and never lose it.

         The last two weeks of December felt bleak.  It snowed after Christmas.  We had purchased sensor system last year so that we could be alerted to any packages or company that might drop by.  It is solar powered – needless to say we haven’t had many days of warning during those last two weeks of December.

         Currently the sun is shining.  The snow is mostly melted. What an awesome way to start the New Year.  May 2022 be more favorable than the last two.  At least 2021 didn’t feel nearly as long as the decade we call 2020.

The Yellow Ring

 

        I’ve written at least two posts regarding Alexa echo.  One mentions how we’ve separated the two by referring to them as Emily and Stacy (here) and the first post about the two colored rings that appear when voice activated. But there is a also a third color which appears by itself on occasion.  That circle is yellow in color and will provide notifications at random.  The last six were in reference to the weather as a storm is in the midst and has been for the last couple of weeks – though we haven’t seen the storm.

       Currently it is pouring – HARD- hard like the first rain we had encountered at Newport April 2015 (here).  I tried taking Bonnie for a walk.  I was okay with the rain falling down, but she was not.  Needless to say our walk was the shortest walk yet – perhaps the length of ten houses and back. I like the sound of rain.  I like the green grass.  I don’t see a storm. Some MC residents believe that there will be snow on the ground tomorrow.  I have my doubts.

Raining Sideways

 I'm certain people are getting tired of my weather posts.  

I am.  

I have a couple of ideas in the works, 

but still disjointed thoughts that don't seem to flow.

I could hear the wind yesterday morning -

I had not heard the rain, but it had obviously rained.

The wind had blown it onto our porch.

Here are some pictures I took as the sun rose:

Driving Conditions

 

                Rumor has it that the school district in this area has finally wised up to doing online schooling until the end of the year.  Cars were at the schools today but no buses on the roads.  Perhaps the instructors are still teaching from the school building. Seminary is still being held in person.

It is now too dark for me to leave the house in order to pick Jenna up on time.  I used to leave the house at 7:00 and take a longer route to the church but did not have that option this morning.  As there were no buses I thought I could make it in time but as I rounded the corner and saw a familiar car driving toward me. I stopped and the other vehicle stopped and Jenna got out and joined me.

Initially the driver didn’t want to make a stop on the way to the high school to drop Jenna off as he would encounter school buses.  Oh, I totally understand that, but as there is no school he was willing to drive her and I asked if that could continue.  Still waiting for a reply.

But then again, there is another girl who has stopped going to seminary as she does not go to public school either and her mom can no longer drive her.  They live in a different city – same as the driver who used to pick her up.  Perhaps he could add her back to the route again and we will have to find another way for Jenna.

It was raining this morning.  There is still a foggy mist engulfing the mountains.  Not drivable weather in my opinion but I have driven in worse – just not in this state.  Skinny windy roads is a challenge in itself – I don’t need the elements to create more challenge for me. 

Cold, Wet, and Two Week Order

 

Yesterday was cold and wet

Bonnie does not like the moisture

as it falls from the sky. 

She spent most of the day sleeping

except for when we took her to the vets. 

 

The governor has issued another

“Stay at home order”. 

It starts on Wednesday and will go

until December second.

Restaurants and bars or for takeout or delivery only

Which, in my opinion, is how it should have been all along.

 

Currently barbers, hair salons, and outdoor recreation are allowed

along with youth programs, childcare, K-12 schools?????

Really?  We’re going to eliminate social gathering activity to 6 people and church maximum at 25 people but it is okay to have contact sports and hold schools with hundreds of children.  What????

I don't see hair salons and barbers as an essential.

Jenna and I haven't had our hair cut since January.  

Roland asked me to cut his.

My hair hasn't necessarily grown longer - but definitely thicker 

and Jenna looks like a wild woman with all her thick hair.

 

Do not spend Thanksgiving with extended family –

but it is highly probable that some people will. 

Enough people to expose their kids

who will return to the schools and spread the disease. 

And then we will have to shut everything down . . . again.

When will this nation learn? 

 

It’s wet and cold outside. 

I’m staying home not only to stay safe

but also to keep warm.

Let the Sunshine In!

 

                The skies are clear and the sun is shining through.  It’s about 54 degrees – 10 degrees warmer than three hours ago.  Looks and feels like a completely different day.

             This morning there was a dingy fog.  Thick. Appearance was not clean.  It felt eerie – mirroring the upcoming election.

            Tomorrow is the last day to vote. Whatever the results there’s going to be tension.  It’s as though the fog was a sign of what’s to come.

             Malitia if Trump should lose the elect

ion.  He will not leave the white house gracefully.  His mindless fans will protect him.  I cannot even grasp the behavior of so many who refuse to see what is right in front of them or hear what words come out from Donald Trump’s mouth.  They’re mesmerized.  I don’t get it.

             If Biden should lose the election – well, we are all doomed.  Perhaps there won’t be the same uproar of militia.  The pain will spread out over the next four years.

 

            I want the view of today to be a message for me to believe that everything will be alright.