Beneath the Wraps

                         The skies have appeared blue the last couple of days.   White clouds for the most part – though there was a large cloud of smoke billowing over the hills.   Evidently it moved on its way though I don’t know where.   One of the water fitness attendees comes from Winston.   She said she almost did not attend this morning because of the smoke (I don’t know which fire) but it was clear in Myrtle Creek.           Carolyn had us work out in the deep end as the wind continued to blow.   It made the class more spread out though there were only ten of us – five or six less than usual.   If all the regulars were to turn out at the same time, there would probably be over 25 of us.            I’ve been taking naps in the afternoon and am still tired.   Jaime and I tried to walk Bonnie just ...

          I didn ’ t want to jinx things by saying something sooner but the news this morning said we can expect a warmer hot forecast next week. And surely by the end of the month.  After all what is a Myrtle Creek summer fest without scorching temperatures? The weather and elements have awesome for about two or three weeks.   June had up and down temperatures but seemed quite pleasant for the most part.   Mornings are always cold and then it cools off at night.   I don ’ t even think it hit the 70s yesterday.   That was nice.   The rain isn ’ t so bad.   Better than the blazing sun. I honestly don ’ t remember the low temperatures this late in the year.   When I looked at the map there were only seven fires in the entire state.   None up and down I5.   I wish it would stay that way.   I wish the dark skies would always be due to moisture and never smoke.   I wish to breathe in the clean air alway...

            It has rained                      the last two mornings.   Sweet Beautiful Rain.     It has pounded over the skylight           and has woken me up.   I don't mind.   It's such a pleasant sound to my  ears. The rain has cleaned the air and swallowed up the hills – but in a positive way –           unlike the smoke.   I enjoy looking at the clouds.  The elements are awesome  

                   It’s going to be cloudy today  except over there           What is it appearing on the horizon?   The sun The blinding sun coming to you from the east for two hours only but that is only if you live in Myrtle Creek   Over to the west you will see grey skies overlooking the Tri-City area Sunny skies just east of Myrtle Creek and possible showers for Tri City two cities sharing the same zipcode but hey . . . Let us give them different weathers.   Why not?   Cool to downright Cold winds wherever you may choose to walk Bonnie or rather wherever she may choose to walk you or attempt her own keen sense of direction And after you return home, Let us allow the sun to peek its head                    From the sky.   ...

            I have been thinking of an assortment of things lately – none seem post worthy however.   I haven ’ t come up with any great ways to transfer my thoughts.   So perhaps I ’ ll just assign numbers.   1.       I ’ ve driven many mornings without having to deal with school buses and I always forget.   Thus I have been leaving the house a wee bit earlier in order to pick up Jenna who does go to seminary in person – at least for the time being. 2.       On our return we pass the middle school which has always had a flashing light signal before the turn.   But I have not seen the signal since mid-summer.   I told the crossing guard about it.   Thus far it isn ’ t working still. 3.       I ’ ve seen a lot more construction signs and reflective cones set up all over Myrtle Creek.   And they somehow become permanent additions as t...

Monday morning the sky was white as though the fog had been lifted up and covered any trace of blue I was surprised at how light was the view for I could see to drive at 6:15 in the morning.   Sometimes it is still too dark at 7:00 and so I was surprised. I did get a brief glimpse of the sun as it tried to peak through the whiteness – shining orange beams in the east but only temporarily. It remained white and light for about 12 hours. At 6:15 p.m. the sky had started to darken. On Tuesday the skies were blue and only one hill had clouded fog surrounding. By noon the sun was shining. Yesterday the skies were white again. Right now it is just after 6:00 am.   The sky appears to be blue.  The earth is  surrounded  by fog. It is too dark for me to see. What gives?

                    Though it rained and the temperatures remained cooler during Roland’s staycation, it hasn’t been the same this week.   Tuesday got to 104 though yesterday was not as bad.   All day it appeared to be overcast with little promise of rain.   By 10:00 yesterday morning it was already too warm and the temperature rose up from there and didn’t start going down until after 8:00 – even though there was sign of actual raindrops that made a pathetic appearance and left again. There was a heaviness in the air that felt murky and seemed to distort my vision.           I’ve taken so many pictures of the sky – trying to capture its brilliance.   I have two or three point-and-shoots that I use and of course, there’s my cell phone which is a flip phone and does NOT capture anything brilliant.   As I said before, I thi...

          Since spring break, the skies overall have been grey and have produced a huge amount of water.   The rivers are not overflowing, but                     definitely not dry as they were in winter.  The temperature has been 47 – 52 degrees on average.   On Thursday it was up to 82.   What is up with that?!?   Yesterday was not quite as warm – maybe 10 degrees less.   Now we are back to rain and clouds.    

The fog looked worse when I left the house than it does in these three pictures. I used to watch fog and clouds surrounding the hills south of us.   The longer the fog lingered in the morning, the warmer it was in the evening Not that 65 or 67 is especially HOT -but when you consider the snow storms just three weeks ago.  Dreary skies.  Grey and Drab. But afternoons bring blue skies with enough coolness in the air that it's bearable But by 3:30 and 4:00 it is unbearable.  The fog has moved to the north side where we are and surrounds the entire city like we've been sucked into an endless vapor It doesn't have an order nor is it bothersome like smoke from burning leaves, but still envelops us as though we are on an eerie set of a Halloween movie.   I don't know what time the fog starts.  I'm not up that early.  I know it lifts before 10:30.  We had a fire drill today and it was nice outside....

I was in a science class the other day where the students had gone outdoors to collect one of three tubes that would measure the precipitation. They were to record their findings, use barometers, study the clouds, etc. The tubes showed 0 precipitation. It had been foggy that morning. I remember when the school bus would pass our house the last two years I would look out my window and see clouds surrounding the hills across the way but they surround us now and it is often too foggy to see what's behind my neighbors houses. I had to drive in that fog.   I followed a truck for as far as I was able It got off the same exit, but did not go in the same direction.   I was left on my own Why is it that there isn't any moisture in these clouds?   in this fog?   Is there inversion mixed in with the clouds.   It does lift eventually unlike big city smog that never lifts always linger. The fog has been ...

          The skies cleared up this last weekend.  The smoke had cleared from the south and the skies were blue.  For two nights and mornings I had my windows   Now we have smoke coming in from the east. The windows remain closed.  I think it's wrong for the skies to appear overcast as though promising cooler weather and learn that it is 80 - 90 degrees outside.             Roland has taken off for a week.  Monday felt like a Saturday to me.  Yesterday felt like a Wednesday.  I don’t know what today will bring (as it really hasn’t started yet) Not a normal day for me.  Roland and I will be going to the theatre in Roseburg this morning.  Jenna will stay in town with a friend who stayed the night.            They have their dress rehearsal tonight.  I have invited my small gro...

            I have mentioned the thick fog and now a constant rain.   It looks awesome and will green up the valley again.               This morning I noticed golden flecks donning the hills.   It was so spectacular!     Of course none of my pictures capture what I see.   The fog covered appearance of the towers as I was coming home.   After I got inside, it started pouring again.             At 11:00 I could see the sun.   I felt excited as Jenna has a field trip planned for today.   She's been looking forward to it for over a week now.   I don't want her to be disappointed.             Hopefully they were on the bus already and are at the corn maze now and enjoying themselves.   Perhaps it isn't ra...

This week I’ve been wearing my green coat – in case of rain.   Neither one seem water resistant.   But I think the brown coat would be scarred by the rain whereas the green coat would still look the same after it dried. Last week I had dressed in layers.   There was one day when Jenna and I left the house that I had on two sweatshirts, my coat, a hat and a scarf.   I was neither hot nor cold as we walked to the bus stop and waited.   However I felt the need to strip down the second we stepped on the bus. The heat was blaring.   Before I had even sat down, I had removed my hat, scarf, coat and one of the sweatshirts.   They may have both come off except the bus had started moving and I felt squashed where I was seated.   I had gone from quite comfortable to sweltering. I believe that even if I could have gotten away with stripping down to my birthday suit (which I would never do outside the privacy of my home) I would have sti...

I do like the weather we are currently experiencing.  But it is strange.                 I left the house early yesterday. I had wanted to stop off to pick up some trouser socks that I’ll need to start wearing.   When I left the sun was shining.   I had stopped to take off my jacket and put on Roland’s safari hat (recently purchased at Hogle Zoo) and removed it along with my sunglasses before I got to the store.             As I waited for the bus (so that I could continue on to the school) I took out a book to read. As I was reading, I noticed that light drops began to fall – not enough to concern me if the book had been my own – but it’s a library book.   I’ve already purchased more lost and damaged books than I care to admit. I’d rather not have to make a purchase for replacement anymore.      ...