Roots

I decided to change my main photo this afternoon.  As much as I liked the Kew Garden lily, I felt like something new.  The road to this viewpoint was steep, long and winding--as the photo shows--and just seems to fit the "meandering" theme of the blog.  Or my mood today.  Whatever.

Those of you who followed the "Blog America" road trip posts in June, will perhaps remember this photo.  It's looking east, up the Gorge, after scaling the mountain road to the viewpoint.  Shortly before I took this photo we had crossed into Oregon.  I remember breathing a sigh of relief to once again be on familiar ground.

This looks to the west, the direction we were headed.

There's no question I have misgivings about leaving Edinburgh--and fight the urge to return almost daily--but I have to acknowledge, totally and absolutely, that Oregon is one of the most unique, diverse and beautiful places in America. 

That doesn't mean I don't find it strange to be back here.  After spending an early childhood in Alaska, my parents decided it was time to return to the Lower 48, so the sibs and I were raised in Oregon.  In my twenties though, I left for good.  Since those days, I've lived in many places, and over this last decade, I developed a deep and abiding love for another country...Scotland.  

Maybe because of the memory trip to Diamond Lake on Monday, thinking of Dad, and my sisters, and my growing-up years, I'm realizing that, when all is said and done, regardless of where I've been, or where I've lived, my roots were somehow planted here.  If that's the case, I guess it's really not so strange that my winding road has led me back here after all.