More Mish Mash...

After posting this morning, I was walking to the back of the house and noticed out one of the big windows two truly enormous hawks flying right over the edge of the ridge.  I raced for my camera and dashed outside onto the back deck to get as close as possible.  As I was aiming the camera, they screeched, then dive-bombed down the ridge and into the trees...and never came back.  While I waited, hoping for a reappearance, this lovely little creature landed on the fence right below where I was standing.

 

We had another heavy flurry of snow around lunch time, and I was convinced we would not be able to take Oz down the mountain.  By 1:00 it was brilliant sunshine and the roads were clear.  No hope for it then.  Down we went.  

Today, I thought we could go to a different section of Stewart Park where there are sidewalks and we might escape a Swamp Walk.  We don't go to this part very often because they are very strict about leashing, and there's a huge kids playground usually swarming with screaming/yelling/howling children--not my idea of a pleasant walk site.  Today there wasn't a soul, though what was really interesting was the Umpqua River, which was swallowing a good chunk of the river front.

This first shot is to my right, looking down river.  Those trees are usually not in the water.

Straight ahead.  I'm blocking the sun by standing in the shadow of the trees; trees that shouldn't be in the swirling water.

Now I've turned left.  I was tempted to take a video as the sound effects of the raging water was really cool.  Unfortunately I had Ozzy on his leash and could barely get him to hold still while I took photos, let alone a video.

Amazing how all that brown burned out, stick-grass has returned to emerald green.  Everything that was scorched by Summer's end is now green and lush...and it's not even close to Spring yet.  The river was very muddy, of course, so I couldn't get that yummy contrast between the blue sky, green grass and the water.  Still.  You can see how much rain we've had over the past few days.  Normally, there's a gentle slope on the other side of the trees, leading down to the river.  Not today.

Here's a fun thing.  I got this journal today.  I usually buy one each year, make it to about March, and get bogged down in Life and forget to keep writing.  This one is totally different.  It's been out for about three years, though is new to me.  Maybe it hadn't made it across the Pond..??  In any case, it's very unique and unlike any other journal I have ever had.  It even comes with a warning:

During the process of this book you will get dirty.  You may find yourself covered in paint, or any other number of foreign substances.  You will get wet.  You may be asked to do things you question.  You may grieve for the perfect state that you found the book in.  You may begin to see creative destruction everywhere.  You may begin to live more recklessly.

A few pictures:

 

 

 

Some of the instructions are hilarious: "Tie a string to the journal, go for a walk, drag it."  Others are weird and probably too hard for me to actually accomplish: Tongue Painting.  "Eat some colorful candy.  Lick this page ."  Eewww.  Maybe I could just rub the candy on the page and leave my tongue out of it.

The point of the journal is to free yourself, creatively.  My theory is it will help with my writing.  Though.  Hmmm.  I wonder how licking a page with a candy-coated tongue will help me write better....?????