Winter in the Pacific Northwest

Snow has been slow to make its appearance here in our 'neck of the woods.'  It is still not up to usual standards but has arrived.  I am in the midst of redoing my studio and recovering from a bug that has had me down most of the week.   I leave you with some scenes from my side of the lens!

Snoqualmie Pass, Washington.

Cascade Mountain Range

                                                                         

                                                    EASTERN WASHINGTON FARMLAND

                                                                               

VIEWS IN OUR BACKYARD AND NEIGHBORHOOD

MT. SPOKANE

MICA PEAK

                                                                             

                                                               OUR BABY SHELKA

Serene In The Northwest

 

 

Unlike our friends and family on the East Coast, we are enjoying balmy fall weather with occasional rainstorms.  We send out prayers for all of those who are going through the many hardships during this Storm SANDY.  May God keep you all safe.


It has been more than a year since I last posted.  I went to school for five quarters and absolutely loved it.  Not only did I enjoy being back in the academic classroom, I fell in love with my art classes.

For not having any art since grade school I felt like a kid in a candy store.  I have learned so much about design and basics of art as well as much more about myself.  Interacting with all the young and some older students brought me much joy.
 Unfortunately my RSD flared in the spring when I broke my big toe stepping into a fence post hole.
I reinjured the same foot in July. That kept me sidelined for 6 months on crutches and I was unable to attend school this fall quarter.

I have vowed to work on art of some sort EVERY DAY.  That is a tall order, but I am making it happen.

In the next post I will bring you up to date with my spring and summer projects.
AM so glad to be back.  Hope you stay and visit often
catiean
 

it is leafing! It is leafing!

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."- Albert Camus


I knew I would have a wonderful time here with the kids and Nakiah and Tovi Joi. I was not prepared for the beautiful autumn and the amazing colors every where I looked.
I think the kids got tired of me saying, "oh my it is beautiful, amazing, glorious but it is!!!


Nakiah likes to take me to the cemetery. It is truly beautiful here.

look at all the rustling leaves. We have fun walking through these every

day on the way to the coffee shop. We haven't been there in a few days

because of the rain and cold but today we need to get our 'lattes'.

The girls have chocolate 'wattes' as Tovi joi calls them. The people are so nice. The girls want to be like oma and they fix theirs with warm milk and whip cream and chocolate topping.( no coffee). So we walk down the street and nakiah says "I wonder if people are mad at you for letting us drink coffee Oma." HA

This lady is about five feet tall and stands on top of a gravestone.Nakiah tells me that a man's wife died and he loved her so much he put this lady

there to watch over her. Isnt that romantic? We go to her site every day.

This is one of the main roads thru the cemetery.

On our daily walk....walking on top of this little wall has become a ritual.

we found this toadstool among the fallen leaves and it is so pretty. In person it looked irredescent. That doesn't show up in the photo.

When u look around eastern washington it is more evergreens.


here the leaves are falling on us....


Their back yard. Salem the cat in the back is my foot warmer at night.

He disapproves of wiggly feet though and bites them in the middle of the night! OUCH
Hope you are all having a beautiful autumn wherever you are.

A STATE OF EMERGENCY!

This past week brought three major snowfalls. Our schools were closed for and entire week. Thursday (yesterday) the governor declared much of the state an emergency. In our fair city all state highways were drifted closed and people could not travel far due to the terrible road conditions. Not only did we have snow and more snow, we had winds and drifting as well. They couldn't even get snow plows out. These are pictures of after one snowfall and before. You don't see the flowers but the day before you did.

Here is Callie walkingON TOP of the snow. It was pretty iced over and of course she is not so heavy. You can click on it for a close up of her prowess.
This above picture was taken this afternoon. The temps warmed up to almost 40 today after several weeks of near to sub zero weather at night and teens to 20's during the day. Snow was melting from the bottom and lowering the snow level. The first sunlight in several weeks.

more before one snowfall and after. We are supposed to get another 4-6" this weekend with falling temps so whatever melts today will soon be replaced. This is the first 'normal' winter we have had in a decade.


I actually ventured out today with John to run errands and took my handy dandy walker with me. Most parking lots were full of several inches of ice under slush and snow. As long as John was there to help me get to the bare sidewalks or store entrances I was okay.

I hope those of you who are yearning for snow get enough to 'wet your whistle' and not and over abundance. For those of you who have more than enough like us please take care when out and about........some people do not realize that ice plus snow +wind= poor and dangerous driving conditions and many DO NOT stop for yellow or even red lights.

Sighing.......... four wheel drive or just a bigger vehicle does NOT give you immunity from accidents. I think some people are missing the 'common sense' gene. hee

Happy Sunday!!!

Happy Sunday to everyone!! We are having the first rain pour since the middle of June!!!

Althought it increases my pain levels, it is still very enjoyable. Who can resist the tap tap tappity tap of the fat raindrops on the roof and windows? There always seems to be a very 'lazy' atmosphere when the rain is coming down as it is now.
We can always find the beauty in any day as long as we look correctly.

I have been playing with the zoom on my new camera and thought I would share a few pictures with you. This is the first sunflower to bloom.
Brianna planted so many. She was able to see this one before they left for New York.

The honey bees were out en masse in the flower gardens the other day. Of course the yellow jackets fought them for petal space for the lucsious nectar of the flower blossoms.

Today they aren't out at all but the birds are still singing the summer tunes.

I am busy sorting through my piles of 'stuff' that needs to be filed. I told myself I cannot make a THING until it is all neat and tidy. For some reason I have been organizing and tidying every nook and cranny in the house since the kids have left. I think it is because I am sad and I miss them. Keeping busy helps.

Have a happy or pensive day and be thankful for it's beauty.