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The Last of Our Snow: Oaks Falling Down

snow walk with Kona 12 09
We decided we should take our Kona dog out for a proper walk. She has not been out for her long walk in days. She was happy and we were feeling good too. The interesting thing about this walk was how many trees were down all along our regular walking trail. Many were actually across the trail and some were down in the meadows alongside it.

broken oak
Mostly oaks had fallen which makes me sad, but they are clearly not designed for such a great snow like we had this week. The live oaks especially fared badly in the snow because they don’t lose all their leaves in the fall.

oak leaves
The leaves were my favorite part of the walk. The snow was sprinkled with leaves of all colors and shapes and sizes.

lichen
When the oaks fall down, you get to glimpse at what is going on at the top without climbing. The various kinds of lichen were amazing. We really must learn some more about lichens this winter. I will add it to the list.

The rains are coming and that will be the end of the Really Big Snow for us. My youngest is the one who will miss it the most. He was sick most of the time we had our big piles of snow to play in and he really needs to get in some more snow time. Perhaps it will snow again in the months to come and then he will be able to build his big snow fort and have snowball fights with his dad and brothers. It seems that snow is the great equalizer…..all my men love to get out and play in the cold stuff no matter their age and dignity level.

Looking forward to our next snow….

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I Am Going To Miss Summer

Woke up this morning feeling a little sad about the end of summer.

I am going to miss…..


Summer hikes in the National Parks……


My gigantic sunflowers and participating in the Great Sunflower Project, sitting quietly watching for bees.


Crazy games of volleyball in the park with friends…even in the rain.


Hikes with the boys looking for Big Foot in the redwoods.


Lunchtime walks at the river with our swimmer dog Kona.


I am even going to miss the hot summer afternoons and garden tending.


The Oregon Coast-camping, hiking, photographing, exploring, sitting peacefully in the sand, hiking in the trees, identifying mushrooms, observing banana slugs, and dodging rain….all of those things made such great memories this year.


Freshly cut grass and crepe myrtle blooms in the warm summer evenings….usually with accompanying bats flying overhead.

I will just need to find some things to fill me up during this autumn season. I will challenge myself to find the best parts of this season.

There will be some of this in a month or two….

and this too…..

That ought to lift my spirits!