Trying on the cold weather gear for our upcoming trip to somewhere far, far away.
Natural Dyes
Marigold flowers, brazilwood and indigo are the major natural dyes used here by Caroline for making these right here on our balcony at home.
Planting Stuff
Down on the farm, yeah, that’s how the Cosmic Psychos would sing it back in the early ’90s. Three farmers from the outback cranking out bulldozer punk. Now it’s almost twenty years later and I’m down on the farm and Abba is today’s soundtrack – shift happens. Rob is seen here planting garlic, I on the other hand am here to do some photography so there might be enough photos to post while we are away in Yellowstone.
This past year did not see much travel for Caroline and me, between her mom visiting for eighty-seven days starting last January to my nearly seventy-five days in Santa Barbara caring for my uncle we only managed to visit Death Valley, Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon, Los Angeles, Tuba City up on the Navajo Reservation, Blue and Nutrioso in Northern Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana in October and finally the Oregon coast over Thanksgiving. During 2009 we will make an effort to return to form and travel A LOT! On the calendar so far: Yellowstone in January, followed by a short trip to Disneyland. Caroline’s mom will meet us back east for a trip to Niagara Falls, Washington D.C., and points between and then late in the year we have plans to road trip the Deep South starting in Atlanta, Georgia. We are likely to visit Monterey, California as well since neither of us can remember the last visit to the aquarium. A visit back to Yellowstone before August is required as a favorite riverside drive will be replaced by a bypass and will eventually be removed from the park. I’d like to walk its length and photograph the canyon outside of winter conditions. I really should get busy planting some road trip ideas into my mind.
Before and After
So here I am watching this little grocery store while my friend the owner is on vacation in Florida. I could complain about a million things like not being able to leave when I’d like to for lunch or trying to time running to the toilet when my best guess says no one will enter the store for the next 47 seconds. Answering the phone to an old lady that doesn’t speak English is frustrating to both the caller and me. Most of the customers are pleasant enough, some of who I’ve met here and at different Indian functions or Bollywood movies have even nearly become friends over the years When the store is quiet I get bored and so I took it upon myself to do some deep cleaning. With a rented floor buffer I went to work stripping away the dirt and grime from the thousands of feet that trek over this floor. After the entire floor was white and shiny it was time to lay down three coats of wax. I replaced lights, cleaned a fridge, discarded old stock and cleared away old VHS tapes that no longer rent well, and finally organized the small stock room in the back of the store. While I enjoy helping my friend, her customers should know the sacrifice she makes being in this small shop Tuesday through Sunday, yet they still want longer hours and for her to be open on Mondays. As for me, I had enough for the time being.
Poof, You are a Scarf
Back in November, we stopped at Nestucca Bay Yarns in Lincoln City, Oregon, for Caroline to buy some yarn and I also chose this blue handpainted yarn for Caroline to make me a scarf with. It’s supposed to be done before we leave for Yellowstone – she knits furiously in the car, waiting in line, before ordering dinner.
Light Beams
Not taking any photos leaves me with no new photos to post. Well, not a new one that was shot today anyway, so I am filling in a gap with this slightly older photo taken on our vacation to Oregon last month. This image is once again from the Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park. With a little bit of fog in the air and the sun throwing light into the forest, these light beams never fail to amaze me.