Required Slowdown: No Power

Things have been way too busy in my life lately. I got home late yesterday with a bag of work and a list of "to-dos" and I felt swamped before I got out of the car. Just when I was ready to do dinner preparations, the power went off! The meal moved to the barbecue and I felt my sense of being overwhelmed begin to slowly fade away. I got to sit and talk with my husband. I could move through the early evening slowly. Avista said the power would be back on by 9:00. I stretched out on my chaise lounge, lit the propane lantern, read and dozed.
Isabelle joined me as we felt full relaxation. Later the message changed and the power was not to come on until 2:00 a.m. It was early to bed with some reading with a flashlight and a peaceful end to a very hectic day. The only disruption later was when the power came back on a bit after midnight and all the lights were on.
It was a slowdown I needed. Today I feel refreshed. Perhaps we should just turn off our power every so often to slow down the busyness of life!

Moving Inside

It is that time of year when our living moves inside. It is a bit too wet and damp to sit in the garden and too dark to even enjoy our surroundings on the deck for dinner. Today was a warm socks sweater day. It was a day when flip flops were put away, students arrived in with heavier sweatshirts, and less pairs of shorts were spotted in the hallway.
The cats always have a natural moving inside ritual also. Kit found the warm fire and decided that was the place to take a nap. It doesn't take much to keep a cat happy. Isabelle is close to the warmth also on the back of the chair. The dogs also love that ritual of leaving the outside behind.

The natural rhythm of the season coaxes us to crave the warmth of a fire, mix up a pot of hearty soup, and sip a warm mug of tea. Moving inside is part of that rhythm and my soul tells me it is time.

I've Seen Fire and I've Seen Rain

In the case of today it was first the rain and then the fire. Since the trees went down at the end of July the slash that remained has sat where we usually park. It was too dry for so long to burn. The last few days we have been blessed with much needed rain. The slash pile has been getting drier and drier plus it didn't add much to the whole landscaping scheme around the place!!JEJ decided this evening it was time for a bonfire! I had never had a big Homecoming-like bonfire in my own driveway. I also had never really experimented with taking pictures of fire. It was a nice break from reading essays earlier this evening. The coals here look perfect for some really big marshmallows! He made a dent in the pile tonight. If it keeps raining maybe I will get to do another fire series of photo images!!

Sibling Assignment #76: A Theme Runs Through It

I gave the sibling assignment this week. "Think of a movie theme song that stayed with you long after you saw the film. Share an experience about that movie or the theme." You will find Raymond Pert's here and Silver Valley Girl's here .

I don't often write about my life before digging in roots on Lake Roosevelt. The fall of 1992 was a time of uncertainty in my life. I knew things weren't right in my first marriage, but I always thought if things ran smoothly at home, if I cooked just the right meal, or if we did things together we enjoyed then perhaps it would repair what was broken. We went and watched the movie " A River Runs Through It" that October. It brought back memories of a camping trip at Lolo, fishing up the river, and his grandfather standing at his favorite creek casting that last line of the day. We loved that movie. I loved the soundtrack and played it often, remembering those scenes filmed so close to where we had camped and fished.
When our marriage came to an end, like the title of the last song on the soundtrack, I was " Haunted by Waters". Whether it was a north Idaho river, the lake that connected tradition, family and friends , or the Columbia near our home. These haunting memories were too close to the surface. I stayed away from many waters.

I am in a different place now in my life. The creeks and the rivers that merge into Lake Roosevelt give me strength and a sense of peace. I appreciate the power and beauty of the waters that surround me. I now embrace the words Norman Maclean so eloquently penned at the end of his book and the movie,

"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of those rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters."

I am no longer haunted by my waters. I embrace the history and sustainability of Lake Roosevelt, the great Columbia and the rivers that run through it. All things did merge into one and I have learned much from the words of wisdom under the rocks. The following video gives life to two other theme songs from the movie, connecting those waters to the ones I have grown to love in the place I now call home.

The Autumn Test

Your Autumn Test Results

You are a dynamic, vibrant person. You aren't afraid to pursue your passions. When you are happiest, you are calm. You appreciate tradition and family. You enjoy feeling cozy. You prefer change to come slowly. You need a long transition period when your life changes. You find love to be the most comforting thing in the world. You feel at peace when you're with your loved ones. Your ideal day is active and full. You like to keep busy with your favorite things, and you appreciate a routine. You tend to live in the moment. You enjoy whatever is going on, and you don't obsess over the past or future.

The Autumn Test

Photo Hunt: Sad

Saying good-bye to the squirrels at the end of a camping week-end always causes sadness for Shelby and Annie. For other photo hunts using sad go here.