Labor Day Forest Fire, Cascade Mountains, Oregon

It was sad to see the devastation as we drove over the Cascades on the McKenzie Highway from the I-5 Corridor to Bend. The photos were taken southwest of the town of Sisters, Oregon.

Sunset from The Ship Inn, Astoria, Oregon

The food was predictably lousy, but the sunset was gorgeous to watch as Lee and I ate dinner. I'm not sure why we chose the Ship Inn except maybe because we couldn't believe the food was as bad as we remembered it. A lot of people seem to like the place and it's a local landmark, in the guidebooks, etc. We'd each been there separately, but not together, so we gave it a go. Today is my mother's birthday. She would have enjoyed the setting, but she was south in California. So, Mom, this picture is for you. A have three more photos of the sunset in my Picasa Web Album, "Astoria 2007."

Green and blue with seagulls

How amazing it is to go out the front door, walk about half a block, if that, and come upon such a scene as this. The algae, moss, and other river plants grow thick in summer and turn bright green in the sun.

Sunset on the Columbia

Some days are just better for taking photos. This was one of them. It's a thrill to look up from my work and get a sense that the sky is doing something incredible. I grab my camera and get out there as quickly as possible. It's amazing how fast the changes take place. The sun's glow on the corrugated building is really something in this light, and the tower's pattern against the building is always a serendipitous touch.

If you click on this photo to enlarge it, you can see the silhouette of the bridge at the base of the hills.

I may not have money at this time in my life, but I've managed to make my home in the most beautiful places in the past fifteen years. I feel lucky, and I consider it a more-than-fair trade. Both would be nice, and I'm working on that. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy the ambiance and the view.

Poppies on Harrison Street, Astoria

California poppies by the steps leading up to the Harrison Street house. I remember when we pulled the weeds out and packed in the new soil so that flowers would grow. We planted some kind of ground cover (I forget the name) which held the soil for awhile, then died, and finally the poppies grew. I love these flowers. I grew up with them in California, and they are magnificent when they cover fields and hills in large orange seas. They're also native to Oregon and also parts of Washington as well as other western states.