LOVE SIGNS IN THE SKY

I woke up to blue sky this morning, so I hurried up and made the bed while coffee was perking. Then I jumped into my jeans and pulled on one of Bob’s old polo’s … filled Bob’s coffee thermos, filled my travel mug with coffee, grabbed a baggie of saltines for snacking … and hit the road :-D

Blue sky showing through the kitchen skylight!

I decided to satisfy my gypsy bone and go for a drive; and wore one of Bob's polo's.

I gotta get out of this house!

The only plans I really had was to simply drive a couple back roads – I’d be out of the house, escaping the crowding four walls; enjoying the countryside from behind the Horizon’s steering wheel.

That was the plan.

As I drove Ocean beach Highway, along the Columbia River, several fully loaded log trucks blew past me – apparently logging operations have not come to a halt with inslee’s ‘cease and hunker in’ mandate; it’s comforting to me, to know that I am not the only person bucking the political hysteria.

I also caught sight of a love message in the sky; so I pulled over in a turn out and captured it in my sights ;-)

I took this giant-sized-heart-shaped parting of the clouds as a love message from my gentle giant: I’ve been missing him. I love you too, Babe ~ OX

A little out of Cathlamet, Pam called; so I pulled off the highway and into the gravel parking lot at the Julia Butler Hansen Game Refuge sign, and chatted with her a while: first words out of her mouth when I said, “Hello”, were – “You’re on the road, aren’t you?” Then her next words were, “The woods are shut down – they’re posted saying they are closed to the public." I didn’t even ask her how she knew I was driving when she called … and I didn’t wonder at the closed woods statement: my friends know me well. That call shot down my plans to find a quiet logging road to trek a bit: or even just to park and drink some coffee and munch some crackers in the quiet solitude of nature. We made plans for walking later this week, and traded ideas for dinner parties when this virus hysteria blows over.

She asked if I’d heard anything about Trump talking about the death toll in NY and body bags being stored in refrigerated trucks: I haven’t. I haven’t been paying too much attention to the news lately. I’m sick and tired of the political sniping and virus hysteria. I told her I’d “check on it when I get home” … and I did: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmHemuctKiY & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2043Oy6leeo

But

I still can’t let myself be pulled into the political hysteria.

I’m dealing with a LOT of my own stuff right now; I don’t have time  … or the inclination … to get caught up in the political messiah syndrome politicians, doctors, cops, truck drivers – or any of the rest who believe they are more important to the human race than anyone else, are caught up in. I do not applaud the human race; the human race (politicians, doctors, cops, ect.) are who got us in the mess we are currently in.

I stand by what I stated in earlier posts: this is a virus … viruses happen. people die. Physical deaths on the scale of a pandemic such as this one, are always the result of a societal breakdown following a break with Elohim. History bears this out: people do not want to hear that; they want to continue in their own stiff-necked ways and blame everyone but themselves. I don’t make time for that type of mindset. I have better ways to spend my time than wasting my time with those who don’t take the time to soul search.

Soul adjustments are what is needed.

People don’t want to hear that; they do not want their boatload of fantastical bullshit rocked by the hard realities of truth.

I can walk away and do something that benefits me, since I am the only one who cares about me. I am not going to be dictated to on how I should behave during this chaotic time, by those who can’t even straighten their own lives out, and continually pander to- and push for- wickedness. And especially NOT by those who continue to post on their FB Page about how dead they feel/how dead they have always felt/and how they wish they were dead – if they are that dead set on claiming death as their comfort, why the hell are they worried about actually dying?

So, today I focused on ME ... and went for a drive.

I like getting out of the house on a soothing drive; to relax my mind, and sooth my tired body, and refresh my world-weary soul.

I admit I am openly defying State mandate.

And I don’t give a rip.

So after the call ended, and heading into the woods was scrubbed, I decided to check on something I had been told a few months ago: I changed direction, and drove to Skamokawa’s Fern Hill Cemetery.

The cemetery may be the safest place to be right now … no pun intended.

I drove there from Ingall’s Road, where I spent the first five years of my life in Washington State. Passing the spot where our home used to stand, I smiled when I saw these skunk cabbages. All winter long, all the kids (15 of us) waited for Spring to arrive and we could wage friendly wars on each other with those hefty stinky missiles. The guys were especially competitive combatants, lying in stealthy wait under the cover of low evergreen boughs and fallen trees to sneakily attack unwary trail travelers. And sometimes they got a little too carried away with the strength they aimed and fired with; but it was all in fun, and they were quickly forgiven:

Skunk cabbage. The trails behind the barbed wire fencing weren’t this muddy back then. This looks awful now, but it was pretty grassy and had much more foliage back then.

A horse is in this field now, where Joe Cook used to grass feed his heifers. There used to a small grove of trees here with pussy willows we kid’s used to climb like monkeys.

Montgomery’s driveway; looong road where the Montgomery Ranch used to be at the very end, on a high hill with lots of field spread out around it. It was the local hang-out place where we all learned to ride horses, ride motorcycles, and shoot rifles. We had a blast ;-)

All of us kids used to tramp all over their fields. Ingall's Road, Skamokawa

Finally reaching the cemetery, I saw that Eddie Moss had indeed died. On his birthday – he was 84 years old. He didn’t look old at all last time Bob and I saw him together. He was in a wheelchair last time I saw him at Big Lots last Spring, and seemed to be getting around with no trouble at all. There were some memories passing through my thoughts as I looked at the headstone. I’ve known the Moss family as long as I’ve been a Washingtonian. Eddie was a big guy – tall and hefty, a man who left the city to make a home for his family in the country. 84 years is a good long life.

It saddened me to think that this small square in the cemetery holds all but Linda, the baby of the family …

Moss Plot ... triangular placements. Doug, forefront - Leora, back left - Eddie and Margaret, back right.

The day was still young, and I hadn’t even really moved the gas gauge marker, so I turned the Horizon towards the place that always brings me comfort.

The KM slide area is still being worked on, and still only has one-lane traffic passage. I hadn’t realized until today that the slide area is just a few feet from Bjornsgard Road … barely up this side of the KM’s flank. I thought it was further up KM, but it’s not. It’s literally just out of Skamokawa:

KM Mountain elevation marker: more of a big hill, than a mountain.

Leaving the KM behind, and coming up on Fossil Creek Road, I got this beeping message pop up on the car dashboard …

I thought I had gotten away from this harassment, but even the car was trying to slap thumb screws on me.

It had started raining heavily and steadily by then, and I started considering turning back towards home. But the blue sky I could see through the wiper cleared-windshield lured me forward. I could see the river was up – there was high water everywhere … some of it even creeping onto the blacktop in places, and I considered the risk of continuing forward. I decided that if there was water crossing the road when I got to Rosburg, I’d turn around and go back home.

The rain had stopped, and the roadway was clear; even though the river was high. I kept going forward:

Altoona-Pillar Rock road was clear.

Graysriver high water.

My memories could see Bob & Doug floating this river on inner tubes tied together with a cooler full of beer attached, during the 1974 River Run event. A good memory of the two of them laughing and being young.

I needed this drive today. I'm in the car; what harm can I possibly be to anyone ...

Altoona-Pillar Rock road. Eden Valley just around the corner ...

"Country road take me home": Bob represents 'home' to me ... this road takes me home.

Crooked Creek is high water – spilling over onto the road today in a few places.

Rainwater doesn’t drain very well here in the valley.

I passed two county vehicles on Eden Valley Road – white, with official looking decals on their doors. I don’t know if they were out there making sure the drainage ditches stayed clear; or if they are relatives living in the valley and working for the County. All I know is they were coming from the cemetery area … and a portion of the Smalley’s live around the bend following the cemetery; at the very end of Eden Valley Road. Bob and I have never met the younger generation.

The sky was a beautiful blue, and the clouds were white and fluffy, even though it was windy at Eden Valley Cemetery; tree tops were being whipped back and forth, the butterfly wind-chime I secured to mark Bob’s remains placement was tinkling melodiously, and I was comforted standing there experiencing it all. I felt that I could even feel Bob’s presence.

And then I KNEW Bob was present; my Babe let me know in a way that only he could, that he was seeing me. He let me know too, that Yeshua had heard me :-D

Laughing at Bob’s lofty joke; crying a little too, because I miss him down here.

First the giant heart in the sky … now a big ‘hang ten/hang loose’ toggle in the sky. MAN! I miss and love my big guy!

I never stay long when I come here – just long enough for my heart to make a connection, and just long enough for my thoughts to get some comfort: balance.

While I was in that area, and still in a mind to drag the drive out, I thought I’d drive the loop road and make the Covered Bridge a part of the drive too – I always like to go through that old thing :-D

Country roads make me happy.

Covered Bridge Road ... aka, Loop Road

Graysriver. Loop Road.

Daffodils. There must have been a homestead farm house here at some point in time.

Going through the Covered Bridge via Loop Road entrance.

It was after 3 PM, by then; the rain was picking up again and I was getting hungry: so, I turned towards home …

Heavy rainfall dangerous.

More than a few 5^th wheels and RV Buses were headed towards the beach. I heard Longbeach was closed … apparently not. And I must have passed at least fifty – or more – loaded log trucks between Longview and Graysriver … and back to Longview again.

Doesn’t look like Cathlamet is locked down any more than Longview is.

Columbia River along Ocean Beach Highway.

Ships anchored across from Germany Creek Road at Stella, waiting to be cleared for docking in Longview. Ocean Beach Highway

Driving over KM Mountain, there are times – like this afternoon – when I get a sense of detachment leaving Graysriver and Eden Valley behind; kinda like my emotions drop a ‘that was a lifetime ago’ message into my thoughts.

And it was a lifetime ago.

But lifetimes overlap.

Those overlaps gave me glimpses of love in the sky today to comfort me. I am blessed.

I love you, Yeshua.

I love you, Babe.

Always ~ OX