ACTION-PACKED DAY

Today was my Thursday Naselle Coffee Hour … so, I was up bright and early.

Longview to Naselle - 1 hr.10 mins.

Passing through Cathlamet towards Skamokawa, I noticed there were a lot of loaded logging trucks passing me in the opposite lane: I was wondering where they were coming from; they were following pretty close together, so I knew the logging site must be fairly close.

And it was – I was driving along, listening to Roddy Crowell (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiTqnpmPKRk&list=OLAK5uy_k0AxexO6cz9s1EMsZGw__lVzwWkuuIF3g) sing contemplative songs; when suddenly I was startled by a shovel operator in action, swinging the grips towards the highway: a little too close for comfort.

I was shown where the trucks hailed from: up close and personal.

Things had changed on this stretch of the highway since Sunday.

Shovel operating on a small scale (YouTube Vid): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmFgLkUdY9c

I decided, on the spot, to reroute my home route; following the coffee hour 😉

Logging on the downside of the KM.

It was a good country hour where coffee flowed, conversation was spiked with howling belly-laughs, and chocolate cake was enjoyed 😊

Driving through Pe Ell on the way home, I noticed a new addition to the little backcountry town…

New Cafe in Pe Ell; Tin Snug: 217 N Main St, Pe Ell, WA https://tinsnug.com/

MAP Tin Snug Cafe in Pe Ell from Naselle, WA; 1 hr. 15 mins via Raymond-Menlo.

Gaelic window design; the Celtic knot.

Heron Point from Tin Snug Irish Cafe, Pe Ell - 1 hr. 11 mins; via Boistfort & Wildwood Road.

Leaving Pe Ell, and driving along the roadway between Pe Ell and Boistfort, I came upon a family of deer, leisurely walking the roadside.

While I was watching the deer, birds on the wing were darting about the passenger side window … so I started easing the car forward to evade the dive bombers.

That small stretch of road was filled with action. 

Mama Deer & twin fawns.

Bad Company Album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHdLk0hXeDE&list=PLrpyDacBCh7AaQbdD8PhgfpnEVXE5eC9E

It was here that I received a phone call inviting me to Supper on Coal Creek – I accepted, and told my friends there, I’d be pulling into their drive around 3 PM.

As the convo was ended, I thought about how various friends, in various places, had blessed my life this week: David invited me to breakfast Monday … and surprised me with his son, Tavis – who was also joining us for breakfast: I had not seen Tavis since his mother’s Celebration of Life gathering 16 years ago. Marla was my best friend for three decades, and our kids grew up together – it was a good surprise David sprung on me 😊 This Thursday, I was blessed twice by different friends in different counties: noon coffee hour in Pacific County … and Supper in Cowlitz County.

I am truly blessed, and always thankful for the friends Elohei has gifted my life with.

Our friendships are love in action. 

Just before I was dropping onto Coal Creek Road from Delameter Road, I saw a damaged car in the right-side-ditch.

Car wreck coming into Coal Creek off top of Delameter.

Apparently, someone else had an action-packed day, too.

Supper on Coal Creek (I arrived slightly before 3 PM) was enjoyable, as always.

I like that my married friends out Coal Creek Road, invite me into their family nucleus and treat me like a loved family member – there is no pretense of perfect family unity; there is no uncomfortableness when Bob’s Name is mentioned; conversation flows easily-joking is encouraged-love is present; laughter is the theme of their family – they are a family that laughs: I like that. I like that I am included in their family, as one of the family.

The best kind of action is the action of love in action. 

My day today, was all of that … and more 😊

RAINY DAY MUSES

I went to sleep last night, to the backbeat of quick stepping/light-footed raindrops tap-dancing across the roof over my head.

I woke up this morning, to a chaotic melee of intermediate rainfall, partnered with sporadic gusty river winds.

Gusty day; river winds circle and strike blows.

The river winds leaning into the taller tree tops - HARD.

My patriotic whirligig in a constant whirl.

Bob's windchimes gently chiming.

Thank Elohim, that next few days look bright, warm, and peaceful 😉

I don’t mind the occasional house entrapment when Mother Nature kicks up a fuss … but, I do mind not seeing my friends: rain has been playing havoc with my coffee time in Naselle, my Fellowship Sundays, and the general laid-back getting out and about.

For the past two weeks, Sunday’s have been rained on (too rainy to drive the lengthy drive to Fellowship) – Naselle’s meetups have been rained on (too rainy to risk crossing the KM), and when I have been able to get out and about between rainy interludes … it’s a mad-dash affair, to get everything done before the next forecasted downpour.

Watching the raindrops slash my windows today – and the river winds beat and thrash the towering tree tops and shrubby ornamental trees; I was thankful my garden was being watered for free … and I researched information/mapped a route up the Lewis River Road and through a portion of the Gorge, that I hope to be able to make sometime in June: by then, any snowbanks in the higher elevations should be melted enough for safe passage (hope, hope).

And there should be someone at the Pine Creek Information Center next time I drive there – this will have to be planned carefully, because the staff will only be there from 11 AM to 1 PM: not a whole heck of a lot of time to be available ☹

(https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2021/05/a-day-to-remember.html)

But, if I leave home at 9:30 AM, I should make it in time as long as there isn’t a freeway snafu that would eat into the time.

I choose to look on the bright side, and hope for a good outcome 😊

I’ve color-coded routes on the map I got yesterday … but I still need to double-check to make sure all the roads will be open and cleared for travel. I do not want to find myself in a dicey situation miles from civilization, on a mountain backroad between check points: there will be no cell service, and spotty Ranger Stations along the route. Bob is no longer available to lean on for backroad knowledge, and soothing support if things go awry. And even though I hike (8 miles, tops) – I do not hike anywhere near the mileage it will take to walk out of the mountains! Nor, am I at 64, physically equipped to do that; I may still feel young, but my body is not as young as I like to believe I am 😉

So, I really need to have all my ducks in a row, and make human contact at the Pine Creek Information Center before I head off into the wilds.

I plotted 3 possible routes ... I think I'll do the shorted (red coded) one first.

I’ll be carrying more than Bob’s love with me on this trip … I’ll be tapping into past memories of each route I decide to drive: and hope some of Bob’s brainwaves during those drives have been branded onto my gray matter.

But, for tonight – in the present moments, the rain seems to have slowed down from this morning and afternoon’s wrestling with the wind.

Perfect for a quiet read in bed; relaxed and engrossed in a mystery until the slow rhythmic rainfall ferries me to dreamland …

I Love A Rainy Night: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yLlG1POr9c)