Community

Yesterday was a pretty quiet day . We confirmed where and when to pick up
the rental car , took a short trip to a where Corrine works..Several hundred
Geese where hanging out in the pasture adjacent to her office , possible photo
opportunity.

I was able to get a few photos, Lori was able to get a few photos of me
trying to walk on mud ..The recent rains had turned the pasture into a quagmire
.

This morning I would normally be in fellowship with many of the men from
our Church. We have a weekly gathering early Tuesdays mornings where we praise
God , share His word , and share our Testimonies . It is a very important part
of my life ...Better late than never I have heard said , and it has been quite
late , but in the past few years I realize just how important we need the
fellowship and friendship of others .

Like the geese in the soggy pasture we are social creatures . We were meant
to have relationships with each other , to live together in groups .

I believe that there is divine math involved in the power of community .
One plus one is greater than two , and the combined wisdom of the group is
greater than the sum of its parts .

While I believe it is true that people as groups can be far more
destructive than individuals , I also feel the opposite in quite the truth as
well .

As a community of believers our impact on the world is exponentially more
forceful than our impact as one.

The Geese were easily startled ..and as one they would rise to the sky , a
massive group each seeking safety , yet there were no mid air collisions...with
out any apparent leadership the birds would move as one in a general direction
, then again with out any apparent leadership they would do a right about face
or even a full reverse of direction , closely packed , with no winged accidents
. In the chaos there was Harmony and purpose .

Yesterday began again with a rainbow in the West , but this time the storms
had passed , it was a beautiful day ...Today we plan to listen to last weeks
sermon from Springhouse ...we will probably get our luggage together ...its the
last night in St Paul before we spend that month at the beach we have been so
looking forward to ...

Our God Brings the Rains

Yesterday began with a storm front moving into the valley , The Sunrise was
beautiful , towering clouds pushing in from the Pacific Ocean lit by the Sun as
it cleared the lofty spine of the Cascade Mountains to the East .
The Sun dissected clouds expos, differences in the density of the clouds ,
revealing a palette of striking colors , orange , red , magenta , and pink
filled the sky. And then in the west a rainbows Appeared.
I would have missed all this if Lori had not alerted me . We have fell into
a habit of using ht early morning hours to quietly write our blogs and journals
, from her vantage point at the kitchen table in the home we are being hosted in
, she could see all this beginning to take place.
When I saw the Rainbow I called to her and she came outside to join me in
watching and photographing the rainbow. Lori is a very good photographer , her
hand is much steadier than mine and she has an excellent eye for composition .
My only advantage over her is I shoot so much more , I understand the camera and
how it works a little better than she does . And as I said I shoot so much more
. Its Lori's attention to detail , her planning and taking care of the " Nuts
and Bolts " of scheduling and correspondence that gives me the time and
flexibility to do so much photography.
At one point in the morning a double rainbow appeared , then the rains set
in earnest ..It rained hard for the rest of the day.
Last night the news was about the rain and the dangerous level the rivers
in the valley are at . Authorities were warning people to stay out of the rivers
..there have been an unprecedented number of water rescues in the area
......
But it is winter, it is the Willamette Valley , and its supposed to have
some rain.
Sometimes it seems to me that most of us think there are only about 5
perfect weather days in the whole year ..too hot , too cold , to dry , to wet ,
to windy ....And yet this is the weather God has planed for us . In this case
without the clouds there would have been no rainbow.
The day before we tried to force good photos out of our plan to go to the
Columbia River Gorge ...the lightinhg conditions were less than favorable. And
then this morning the Lord delivered great lighting and subject directly to us
..sometimes you simply need to wait on the Lord .

Road Trip The Columbia River Gorge

Sunday , missing church ...and our Church family. we have had some
correspondence with Jim and Becky .Lori's parents who have graciously shared
their home with us for most of our 12 years in Nashville . And they plan to
call us today , looking forward to that .

Our stay here in St Paul is winding down , Wednesday we pick up the rental
car , and head to the Beach. I suspect the nature and substance of this travel
Journal will change a little bit then .

Initially I had planned to use this as a template for a " visit Oregon in
winter " travel endorsement . IT seems to have moved in the direction of self
introspection and nostalgic reminiscing . I have Lee part 2 to finish, and
perhaps some final observations on how so much of what and who I am has been
forged by the place I lived most of my life in . But that will be tempered by
the realization that who I am seems to be more affected by who I grew up with
much more than where I grew up. Much more about who I met along the way , than
the way I journeyed .

Yesterday Lee , Corrine , Lori and I took a short drive. We headed North
then turned East at the Columbia River. We traveled on the Columbia River Scenic
Highway , http://byways.org/explore/byways/2141
.

Crossed over to Washington at Cascade Locks on the Bridge of the Gods ,
then headed west back to Portland on the Washington side of the Columbia river . Past Washougal, and the Paper Mill town of Camas Washington then into Vancouver .

ON the way back we stopped at one of our favorite Thai Resturant's in
Vancouver called : Arawan Thai Cuisine. Along the way we stopped for some
photos at our favorite waterfalls .

It wasn't a very long trip , the Columbia river Gorge scenic area is only
a few miles from Portland . Oregon is really blessed to have such a diversity of
Beauty with in a few hours drive from its major population areas . We filled up
the car on the way out and probably did not use more than a half a tank of gas
for our day trip.

Oregon has one peculiar trait when it comes to " filling up " In Oregon
you cannot pump your own gas ..all service stations have employees who pump the
gas for you ...Just a heads up if you are traveling in Oregon , don't reach for
the Nozzle .

We were tired by the end of the day , for me the hikes down to the
waterfalls and up to the " perfect" vantage points wore me out .
Photo Credits : Lateroul Falls Lori Stilger

Kenn and Lori Corrine Arehart

Lee and I enjoyed a very pleasant day trip yesterday. The purpose of the
Trip was to reacquaint ourselves with a High School friend we had lost touch
with. Phil lives Northwest of St Paul on the Southern Washington Border ...near
a town called Cathlamet .
The trip was wonderful , the scenery was outstanding . There are several
ways a person can make it over to the Oregon Coast and this is probably one of
the least traveled . Stands to reason its out of the way ...most people leaving
for the Coast from Oregon take one of more direct routes from where they live .
If you live in Portland you take the Sunset Highway , if you are going to the
Northern Coast you take Highway 30 and end up in Astoria . The route we took was
Just north of Highway 30 , on the Washington side of the Columbia river . We
were on Washington Route 4 . this road will also take you to Astoria .
We headed North from St Paul , up Interstate 5 ..through Portland and over
the Columbia river . Just west of Portland the Columbia river takes an Abrupt
turn to the North .. Interstate 5 continues North out of Washington with the
River on its Left hand shoulder , then when you arrive in Longview Washington
the River Turns West again , I 5 continues sending cars and trucks North. We
turned left at Longview .
Longview is a working town , the largest town in the area it is a Lumber
town ...the smoke from several Lumber mills can be seen clearly on a clear day .
When I was going to College in Astoria , I Lived just across the river in a town
called Westport ...Longview was the closest large city to Westport , I spent
many wonderful days on the Longview Public Golf Course ( mint valley ) ..Turning
Left at Exit 39 Lee and I joined Washington Route 4 ..the route wound through
the town a Longview for a few miles ...the usual assortment of Burger King ,
McDonalds , Thai and Chinese restaurants , Les schwab , and Fred Meyer stores.
Nation wide Burger King , Mcdonalds , Wendy's seem to me a part of the
collective American Landscape . These are restaurants for people who know what
they want ...don't surprise me , I Just want a bite to eat and be on my way
...But Oregon and Washington also have some wonderful dinning opportunities
...that you may not be familiar with . There is something special and delightful
about most of the Chinese restaurants in the Northwest . I cant quite describe
it but the food is excellent , it is fresh and savory ...and well worth a try .
This trip we didn't try it , we settled on a corn dog going out and the dollar
menu at McDonalds coming back home .
IN just a few minutes we were through Longview and headed West along the
Columbia River , the Road follows the river for several miles and you have some
lovely views of the Broad Columbia River. The Channel actually comes very close
to the Washington side here . Salmon are easily caught by bank fisherman on the
Washington side . Highway 4 wanders over small coastal mountains and into
valleys and wetlands. On our Trip I saw Herons , Cormorants , Several
varieties of ducks including the beautiful wood duck , Geese and cranes.
Driving home I saw several seals in the channel .

You will see some interesting communities , the largest is Cathlamet , the
site of the Largest Native American encampment West of Portland ..Cathlamet is a
small community on the banks of the Columbia river, you can take a Ferry ride
from the town to the Oregon town of Westport and then continue to Astoria up
Highway 30 if you would like .

Phil had 300 acres along the Grey's river , a very productive salmon and
steelhead stream . We have a very pleasant visit , recounting the High School
years . Both Lee and Phil served in Viet Nam so a few war stories where shared
as well ...Lee and I discussed several possible return routes ...but decided to
simply return the way we had came .

I was reminded how I have often heard there is only one way to God ...but I
think its more like there is only one God , but He makes many ways available to
Him. God gave e me a map that include the Bahai faith ...Lee the Catholic faith
...Some of us choose McDonalds and others an unknown Dinner in a small community
..but we all need to eat. Along the way if we pay attention God teaches us , He
nourishes us , He leads us to understanding ....at least that is the way I see
It . Without the sacrifice of His son , with out this redemptive act we would
have no home to return to. enjoy the journey , take the road less traveled , or
take the freeway , know your final destination ....Its definitly worth looking
forward too .

PS: There seemed to be some concern over my post yesterday. My Apology if I sounded a little too depressed . I am really trying to sort all this out . It seems to me we live in a culture that nibbles around the edges of death. We consider it prudent to have Life Insurance ...we make our " Final Arrangements " Prepare our Wills ....yet actually talking about our deaths is somewhat out of bounds . As I grow older in earth years I sincerly find myself growing " wiser " and more Healthy in Spiritual years . I genuinly belive Heaven is my real home ..and while I am so grateful and so blessed to be here on planet earth , surronded by the most wonderful family and friends , the Love of a wife that surpasses any expectation I have ever had about Love ...I am definitly a man looking forward to Home and caught in the tension of Living as a stranger in a strange land ...Its hard to explain ...Part of why I am writting so much these days ...While I would shudder to compare myself to King David ,,,,I understand much of His angst as he poured out His heart his Joy , His fears , and His deep abiding trust in the Lord ....Long ago in a Christian Youth group at a time when my main concern was skin care and looking hip , I remember a song sung around a campfire with other eager and bright eyed youths ...." this world is not my home I am just passing through , my home is up in heaven somewhere beyond the blue " Strange I have never forgotton that song ...wandering in agnostisim , holding onto the Bahai faith , Challanged in the Christian Church , it has never left me , a reminder if you will of a future to look forward too . One of the hardest things for me to do is to simply live in the present ..to enjoy the moment the precious grace filled moment He gives us . We do not give ourselves these moments they are all Gifts , gifts to be thankful for ...and I am ...Its another beautiful morning, the fog has rolled in , the ground is white with frost , soon the sun and blue sky , but this view this moment this place is the one I have and it is Wonderful and I am so thankful for it .

This is the Day !!!

Its been a good stay ...In the past few days I have been able to do much of
what I had planned on doing . We arrive safely , reconnected with my friend
Lee and his wife Corrine . I have ate my fill of Dungeness
Crab, successfully found one of the last child hood friends I have been
looking for . ( today Lee and I are going to take a road trip to visit with Him
). I have visited the old neighbohood , taken some photos for my blog projects,
I have been faithfully at writting daily ...We still have a month on the Coast
ahead of us and I have seen the Sun and a Sunset . Not bad for a start .
I am very much looking forward to the next few weeks , especially spending
time with Lori . We have dear friend we hope to see ,my brother and sister in
law will be visiting , My daughter will be spending some time with us , and even
a planned trip to visit some people we have not met but corresponded with
through a church connection in Smyrna .
Several people have asked why are you taking such a long trip ? The answer
for me is quite simple . I don't plan to be back here. Now I will admit plans
change . but there are several reasons that I belive this will be my last visit
to Oregon.
First is money . Its costs money to travel .a lot of money ,
Air fare there are all the other costs , housing , food , gas , car
ext. Its very expensive.
I would love nothing better than to be able to say we will be returning
each year. But since we are not even promised the day ..I am going to treat this
visit as if it were my last .
Then there is health and age ...I am almost 65 , its not as easy to get
around , my health is failing . Most of my issues are Asthma relatated , its
hard for me to breath, I tire easily . I know something is going on internally
but I don;t know what ...Lori and I have no Health Insurance ..I qualify for
Medicare later this year ...hopefully that will be a help.
If you read the memoirs of the soldiers in the Civil war , you begin to
notice a word , an idea , a way of life that is not very popular these days .
The word is Providence , the Idea is that God know when we are going to die and
nothing we can do will ever change that . The way of life is one of Submission
to Gods Will , not our own.
I trust God . As the Song implies He has brought me safe this far , and I
know He will care for me when this life is over. When we were in our mothers
womb , we were alive ...we were alive but most likey without an knowledge or
constraints of time . Essentially for the child we were living in eternity. Then
we came bursting forth into this world ..almost immediately the spell of
eternity was broken and we entered the world of expectation and entitlement .
From the beginning we have struggled between the tension of Self will and living
in Gods will. And just as we have no knowledge of the life in the Womb, we have
little knowledge of all of the life about to come ...I just know it will be
wonderful.
Just as I know I did not bring myself into this world , I also know I did
not save myself for eternal life . God has done both . I have no idea why He
brought me into existence , nor do I know why He has purposed to save me for
another life . I do know its not because of anything I have done . Admittedly to
say this about our Natural Birth makes perfect sense , we did not conceive
ourselves . Likewise , I do not believe we save ourselves ...His word says we
are not saved by our works ..it is a Sovereign choice .
How all of this happens ..I don't know ...He asks that we trust Him ..So
here I am this morning caught in my own tension between looking at the " hard "
issues , the practical issues , the frailty of my own earthly body , and yet
knowing that " where there seems to be no way He will make a way ".
Its a beautiful morning , the sun is just rising , the ground is covered
with a thick frost , it wont last long...the frost like a vapor will disappear
as the Sun rises heavenward.
This is the Day ! and I will rejoice and be glad in it
!!!

Lee and I revisited our child hood neigborhood yesterday . We lived .in a
small suburb of Portland Oregon called Multnomah . Mutnomah is a native American
Name . at one time very near by a tribe called the ilkak'mana lived and
prospered in the area that is now Portland. One of the Chiefs of this tribe was
named Multnomah.
Multnomah is a popular name in the area . Portland is in MUltnomah county
and the grade school I attended was also called Multnomah Grade school . Apart
from His name being used so frequently there is very little information that can
be found about the Chief .
Here is an interesting article I ran into on the Net for all who may be
intersted :
http://pdx.edu/magazine/news/chasing-the-multnomah-myth
I spent several years in Multnomah . From Kindergarten to well past High
School . We lived at first at 7403 sw 32 in a very small two bedroom house ,
later my father would purchase a home in Northeast Portland , and have it moved
to the vacant lot next door and we would continue living at 7415 sw 32nd.
For the most part my stay in Multnomah went by unoticed . no statues , no
buildings or counties named after me ...my tenure was not the stuff of legends
or myths , with the possible exception of the Great Girdle raid ;
http://snapshotsandmusings.blogspot.com/
But for me this was the place where I grew up . From here I learned and was
inspired in in ways I know and in many ways I do not know or fully understand
.
Here I went to school , learned to read and write , learned the joy of
exploration wether in the forest next door , or in the aisles of the local
Library. Here I learned about friendships and met a life long friend . Here we
played games of cowboys and Indians games of war and conquest.
I earned my Cub scout merit badges here . Learned to slide into a base ,
catch a ground ball , and bunt.
It was here I came home giddy from my first kiss . Went to my first dance ,
parked my first car . It was in the house at 7415 that I first murmured "I Love
you " and felt the pain of love lost .
I learned the upside and downside of hard work .
IN the basement we took shelter from the Columbus day storm and stocked
the place with food in case of nuclear war .
In my room I listened to Simon and Garfunkle and the beach boys ...hid
playboy magazines , and did my homework.
Here I felt the sting of the belt on my backside , and the warm embrace of
my fathers strong arms ...
Here I showered and shaved one day and went off to Peace Lutheran Church
and my Bride.
And it was here that I saw my father for the last time a few hours before
He passed away.

I grew up here ...in a little place called Multnomah in a City named
Portland in a county Named Multnomah. In the State of Oregon , In the United
States , in the Northern Hemisphere on a Planet racing through the cosmos .

This was the center of my world .

It was a quick trip through the neighborhood ...I captured some photos of
this place that has captured my heart ...its changed some and stayed the same
some ....it is embraced and confined and conformed to my memory ....It was a
good day .

Bound to be some Trouble

I was troubled yesterday. And I wasn't sure of why until late last night. Yesterday was very wet , very. I was able to get out and take just a handful of shots , and the one I really worked at , was spoiled by water on the lens.
The Crab feed should have really been exciting for me , and the Crab was wonderful. The fellowship was great ..but I just seemed disconnected . Something was troubling me , and as it turned out it was more than one thing .
The day before there had been a tragic accident on the Clackamas river , that in turn reminded me of a primal fear of mine when I was much younger .
The Clackamas river runs out from the " melt off " of snow on Mt Hood . The Clackamas is a popular river for recreation , hiking , fishing , swimming and rafting. Its only a few minutes drive from Portland. And because of its proximity it is well used year round .
On Monday a dense blanket of Fog covered the Willamette Valley , but for those who drove a few miles to the East the Fog lifted to a winter playground on the sides of Mt Hood. A young family took such a journey ..they ended up at a recreation area called Austin Hot Springs. There are several Geothermal springs in Oregon , and this is one of the most accessible. the warm water coming from deep within the Earth fills pools alongside the Clackamas river , during the summer when the water level is much lower , people will scoop out resting spots in the river and sit in the Heated water .
Monday the park was covered in snow , the river was running wildly because of rising temperatures and Heavy rains the day before . The family came to play in the snow . The Dad and daughter who was six years old were near the river when in a moment of distraction the father lost sight of the girl. Then He heard her go into the water ..the swift current dragging her from shore ...He raced along the river bank trying to get ahead of the current so He could pull his daughter from the river , but was unable to do so ..she was lost .
Tuesday , the story was unfolding in the local news . Periodically I would see updates on the TV , and AOL had the story on its News banner as well . I was working on files from the last trip to Oregon . One of the photos was of Shallie falls ..and the Mckenzie river . Like the Clackamas the McKenzie is fed by Snow melt from Mountains in the cascades . I was remembering a day trip many years ago when my Daughter Kaisa , and her Mother and I , took a day trip out of Sisters ..to play in the snow and explore.
We had parked the car at the head of the upper Shallie falls trail . The plan was to hike to the falls about a mile away . I had never ben on this trail I had assumed that the trail would follow the river to the falls close to the river . It did but instead of following at River Level it was high above the river. The Path was wide and very easy to hike on , several times Kaisa sprinted out ahead of us , enjoying the snow and all those delights that catch the attention of a hyper active six year old . Several times I had to either chase her down or bellow her name to get her to return to us . She was a bundle of clothes , warmly dressed there was more fabric than person as she bounded down the trail , racing headlong in her fantasy and discovery. Soon we neared the Head of the Falls and I could hear the sound of it from quite a distance . And when we were there perched at the top of the Falls looking down into a swirling mass of water ...with nothing to protect or keep a person from going to near ...A connection was made and Suddenly I was so fearful for my daughters safety ..I grabbed her and held her close ..I stepped back from the ledge ...and the trip back to the car she was puzzled and angry that I never let her go I held her , carried her , but we were always in contact . For years and years after that I would wake up in a start dreaming she had fallen into the Mckenzie ...
Then I read of this Tragedy on the Clackamas River . I can only imagine the horror and shame that father felt when His daughter fell into the water . A trip to bond family memories and to have a pleasant distraction from a gloomy day ..to end in such tragedy . How He must have raced along the river trying to catch his daughter ..the flooded river would have been well past the rocky shoreline and above the well worn trails used by Fishermen and hikers . Instead He would have been crashing through brush and brambles , hands and face cut and bleeding .
How close all of us live our lives out , how but for the Grace of God we survive the torrents and floods that come against us in this life we live out . This families tragedy could have easily been ours several years ago ...I suspect it is an understanding of that troubles me so . We are in so many ways connected to each other , we live a myth of individuality and self sustaining indifference ..when we are one family one people ,m living through the beneficence of Him who gave us all . We are not as strong as we think we are .

We are frail
We are fearfully and wonderfully made
Forged in the fires of human passion
Choking on the fumes of selfish rage
And with these our hells and our heavens
So few inches apart
We must be awfully small
And not as strong as we think we are Rich Mullins

Good Timing

One great reason to visit the Oregon Coast in Winter is the Dungeness crab . This pacific Northwest delicacy is at its prime in the winter months . Traditionally the season begins December 1st but can be delayed to harvesting requirements . This year the Harvest began on January 15th ..the season extends to the Ist of August and is heavily regulated . The number of fishing permits are controlled ( only 450 ) Only Male crabs over 6 1/4 inches across the backs can be harvested females and smaller males are returned to the Ocean and the Bays.
Dungeness crab is best served cold . A little clarified butter can be used ..but the meat is so sweet and tender it needs nothing but itself to make for a great meal. Most often the crab is served in the shell , Crab crackers are usually supplied . You can also purchase the crab directly , and take it home. or back to the motel . If you do this ask the vendor to take the back off the crab , you can't eat it and its quite messy .

As wonderful as they are Crabs do not come ready to eat . I was reminded of this last night .Lee and Corrine belong to the Elks . We were with them for dinner last night . ( taco night ) and before we could leave just after Lee was serenaded by another round of happy Birthday , and the cake was cut . We were advised that their was help needed in the kitchen , the Crab had arrived for the Next days Crab fest.

We were planning to go with our hosts to this event , an all you can eat Crab fest is the West coast version of a Louisiana Shrimp boil . And I was looking forward to this ...the Arrival of the crabs a day early was cause for celebration ...and a little prep time as well .

Several hundred pounds of crab had arrived , packed in ice , separated into easily handled smaller boxes . The crabs were off loaded outside in the 38 degree comfort of the loading dock. Several trash buckets ,five of us ,, and a bucket of warm water waited for them .

Crabs are prepared by Immediately boiling them . Once the Crab is boiled , it is placed in the crushed Ice . The next step ( our Job ) is to remove the back and offal , lungs and snap the crab in half . This is the messy part , as wonderful as the edible part of the Crab is the Undedibal part is in a word disgusting . In order to remove the Back you slip your thumb under the shell at the base of the crab and pull it off . this reveals all the nasty stuff which you scoop out with your thumbs and fingers . You peel off the lungs , give the crab a shake and grab another . Last night I was able to do about three crabs before I would warm my hands up in the hot water .

With five of us working it went pretty fast and we had the Crabs backed in about 45 minutes or so . Inside another crew were finishing the cleaning process , and bagging the Crabs for the dinner tonight.

A dinner I might add I am really looking forward to. There is something about participating in the process that makes the food taste all that much better .

Sometimes I take things for granted , I either overlook , or ignore the labor that goes into the things and food I enjoy. Like wise often I over look thanking the One who made all this possible . We have so much to be thankful for ...Praise God for the Dungeness crab.

Lee Part 1....

I think I Must have majored in Obtuse ..Part of this project is called " Real People " . I keep waiting to find some real people. Only to realize I already am . I am so eager to meet "new" real people I overlook the ones God has put full in my face.
Every person I met last night at Lees Birthday party has a remarkable story . Steve was telling me of His trip to Alaska this year and being a Spectator at the Iditerod . Steve's wife Chedda is an accomplished salmon fisherman . Roy , owns a mattress company in Portland that is flourishing because of His hard word and honesty.
Since the occasion was Lee's Birthday. I would like to talk about Lee.
Lee and I met when we were in Second grade , at Multnomah Elementary School in Portland Oregon. We met at the Tether ball court . I really don;t remember much about how a chance meeting flourished into a friendship I just know that was the beginning . We lived several miles apart . and would often call each other , in the early years I suspect we had our mothers call . and we would start waling toward each other and meet somewhere in the middle of our Journey .
We spent a lot of time playing at each others house , I think Lee preferred mine and I preferred his . More than likely one of our parents were involved in the returning of one of us back to our homes.
Each of us frequently ate at the others home ..in my memory I believe that My Mothers sweet tooth was a great attraction for Lee , but Lee's mother seemed to win out in the Entree Department . It was at Lee's house for instance that my teeth first scraped an Artichoke Leave , and snapped through a fresh Spear of Asparagus .
I would say that both of our Families would Identify themselves as Christians , but it seemed to me that Lee's Family actually did something about it .They were Catholics and each meal was blessed to God , and even now I think that was pretty keeling , and perhaps that explained the difference between the canned Asparagus and the Fresh .
Lee and I each had a brother ..but out brothers never " clicked " together . We often went on family picnics and adventures with each others family. Lee's mother taught me to swim and stretch my self , I am not sure what my father taught Lee ...Perhaps the value of a good sense of humor , but I think that is a question I will ask Him today. When I asked Him He told me the biggest lesson he learned from my father was that of hard work, he remembers my father going out on second shifts and overtime during the frequent Ice storms and wind storms we had ..to repair broken and downed electrical lines . ( My father was a lineman ) He also remembered how much time our parents spent with us even after a full day of work.
Lee and I played Little League . Lee was much better than I , He easily made it to the majors ..I was in the Minors. Both of our Fathers Coached ...And both of our fathers seemed to miss the class on Yelling and Berating the Team. Instead they were patient , and encouraging , and perhaps most important both felt that if you practiced you should play .
The six years from second Grade to eight grade went very fast . Two fast for a memory to keep track ...I do know that when it came to childhood friends Lee was at the top of my list . Sometime in those six years Lee started going to a Catholic School ...but we still kept in touch
At one point both lee and I were driven kicking and screaming to the Norm Stoll School of Dance . There we learned the art of asking a girl to dance , basic ball room dancing including the tango and foxtrot and how to properly introduce our dance partner to the instructor . While this must of seemed like pure torture and Child abuse to us ..in time this was perhaps the best gift our parents ever gave us .
...then came High School .
For some odd reasons It was decided that I should go to a All boys School called Benson Polytechnic ..It was a trade school , which classes in Welding , Auto Mechanics , Foundry , electronics , Carpentry and Machine shop. It also hade a very good science curriculum which was what I was interested in . The fact that I was not interested in Shop classes at all was not considered a deterrent , but it would have a profound impact on me in two more years .
Lee went to Wilson High School , the Public High School in our District . By Public I mean it had both boys and girls going to the school. By eight grade I began to recognize the possibilities in girls ...and just as I was strting to see the possibilities ..I was shuttled off half way across town to a School that had no girls .
Lee on the other hand was in Soft Feminine Heaven....

To Be Continued ...

End of a wonderful day PM post

Been a very pleasant and laid back day. The rain persisted for most of the day, From Lee's back patio we could sit and watch the clouds pushed over the Coast range and squeezed out great amounts of rain over the valley.

Lee and I went out for a quick look at the rising river , and then a utility trip to the Wal-mart located about 15 miles away

I was also able track down an old High School friend on the Internet . Both Lee and I talked with him shared a few stories and more than likely we will go for a visit sometime in the next few days .

Most of the day was spent just hanging out . Dinner time three couples arrived to celebrate Lee's 65 birthday. We talked amoungst ourselves , told stories and had a good evening .

Over all the day was dominated by reminiscing, sharing , and pleasant fellowship . Photography took a back seat to friendship and friends ....

First morning first day St Paul and Lee ( AM post )

Its early morning here in Oregon . The plane arrived safely and a few minutes early at the Portland Airport . Our bags were literally waiting for us as we arrived . PDX is very efficient, and its very spacious and very cool. If you have a layover in Portland of any time ..you can " visit " Oregon by just exploring all the shops and restaurants in the Airport.
My long time friend , Lee and his wonderful wife , picked us up at the airport. I have know lee since 2nd grade ..our friendship has endured a lot ..the endurance has made it stronger .
We stopped for a quick meal at Burgerville ( burgerville.com ) . This Northwest only hamburger chain was opened in 1961. It is a Portland institution that is recognized world wide for the quality of its food . It is well know for only using the freshest local ingredients in its menu , including local cheese ( Tilllamook ) Beef , vegetables, berries and fruits. During season their Milk shakes are world class , out of season they are not offered , no frozen strawberries here. You can goggle them and they have a what's fresh section on their website.
Lee and Corrine live in St Paul. St Paul is a small farming community about 45 miles south of Portland. Every Year ( July 4th ) St Paul hosts one of the best Rodeo's in the State , aptly named the St Paul Rodeo .
This is the Northern tip of the Willamette Valley , The most noticeable farms in the area are those growing hops . but there is wheat , corn , garlic , miniature trees , nurseries , tomatoes , cucumbers ...well just about everything you can imagine being grown here. Its good soil and plenty of Sun and rain .
This year there has been too much rain, the state is flooded The worst floods in several decades. Heavy rain melted early snow , with predicable consequences . As we drove into St Paul i could see fields covered in water ....the poles that support the Hops looking like Piers at the beach.
Hops are a main ingredient in beer . They have a very distinct taste a bitter tangy taste ...the hop or Hopp crop here is huge , in fact it accounts for about 80% of the national crop .

I find it interesting how the Lord has divided the Earths resources for His people . There is no underground deposit of oil in Oregon , no coal , or natural gas . but here in the Willamette valley there is a great wealth of food crops some very essential for the needs of the people . An entire and successful restaurant chain can survive here with out having food trucked more than a hundred miles or so ....and the area still has enough room left over to provide with pubs and taverns and even your local refrigerator with tangy bitter , brews.
I do find myself wondering if perhaps God is trying to strongly suggest to us as citizens of the world , that as Citizens of Heaven we are going to be living with out borders , with out territorial conflict. Or perhaps He is saying something quite basic ..and quite true Trust me ...I will provide for you.

Just musing at 6 am in St Paul Oregon , I have my camera ready. I am waiting for the first sigh of the Sun , but it looks like it is going to have to pierce the clouds ..Today may not burst alive with the stabbinbg light of the Sun ..instead it may simply start to glow as the clouds reluctantly let some light in.

Either way , soon Lee and Corrine will be up . Lori will probably sleep a little longer. It was a hard travel day for her . Today we celebrate Lees 65th Birthday. Hard to believe the boy I used to visit and lay ball with is turning 65 ...we have made this journey together ..in a few months His party will be my party . Sunrise , Sunsets , wars , and warm summer nights , double dates , and clam digging , nights of too much beer , and days of too little sun ...its been quite a journey , quite an adventure . Happy ( belated ) Birthday Lee !!!

By faith ....Travel day !

For those of you who were interested ..my pants stayed up . We easily boarded the flight in Nashville and are now waiting for our connecting flight in Kansas City which will deposit us in Portland Oregon.
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The flight to Kansas city was full , but the four trip to Portland is only about 2/3 full which probably means we have three seats for the two of us . That is a Yea !

While flying I mused some on recent conversations in the Chat room I keep visiting . Usually the conversations are dominated by two groups of people , those who claim they have faith and who get quite angry with those that do not , and those that do not have faith and get angry with those who do .

I have noticed that the " radicals ' on both sides of the discussion actually seem to have more in common than they have in differences ..only what they have in common is they just like to insult the other groups.

In this case I am compelled to wade in and try get a semblance of a dialouge going , but usually end up having both sides get upset with me ..which actually seems like a victory of sorts.

What inspired me to muse on this is my fear of flying and watching the Planes right wing bounce joyfully in the air.

God gives us faith , we can share the witness of that faith with others , but we can't give them the faith God has given us . God has to give them the faith.

You can't argue about faith .either for it or against it . Its Faith , not Fact .

I really do not like to fly ..but I understand it works . I Understand this because of the millions of people who have successfully flown , and the testimony of many who I personally know.

While it might be a great academic exercise for me to fully understand the dynamics of flight ..all I need to know is it works .

That is how I tend to be in this current season of my life when it comes to Faith , God , Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I realize I do not need to reinvent the wheel . I know there are millions of people who worship God , who belive they are saved ..and these millions of people represent just about every vocation , gender , language , age , and professional sports team fan base . If this is a mass hallucination it is a doozy.

These days when people ask me why I believe I simply tell them because of the testimony and witness of those who are walking with me and those who have gone ahead of me ...

Now I can answer most questions about the Bible , I am reasonably competent in that area , but if you want to argue with me about my Faith ..find a new Argument . Its like asking me why I like sushi , or arguing over why I prefer Sunsets to Drag racing.

Like wise nothing I can do can change a persons heart , unless it is God doing the work. If I share my faith with another person and get angry with them because they don't believe ..what good is that ?

If I base my success on sharing the Gospel on how many I get to kneel and recite the sinners prayer I be live I have changed my goal from faithfully sharing the gospel to keeping track of my results.

We are saved not by our efforts ..its not us doing the work ..Its all Him . if anything the understanding of how God has mercifully saved us should humble us ..we should ache for the unsaved not make them enemies.

Flying is for me a matter of Faith ...It may be someone's technological achievement. and that is great ! But for me the reason I can fly with little anxiety is because I know it works ....and I am a Christian because I know Faith works ..and that is more than enough for me .

My bags are packed I'm ready to go ...

Lori and i just finished up with our last classes at FCA ...wont be back till Mid March. Deliverd the last of the Portrait packages , had a nice lunch , and are now almost completely packed and ready to go.

I think I should point our that I am a very reluctant Airplane traveller. I would much perfer taking a car than getting on board an airplane . I think after careful contemplation I have narrowed down my dislike to one basic area ..I am claustrophobic in environments I cannot control . I would much rather be couped up i a small car that I am driving than sitting next to a long legged long armed gentleman with really knobby elbows .

If i am driving I can stop where I want to stop and push on where I want to push on . i have a selection of rest stops and bathrooms to choose from all with easy access. even though the bathrooms on a plane may be only a few feet from you it is often difficult if not impossible to use them with out drawing much attention to yourself .

There is just something unsettling watching a grown man reduced to manic Grimaces when the under size bladder decides its time to go.

I also like the treats I can drive with much better than the treats supplied by the airlines ..no travel should be initiated with out copious amounts of Beef Jerky , BBQ potato chips and A cherry coke. Tearing open a small package of crackers doesn't feel like travelling it feels like convalescing.

Fortunately we fly as much as possible on Southwest ...Lori Got our Boarding passes one second after the earliest possible time she could get them , we are at the front of the line ...Seat selection is easier that way .

The out bound flight takes us to Kansas City ...On the map KC is still in the USA , but the airport seems to be off the map. But again its just a small bump in the anticipation of a wonderful journey .

I am trying to not be anxious about flying ...and I think I am making some inroads , though the airline companies keep adding to my anxiety .. Most recent are the full body scans . I understand the need ...but I am not sure about the procedure ...I am reasonably certain that this device was invented by a twenty something who actually has hips . At 65 I am well past MABM ( Middle aged butt migration ) . I actually think mine moved when I was about 48 I went to sleep one night with everything where it was supposed to be and woke up the next morning with my bottom parts sticking out over my belt . At this point the Belt becomes more functional that cosmetic ...Pants that used to stay above the waist because they got caught on you hips , are now free to wander , and when I say wander I mean wander down ...way down ...Get arrested down ...down

the only thing between you and Candid camera embarrassment is that belt . As I Grew older my Belts out of necessity have grown wider and stronger , mine now can be used to tow a Dump truck out of a snow drift ...I need it I depend on it ...so imagine the sensibilities in designing a security system where similar adults like me have to remove their belt then stand and raise their arms above their head ...I just wonder who is collecting all those security video Out takes ?

Anyway the only thing I can do ..is make sure I am not wearing the Winnie the pooh Boxers Lori gave me for Christmas ...I will travel with basic Black boxers ...Powder my stomach to keep from blinding some unsuspecting person with the usual stomach glare and hope for the best ....

Tomorrows Comments her will probably be late ...but they will be here ...I will let you all know then how the Security Flash went .

Thinking of Sunsets

Thursday , we are teaching tomorrow so I have used this day to actually for real , begin packing. Its interesting I have about 40 pounds of camera gear I am planning to take , and I have about 20 lbs of clothes . Even though we are going to be gone for quite along period of time ..I have decided to pack really light ... Both places we are staying have washers and dryers and I know how to use them .
The layered casual look is the Oregon State Fashion statement . I am layering in comfortable T shirts , sweater and fleece's .

The past several trips I have taken I have noticed that I usually only get a few feet into the Duffle anyway.

Trying to figure out how to get four cameras and Six Lenses into one camera bag was a little bit tricky ..so tricky it ended up not happening ..I do have them packed but they are all over the place in my luggage.

For the most part we have very few plans for the trip ...you learn to make your plans based ont he weather . Rainy days are for trips to Museums , Movie theatres , stocking up on Groceries , lunches in quaint seaside restaurants or simply curling up with a good book and watching the waves roll in .

Sun breaks are for grabbing the gear and finding the perfect low tied or hide location . One item that is essential for your travels on the Oregon Coast is a Tide Table . You can get them easily on the net or most stors , restaurants ,and motels carry them . For my interests I plan my day around the tides and the sunset ...Especially the sunsets.

For anyone who enjoys a good sunset and loves to photograph them I have one bit of advice , scout your location ...look for great foregrounds , and be aware of where the Sun is actually going to land . Look for reflections in the tidal pools , and enjoy ! by all means enjoy . Sunsets on the Beach are breathtaking ..kind of puts you in place and yet you feel embraced by Gods love as well .



We did some banking today , took care of a few last minute errands . Lori and i even had a chance to watch a couple of recorded episodes of Burn Notice. Overall a pretty calm day ...

The weather report for the Willamette Valley includes lots of precipitation..even the possibility of some flooding . This is Oregon as I know and love it !

About Oregon

About Oregon :

For the most part Oregon is boarded by the Pacific Ocean to the West , the Snake river to East , the Columbia River to the North and the imagination of humankind ot the South.

While most people think of Oregon and Umbrellas in the same breath the truth is the majority of the state recieves less than 15 inches of rainfall per year .

Oregon is divided by two Mountain ranges ...the furthest west are the Coast range , the Eastern range are the Cascade Mountains , when you enter California these become the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Between the Coast range and the Cascades is the area referred to as the Willamette Valley ..the Willamette river is one of a handful of major rivers that flow South to North in the Northern Hemisphere . The Willamette river is major tributary of the Columbia river Which is the only river to divide the Cascade Mountains .

Oregon's major population centers are in the Willamette Valley . Portland Oregon which at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia river is the Largest city in Oregon . South of Portland is Salem the State Capital , and south of Salem is Eugene , home of the 2012 Rose bowl champions the Oregon Ducks .

For the rest of the Month of may we will be staying in a small town called St Paul , famous for its Hops and its St Paul Rodeo . For the Oregon Coast part of our stay we will be in Depoe bay . which is a very small Fishing port South West of Salem.

We are anticipating Sunny days and Stormy days . The storms can be quite powerful. The Waves crashing against the Rocky Headlands are beyond spectacular ...

The Oregon Coast line is dominated by a Series of headlands ..these were formed by under seas volcanic eruptions which ran from East to West ..the Harden lava pushed up the Beds ...as the State slowly raised from the ocean floor ...the softer sediments between the Volcanic Intrusions were eroded ...leaving the harder Igneous rock pushing itself into the Pacific Ocean..

What is left behind are long stretch's of Sandy beaches ..separated from other long stretchs by Rocky Headlands . the result is a Beachcombers Heaven , Gentle Beaches and rocky tidal pools and spectacular cliffs pounded by storm tossed waves . This is not bad hunting grounds for Photographers as well .

Many of the towns on the Oregon Coast are making the transition to tourism.

The major economies of the Area , Timber and Commercial Fishing , are in decline . Mostly because of over harvesting . For the most part it is not a Galtlinburg , Disneyland , Branson type tourism . Kite companies , Wind surfing , whale watching and Sport Fishing are popular attractions ....Of course there are plenty of wonderful family owned restaurants , lots of seafood , and manly steaks as well .

Oregon in winter is not for shorts and sunglasses , it is for people who really want to connect to the land . The layered look is in here . People in Oregon take great pride in their States beauty , you will see very little litter on the roads and there have been some cases of Litterbugs being staked out on the Low tide mude flats for simply throwing a cigarette butt out the window .

We hope you are gonna enjoy our winter visit .

Tuesday "Men at the Gate" and recommended reading

Today was " Men at the Gate " day ...every Tuesday some of the men from our Church meet at 6:30 in the morning for some songs , prayer , a word from our Pastor and testimony from each other ... This is a great idea ...because of this we have grown together , we have discarded our individual " lables " and have become more " transparent " to each other ..we share our failures in our Earthly visit , and our Success in our new relationship with Christ ..we share our trials and our Joys ..Its good stuff .

I spoke this morning on the upcoming trip and about labels ...most important for me I simply asked the questions do we bear good witness to Gospel by attacking and slandering the faiths of others ? To put it another way Sharing the truth of the Gospel should not mean building the Christian Faith up by tearing others down . instead .simply and faithfully preach the Gospel message ...

I am hoping the message was well received ..but I left with our Worship Pastor for a pre scheduled Breakfast and will get a report latter , much later as I will be gone for seven weeks... It was a morning with good fellowship and some other interesting insights to my own personal struggles and walk . I will readily admitt that when I first came seeking Christ I did so as an intellectual assignment ..it was only after accepting Christ and His offer of redemption on the Basis of the Faith He portioned to me that I really started to grow in the Lord ...but old habits die hard it seems ..lately I have been trying to " cultivate " a more meaningful relationship with Christ and the Holy Spirit by " reading about them from other writers . I had thought to ask Pastor Wayne about a reading list on the Holy Spirit , that is until this Sunday when Pastor Margaret mentioned in her testimony that she had gone through her bible when she wanted to know the Holy Spirit and read and underlined everything in her Bible on that subject ...Sounds like good advice ...

Pastor Wayne also reminded me about ..what the Bible teaches about prayer and supplication and worship ...to put all this into practical words ...I Can read what other people say about Jesus , or I can read what He says about Himself and what He has said directly to me ...I can read about Pastor Wayne or I can choose to go to Breakfast with Him ...

Good Breakfast :

Now I can seriously start thinking about packing : might even get the Duffle out

Pictured : Recommended reading ( from left to right )

Monday ..still time to put off getting ready !

Its Monday . Martin Luther King day ...We leave on Saturday . The Bronchitis and the allergies and the cold are still troubling me . normally a nominal Procrastinator , this has created a perfect storm of advance Procrastination ....There are several things I know I have to get done , and yet I am still un motivated to get them done ... Packing isn't the real issue ..I am going to hold myself to a bare minimum of clothing ..its the beach ..its rustic , and its Oregon.

If you havn't been to Oregon or spent much time in the State Oregon is a pretty interesting place ...Oregon was admitted to the Union on Valentines day in 1859.

Like Any place Oregon has its Great moments in time and its less than Great ....Some of the very last Native American vs Whites conflicts in the USA were in Oregon with the final end ot the Modac wars in 1890. Oregon was the six state to give women the right to vote ..in the Early 1900's the KKK had a strong hold on the State.

During WW2 of the 100,000 Japanese Citizens interned for the Public Safety 4000 of them were from Oregon .

Oregon was the first State to pass a Bottle Bill which greatly decreased litter on Public lands , and Oregon has always maintained Public Ownership of its entire Coastline ( there are no Privately owned beaches in Oregon ).

Because of State regulations governing the Lumber Companies in the 60's Oregon became a Leader in Pulp wood manufacture ..prior to the 60's Lumber waste was burned ...now it is recycled into paper. and theis itself has become a major industry in Oregon.

During the 60's Oregonians as they are called seemed to suddenly start realizing what a blessing their natural Beauty was ..and the state slipped from dependency on Timber and Commercial Fishing to a Tourist Economy. Now millions of people each year enjoy the Summers and Dall on the Oregon beaches ...part of our Decision to go to Oregon in February is to point out some of the benefits and beauty of the Oregon Coast in the winter months .... It can be extremely pleasant or extremly Nasty and that is in just one day ....should be quite an adventure

Getting ready But Still in Nashville

Busy day to day , will be the last day we are at our Church for about seven weeks . LOts of people to say goodbye to. Lots of prayers . Lunch with some really dear friends ..a trip to Wal-mart , and now stting up to get all of our stuff in order , for me this means thinking about , thinking about packing.

I want to Journal for the six weeks we are out in Oregon. I have two reasons for this . One i want to work on a Project that will help market the Beautiful Oregon Coast in Winter . I also want to work a maller scale version of a planned booked project ..the Larger project is called " Raw Beauty and Real People " this one will be called " Raw beauty and real people of Oregon " . KInda of a template if you will . YOU can follow Us on my Pbase Gallery site : that Address is Pbase.com/Ifistand . Weather permitting I will be adding photos to it Daily. We are leaving Saturday the 21st . SO at this point I do not have any future shots . I Orded a Canon Future shot camera for Christmas , but apparently they are either backordered , or the Future shot doesn't exist yet ..which may be a buisness opportunity for someone . IMagine a camera that will take a picture before the picture happens ... Oh well ....Anyway hope you come back and visit me ..