Fun at the Beach

I enjoyed a fantastic day at the beach today... It was a warm 57 degrees with no ocean breeze. The Oregon coast is an amazing place on any day but today it was wrapped in a wonderful package of perfect weather in February.

Astoria, Oregon

The Astoria Column (Height: 125 feet) (Number of steps to the top 164)

Ship wreck at Fort Stevens, Oregon

Elk Refuge off of Hwy 202

February 2008

Somewhere between the dark of winter and the warmth of spring, February is the month of anticipation. Glorious days of sun slip back into cool rain, but while the sun shines we see trees with swelling buds and the first dash of color from eager crocuses.

Spring is near.

Hummingbirds have already staked claim to territories that are still devoid of flowers. Thrushes and sparrows alike have begun practicing their mating serenades. All these activities anticipate the long days of light ahead; the warm temperatures, nectar to fuel bodies, insects to feed young.

Why Do We Celebrate Valentine's Day

This morning was filled with humor for me. My 16-year-old daughter has a boyfriend for the first time and this morning she asked if we could swing by the grocery store and grab a little box of chocolates for him.
I’ve been single for over seven years so I’ve been out of the Valentine’s Day loop for quite some time and after this morning I am glad. As we ventured to the grocery store the sea of terrified men swarmed the floral department. Balloons, candy, flowers in hand. I don’t mean to sound cynical because I am not but the pressure those men were feeling to purchase that stuff, the stressful expressions on their faces - somewhere the meaning is getting lost. I wasn’t seeing any love in their eyes just a look of grab, spend and hope it makes her happy.
I looked up the meaning of Valentine’s Day. We celebrate Valentine's Day, because until 1969, it was one of the many Saint's Days observed by the Catholic Church. It was dedicated to the patron saint of romantic causes, St. Valentine.
It wasn't until 1537 that St. Valentine's day was declared an official holiday. England's King Henry VIII, known for his ways of disposing of wives, declared February 14th a holiday. It was another century and a half before religious devotional cards became non-religious cards to reflect the change in the holiday. On February 14, the ancient Romans celebrated the Feast of Lupercalia in honor of Juno, the queen of the Roman gods and goddesses. Juno was also the goddess of womesn and marriage so honoring her was thought to be a fertility rite.
At the feast held the next day, the women would write love letters and stick them in a large urn. The men would pick a letter from the urn and for the next year, pursue the woman who wrote the chosen letter. This custom lasted until the 1700s when people decided their beloveds should be chosen by sight, not luck.
Even the origination of this holiday seems a little twisted. My thought for the day is make it meaningful in your own way, don’t let commercialism seep into your life, keep it simple.
Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone.

The Beagle Takes the Show - Westminster

For those closest to me know I love beagles. I was the proud owner of a beagle and loved that little dog more than a person should love a dog. He was so full of personality, trouble and contant chaos. He has since left my life but I still have a family picture proudly hanging in my livingroom of he and I.
So you can imagine my extream excitment when "Uno" won the Westminster dog show this week. Go Beagles!!!!! Never has a beagle won before. For those of us who grew up with Snoopy we are all smiling a bit brighter today. Thank you Uno...
At long last, a beagle is America's top dog.
Baying and barking to his heart's delight, Uno lived up every bit to his name Tuesday night, becoming the first of his breed to win best in show at the nation's biggest canine competition.
"He's a people's dog, a merry little hound," handler Aaron Wilkerson said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080213/ap_on_re_us/dog_show

Cycling Can Change from Saturday to Monday

This Saturday spring was in the air. I enjoyed a 27-mile bike ride on one of my favorite routes. The sun felt fantastic and although my speed was good my endurance wasn’t what it was this summer. It was a good ride and it was outside under the sun, what more can I ask for in February in Oregon.
My heart sank this morning when I read the following article. A cyclist killed Monday afternoon in a crash involving a TriMet bus was a 15-year-old student named Austin Miller, 15, of Beaverton. Miller was a student at the Arts & Communication High School in Beaverton.
This pulls on my heart for two reasons, one I am a cyclist and I am on the road a lot; it sadness me more because I am a mom. My heart breaks for young Austin’s parents, there can not be a more painful thing in life than to loose your child, we are not suppose to live longer than our children, it’s not natural. I am so sorry for their loss. We’ve lost a record number of cyclists in 2007, I hope 2008 proves to be different but it doesn’t appear we are starting off on the right foot. http://www.katu.com/news/15529312.html

Death

Last night as my daughter and I said our “good nights” she discovered her beta fish “Numar” had died. She had Numar for nearly 5 years way longer then a beta fish is supposed to live, the folks at the store said they usually live no more than two years. He was on barrowed time as far as I was concerned.
It was still said to see him go. I know it is important to keep perspective here, my daughter is 16, she’s not a little girl; it is just a fish, not the family dog (we don’t have a family dog but you know what I mean).
So what do you do with a dead fish? How do you properly dispose of it? Do you flush him, Do you put him in a baggy and burry him in the backyard? Do you toss him into the garbage?
Flush him!!

No Snow for Jack

We had snow on the valley floor and Wacky-Jack was not going to have anything to do with it...

Cross Country Skiing - Sunday

Yes another perfect day skiing, the conditions and weather were perfect. We've had record snow fall this year.

I’ve been sick for over a week now with a bad cold and some kind of crappy germ but thought I was well enough to enjoy a great day of skiing. I was disappointed to find myself tired only after an hour. We cut the day short and I slept most of the drive home.

I’m lucky for such gracious friends as I really held them back this time.