Dog dish black hole

I don't know what it is this morning but everything I drop in the kitchen manages to bounce and land magically in the dog's water dish as though it were drawn there by some invisible force.

Frosty Aspens

Trees across from the Cop Shop

the Invisi-Baker

The Streep Thing.

I agreed with her.

Here is why I thought it was the wrong time and place to air such sentiments - no matter how much I agreed with her:

Sometimes people want to get away and have a break form all the BS.
Back in the 40's, it was the movie theaters. Even though they did have news reels running before each film played, it was still a way to take a break.

Isn't that partly what the arts are for?
To help us rest from the daily BS all around us?
Yes the arts are there to educate and challenge us as well.
But right in the middle of an event that is meant to, recognise people for their achievements, and to encourage and entertain others in an uplifting manner, why is it necessary to throw cold water on everyone suddenly.

Yes, Meryl, we love you to death, but thank you for interrupting all these good feelings of the evening to remind us how ugly is the national situation we go back to deal with, after we turn the tv off.

This is the same reason I felt it was VERY inappropriate for the cast of Hamilton to  make the political comments they did when Pence attended. It is kinda like breaking the fourth wall.

Suddenly this lovely time, this experience, was unexpectedly torn apart, and the ugly was allowed to seep back in. While in the midst of enjoying a performance, someone just poked a hole in the fourth wall and poked everybody in the heart, for just a minute. Why was THAT necessary?

And because Meryl Streep IS such a valuable and rightfully respected person, she could have used any venue she wanted.

It didn't HAVE to be the golden globes.

It makes me sad to hear when things like this happen. It is like punching an innocent audience in the stomach.

Leave the fourth wall alone when it comes to politics, imho.

The Good Snow Year

Every few years we get a wonderful snow year.

The church where I work sits fairly far back into the woods off the road.

Since the lot hadn't been plowed yet, I ended up hiking through the snow to get the rest of the way in.

It wasn't bad. It was only about a foot deep in the areas plowed from the previous snow storm so it was an easy hike. Glad I didn't have to hike through the 4 foot drifts!

My poor little tree!

I felt compelled to take some pics of the snow for posterity's sake.

Who knows when we will get this good a snow fall again. It may not be for another 3-5 years.

(Which would be sad.)

Ok, it's only been one week...

And I am going to just say, it's REALLY hard for me to stay off FB. Although it has also been good to pull away from it. It is forcing me to take time to be more creative. But I do miss seeing what my friends are up to as frequently. I had to break the rule the other day in order to wish a friend happy birthday and also to post an alert about a dog I picked up in our neighborhood. But other than that, I've been fairly good at limiting it.

New Years 2017

The morning after the festive hooplah, fireworks, food and beverages. The snow falls steadily while every one reads, plays games, toys with the new kittens and eats breakfast.

Yard? What yard?

We've gotten at LEAST another 6-8 inches since this photo was taken.

And now the freezing rain has begun.

Not complaining mind you. I love the snow.

Snow Removal from Roof and the Guillotine

So there is a LOT of snow accumulated on the roof.
My landlord/roomate went to buy a snow removal device but they were all sold out.
So she invented one of her own.
It actually worked.
Quite well.
In this video you will see the proof of it, with myself recording the auspicious event and shouting encouragements (aka heckling). An annoying 5 min long commentary on almost daily life around here.

One thing you won't see in this video, is Patti Jo scraping a large wad of snow so that it would strategically land on me while I was shoveling off the walk way. Also not seen is when the device slipped from the roof, narrowly missing me as I shoveled off the walk below. It would have been a most effective guillotine. I suppose that would have been the Darwin Award part.

In other news, Ika who has been away from the Central Oregon snow and cold for a long while, seems to be re-acclimating after 6 days of single digit and sub-zero temperatures.

Looking Cat Looks

Sitting inside the warm glow of the mouth of my house.
Peering between the luminous teeth,
Looking Cat looks,
out into the dark winter night.

Gotta love the snow!

Despite the single digit and sub-zero temps lately, I still love the snow. I don't really shovel it, but instead drive over it and mash it down with my car when ever possible. 

Even so, I prefer it outside, rather than in however. 

A rolled up towel serves as a baffle next to the floor and perhaps I can keep out winter's chill by hanging the Norwegian coat (aka Blake's "Kringle Coat") on the door knob.

The patio has accumulated a couple of feet.

Not in the mood to dig out the fire pit, though.

Why are we not surprised?

In other local-ish news: Hanford is contaminating the surrounding areas.

In this local ARTICLE on KTVZ.com (local NBC affiliate) Hanford Nuclear Reservation is (finally) leaking.

Is this a shock?
Who are the numptys that say things like ,"Oh no this (insert thing humans do, say or build) will NEVER break,fail, or die."


Seriously, do we not ALL KNOW that if it is made by man, it will eventually crumble?
Nothing is eternal. (Except God) Nothing is infallible especially if humans were involved in the creation of it.

What happened to all the rocket scientists who built these danged things?

Surely THEY would have told somebody, "Uh, what are you gonna do to keep these facilities maintained so they don't leak?"

Answer: "uh, what do you mean leak? These things will be here for ever".

Dumb asses.