Life Archives
Snowonder
Before it rained, it snowed. A lot!
We had over two feet of snow in Duvall. It was beautiful to look at and fun, until it wasn’t. While we were prepared for it personally, the cities in the area were not and probably wouldn’t be again if happened tomorrow, due to lack of equipment to handle a storm of this magnitude. Once again, I’m grateful to have neighbors and friends that stuck (trying to get unstuck) together to make our way around it. I put together a small clip of what it looked like before it all melted.
Rained Out
A few weeks ago, we experienced another “100 year” snow storm. It’s similar to one we had 10 years ago. We received just over 2 feet of snow over two weeks. After that, it started raining and raining—over 12 inches in parts of our mountains. The video clip shows what happened to our valley once the snow melted. I’ll be posting another clip soon from the snows we had as well. The video footage in the clip is from my latest tool - the Canon 5D Mark II (full 1080p reduced to 1/4 size). I’ll be providing some updates about that as well.
View the VideoA Second Chance
Are you in need of a cat or dog? Is your current tribe of fur balls running low? Please see our friends at Homeward Pet. They are a no-kill pet adoption center. They bring in more animals each year than they have room for. Two of our three cats are former members of the Homeward posse.
Homeward does a great job, are very professional and can hook you up with your own new best friend. There’s no need to look at pet store with so many stray and abandoned animals in need of loving homes.
If you are full on your fur quotient, there are other ways you can support this great organization. Check them out today at http://www.homewardpet.org/
Happy Birthday, Leap Year and Leap Day
If the calendar is correct, she’s only eleven today. Being a leaper has its benefits. Happy birthday Sis.
Giving Thanks
Take some time on this holiday to reflect and you may find that you have more than you thought.
A few things I'm thankful for:
AmyFamily
Friends and neighbors
Good Health
Freedom
Brave men and women who serve and protect us
A cozy bed
Hot and cold running water
Electricity
Great clients
A furnace
Four-legged friends
Drivers with insurance
Chocolate
On this Thanksgiving, let us be grateful for what we have and also for what we don't have.
Summer is Falling
Where did July and August go? I’m looking at September and most folks wonder if we’ve already had our one week of summer, or if Autumn has already moved into second gear. Leaves are turning shades of red, it’s been raining most of the day and The Who’s, “Rain on Me” is playing in the background. We must be in Seattle.
Dry Spell
Our weather has produced a snow spell, but I’ve noticed a dry spell in my writing for the last two months. There are more things to come on this site—updated branding to reflect business name, more writing, more photo projects, more portfolio work. Up, up and away…
Won't You Be My Neighbor
During the recent windstorm and mini crisis (see Powerless), I was impressed how our neighbors came together and helped each other.
Continue reading "Won't You Be My Neighbor"
Powerless
On Dec 14th, around 7:30pm, the lights went out around the Puget Sound area. A major windstorm was on our doorstep and losing the power would be the beginning of a seven day adventure.
Dog, Gone
We’ve had Sam for sixteen years, but today, we had to say goodbye. He was our first feline and made it through two states, four homes and was truly loyal. Our pup—a cat that thought he was a dog, would meet us at the door, fetch, howl like a wolf and loved to go outside in any weather. We will miss him, but happy he can finally shed his tired, old body. RIP puppy dog.
Waterlogged
When it rains, it pours, and when it poured, we became an Island. On Nov 7th, all roads into and out of town were under water. The signs around town say, “Water Over Roadway”, but they should have been labeled, “River Over Roadway”. The road leading to the bridge in the photo is about six feet below the speed limit sign. To the right is normally a dry horse pasture, but now the Snoqualmie River runs through it, and overflows unimpeded throughout the valley.
Professional Help
We all need it. It’s never cheap, but sometimes required. We think we can go it alone, but help is not too far away. In this DIY world, a “pro” may be all we really need.
Continue reading "Professional Help"
Mom
High hopes, long-suffering, a work in progress, therapist, gardener, instructor, sower of seeds and a mom.
Happy Mothers Day, Mom. We are hundreds of miles away, but we're keeping you close today.
Ipsoot Mountain - Out of Sight
I knew I’d be going up to Whistler with Amy the day after my birthday for her work “retreat”. This was already going to be a good birthday present, but then she dropped the bomb—the snow bomb—heli-skiing.
Continue reading "Ipsoot Mountain - Out of Sight"
Can I Play in the Snow?
When I was a little kid, I loved to be out in the snow. I also wanted everything I owned to be out in the snow. After learning how to ride a tricycle, the following winter I was on it in the snow. The bicycle? Yep, to the snow we went (that was little trickier). I was up skiing today (sixteen new inches of powder) and I was thinking about why I loved it so much—it started with the snow!
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First Chair
This never happens. I awoke a little earlier the other morning for a day of skiing at Stevens Pass. It was officially a holiday and school was also out, so I expected big crowds and riders who probably had the same idea. When I arrived at the mountain, I got what I least expected.
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Disneyland for History Geeks
I recently returned from my first trip to Washington, D.C. I was overwhelmed by the presence of the sights and scenes of our nation's past and present. Over the course of four days (not nearly enough), I was able to get a tiny sampling of what is contained in this historic city.
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Miss Mouse - RIP
Mouse, Munchkin, or whatever seemed appropriate at the moment - four pounds of fur and bones passed on this Saturday, Nov 12, 2005. We found her on a visit to PetSmart for some cat food in 1995. The Humane Society brought her in for adoption and, well, we bit (or Amy did).
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Contact Seattle Center
You never see them. You never usually hear about them. Air-traffic Controllers. They are the brains and communications leading your flight and pilots from one city to the next, yet how often do you really think about them? Did you know controllers have one of the highest job burn-out rates? After my last trip, I understand why.
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Be Prepared
The Boy Scout motto, a cliché or just good advice - are we prepared in our city and states for a natural or man-made disaster? After watching the South go through the biggest disaster I've ever witnessed, I'd say we've got a ways to go. While we can't always depend on immediate government help, there are a few things we can begin to do individually or as families in a crisis - natural or otherwise.
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A Little Knowlege Can Be...
This American Life (thislife.org) is an original show that picks a theme and then tells a story around the theme. You can listen to archived shows on the site. The show that played on July 22, 2005 - A Little Bit of Knowledge - is a must listen.
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Blue Dots
I often fly to the Bay area for business and I like to sit by the window to view life at 30,000 feet above the earth. I’m always amazed how many swimming pools dot the land witnessed by the little blue squares and circles.
The Science of Happiness
The Salt Lake Tribune recently reported on new psychology research in the area of positive psychology. According to researchers, 50 percent of a person’s happiness level is due to genetics. But don’t despair just yet.
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Once in a Lifetime - Part One
In the latest issue of Seattle Magazine, editor Rachel Hart bemoans the "anywhere-USA" type of urban planning - the type that seems to be commonplace no matter where you go. Some may call it the "Wal-Mart" effect (or you may have your own name for it).
Continue reading "Once in a Lifetime - Part One"