Mouth of the Columbia River
(Taken with Pano on iPhone)

The weeks they fly by and I’m pretty consistent with my days: there are no ordinary ones. May’s early morning light yanks me out of bed as soon as the cocks are crowing...or garbage trucks are banging down Sandy Boulevard. This morning I was headed to my friend’s cottage in Ocean Park, Washington at 6:00 a.m. I figured if I timed it right I’d beat the Portland traffic and have lots of time to meander along the Columbia River to its mouth, stop a bit in Astoria, Oysterville, and Long Beach just for the heck of it, and make it to her cabin in time for some iPhone shooting at sundown. Fortunately, that’s exactly what happened. Here are the results.

Moss Covered Pilings
(Taken with Pano)

Columbia River 
(Taken with Pano)

Wood for Sale
(Taken with Hipstamatic)

Beach Art 
(They allow cars on the beach here!)
(Taken with Hipstamatic black and white film)

Perfect Grooves Don't Last Long!
(Taken with Camera+)

Through the Eyes of an Old One
(Taken with new iPhone telephoto on a tripod...still shaky!)

Fencing Nothing in or Out
(iPhone telephoto)

Finding Peace
(iPhone telephoto on Pano)

Connie's Shed
(Taken with normal iPhone camera)

A Writer's Place
(Hipstamatic John S
+Blackeys Supergraim +Cherry Shine)....really!

Spinning Wheel and Umbrella
(Hipstamatic)

At Connie’s

It’s an old timey good time.

If I want to, I can pull dandelions

And prune bushes to my heart’s content.

Or not.

If I want to, I can walk six miles down the long beach

And watch the seabirds make contour lines with the waves

Or not

At Connie’s I’m free from Internet

And ta do lists and hurry ups.

When I can’t spell

I finger through the familiar thin pages

Of Webster’s New World Dictionary

And delight in the slowness of it all.

The stool in front of the woodstove

Is perfect for sitting meditation

Flames dance silently in ever-changing patterns.

Sun and shadows

And the drizzle of morning rain

Nourish the blooming Rhododendrons and Azaleas

Polishing waxy leaves

And muting the birdsongs of yesterday.

At Connie’s I sleep in the pitch-dark cocoon

Of an unlit house

And notice the warmth of wool blankets

And the movement of a flying pig mobile overhead

As he twists and peers down

As if to say, “Do what you want, Ruth. There’s no pressure here!”

At Connie’s I take time to look around

At her things:

The sillies

The seriousnesses

The family photos

The books and CDs

Puzzles one can manipulate

And I take time to look at my things too

Sifting and prioritizing

And letting go

And finding peace.

Beauty in Emptiness
(Hipstamaticf of Connie's bottle collection)

OK my friends, it's pouring rain in Ocean Park, Washington today, so I'm hanging out at Adalaid's Cafe  http://adelaidescoffee.com   The eavesdropping on oystermen, fishermen, cranberry growers, and clammers is fascinating!  I highly recommend Ocean Park as an off the grid destination for travelers who want to explore the real Pacific Northwest!