Monster Burrito

Just as I was tucking into a Holy Mole Burrito, the resident table monster decided to join me.

A Birthday Party

A fellow trombonist turned 60 and we all sang and ate.

You Tie the Gown in the Front

When you get a mammogram, you remove all clothing above the waist and tie the hospital gown in the front. Then you sit in your small cubicle and wait to be called. The tech said I moved around too much when I tried to take a pic while pinned to the x-ray machine, so this is the shot I'll share. And you are pinned to that machine, aren't you? And squeezed. Amazing how much tissue they can stretch onto that cold shelf. At least she was chattery and quick. Hope my good health continues; I'm grateful.

Allium

Just coming in to its own.

Easing into Summer

At last the rains have eased up. Today was a wonderfully warm, still, and earthy day. I managed to weed and fuss with the side yard, and I just now came in from planting pepper seedlings and a taragon plant. We made two trips to Parr Lumber for fence parts! Little Elena the chick has been flapping her wings that have real feathers already.

Rushing

Rushing, rushing, always seem to be rushing somewhere. Two concerts and a symphony this weekend. I do spend a lot of time in the car, it seems. At least it's dry in the car; we have had so much rain!

Abstract Music Hall

The new performing arts center in Beaverton is part of the new arts and communication high school. Eric played in a maiden concert there last night. New red paint that still smelled sticky,  airconditioning vents that couldn't be quieted, and during the pre-concert rehearsal, a crackling teenager's voice suddenly heard over the PA system explaining that if you press this button and then luckily pressed it again so we didn't have to hear anymore from him.

View of the Weather

Brother and sister-in-law, Ken and Dee, live on this hill in Salem. If you try really hard, you can see the little blip of the Capitol tower in the distance. We have been agog at our skies lately. Rain, wind, always stormy.

Introducing . . .

. . . from left to right: Ruth, Sonia, and Elena. Big names for little chicks. Abby said if one turns out to be a rooster, it can be called Ruthter. Ruth is a Black Australorp, Sonia a Silver-Laced Wyandotte, and Elena a Welsummer who will lay deep reddish-brown, shiny eggs. We are renovating our coop and run for our new flock.

Blustery Day

It was so pretty this morning. I planted some ground cover and began cleaning around the chicken coop as we plan to rebuild it soon. Then it began to rain and blow sending me inside. To do what? First I tried working on a project upstairs, but soon I was in the basement trying to be productive down there. Nothing seemed to work. I wanted to be outside and found myself staring out the window.

Magenta House

My garden club visited this small house and yard that was packed with art and color. Amazing and awesome and even dismaying - a mere two years ago there was only grass and a bush.

Poppies

It's warm and stormy here; everything feels heavy and fertile. The big, pink poppies are bursting their pods, and the white peonies are already flopping over.

Cleaning Up

The tripod was sitting there, so I put it to use. Just a day in the life.

New Chicks

Finally brought home three baby chicks today! You're supposed to leave them alone until they adjust to their new surroundings, but I just couldn't keep the camera out of their brooder tub, so here are two quick shots. How many baby chick pics can I post per week? :)

Wagonful of Flowers

Picked flowers for Marianna this morning from 6 to 8 a.m. Perfect, peaceful spring morning.

Window Progress

Now the chastity belt is upstairs. Wait, is that a good thing?

Chastity Couch

The trials we give to ourselves; just how difficult can we make our lives?

I'm talking new windows here. The frame for the double windows in our bedroom has been resting against the couch for a month waiting for dry weather. It's actually fun watching the installation. Today that frame goes back outside and up the scaffolding; it didn't fit up the stairway.

Dusty Spider

Window installation day, at last! Once that's over, we'll have some Spring cleaning to do and maybe Ms. Spider will have to set up house somewhere else.

Desultory

The waiting room at Kaiser was crowded; the TV loud. Out of sorts anyway, for one reason or another,  I wandered the halls and found something to shoot by looking down instead of up, wouldn't you know. I hope whoever paged through those magazines suddenly heard their name called, tossed them aside, and went on to find good news. Eric is home and fine: that's our good news.

Troutdale Crow

Spotted the crow on the sign, which spans Main Street, and took the picture through the sunroof.

Blue Lineup

Post-parade laundry: I've had great pleasure hanging blue t-shirts on the line. There may have been a year when it rained and I used the dryer or hung them in the basement, but this was the  21st year!

St. Johns Parade

One more time. This time Eric merely helped Jackie (who plays trombone in the swing orchestra). Eric stayed in the rear with the tuba and Jackie played her flugel horn. So the tradition is still with us - albeit not quite the same at all.

Blue on Blue

Today is the St. Johns Parade. First year with a new leader and Eric as helper. And I'm a helper again, too. Back to the T-shirt drill.

Cruet with Broken Top

No longer so useful, it's relagated to the window sill with the doggie pitcher.

Yellow Iris

Iris nonexotiana. I've been watching everyone else's irises bloom, but mine are so pokey. Not exotic, but I'm so happy to see them coming to life.

Autorretrato en periodicos (Willamette Week)

A local pol gets his head photoshopped onto  a body (that was surely no better or worse than his own) and put on the front page. What they won't do to get you to pick up a copy.

Corona Flags and Menu

After way too long at Kaiser, lunched on fish tacos at La Superior, a good, local dive.

Tulip Season

Will it never end! Marianna's front yard. A pretty, if gray, day today. Very nice as you tend to look at the ground - and that's where the flowers are.