Moving

A week from today I should be waking up in a new apartment, if all goes well. I have no reason to think it won't go well, and frankly, I can't wait! Not because I hate living here, or because the new place is all that wonderful, but because the stress and tension of these last couple of months has not been good for my mind or my body. I vanquished the last minute worries about this move yesterday, stopped looking for an alternative, and feel good about the whole thing. But that didn't help me sleep any better last night, and hasn't stopped the tension from being apparent even this early in the morning. I just want it over with.

Many things to look forward to at the new place. A nice, if small, east-facing room with a large private balcony off it is a good beginning. Lots of nice morning sun, shady afternoons. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to hang my hammock out there and chill out -- a lot! Great place to sit and drink morning coffee, evening wine, whatever.  After the dark room I've lived in for the past 15 months, this sunny, light-filled room will be a nice change. There will be other changes that may not be so nice, but I don't think they'll be unbearable, either. I've come to look forward to living in that part of Springfield for awhile -- found a place not too far away that makes/sells fresh tortillas (a biggie for me), plus the proximity to all the stores I frequent and a big Goodwill at the end of the block. I love passing time at Goodwill, looking for bargains. And there's the nice gym at the complex, which I hope to make good use of. I've been idle for the last couple of weeks -- no walks or anything else to speak of, because of lack of energy and enthusiasm. Getting rid of the 'moving' issues should alleviate lots of that.

So -- that's where my world is right now. And for the next week.

Delta Ponds Walk

I had to take my car to the dealer this morning for some warranty/recall work, ie, installing new airbags. Since this is located in my old (and future) stomping grounds, I opted to take a long walk while the work was being done.

One of the things I love about Eugene: even this car dealership is a LEED-certified building! For those of you who don't know, LEED certification has to do with environmental friendliness. I can't remember what level this building is, but my memory says it's a 4 (almost the highest). Lots of LEED buildings in this town!

Next, I opted to walk over the new pedestrian/bike bridge that opens up lots of new territory for bike riding in this area, leading east to a busy shopping corridor. I'm looking forward to using this once I'm back living in this neighborhood.

This is the view from the top -- part of what's called Delta Ponds, which is a huge pond/marsh area that has development sandwiched between the wetlands, and the rest gets left to wildlife. This is only a tiny portion -- in the distance to the left you can barely see a footbridge that crosses into the marsh, and beyond that it opens up into a very large swath of water. And there's more on the other side of the road, near the river, to the left. As I recall, this wetland area was reclaimed from an industrial site -- maybe a sand and gravel operation? Don't quote me!

A bit further down the street we reach this: my future new home. This is the building I'm on the waiting list for, and it's home to me already, even though I can't live there quite yet. I peeked into the back area and saw that some residents have big, healthy-looking veggie plants and flowers in the personal growing beds. I can't wait to get one of those, too.

Not much further down the street is the river access lane which brings us out here, just north of one of several bike/pedestrian bridges crossing the Willamette all the way through town. There is an identical paved path lining the river through town on the other bank, too. As I recall, it's about an 18-mile loop, from top and bottom bridges.

One of several benches located overlooking the river, all an easy walk from 'home'. Great for reading, relaxing, or if one is inclined to be out late enough, watching sunsets.

When I lived out here before (I must have moved downtown from this area around 2006) I walked/rode this path often and always looked upon these few homes with some amount of envy. They all have lovely yards, lots of roses right now and plenty of other flowers, plus private patios and some kind of sunroom with greenhouse-type glass. They are so charming on the outside, and of course, they overlook the river.

I've looked upon this place with envy, too. It's also a retirement home, but unlike mine this one is fancy and pricey. Not something I could ever afford, but then I suspect that if I could afford this, I'd head to some tropical isle to spend that money, not do it here!

Back to the Delta Ponds, on the opposite side of the road from the first photo, between the road and the bike path. Lots of geese out there, but really not visible here.

But, this guy was hiding on the edges, just below the walkway. I don't think I've ever passed by this stretch of the path without seeing at least one Great Blue Heron, and I'm surprised I didn't see more today, what with it being nesting season with lots of hungry beaks to be fed.

More ponds -- this time on the right side of the path, between the path and the river.

Caught this little family just below, in the same pond as above. I think they were in the foreground of that photo, but I had to use the zoom to get this close. Cute!

Love the Norman MacLean quote here. I don't know how many acres of wetland are included in these ponds -- I'm sure a Google search would answer the question, but I don't remember.

The next bridge over the Willamette. Signs tell me that this one is two miles from the first one I encountered, which means that by the time I got back to my car, I probably walked about 5 miles and it took me an hour and 40 minutes -- with plenty of stops to enjoy the view and take photos.  I'd had a phone call telling me the car was ready not too long before I reached this point, and while I'd planned to walk a little further, my body was feeling the effort so I walked on to the dealer, which wasn't too far away. Basically, I walked a loop -- part on the street, part on the river.

It was a lovely walk. First time I've done it since I moved downtown in 2006, although I'm sure I must have cycled the entire loop along the river at least once after that. Mostly, this northern section is too crowded on weekends for me, so I opted for other paths while I lived downtown. Indeed, now I'm more ready than ever to reach the top of that wait list and move into this neighborhood once more.

John, are you out there?

I need another John in my life. And no, not that kind of john. Never actually had one of that kind.

The John I'm referring to was a wonderful hiking buddy back in my Atlanta/Georgia Appalachian Trail Club days. He was always open to my often-crazy ideas about a place to hike or backpack, never really said no to anything as best I can remember. Always willing, always fun, always a great friend.

And we had some good times! He could outwalk me any day, and I was no speed-slouch back then in my relative youth. We'd find the toughest, most challenging places to go and explore, or simply accomplish a lot of mountain miles in a short period of time. And we did it at fairly warp speed, in the world of hiking/backpacking. Granted, there were others who were faster, but we averaged around 2.5 mph over 25 or so miles of trail with plenty of tough ups and downs, accomplishing that in about 10 hours of walking time that didn't include the few brief rest/lunch stops. We didn't have time to do long stops, nor the inclination.

We'd leave Atlanta long before dawn, drive 2-3 hours to whatever trailhead we were using, generally do a car shuttle so there were wheels at each end. With the rough terrain and forested surroundings, it was good to get off the trail before dark when possible so we had to keep moving. I can only remember one time when we didn't make it before dark, and that was at Standing Indian Mountain on the AT in North Carolina. We had to find our way down a steep and lengthy bit of trail in the dark, with only flashlights to keep us actually on the trail.

Or we'd go on a backpack in one of my favorite places, Slickrock Wilderness and explore the side of the rim that was actually wilderness, with unmarked trails where we had to rely on maps and landmarks to know where we were.  I remember one trip that must have been in the middle of summer because we were only an hour or so into the hike, dripping wet with sweat from the humid heat, when we reached the river and stopped for a break. Wasn't long before clothes were off and we were in the cold pools, cooling off before heading up the hill. A day or two later, when we came down from the ridge via a different trail and set up camp, we did the same thing, washing off the trail dust and sweat. I venture to say that very little feels any better than cold, clear creek water under those circumstances! It's heavenly.

There were so many more. I have photos, but none are scanned and I don't currently have a scanner. But if John is reading this, he knows who he is without a reminder!

The point is, I need someone like John in my life, who is adventurous and a little crazy and always says yes to my ideas of fun things to do. And often has suggestions of his own for equally fun things to do. I'm bored too much -- could go places on my own, of course, but these adventures are never as much fun alone as they are with a dear friend who enjoys every moment of it as much as I do.

Last I heard, John was living in Texas. If you are out there, if you are reading this, drop me a line to say hello and tell me what's happening in your life. I think of you often and miss you, even 20 years later.

Success!

Well, it looks as if I have found a new 'temporary home', which is a good thing. And not a bit too soon, as far as I'm concerned. I don't like the idea of homelessness looming over me in the least.

This one is in Springfield, which I have long resisted for various reasons, not the least of which is that I always get lost over there, and the traffic always seems awful. It also gets me out of reach of the wonderful Eugene public library, but only for a short while, hopefully. I won't need to prove my address again until August, and by then it should only be a short while until I get to move into my own apartment. What a blessed day that will be!

This is a huge apartment complex, made up of 2 and 3 bedroom townhouses placed like sardines but otherwise very nice. Parking is an issue, but since I mostly go out in the daytime while others are at work, I should have an advantage and be able to find a place nearby. It's a two level unit, as they all appear to be. Downstairs, ground level, has laundry, garage and master bedroom suite. Upstairs is a nice kitchen and two bedrooms, one with a lovely balcony of its own overlooking a forest of other backyards and balconies. No matter the view -- it's a place to go outside! Unfortunately, it's attached to the smaller of the two bedrooms so I can't decide which would work best for me. On the positive side, even if I'm in the other bedroom I'll be able to use the balcony because the second bedroom will be used for storage (another benefit for me, as I can also store my unused stuff in that room).

The tenant is a 'young' woman of around 48 who is on the groundskeeping staff. She and I appear to be a lot alike in some very interesting ways -- she's had jobs in many fields and took off traveling around the country by car a few years ago for almost 3 years, until the money ran out. A woman after my own heart! The location is easy to get to without getting into the dreaded traffic of other parts of Springfield, and it's near plenty of good food shopping, the DMV, a big Goodwill store, and lots more. The complex has a really nice gym, which appeals to me greatly.

So -- not sure when I'd move, hopefully around the 26th or 27th, if I decide to pony up the extra cash to move early and prorate the rent. Otherwise, on the 31st. I think it would be worth the extra money to remove myself from this place 6 days early!

New addition

 Bought myself a new easy chair a couple of weeks ago -- and I love it! This one is super comfortable, soft and squishy but still supportive. And the footstool makes it perfect. I spend a lot of time here, watching TV into the evening whereas before I'd prop myself up with pillows on the bed for that because the old chair just wasn't all that comfortable.

You might remember this one. Big and bulky, taking up the space of a loveseat! And, that big cushion wouldn't stay in place, would slide out every time I sat it it. The new one doesn't have a removable seat, so it doesn't go anywhere. This one went back to the thrift store, taken away by the guys who delivered the new one. Neither is really 'my style', but in this case, comfort wins.

Maybe a little crazy, considering that I'm going to be moving soon and don't know where I'm moving to yet. But, I hadn't gone to the store looking for a chair -- merely a large glass mixing bowl. The chair stopped me in my tracks and I even went back in the afternoon to have a better look at it, sit in it again, etc. Then waited until the following morning before calling to make the purchase. That's called learning how to not be impulsive, I think.

The Eugene Marathon passes through the neighborhood

From the foot of the trail that goes down the hill from the house.

I was just finishing up breakfast dishes this morning when I heard the sounds of music (drums and cowbells) down at the foot of the hill. The Eugene Marathon! I knew, but had forgotten, that the course looped around and headed back to town at that point. Naturally, I couldn't resist the thought of that kind of fun and merriment going on so close to home, so off I went.

I missed the elite runners, of course, but that's ok. It was all about the fun anyway. Something to do for awhile on an otherwise dull Sunday morning. Plus, I'd just eaten a very high-calorie breakfast and knew it would be good to walk some of it off anyway.

Making the first turn.

It's a beautiful day outside -- due to hit temps into the 80s. Know I should get out again, but don't have enough energy and/or drive to think about actually doing it. But this was fun.

The loudest drummer! And making the turn back to town.

The 'band' -- more drums and cowbells

It's Eugene, after all.

Took the circuitous route home, on the running trail. Still love these blue flowers!

Everything seems to be blooming right now!

Dogwoods and rhodies

Last week while out randomly walking the neighborhood streets I came upon a sight so beautiful that I went back yesterday with the camera. Unfortunately, we had a lot of rain over the weekend so most of what made it so beautiful was missing. You can sort of see to the right and left, remnants of pink dogwood, along with the gorgeous pink rhododendrons. I think they'll perk up, but the petals were droopy from sheer water saturation and hadn't been hit by the sun to dry out.

Fortunately, there were lots of other things to see along my path. Rhodies and dogwoods. Being a southern girl, dogwoods are near and dear to my heart. But the local rhodies are a right up there with them.

This small dogwood had the advantage of being in the full sun so its petals had a chance to dry out. There were a few others along the way, but nothing so spectacular as the first photo should and would have been had I perhaps been there a little later in the morning.

These blue flowers, whatever they are, are blooming in masses alongside this long running trail. Not well represented here, but my walk did not take me to the area where they are most prolific.

See why I love walking these neighborhoods? Something lovely to see year round, it seems.

Sourdough and other changes

I've spent the last 10 days or so tackling the challenge of raising a sourdough starter using only wild yeasts and lactobacilli in the air.The first two attempts failed miserably, and quickly. But being the stubborn sort, I wasn't about to give up that easily. On the third effort I actually had a mixture with bubbles in it by the 2nd morning.  Success!                                                             

As directed, I carefully weighed out the appropriate amount of starter using a digital

scale, added the exact amounts of water and flour and returned the jar of stuff to my room. Since it was bubbly, I didn't want to toss any of it, so I put the rest into another container and left it on the cupboard shelf in the kitchen. I did add a bit of flour to it.

By the following morning, the 'neglected' batch in the kitchen was far more bubbly than the 'coddled' batch in my room. Eventually, both ended up in the cupboard since that is infinitely easier, but I still kept two batches going, measuring the one carefully every morning and then feeding, and feeding the other one by feel.  As the days went on, sometimes one would be frothier than the other. I gave up the measuring because the 'neglected' jar was still usually better than the weighed batch. Sometimes, when one was frothier than the other, I'd mix them together and then reallocate into the two jars.

Yesterday, both were the frothiest yet -- lots of big bubbles throughout, showing on the sides and bottoms of the jars. Naturally, I didn't get a photo of that because I thought surely there'd be another opportunity. I added a bit of flour and when I went back upstairs an hour or so later the smaller of the two had totally erupted and overflowed onto the shelf! It wasn't all that full, but it was lively. Both were really lively, but have not regained that liveliness. The bottom photo above is how one of the batches looks right now, after a morning feeding and a few hours of fermentation. The other jar is a bit behind, but getting there. The top photo is of the 'neglected' batch after the first day, I believe.

I've satisfied myself that I can do it, and I've learned a lot about sourdough starters and baking in the process. If I were going to use it to bake something, I need to keep up this feeding routine for a few more days to make it nice and strong. But, realistically I will not be using it to bake with anytime soon because the process simply requires more space (counter and refrigerator) than I have available to me here. Nor do I want to bother keeping this healthy and alive for months without using it. So, the experiment is ending. I know I can do it now, so when I get a home of my own (hallelujah, that day will be!) I can make another one. It was fun and I loved the challenge.

Another reason for stopping now is that on April 1 we were given 60 days notice to vacate the premises because the owner is going to place it on the market! It'll be inconvenient to make a temporary move, certainly, but I can't say I'm sorry to move from this place.  Things seem really tense around here -- I know my roommate is annoyed by my morning-person movements and sounds (although I keep those to a minimum). She got angry in an email then later told me not to worry about it. Now I get the sense that she's angry again. Mind you, my biggest early-morning noise is the squeaky floor of my bedroom as I walk across it for a very necessary trip to the bathroom! No running water or other noises. It would help if she didn't stay up all night and want to sleep until noon, at least, every day. So -- I'm uncomfortable because I hate the idea that the simplest and most necessary things I do are bothering her. Hard to know what's really bothering her because we still rarely see one another. She's always smiling and gracious when we do meet, but there have been a couple of explosive, angry emails from her -- one last fall and another one a couple of weeks ago.

So -- it's off to find a new place to live. Not wanting too much excess baggage to take with me, such as a hungry sourdough starter. And I may need to settle for a temporary place where I have less cabinet and refrigerator space than I have now!

That's what's going on here today. Not exciting, but not totally dull, either. And I think it's time for a nap -- need to catch up on sleep since there was precious little of it last night.

The foibles of spring

Fifteen minutes ago I looked out my window and saw bright sunshine. Yes, there was a bit of darkness further west, but rain is expected around 10 so that made sense. I opted for a short walk. By the time I brushed my teeth and combed my hair, put on shoes and walked up the stairs it was raining! I heard it on the skylights when I got to the top of the stairs. I think it's already stopped -- but it won't be for long. I think there will be no more efforts to walk today. But -- that's ok, because we have sunshine on the horizon for the next 9 days, and some warm (80+) weather along with it for a day or so. I can wait.

I'm reading another book -- this one by Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat Pray Love fame), a non-fiction account about living a creative life. She talks about how she must be writing something or she will go mad. She also talks about not thinking or caring about how your writing is received, but merely writing for yourself. Because you have to. That's something I can relate to.

It's why I write here and on my other blogs. Because I have to. Not always, but when inspiration and need come together long enough, I have to. So I do. I don't worry about how people feel about it, and certainly not about how many people read what I write because then I'd really be depressed. My 'audience' is miniscule to non-existent. And I don't care. I've never cared, because I write for myself, because I have to.

There was a time when I had more energy to put into writing, and I was into it full bore. Those days are gone -- energy? What's that? Or, to be more precise, mental energy. I do well enough with physical energy, but that old bugaboo mental energy left me behind a good while back. Probably because I don't get enough sleep, probably because of stressors in my life, possibly because of boredom in my life. Whatever. Whyever. Mental energy is rare these days.

So this is what's left to me, and I'm thankful to have it. Because you see, I really need to write. Something. Anything.

When a horse is not merely a horse

Now there's a real Arabian horse! A desert-bred Arabian, not to be confused with the overbred and almost unrecognizable modern-day Western-bred variety. I speak as a person obsessed with Arabs since my teens, and someone who has owned a couple in my time. This horse is beautiful, quintessential to the fabled breed.  Photo from Fantasia Horse Festival in Algeria, via CNN. Lots of lovely photos in this article, photos that could have as easily been taken 100 years ago or, had photography existed then, several hundred years ago. Yet they are current.