I drove across my state from water to Eastern border, recently – 6 hours each way.
I saw the amazing rain fall of darkness and drove into the sunrise – the clouds stuck and held back by height and jagged wind drafts to the mountain peaks.
I saw the dried out stubble of feed corn and median grasses, the puzzle board of farm plots and orchards. I traversed from Evergreen forest to tree breaks on windy nearly barren hillsides to rocky cropping where cows grazed.
Hundreds of windmills were turning and turning, river wide deep and blue grey, and a small solar farm by the side of the Interstate.
Hundreds of waterfalls in the Mountain Pass.
Miles and miles of irrigation to dry farms, farmers driving baling tractors, clouds moving slowly, until sky is clear and sun beats steadily down. Sweater on and sweater off.
Wind twists dirt devils towards the sky across the dirt top soil.
Remembering
Gazing out from the bus window I see the green velvet perfection of rolling hill – thousands of windmills turning and turning. Road signs with solar panels and small wind turbines attached; catching air and informing our passage.
Sheep and sheep and some black cattle graze.
Dry stone walls that fascinated and row upon row of neat hedge – gorse, heather, Irish fuchsia.
Garbage/ recycling truck in the early morning city with 3 running to collect bags: “Please do your part by keeping your H and F tidy.” (Guide thought H = house and F = Fence)
Windmills atop city buildings empowering life – energy.
How ancient are those walls which lead and organize my vision across the field – calm and peaceful. Farmers must now learn how to rebuild and maintain, and they had to be removed during WAR.
Tree lines of Larch, Birch, Rowan, and some Douglas fir; about the same amount of liter as nearby in my life.
The clouds move quickly across the sky, I had forgotten this about Islands; weather changing often and rain now then gone to sunshine.
Wind turbines turn and turn – Reactors of Nuclear here and there – Rivers of brown hue – red.
Cows Tail falls on hillside trickle down to naval base below and ocean’s bay.
No desert, dry and barren…
Ancient field and land, wood stream hides Manor house and castles – once filled with life.
All the stories read and contemplated now envisioned with wondering of how those heavy skirts and tiny shoes could manage twisting stairwells and wind whistling while cold seeps and hearth fires burn. Rugs now hundreds of years old, and frame to bed to hold the warmth in place; the children’s pictures grace the wall – not scowling like the Princes in the dining room, as we hear of lives lived and now gone.
How contemporary families are coping and keeping on.
Here and now
The deer startled did not bound in front of my car and waited for my passage. It nearly leapt and such as it was I did not witness even its presence as it worried my passenger. I was unafraid even as the sunset orange – vibrant was cut dark by the rain of cloud gossiping about night and I continued home.
All beauty as memory kept.
on Sep 2nd, 2009 at 9:35 am
You spy beauty, and you write beautifully, and those photos are gorgeous!
on Sep 2nd, 2009 at 10:12 am
Vered,
The pictures are lovely and I did not know what my daughter would choose when I wrote – a good match up.
I have been caught up in my meditations as of late with all the beauty I witnessed on my trip and in the month of August – how fortunate I have been in recent days.
I want to keep beauty closer to my thoughts these days. Thank you for your comments and for coming by to share
on Sep 2nd, 2009 at 10:38 am
This was a wonderful read! Thank you so much. All beauty is memory kept is such a lovely sentence.
on Sep 2nd, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Oh how beautiful! Especially the ones at the lake. So dramatic.
on Sep 2nd, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Such creative beauty in your words. love your article.
on Sep 2nd, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Betsy,
Thank you, I appreciate your comments and feel honored that you enjoyed the words.
Metropolitan Mum,
All the pictures are from UK….and my daughter did such a lovely job of sharing with this post her lovely pictures. I liked your post today too.
Bunny,
Thank you am heading your direction after dinner…see what you are up to and your great words!
on Sep 2nd, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Beautiful pics and words, thanks for sharing your journey!
on Sep 2nd, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Mark,
Thank you for coming on by and your nice comments. It was a good journey
on Sep 3rd, 2009 at 3:08 am
I enjoyed reading this post Patricia. It was a perfect blending of words and pictures. Thank you.
on Sep 3rd, 2009 at 5:38 am
Great combination of words and photos! Between your photos and those of others, I think there is great beauty in every state in the Union. I always read your posts, even if I don’t have time at the moment to comment.
on Sep 3rd, 2009 at 8:39 am
It sounds like a fantastic journey and so close to home. The Manor house and castles intrigue me.
on Sep 3rd, 2009 at 9:57 am
Lovely writing, Patricia. Your daughter’s photo really add the perfect tough to your memorable and beautiful journey. I could see it all unfurling…
on Sep 3rd, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Marc,
Thank you for your kind words – you are welcome
Dot,
You are such a great friend and buddy – thank you
JD,
the manor house and castles were not enough on the tour….I was amazed at how similar UK and Washington State are.
Talon,
Thank you and my daughter’s pictures are just so wonderful. They are being revealed to me as you see them with each post!
on Sep 4th, 2009 at 11:46 am
You ARE beauty, every cell in your fibrous being.
Did you go behind that little door? I’d travel over there just to see what it reveals.
on Sep 4th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Jannie,
behind the door = canal and canal boats and part of a large museum – the old back door. Travel over there to take a canal boat ride !
on Sep 12th, 2009 at 10:33 am
You bring tears to my eyes with the beauty you share from within for us all to see. …and your daughter’s photographs are awesome in their loveliness. Thank you, both, for sharing so much!
on Sep 12th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Julie,
Nice to see you here hope we can get reconnected on email and thank you very much for the kind words.
It was so nice to be in the moment and then to look and the pictures and travel back within