Just returned from a 10 day journey. We circled the northwest, driving from the drizzly coast to an arid, volcanic, sage filled landscape of eastern Oregon and Washington.The main purpose of our trip was to honor two men who aren't on the planet anymore; one who passed on fairly recently and another who's been gone for quite some time. We stayed and visited with 8 friends and family in three cities and sadly left each destination. Too, too little time, but rich and full.
Along the way we visited the largest family run dahlia farm in the US: http://www.dahlias.com/.
We ate as many blueberries and blackberries as we could possibly pick, and that big tub of blueberries lasted till we got back to the bay area. As always I was looking at local flowers and plants along the way. Chris and Deb, coming in from the mid- west brought out an old, worn photo album belonging to Jon's Grandmother Esther. While pouring through it, I felt like a traveler of a different sort- a time traveler. Here she was showing us photographs of what was important to her, even though she's been gone a long time too. Her inclusion of flowers in her photographs here and there spoke very clearly about what was dear to her and remind me that these flowers sure have been pulling on people's heartstrings for a loooong time.
Ken's tree platform above, way up in yonder trees.
