Five Mountain Days

The fall fog is here at last. It comes on little cat feet, straight up from the river, purring and rubbing up against our trees, till it stops a mile or two below us, where it curls up and takes a nap. Most mornings, I can look out over our back deck, to see a lake of soft white fog covering the river valley below us. The sun is shines on our mountain and on the mountains beyond the valley and between us is the fog. Looking Northeast, I can see all the way to Washington state and there sits Mt. Adams with it's cap of snow, stately and peaceful.

These are what we call five mountain days, those crystal clear days we get in spring and fall when facing directly east, you can see the mountains Jefferson, Hood, Adams, Rainier and St Helen's in the distance, forming a silver and green chain along the cascade range. I see them on my drive to work most days. I drive through farmlands and past past berry and apple orchards and the odd alpaca ranch, with these shimmering mountains leading the way. I still can't believe I get to live here.

The air is clear and a bit moist, a perfect time for a safe burn, so many of our neighbors make bonfires using the brush and wood they have cleared from their land in the past year. The scent of clean wood fires on a clear, breezy day is heady stuff.

My inner clock is shifting as dark comes earlier each day. One morning I woke up at dawn, and watched a sunrise turn the clouds pink from our deck while an owl hooted it way home. Last night, I woke up at 3 am and went out to watch the winter stars. It's clear enough up here to see the Milky Way. Orion's belt was low in the sky and the Seven Sisters sparkled brightly just above our roof.

The geese are traveling, traveling, traveling, singing as they go.

Proposition 49 passed, which means that this beautiful place will last a while longer.

Friends are coming soon and will stay for a visit.

We have a new kitten, a little rescue, who is learning to trust us.

Today is my day off. I will drive down the mountain to take in our recycling, and then I will work in the garden.

Sia

Image: Fogcat

Links:
Overview of Portland, Oregon - one of my favorite cities