Senator Gregg Withdraws

For tomorrow I had already written a blog rant on politics; but this latest analysis by Andrew Sullivan (one of my daily and often more than daily reads) can't wait.

Andrew Sullivan on the Gregg withdrawal

Even before I read this, I was beginning to think as Sullivan does. The Republicans are determined to make Obama fail. They will do anything they can. They do not care today, anymore than they did the last eight years, about what is best for the country. For them it's regain power at any cost. You can't work together when the philosophies are so diametrically opposed. One wins. The other loses.

A personal bit about me-- I don't like to play games where one must lose. I played them when I was younger; but as I get older, it bothers me to see someone else lose... but I don't like losing myself which leads to rarely playing games. In my relationships I don't like win/lose situations. I prefer to withdraw before it reaches that point. I would like to think the world can be one where we are capable of working together even when we disagree. I'd like to think all the people who run for political office want the best for our country and not just their own parties. It's not how life is.

In two years, there will be another election. Republicans in Congress not only don't appear to care how many lose their jobs between now and then; but probably the more the better. They are hoping to use economic failure in the country as a way to win back a majority in both Houses. Americans will have to decide which philosophy they want governing their country, and it looks like it'll have to be winner take all if we don't want to continue on this destructive path. I don't much like that but nobody asked what I liked.

No, this wasn't a rant. That comes tomorrow :)

Mayan Prophecies

For anyone, who has been interested in the Mayan Prophecies, this might be worth your time to read:

The World Will not End in 2012 by Carlos Barrios

The article explains who Carlos Barrios is and why his interpretation of the calendar's significance might have some weight. Some think the calendar is indicating the world will end December 21, 2012. It's always some date, isn't it?

Mothering Time II

This is a ewe at the other end of her productive lifetime. By her teeth, you can tell she has born many lambs over many years. She is the mother of the triplets.
When Farm Boss went out to see if he had to help the young ewe deliver her baby, he saw these three playing on mama. He took so many good ones that I decided to post most of them.Those lambs' faces are just so cute, and she has the patient look of a flock elder who has done and seen it all. Nothing phases her much.
Like all kids, lambs love to play king of the mountain.

Mothering Time

Sunday when Farm Boss went out to check on a first time ewe, who had her water break half an hour earlier, I asked him, along with what he would need to pull the lamb if something had gone wrong, to take a camera. These are the photos he took of the lamb who had fortunately come without help.
These little mixed breed, Shetland ewes make the best mothers. We have yet to have one reject her lamb and believe me that does happen in other breeds.See how quickly the lamb's instincts take it toward the mother's udder.
An hour or so after these photos had been taken, I saw what I at first thought was the young mother leaving the lambing area, looking back the whole time, but without her lamb. That didn't look good; then it dawned on me, when I saw budding horns, it looked like her because it was her twin who had been inspecting the new arrival. There is something so rewarding about raising animals in flocks where it is a herd and not just a meat factory.

Mystic Lands

Some time ago I was in Costco, looking at DVDs and saw a boxed set of six titled Mystic Lands. It looked good, came home, and then sat on the shelf for an undetermined time. In January, with the nights long, the days sometimes difficult, Farm Boss and I began to watch them and found we were looking forward to each one.

They are not only informative about mankind's many versions of faith, but show the lands from which these religions have sprung. Does land impact the kind of religion it will grow? Some say there are daemons or gods spread throughout the earth and it would be one explanation for this diversity-- if you believed in such.

The series covers briefly 13 spiritual places in the world. It goes from familiar religions to ones we may not have heard much about. The places are Bhutan, Greece, Peru, Egypt, Myanmar, the Taj Mahal, Four Corners of the United States, Haiti, Bali, Australia, Central America, Jerusalem, and Varanasi.

Because learning about other religions has always been of interest to me, I knew at least something about most of these cultures, but in each case, even with these brief looks, I learned at least one thing that I hadn't known.

It seems that the need in mankind, to find a belief system that explains birth and death, one that gives meaning to days, is a human trait. Most religions explain the cosmology of life. From where did we come? To where will we go? Burial rituals in each of these cultures were particularly interesting to me.

After I finished the 6-part series, I felt lucky to live where I have the freedom to follow many religions or none. Then I had a dream, which I might sometime write about, which gave me another thought on this. Maybe there is something to be said for those who have a culture and religion that they don't have to think about whether it's right. They belong and are comforted in that belonging; where we, with so much freedom, sometimes wander in the wilderness in our quest for spiritual certainty which we might never find.

Fear is a big part of many religions, and this series doesn't gloss over that. It doesn't sugar coat any of them, but it also presents them non-judgmentally. Briefly, this is what these cultures believe and it helps their daily lives-- or so most believe. You see the ecstasy on many faces as they follow patterns that might have been the case for their ancestors through many generations.

When I tried to decide which cover to scan as an example of the images, I chose my personal favorite-- Australia and Bali, two cultures not that physically far apart but with very different religious views of life. The culture of the Aborigines has been interesting to me for a long time. I did learn things I didn't know, but they keep a lot of their practices secret and sacred. Good for them!

I checked and this series is on Netflix.

astrology side notes

I receive assorted astrological updates from a Tucson psychic, Stephanie St. Claire. This is one she forwarded and it was said it could be passed on. Because tomorrow is the full moon and an eclipse, I thought those who pay attention to astrology might like to read and consider if they can use this full moon for their own lives. If you don't believe in such, that's okay too:

**********************************************

FULL MOON ECLIPSE UPDATE

February 9: Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse is Monday, February 9 at 7:50AM Mountain Standard Time.

Whatever upheavals or chaos or movement or breakthrough you manifested in between the two eclipses (January 26-February 9) can be anchored more deeply at this time.

Observe what has come into your life or what you have healed or are in the process of healing.

Acknowledge your process at this full moon and it will continue to build as part of your new internal patterning.

Whatever you put your mind and disciplines to during this window will stick around so make sure it's good and positive. Take whatever time you can without distraction to journal, set intentions, practice gratitude, do your practices. You will also be supported for a few days to clean up your personal environment, get rid of what is suddenly old and used up. Bring fresh flowers into your home and office, and acknowledge the feminine in your life.

Astrological Notes by Patricia Liles :

The lessons of Aquarius are upon us again with the Leo (fixed fire) Full Moon opposite the Sun in Aquarius (fixed air) at 22 degrees. Accompanied by a lunar eclipse that strengthens its influences, Leo wants to juxtaposition our personal egos with the visions of what we can create as a community. Leo, ruled by the strength and will of the Sun, is compelled to express its 'I am' for all to experience. It expresses with warmth, playfulness and joy for being alive! Ruler of the heart, self-expression and creativity is Leo's delight and gift to the wheel of the zodiac. Aquarius in opposition is compelled to express what it sees - the truth. Its perspective is objective, inspired, often genius. These fixed signs suffer from stubbornness and pride on the shadow side.

This Full Moon, the Sun in Aquarius opposite the Moon in Leo is exactly conjunct Chiron, and Neptune is within 2 degrees. Chiron in Aquarius wants us to bring the un-healable, festering collective wound to the light. We are in a period of unprecedented shift. We are redefining our collective truth and how we want to show up in the world. This is a huge, almost overwhelming task. We are feeling a generalized anxiety as the Uranus-Saturn opposition helps birth us into a new way of being.

This opposition is tied to the Full Moon through two quincunx aspects (150 degrees-considered a minor aspect) Uranus quincunx the Moon and Saturn quincunx the Sun. What to do? Focus on the heart! What we can do is learn to love ourselves in a deeper way. Forgive our wounds of ego extremism that we have perpetrated and of which we have been victims. Forgive any tyrannical behavior toward ourselves and others. Let your microcosm heal the collective macrocosm.

Pluto is squaring Venus, echoing the theme of the opportunity to bring feminine energy up from the shadows, purging previous patterns of domination and growing into the universal principals of love, forgiveness and the heart. This is a vast piece of work that each of us can contribute to by loving our own feminine/masculine balance into being.

Make sure that the huge emphasis in Aquarius (Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Neptune, Chiron, North Node, Juno) doesn't find you letting technology/computers/web time substitute for consciousness expansion.
patliles@aol.com

from THE POWER PATH
P.O. Box 272
Santa Fe, NM 87504-0272

http://www.thepowerpath.com

profile pictures

In the past I have mentioned my dislike of my own profile photos. Even if I get one I like, I get tired of them and then want something new. I am too picky probably as I want one that says something but then the question is what. I use one, instead of scenery, just because I enjoy seeing what other bloggers look like and assume other readers feel the same.

This time I decided to try a new process. This is from a January webcam photo merged into a place I always enjoy being-- Paradise Valley, Montana. The wonders of photo shop lets me set myself into a dream-- at least for now.

What are values?

Because comments in an earlier blog went into a direction I had not expected (some of the best comment series do this), it stirred me to thinking about the subject of personal values-- something we obviously do not all see the same way. I had written about my core beliefs over a year ago; but those weren't really what I consider to be values, and I do have a set of core values under which I operate.

What I consider to be my values, the things that determine how I treat others, don't seem to me to come from one political party or any one religion. My friends and I might vary a little about what we think is okay morally, come from different political parties and religions; but in general, our values are similar or we probably would not have stayed friends. Common values build stronger relationships-- in my opinion.

So from where do values come? I think primarily it is from our families. When Farm Boss and I met, when we decided to join our lives together, we knew we had families with very similar values. When our children found their mates, the same thing was true. Interestingly enough the political and religious viewpoints sometimes were very different; but values such as not stealing, not cheating, working for what you get, helping others when you can, money is good but not if you do something unethical to get it, your reputation is very important, etc., those are the same.

When I looked at Dictionary.com for a definition of values, it was down the line before I found the kind I am writing about:

10. values, Sociology. the ideals, customs, institutions, etc., of a society toward which the people of the group have an affective regard. These values may be positive as cleanliness, freedom, or education, or negative, as cruelty, crime or blasphemy.
11. Ethics. Any object or quality desirable as a means or an end in itself.

It is one of the problems our country has been facing. Do we as a nation really have similar core values? Both parties would lay claim to being the only ones with 'good' values-- and people of the opposing parties shake their heads as the very idea. Religions claim the same thing.

When I was a girl, my schools didn't teach values as a class. Parents taught them at home. In the schools, values were taught through example, expectation within the schoolroom, and subjects like literature or history among others. Now where some parents might be too busy to teach their children values (or are uncertain of their own), where children may be getting them for a movie or TV program, where their peer group might have more impact than their families, there are arguments over what schools should be teaching.

Some would have partisan issues taught under 'values' while others would go back to the basics-- what some call the golden rule such as do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Oops that's religion, isn't it? Or is it?

It's not hard to see the reason people are so concerned that future generations will have a set of values helpful to keeping society orderly and effective. Without them, life is filled with distrust.

Hardball on MSNBC noted a new poll where it was asked was it okay to cheat on taxes. Only 9% said yes. But then what would they call cheating? And how many do it knowing it's not okay?

Tom Daschle, who many (in both parties) have said was an honest man (for DC anyway), lost a position he really wanted because he didn't declare a car and driver as a part of his salary. Some go to jail for that kind of 'error.' So much of what traps people into doing what Daschle did is a sliding scale of dishonesty. Do one dishonest thing, maybe a little one, and the next is easier until you end up where you never thought you'd be. Solid core values, which you live by, are what stop that from happening.

I have often said that you can't call yourself an honest person because you don't rob a bank. It's what you do when the checker undercharges you that defines you as honest-- or not.

[Although it might not seem easy to see how, the photos in this blog represent one of my values.

Every time I am at this Newport memorial site, as I was last week-end, I stop and think of those names, the ones who went to Vietnam and didn't return; then think of the ones who know those names as sons, fathers, brothers, or lovers. I ask how could I photograph this stone in a way that represents both sides of a war?

One time a woman was sitting near the rock and reading. She was the right age to have known one of those names. It might have created the photograph I wanted, but I couldn't photograph her as it'd have been invasive. This time I thought, with the sun positioned right, what about laying the shadow of a woman across the names. She is now old, while they never will be. The shadow represented us all.

The other photos are of a sculpture created to remind us about the whales and the respect we should show them, their importance in our lives-- Whale Medicine.

These two are at opposite ends of a short beach side memorial and might seem to be unrelated except they are both about respect of life and that is one of my core values.

Some would say, because I raise livestock, support the death penalty for certain crimes, favor choice in early pregnancies, support Oregon's death with dignity, own a gun I would use in self-defense, believe sometimes wars are needed but they should be a last resort, shoot at a coyote going after the sheep, take a spider outside rather than step on it, that I am inconsistent. I say these are all true 'for me' and come because I do respect life.

To read the words on the stones, click on the images to enlarge.]

Child of the Moon

This computer painting is not a self portrait but more what I feel about the moon. I have painted the moon many times but usually not the crescent which I really liked the other night. I enlarged the size of the moon to emphasize its power for the woman. It is a waxing moon, which means a growing time. The moon is anima.

If there is a purist Jungian reading this, I understand anima is considered man's inner female self and animus is the female's inner male; but this computer painting just has to be anima, which can also mean the inner self or soul . The moon is female.

Marge Piercy wrote a poem to this point, [The Moon is Always Female]. Here are a few lines from near its end:

"I have wandered these chambers in the rock
where the moon freezes the air and all hair
is black or silver. Now I will tell you
what I have learned lying under the moon
naked as women do: now I will tell you
the changes of the high and lower moon."

If you have never tried painting with the computer, you might enjoy it as a relaxing and no pressure way to create without the need for an end product that often stops people before they start.

For mine, I use the paint tools and palette from Corel Photo-Paint 7 and have written about the process before (more about that in Labels under art); and then more recently where I gathered my computer self-portraits and put them on their own blog at [Rainy Day Extras].

a dream of the nighttime sort

Last week I had a lot of negative nighttime dreams. If you do dream work, you know that the average dream comes out of daytime events. In my opinion, most don't have a message as such. When so many are negative, it can be reflective of something read, seen, or simply routine daytime tensions. The outside world provides plenty of those these days.

Nightmares are rare for me but one nightmare last week was set in a small town (not one I know) and about bigotry, people choosing sides and it became very violent. Quite a vivid dream, but I did not see any message for me beyond the story. Although the bomb blast was very colorful, like seeing it in 3-D.

The rest of the dreams I won't go into but they were routine tension inspiring. If I was tense during the day, I was more so every time I'd wake up from these nothing-is-going-right dreams.

Then came Friday night's dream and a change of pattern. The story was a simple one. I was with a family, which in the dream was my family, but not sure they were my family today. Children, adults, a mother figure, myself, lots of activity.

Someone broke a glass leaving shards all over the floor. I was concerned children with bare feet might step on the pieces and began carefully picking them up. When I had one hand full of sharp pieces, I hoped I had them all and headed for where I could throw them away.

To get to a safe place to dispose of them, I had to go through a narrow slot where it quickly became obvious it was going to be necessary to use both hands and slide carefully through.

In dreams, places often shift; and this narrow space was nothing like the house but more like a very low cliff with a narrow gate opening. With a hand full of glass shards, there was no way to get through. What to do? Put down the glass pieces and risk not finding them all endangering the family still? Find another path? It didn't seem like there was another path.

Then I said to myself, this is just a dream, I don't need to keep my hand closed to go on. There is no glass to drop or hurt anybody. It felt like I actually had my hand clenched in my sleep, opened it; and of course, no glass fell.

What happened is the kind of thing I experience once in awhile in a dream. It can be called lucid dreaming. It's where in your dream you realize you are dreaming and take control of the events. Your conscious mind enters into the dream and changes it to a more suitable conclusion.

This one though I also would call a medicine dream-- my own term for when a dream has a message in it for my life. In this case, it was that I can let go of the things I am trying to hold onto as a way to protect others. What I am so afraid of releasing often is no more real than the shards in the dream.

I/We can control of our own lives when we do not let what is unreal have power over us. This is especially true when we are trying to do things thinking they will protect others. To me, the dream was a reminder of what I know, but the idea had more power when it came through a dream.

(There was no ocean in the dream but I had so many pictures from the coast that I wanted to slide a few more in somewhere. In a way, the sea is like dreaming-- wide, expansive, and seemingly unlimited-- okay, yeah, that was a justification.)

Triplets in time for Imbolc

Isn't she a great mother!

These triplets were born January 30th, the day before Imbolc which can be celebrated from January 31st to the 2nd of February. It is a pagan holiday halfway between the Solstice and the Equinox and a precursor to the end of winter. Groundhog's day anyone? So typically we carry on the tradition but have lost the deeper spiritual meaning.

In the Irish Gaelic, the celebration is called Oimelc which means ewe's milk because the ewes were lambing at that time. This ewe certainly has plenty of that and a good thing. I often don't feel happy to see triplets as there is more chance of one dying from not enough food but taking a look at this ewe's udder and her great mothering and I think these all have a good chance. Through February, we will keep an eye on them and that the ewe does not develop milk fever.

We actually only have had one ewe get milk fever, and it was back when we were starting into sheep and our own children were young. We worked with the veterinarian and got her over the worst of it; but he said the babies couldn't nurse from her or it might start it all over again. Farm Boss rigged up a protective apron over her udder so that they could be with her but not get at the teats. Our kids were bottle feeding the lambs.

Then we noticed they had all out smarted us and the lambs were getting past the protective device and nursing. The ewe did not get sick again and raised her babies. Still I wouldn't like going through that again; so we will watch for warning signs. It is most common in heavy producing ewes with twins or in this case triplets.In these pictures, they are a few hours old. Amazing how quickly they can run and jump, isn't it? But then they are prey species.

Quarter Moon

The quarter moon (obviously the one the cow jumped over) seems to often get lost in the sliver of a moon or full moon photos, but I really liked this shot from the week-end of the moon just before it waxed into a quarter moon. Being one of those lunar (no, not loony) persons, I am drawn to the moon and impacted by its phase in ways that sometimes amaze me.

In the part of Oregon where I live, photos of the moon are not a given as so often clouds or fog make them a challenge or impossible. This week-end had the needed cold, clear nights.

(Canon Rebel with the 400mm telephoto set on tripod)

Validation

Although it is important that we vote wisely, that we stay informed, that we inform our leaders of our opinions, what most changes the world is what we do closer to home. It is how we treat our neighbors, our friends, those we work with, what we create inside ourselves for our attitudes toward others and life. Anger, fear and distrust have been tried. If Democrats or Republicans can only see payback time, look for more of what we have had.

If you listen to what Obama has said all along, it's about restoring values in which we have claimed we believe. Some have believed those values belonged to one side or the other, but they belong to us all. I grew up with them and bet most of you did also.

I know there are those who don't believe in Obama, don't trust him; some even fear he's the Antichrist, who they have been taught is coming in each generation; but even those should be able to see the value in our improving our attitudes, helping each other to feel better, extending a helping hand when we can, and doing what this little film suggests-- validating one another.

Please consider giving the film a try. It's worth the 16 minutes it will take to watch it. If you are like me, you will think-- well that's nice-- and then it grows on you for what it means. It only works though when it is stamped--

Validation

The photographs are of the moon and waves at the beach. Tides come from the moon except the sea doesn't know what drives it. We often don't know what drives us either.

The moon photo is from January 29th, of the crescent moon and Venus, to me, a great example of one thing meaning more when in the vicinity and enhanced by another. The ocean was January 31st and one of Oregon's lovely days at the beach in the winter... assuming you don't mind a little cold.

Creature from Jekyll Island

Although I hadn't planned to keep writing on this topic of our economic mess, I had this audio CD that a friend of mine, Kay from Kay's Thinking Cap, had mailed me. It is from a lecture in 1994 by G. Edward Griffin about his book Creature from Jekyll Island. I had put off listening to it because this week I was feeling depressed and having nightmares anyway and didn't want to add more bad news to them. Then as things lightened for me, Friday night seemed a good time for Farm Boss and I to sit down and listen.

Some of it was what I knew because of Zeitgeist, which I have written about before here; but some was new and I think well worth, given our situation today, for those who have any interest at all in what is going on, to listen and in my case find the book.

Most of us are so ignorant about economics and it serves a certain group well that we stay that way. We think everything that is happening is without a plan. That it benefits nobody but just is life...

Take some time (this impacts any country in the world) and listen to the audio of this lecture and then think about it again. I will look for the book now as where it's not good news, I think it's important to at least consider what he is saying:

CREATURE FROM JEKYLL ISLAND

Stimulus Bill

For those who do not know enough about the Stimulus package to write anybody, here is a chart I found online and an article from Motley Fool about the programs and their likelihood of helping:

Stimulus Package

Don't go by right or left wing bloggers or your favorite talk radio program. Try to find articles that have real figures. Anything can be distorted with enough playing around with numbers. Trust your source or don't waste your time.

Obama never said he could do it alone

"taking a deep breath to try not to erupt*

By now, anybody who pays attention to politics knows that House Republicans unanimously voted against Obama's stimulus package even though he tried to put in things they wanted, even though he watered down the bill to get bipartisan support. Why did this happen?

Republican Congressmen were evidently following their guru, who speaks for many ordinary, free-thinking, ditto-heads, who Rush Limbaugh says he tells them everything they need to know. Do those two things go against logic-- free-thinking and ditto-head? To me, lack of logic pretty well sums up what most Congressional Republicans have done the last eight years. Logic isn't part of their agenda-- where it comes to wars or economics. It is all about political parties.

Thursday Rush presented his idea for a stimulus package-- big cuts in capital gains taxes. At first that might seem pointless after all who is making profits in business investments right now? It is not about who is. It is about who will be.

The stock market has crashed and that means many ordinary people pulled out whatever was left of their investments and are currently sitting on their cash with no idea what will secure their retirements. Those ordinary people are not why Rush wants a cut in capital gains.

His cut is for people like him, the million- and billionaires who also are out of the market and waiting. Waiting for what you ask? Waiting for the prices to go down far enough for them to snap up the bargains. What will those bargains lead to? Capital gains!

The pressure that capital gains taxes be cut is not for the little people worried about their retirement. This man of the people, who spouts his venom five days a week, who lives a life of luxury that few can imagine, he is not concerned for them. He already said he hopes Obama fails. What does it mean to the Limbaughs if he does-- more money as frightened people turn to him to find answers.

Limbaugh's suggested cuts are for the wealthy like himself, maybe about trickle-down. It is for those, who when they jump back into the market, will take away any chance average people have to retire with any investment income. It is so those who make those profits don't have to pay taxes on their coup. How do people like that live with themselves? Do they kid themselves as well as their followers?

Limbaugh is the spokesman for much of the right. He has the Republican politicians so scared of those free thinkers, who spew out insults and threats to anyone who dares come down on Limbaugh, that they won't speak up even if they know he's wrong.

Along with many Democrats, I really did hope Republicans had learned from this last election. I hoped they had seen the greed of Wall Street. I hoped they were going to go back to their conservative roots. I hoped they saw the loss we have had with a war in Iraq, how fighting a war for no reason, fighting it on the cuff, was wrong; but that apparently is not what has happened.

They instead blame it all on the poor or the illegals. They blame anyone except those from whom this has actually come. Yes, I knew Republican politicians had supported Bush in everything he wanted, but I thought that day was over. I mean surely they could see the huge mistakes he made? If they can, they are too afraid to speak up.

The answer now for us, if we are citizens who disagree, is to make our voices heard-- politely. If we want more benefits to the middle class, we have to let that be known. If we want infrastructure investments, we better tell our Congressmen. Whatever we want done, whatever we believe should happen next, speak out because the other side is.

During the campaign, I said if Obama won, it would not be the end but the beginning of a struggle between two diametrically opposed viewpoints. It is going to take Americans speaking out to get through to politicians who are totally selfish and see only their own profit. If you aren't one of those ditto-heads, if you are worried about the economy, believe we need change, then read up on what these packages are about and speak your mind for what you believe should be done. If you don't speak out, there won't be any change because Obama never said he could do it alone.

This blog comes compliments of a conversation with Farm Boss after he got home Thursday night. The longer I listened to what he was hearing and thinking, the madder I got.

SRS Ahead

Spirit Restoration Site

Whenever I have the chance to finish off a Central Oregon vacation (or for that matter any vacation) on Oregon's Metolius River, I will take it. I first came here when I was in my late teens, brought my babies here, my grandchildren have come, and still it never loses its magic. The river bubbles mysteriously out of a spring a few miles from these photos, appearing full-sized. It is clear and cold-- winter or summer.

Camp Sherman has a small store, sometimes a seasonal restaurant, little church, school, post office (which also serves as library), some rental cabins, a fire hall, and assorted homes on forest service leases as well as some pockets of privately owned land where more houses do crop up but not enough to spoil the ambiance.

Some places advertise that they are vortexes, but with others, you just know it when you are there. If there are such places that have energy we can draw upon for healing and spiritual growth, the Metolius is one. It is a place where population and housing expansion (which some call progress) have been limited. It is for now still very natural with campgrounds and trails along the river. It is one of those places where money has not corrupted it-- not to say it hasn't tried, but the people who love it have fought to keep it as it is for future generations.

These photos are from the town of Sisters, Camp Sherman, Canyon Creek, Metolius River area,

and the drive home which crossed first the Santiam Pass, then turning toward Sweet Home, went over Tombstone Pass before dropping out of the mountains and leaving snow behind.

Family time

This last week-end was one of those 'golden' family times spent in Central Oregon. For assorted reasons we had had our family Christmas delayed. We all rented a large house at the Central Oregon resort, Sunriver, to celebrate both Christmas and relationship.

The weather was cold but beautiful with tall pines, sage brush, rivers, crisp mountain air, and snow. The children had fun being together, and Farm Boss and I enjoyed having our four grown kids (by birth and gifted by marriage) and four grandchildren under one roof which happens only once in awhile but is always appreciated when it comes along. The house had an interesting decor with each of the bedrooms using a different theme relating to Central Oregon; ours was of fishing.

When children move out from under the home roof, it's a hard time for parents; but when you can rejoin with them and their children for a few days away from all pressures, it is so enjoyable as well as a reminder of the continuity of life as we talk about what is going on in everyone's life as well as remember those who have gone on. We had a lot of good food, wine, stimulating conversations, children's laughter, a toddler exploring the world, and all in a house that emphasized the outdoor lifestyle of Central Oregon.

Snow fell in flurries off and on but only set in with intensity Sunday as we were ready to leave. It made the drive home over the Cascades (our three vehicles took three different passes to cross over) very pretty, a little interesting at times, but okay. Farm Boss and I had a one hour delay as the highway was blocked by rescue vehicles and a two-car accident, but otherwise, it was smooth.

This is one of many times where I have wished I felt free to use photos of my grandkids and kids in the blog. I have some fantastic pictures, especially fun was when some of them went ice skating; but for reasons I have mentioned previously, I do not use their photos. Take it from me they are all beautiful. Would I lie?

Monday is the New Moon as well as an Annular Eclipse, which will be seen only in the Indian Ocean. For those who use astrology for finding the tides and waves of their lives, this is supposed to be a very strong time for planting intentions for change.

Photos of Deschutes River and the rental house-- exterior, the 'fishing' bedroom, great room, and from the deck. The next blog will be one of my favorite places over there as well as some from the drive over the pass.

New life on the farm

The season of new births on the farm is always one of its highlights. To see a wobbly little calf out there standing and nursing the first time, getting better control of its legs and then beginning to run, that never ceases to make me smile. I often try to take photos of calves in motion as it's so much fun to watch them cavort. They start to run, gallop, leap in the air, and then the older calves think it looks like fun and sometimes the mothers join in.

I don't think any of this needs words. The only problem I have with it is narrowing it down to a few photos. Doesn't it make you want to be young again yourself? Last summer when we had two of our grandchildren here for a couple of days, I got a photo of them running out to bring in the sheep and it looked a lot like this.

You can easily see the joy in the little animals but also recognize the security they find in the nurturing of the herd.

First lambs of 2009

The first set of twin lambs was born Wednesday, the 21st. You can see what an excellent job the mother did with cleaning them up. In these photos, their navels are still wet which means they were born a few hours earlier. Isn't that a cute white cap on the one lamb? These are Shetland sheep mixed with other breeds; so you never know for sure what you will get for coloring. Sometimes a mother will have one white wooled and one black as she did last year but this year, both are black with that cute little white topper.

I am not sure what the relationship of the ram was to this ewe and lambs. More than likely he is her lamb from two maybe even three seasons ago and he has stayed with her. Whether he is also the father (which you can inbreed a generation or two like that and not have any problems), he was very protective of the babies and mother.

One advantage of raising animals in herds, such as we do is watching the interaction of the different ages. This isn't a machine out here to produce meat. It's a living organism of animals and their relationships, and it's a joy to watch.

Sometimes too much joy as we can never lose track of the fact that some of these lambs are raised for food. That's a tough one. But you know without accepting that fact, there would be no new lambs. The ewes would be reduced to eating and living without their own joy. For me, it's a tough part of ranching to accept the purpose behind it.