Eye of the beholder

It has been since February that I have written and I hope to change that . We built a new house last year and this year my youngest daughter, who lives here in town too, has lived with us with her family until their's was recently completed. Being in a new house means I get to design the gardens again as I did our first home here in " God's Country, Idaho ". Being an artist I see gardening like a blank canvas, except that in gardening, I am the brush. I put things in place but God is the artist that brings flowers out of seeds, trees from seedlings, etc, etc. Seeing my work turn into beauty is so exciting as well as extremely satisfying. The anticipation of new plantings growing into beautiful landscape features is something that keeps me looking forward to tomorrow. Maybe a new shoot will show itself above the earth, peeking out for a ray of sun. Or a new leaf, a new bud. What color is it ? Will it be like the photo in the catalog or on the label ? I have long ago learned that a garden is never completed, only a work in progress. If it has been completed then one is not a gardener. God did not create man in the universe, give him the keys and tell him to lock up when he is done and then walk away expecting man to take care of himself or herself. And so it is with gardening. When the garden landscape is planted, the work has only begun and will continue until the gardener is no longer. Plants die, they are are born, need to be pruned to show them how to grow, sometimes seeming very cruel to do .They need constant care, nurturing and love. Sometimes they need to be moved because they are in the wrong place. The gardener knows, he or she can see it is not thriving the way that he feels it should. It may mean the plant needs to be humbled, made smaller, uprooted, but the gardener knows that as the plant realizes it is now in it's rightful place it can thrive and send out all kinds of new growth. The photo at the beginning is a look at a part of my new garden by the back patio. OK, so much for metaphors, which I could go on and on about. But bringing it back to what I get out of it, when I see what beauty there is in nature in just my little part of the world, it's hard not to be awed. All I did was manual labor. I did not cause the seed or sapling to grow but I am blessed for my small part in the process. Walking among the brick, flagstone and gravel pathways I get the sights and smells that make me pause, slow down and have that moment of awe. I have had many years of fast paced jobs that allowed too little time to eat a meal . Too little time to really see the roadside or watch the continuous parade of faces and shapes in the clouds. It was easy to do when I was very young and I did it a lot, maybe too much to suit my parents. But life has a way of filling up ones minutes. Now the kids have lives of their own and although there have been challenges I do try to set priorities for myself that include concern for others in my daily quiet time with my Maker,taking care of myself and soaking in as much as I can of my surroundings. One of the many things I learned on some of my foreign travels is that in many other countries, mealtimes are not primarily to fill one's hunger, they are times to celebrate life, share thoughts, appreciate the food we have been blessed to have. Slow Food it is called occasionally on TV because of the way of preparing and eating. As an example I recently experienced one of the wonderful peaches we can get here in the grocery. It was my devotional time first thing in the morning. I grabbed a fresh peach to eat while I got my books together and sat down. This is my quiet time I give to myself each day when I am the only one up yet. Since it was very early and still, the thought occurred to me that instead of wolfing it down so I could get to my reading, and fresh peaches of this quality would soon be unavailable, maybe I should try to get everything out of the experience I could. So I shut my eyes and decided to try to notice everything there was to this peach. Taking a bite I felt the texture of the skin and immediately the flush of flavor and juice in my mouth. I chewed slowly, trying to distinguish as many elements of the taste that I could. Also, I had never before noticed that the skin of the peach, when fully ripe and carefully chewed, was almost sweeter than the flesh was. I hope I can encourage others to sometimes take as much time as they can possibly get to see how much they can experience when taking a bite of a peach, creme brulee, sea scallop or take a sip of German Riesling wine. There is so much to say " wow " about ! I hope that others take care to have their moments of " wow " too. Don't do it for me, do it for you. I think " WOW '' is my favorite word. Until next time, Ralph.

Hope

This morning we had some more snow. Now here in the Magic Valley we don't usually have a lot of it but in the mountains to the north, south and east that's a different situation. Where I like to ski about 50 miles east of here they have had over 80 inches of snow in the past 7 days. I have always loved seeing it snow. Years ago it could also mean expense in getting country driveways and roads plowed out, anxious hours wondering if family would get home safely from school or work, etc. And on the farm that I grew up on, it meant more work taking care of livestock, chores, etc .From a purely selfish standpoint, the more the better now that I live in town. But I am also a person who suffers from lack of sunshine. I get tired, a little depressed at times and maybe a host of other symptoms. So about now I am looking eagerly through plant and seed catalogs and maybe travel brochures to places like Southern France or Tuscany in Italy. I have thought about a couple weeks in one of those areas, soaking up the intimate culture of one of the hilltop towns I saw and visited a few years ago, shopping in local farmer's markets for ingredients to meals that I could prepare with the helpful tutoring of the owner of the villa I would be staying at. This all comes from some research and communication with someone who owns just such a place there. But the reality is that I am not sure if we will or can do something like that, at least not soon. My wife has had quite a time of it this past year, beginning with a bout with breast cancer, followed by severe difficulty with medication following the surgery. Then there was a fall, and more pain and then a frightening incident one day upon my arrival home from an appointment where she had an " event " that led to an all day visit to the emergency room and countless tests, etc. So for the last 9 or 10 months, little else has mattered other than taking care of things at home , seeing that she got rest and visits to the doctor,etc. Anyone who has been a caretaker in such situations for a child, parent or spouse, doesn't need me to tell them that at times this is difficult territory to pass through ! But we do what needs to be done , right ? And so, here we are, most likely headed to spring and holding up before us the concept of " HOPE ". To me, hope is the possibility that things will be better, maybe much better or at least more tolerable. That something promised might actually still come true or be possible. We all hope for different things at different times. A better job, less sickness, a possible trip, the birth of a child, a loving spouse where there maybe was none, courage, a spring with time to enjoy the smells and sights of flowers and gardens, a fishing trip, hope for more than just this life on earth. The list is endless and different for us all. But there is always " hope ". I for one have had my times when the mention of the word made me think of the word " scoff ". That even thinking of hope seemed kind of far fetched. But after many years I have had uncounted times that the only thing that got me through it was " Hope " and upon reaching some " other side " of a situation, I found that I should never lose sight of the possibilities that hope can give us ! This year we have a presidential election and the word " hope " is being used quite often in campaign speeches. Now I have my own feelings about that and who might be able to accomplish things that are so desperately important to our society , as well as bring our world a little closer to peace and cooperation than we have now. Since this is not a political blog, I will not go into that any more other than to state that my belief in all of this is pretty much summed up in the " Sermon On The Mount " and if you care to, you can go there in your bible and look at it in more detail. So, getting back to " Hope ", it has been sung and spoken that we live life in seasons. Spring is our birth, Summer is our young and productive years, Fall is our having raised families and Winter our retirement years and the time near our end. Well, here is my take on that. I believe that not only is there a cycle of life that goes around once in the previously stated sentence but we experience that cycle over and over again. We have our spring when all is fresh, starting new, hopeful for life anew. Then comes summer when there is are lots of good things happening, being planned , anticipated. Times unhampered by cold and snow, windy rainy days, clouds of darkness, illness, stress, or shattered hopes. Fall arrives and we start getting ready to put away summer activities, lawn mowers and outdoor activities, etc. or maybe our lives slow down and we are resigned to live out our lives in our current situation, good or bad. Or maybe we have just gotten comfortable in our situation and decide there isn't much more to life than we have experienced and so we put away dreams, store them, maybe, just maybe we will get them out and review them. Then leaves fall off trees, garden plants brown up, temperatures fall. Finally winter is here and ground is frozen, we need more clothes to keep warm. Guess that what is is what there is and will be. But think about it, if there were no winter, we would have no spring. If there were no dark then there could we would have no light. And so that is not all there is . When winter comes it is a clear and wonderful sign that spring will soon be here .There is a cycle and we can learn that one thing gives us hope for the next. That's how I like to look at it. So, in the next " season ", maybe I will make it back to Tuscany or The South of France. Or maybe make it to the mountains just south of town. That's ok too. With " Hope ", anything is possible. Within a Christian faith, " Hope " can mean justice can still prevail and that things can get better than we could ourselves imagine. Never stop dreaming. If I were not a dreamer, life would have been very hard at times while growing up, wondering if things would get better when they were bad. But there IS always a " spring " after the winter. And in the cycle of life, I prefer not to think of this as my " Fall " of my life, or even my winter, but only the time just before " Spring ". And I dream.

Home Again

It's been a pleasant time in Oregon on the coast. We've eaten well, lots of seafood like dungeoness crab,razor clams, steamer clams, oysters, etc., cooked in our kitchen mostly. There has been lots of coffee and an " occasional " glass of wine. After all, we are near the wine area. On arrival it was sunny and warm, nice for sitting on the deck high above the beach. In the evening we could leave the windows open and hear the surf if we awoke in the night. But most of the time it 's been raining and heavily overcast. Now one might think " Too bad about the rainy days ". But having spent most of my early working life doing weather related jobs, I don't mind a rainy day or two. In fact, on this trip I have embraced them. I still have the tendency to feel uneasy about doing very little on a nice day. But on a so called bad weather day, it's much easier for me to enjoy leisure hours reading, writing, napping or cooking. Days off from school were to be celebrated. Rainy or snowy days during my working years outside meant a call from the boss to tell me not to show up. Sure , I didn't get paid maybe sometimes but you can't buy a day can you ? Anyway, I'm sitting in a recliner by the windows, overlooking the ocean from high above. Even with the doors and windows closed I can hear the waves coming in with the rising tide and the wind. Rain is blowing against the windows that are only a foot or so from me. Abby, my Scottie , is snuggled in next to me in the recliner with her head lying over my leg, which is being warmed by her furry , black form. On the window sill there is a freshly brewed cup of strong coffee. And the payoff is that every time I reach for it I get a look at the ever changing ocean ! Sometimes doing nothing can really be something ! I sit here and wonder what it would be like to be here in the winter during one of the gales that this area can get . I remember hearing about 90 mile per hour winds and enormous waves coming ashore last year . I know there are some people who come here for storm watching when the weather is at it's harshest. Sounds like fun to me. And there would be whale watching too at Cape Mears lighthouse just a mile or two down the road . It's a wonderful spot during the summer and I can only imagine the wild, wonderful power of a winter storm seen from that spot. I try to imagine sailing ships going through the area many years ago before motors, radar, and all the other technology that we take for granted. I remember being on the bridge a few years ago on a coastal ship far north of the Arctic circle along the fjords of Norway and having the captain point out the computers and automated guiding systems. And was even more surprised to hear that he still mostly used the old navigational charts set up years ago by the early sailors. Well , packing is almost done, coffee almost gone. One more meal of clams left in the frig to steam this evening and then the long trip home, back to friends, family, and my studio. It's been good to be here for me and my wife and the dogs and will be good to get home again. And I will have one more collection of memories to reflect on and a renewed commitment to use the good china, set the table for the two of us as if we were the company. And try new exotic recipes and wines that we have never tasted before, remembering that every day is a gift. "This was written while in Oregon. Now we are home and I have just made a batch of dog bone treats in the oven for Abby and Max. While reflecting on the past two weeks I am listening to a new musical album by someone who sings some bluegrass songs as well as some country that I am very fond of and I can't help but still be much aware that I was born a " country boy " and even though I live in a town of forty thousand now, i will always be a country boy. Opposed to the long held belief of many, which is thier right, I have never aspired to be great. I figure that my creator has plans for me and he continually seems to nudge me in the way in which is best, although seems like sometimes I go kicking and screaming. And that doesn't mean that some days I don't ask him " just what is it you think you're doing and would you mind letting me in on it sometime soon " ?

This sunset photo was taken at Oceanside , Oregon a few years ago on my last trip there. The reason I am attaching it to this blog is that I am leaving for Oceanside in a few days and will spend a week there in a house perched high on the hill above these rocks. I have stayed there quite a number of times but it has been a while now. During the time I have been to Europe and Scandinavia so this will be a time of relaxing and contemplation, fresh seafood and wine from some of the wine producing areas of Willamette Valley, not far from there. The valley with it's red hills covered in green grape vines is an inspiration all it's own. One of the wineries makes a Johannesberg Riesling that is a favorite of mine but cannot be purchased here in Idaho so needless to say, I will have to stock up. I have a friend who also loves the Riesling wine and I seem to find others as well who like this wine. I am pretty convinced that my great grandfather produced these grapes before he moved here from Europe according to research I have. I had wanted to go for some time but finally felt that it wouldn't happen this year, however, my other half has been ill and thought it might help to get some things off her mind if we went .This is quite a spontaneous decision. Now myself, I am not known for being spontaneous but there are times that I do things that surprise others and even myself. I attended the funeral of someone who led a long and productive life yesterday. He was almost 97 years old and sharp as a razor yet. In fact, in some of the anecdotes, etc. at the funeral, it was mentioned that he was still making plans for new fences and planting trees next year. He lived on a farm only minutes from where I live but had previously immigrated from Norway, coming to North Dakota, then owning a ranch in the Yellowstone River Valley and finally purchasing a business here in town along with other investments. He was a rugged individual who spoke his mind but was eager to let you speak yours and then not be judgemental if it was a differing view. He could be tough as nails but yet compassionate. A loving father who was not afraid to discipline according to his children. He and his wife were eager to give to anything that would help improve the life of the less unfortunate. He had a wonderful sense of humor and I saw the love of his family as they talked about him. This was not a funeral service mourning the passing, it was one of celebrating a life lived to the fullest. A part of the service was dedicated to the older cowboy and western music that he loved as well as classical pieces played on the piano by a son in law, written by Grieg, a beloved Norwegian composer. I will miss his stories and views on life. It will be like losing a good friend or a great leader, there will be an empty spot that will be difficult to fill by someone else. Life of course is not permanent and so we need to remind ourselves that we should make the most of it. Here is a quote from somewhere or someone that I want to pass along. " Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in from the roadside in a cloud of dust, a glass of red wine in one hand and a chocolate in the other, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ' wow ! what a ride ! ' Finally, I want to repeat something that I read not long ago. " What I appreciate, appreciates" . In other words, if you recognize something that someone does for you, it will make them feel better and in turn cause them to do more or increase the good things that they do, or making your investment of a thank you letter or praise " appreciate ", like interest on your bank account. As I read this I thought about times that I have done that and the great return on my investment that it made. A thank you, a phone call or email or letter to someone who has done or said something that deserved a little recognition or whatever it might be, these are things we can do. I must admit I don't do it as much as I would like to say I do but I try hard. I can say from personal experience that a warm look, a touch on the arm, a kind word, or any kind of respect or appreciation that seems sincere will melt me like butter on a hot stove. I crave it and the truth be known, I think a lot of people do but not all will admit it. I wish I could go back in time to some people that I wish I had understood this as much as I do now and made it known how deeply what they said or did was appreciated. But then, some people I think know instinctively. I have often said that I don't need to talk or be talked to constantly when in the presence of a really close friend.Just being together is sometimes enough, no words spoken. Sometimes silence together can be a wonderful thing when there is a real connection. I have been told in the past that I wear my feelings on my sleeve. That is probably true. But is that a bad thing ? Some will say it is. Be stoic, stiff upper lip and all that " crap ". Well, I don't buy it, at least not for me. I may show or speak my feelings more than some I suppose but I think that is what is missing in too many people. Too many walls, too many facades. I think and feel that openness between friends or spouses is the deepest kind of connection that one can have and I wonder if it is more rare than it should be. Until later, Ralph

Why Idaho ?

For anyone who wonders why anybody would move to Idaho, or is it Iowa, or is it Ohio ? See, not everyone even knows for sure what state it really is or where it is or how it is. Well, the photo here can maybe give a clue as to one reason to live in Idaho. I have heard many people think it's Iowa when I mention my home. No mountains in Iowa, although it's a nice state. Been through it, in it, etc. Spent some treacherous times there on the highways in the winter during snowstorms. But back to Idaho. Not all Idaho looks like this, some is even more beautiful and for those who know what I mean, can I hear an " Amen " ? This happens to be the Sawtooth mountains a couple hours from my house. I love going there, spending time there in a cabin by the river and cooking next to it and listening to the sound of the river lull me to sleep at night. It's hard to get there during the winter because of a pass you have to go over to reach the area and the roads are not maintained during the winter. Of course we have the desert in many areas, Beautiful alpine lakes to have a glass of wine next to or a picnic. The skiing is world class at Sun Valley north of me. You can easily spend time for lunch next to a business man in a restaurant or a cowboy from a local or isolated ranch. There are always the trucks in the parking lots of grocery stores or restaurants with the flat bed on back and a couple of ranch dogs patiently waiting on thier masters, untied, just waiting. It's a friendly place, most people very polite. The weather is mild here where I live, at least it was until this year when it got really warm during the summer for endless days on end. Thankfully the humidity is usually around the lower teens or less. But I see signs of a coming change in seasons. I have a watermelon in the garden that hopefully knows the difference too. It doesn't seem to know when to quit growing but I love watching it. I keep looking at my landscape gardens and thinking of more that I could plant but I know I better wait until next spring to see how much it will fill in. The back one has grown so much that sometimes I am really taken aback by it since it has been in only a few months. As I have said before, l love the gardening and beautifying. Something that my friend and pastor said in his sermon last Sunday made me think ! It is relevant to gardening, ( lots of other things too but for now, gardening ) It is this, that in Europe there are famous works of art in some of the cathedrals that are not signed by name by the artists that created them . Instead there are letters or this phrase in Latin " Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam ". This is very relevant to the Catholic church as I understand but I won't go into that at this point. What the literal translation of this is " To the greater glory of God ". And what has that got to do with gardening ? Well, for me, I realize that I love gardening for many reasons and one of them is to make this small part of the earth a little nice maybe than when I came. In this instance it pertains to gardens. I have mine in back and one for the public in front. I have had lots of comments on them but this is not the reason I plant. And after thinking on what was in the sermon last Sunday, I think that gardening can be one expression of honoring our creator. Everyone has gifts and abilities which can be used for this, it's just that you have to think about what that is, whether it's comforting someone who is needing a friend, working in a job that helps fellow human beings, growing food, and on and on and on. It's how we look at what we do that can tell a lot about us. Maybe we teach children, counsel people, show them ways to take care of themselves, or bring music to them, etc. Whatever we do, whether in our jobs or on our own time, can be a dedication ! I have a Japanese influenced garden in front of my new home and I am going to put one more boulder or rock in it with these words " To the greater glory of God " but in Japanese. And when someone asks, what in the world are those scratchings on the rock, I have a perfect time to tell them. I know winter is a ways away yet but I have already started looking at the mountains east of me unconciously to see if there is any snow on top and noticing my skis waiting for me next to the door in \the garage. Until next time, Ralph.

End of summer

Traditionally Memorial day is considered the end of summer I guess and as far as school goes that makes sense. But not necessarily in Idaho. The days are still hot yet and the nights get cold at times. So I feel that it's not time yet to put away gardening tools. In fact I am watching a watermelon in my garden that must weigh at least 25 lbs and a bunch of cantaloupe that also need some more summer days to ripen. I tried many times to grow melons back in the Midwest but to no avail. The ground was so hard that they couldn't do what they needed to do. Here, it's mostly volanic ash and if you mix humous with it, it grows melons and potatoes and beans and sugar beets. Even though I live in high desert, with irrigation, growth is pretty amazing. Being in the tenth year of a drought is a very real concern here though. The Snake River provides the water for most of the irrigation which in turn comes from the canals all over the area and they get the water from " the Snake ". And the Snake gets it from the runnoff that comes from the melting snow in the mountains of the Tetons, etc. The problem with that is that the Tetons haven't gotten the big snows like in the past. Global warming ? I suspect it is . And this summer has been the hottest on record here. In fact, the worst range and forest fire in the country is just north of us in the Sun Valley area. Sixty four square miles had burned as of Wednesday. Hundreds of homes have been evacuated. We went to eat dinner near there the other day and the smoke plumes were just a few miles away. Today is the anniversary of the death of Princess Dianna. I can remember easily where I was when I heard the news. Had just come back from the local county fair and stopped for a snack. The TV was just announcing the death. What a shock ! Only one example of the fragility of life. Sometimes I am amazed that I have lived as long as I have, considering all the narrow escapes I have had from tradgedy. And those are only the ones I know of. Imagine how many times you have avoided or been saved from horrific things and you never knew it. Maybe left an minute earlier or later and you might have been at the wrong place at the wrong time. Life is so fragile and yet so tenacious. A couple years ago I passed by the very support in the underpass in Paris where the Princess died. An eerie feeling came over me and a sadness. What if she had lived ? What wonderful things could she have accomplished ! This morning, like every other morning, I took a walk along our canyon of the Snake River. Even though I have done it many times, I am amazed every time at the incredible sight of this natural wonder. Almost a half mile across in places, 500 feet deep and a falls near the town that is 52 feet higher than Niagara. To the north one can see the mountains near Sun Valley. In the winter they shine white with the snow. I never fail to be awed by the Creator's handiwork and make it a point to thank him on my walk. What a great place to meditate on all that he has done and continues to do. I need to get my telescope back up and running so I can check out some of the things in the night time sky, more amazing creations that shout at me that there is an incredible universe with stars and galaxies so far away that it takes light millions of years to get here and on the other end, particles so small that they can only be imagined and theorized. All accidents of " nature " ? Hard for me to accept ! So Sunday morning, when I take my walk along the canyon, and see the very tip of the sun come up over it at dawn, I will again thank God for the amazing universe and also my little corner of it.

The Earth and Sky

Finished planting today in my backyard garden what most likely will be the last of the planting of elements in that part of the property this year except a few things that didn't make it that were planted initially before we moved in after the house was done this spring. The plants were the large leafed " bergenia " that have nicely colored flowers on long stems in the spring. I think they give the garden a lush look, which is ultimately what I am building on in the back. In the photo at the beginning it pictures one side of the walk leading to the front door of the house. It is a Japanese inspired garden greeting the visitor on both sides. You arent' able to see the Japanese cutleaf maple in the back with the " chocolate ajuga " underneath but I will show it at a later time or in the spring. In the foreground is the " dry streambed or the part on this side of the walk at least. This was a pleasant evening as I rented the movie " A Good Year ", directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russel Crowe, one of my favorite actors. Some might call this movie a sappy love story I suppose but I would consider that simply an opinion. Frankly, I loved the movie even though I am sure some might also say it was predictable. So ? Who cares, not me. It had a great story to tell as well as wonderful scenery of the Provence area of France. It made me want to go there again even more and stay in one area this time. Most likely in a small hill town where in the evening one could go to the local bistro to drink wine with the locals and in the morning go to the market down to street to pick up the day's provisions for meals. I think the Provence area has an atmosphere to it that simply says " come here for awhile and forget where you came from ". We bought some great olive oil in Avignon, a very picturesque walled city. The movie tells the story of a fast living investor who is ruthless and dedicated to only one thing, making money. After inheriting a small estate in Provence where he grew up with his uncle he realizes what he may have missed. You have to see the rest but if you like a good love story with great scenery, etc. , see this movie. I don't think you will be disappointed Maybe this tells a lot about me ? Ha. Growing up in the country I still have a connection to the earth. In fact, I made wine as a youngster and now that I can start my garden and landscape from scratch, I have planted a few Chardonnay grape vines, that incidentally are doing wonderfully. And for what purpose ? Well, what do you think ? And besides that, Idaho is gaining in a reputation for wineries. More are being started all the time. Several near here. Who would have thought ! As you may see by now, I have a feeling for the sentimental and part of us that connects with our surroundings and the earth as well as people. I just downloaded the new version of Google Earth, the version that now includes the software for astronomy with photos and data and information on the universe and planets, etc. I have now been motivated to get my telescope back in service and do some viewing again. In the past I have seen things with my own eyes that are so fascinating with this instrument, such as planets, star clusters and planetary nebulae or clouds. Seeing them as taken by the Hubble telescope only makes it apparent to me that there is so much we do know but even more we don't know and much more we can't even imagine, let alone know anything about it. And I am convinced that there is no way this came about by accident, any more than all the events in my life came about by accident. The best screen writer in the world couldn't have come up with a story containing the amazing things that have happened in my life, not just the good but the " bad " as well, which in turned have seemed to come to good eventually. Amazing ! I could go on and on about that but maybe another time. I will finish with a quote that I like that addresses some of what I have written about here and maybe before. If you understand what this says, then we most likely have something precious in common ; " Nobody can make a violin speak the last depths of human longing until that soul has been made tender by some great anguish ". Take a few minutes when you have time by yourself and think about this. Until next time, Ralph.