Almost Home

Coming back from our visit to Peter was a difficult one this time and we wished we had visited an additional day. Peter is a kind and loving son and as interesting a person as I ever knew. He is always thinking of how he can be supportive and retain his independence of spirit.

So here we are on the road after visiting one son and our son calls from Belgium "Hey sweetheart" I hear Sharyn say. We are in the mountains and so I stop at a rest area to be sure we don't lose the connection. Sharyn is talking to Matt and waves at me pointing at a tree.


It's a Pacific Madrone but it isn't the usual orange-red it appears to be more of an Oxblood blue-red. On close inspection it looks like it was burned in a fire.


Even burned and blistered it was an intriguing view of how life and go on after tragedy.


We arrived in Canyonville and were lucky enough to get our favorite space in the Seven Feathers Resort. We like it for many reasons and one reason is the color of the Rhododendron blooms on this side of the park.


The color is a creamy yellow-pinkish as gentle a color as fresh soft butter with hints of red.


As you can see here the unopened buds are red but as they open they lighten to almost a white.


They are magnificent plants and we are happy to be here to see them bloom.


Most of the other Rhododendron's in the park are a bright Red like this one I found and this park takes on the look of the Masters Golf Tournament in the spring.


Another reason we like this space is Cow Creek that runs behind the RV space we are in and this time of year the rushing creek is wonderful to see and hear.


I like that the landscapers have kept the natural look with fallen trees and natural stone.


This tree in particular has almost lost it's footing and juts from the creek bank like the horn on a Rhinoceros's head.


I was headed back to the Musemobile when I spotted these berries (Not edible) and liking the color stopped for a picture or two.



I next focused at a distance through the berries and like the results of the red out of focus berries in the foreground and the green bank, trees and view to the distance.


I did go back to get a better of a small fall in the creek and like how it turned out. Little falls only prove it's not the fall but the moving forward that is important in our lives. It must be a perspective thing.

Scrabble Score -

Speaking of little falls Scrabble Queen triumphed after falling behind tonight winning on her last play.

Quote of the Day -

"Since the legal restoration of our sovereignty in 1982, the Cow Creek Tribe has created a Tribal economy from scratch. We have been fortunate enough to translate the combination of Tribal sovereignty, Tribal membership support and the good will of our neighbors into our present position as the second largest employer in our area, providing over 750 jobs (primarily for non-members, many of whom have never before had steady employment) in our timber depressed region. We are proud to provide Tribal employees fully paid health insurance (as well as heavily subsidized dependent coverage), to pay over fourteen million dollars ($14,000,000) annually in wages, benefits and payroll taxes into our community and that Tribal jobs have allowed many families to wean themselves from reliance on state and federal welfare programs. ~ Sue Shaffer in Senate Testimony Before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs - April 7, 1998. Sue Shaffer was the Chairman of the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians

This RV Resort, Seven Feathers, is rated one of the top RV destinations in the country and the Casino across the freeway are both run by the Cow Creek Band. I should add they also own and manage other businesses in the area including Rio Net the Internet Service Provider I'm using to transmit this blog.

Thank you Cow Creek Band for your excellence of purpose and all the donations to local charities.