HOME SWEET HOME

Can you see the eagle's nest in the pix below?  A pair of Eagles have taken up residence high in the trees above this little lake in Salem, Oregon.  They don't seem to mind the people who play in the park, the traffic whizzing past on the freeway or the other accouterments of human habitation.

While taking a walk on this winter's day, I found a variety of birds:  Ducks, geese, jay's, robins, gulls, etc.  As you can see by the sky, the clouds were beautiful, the sun was out and spring couldn't be far behind.  But spring can wait.  This is winter in all it's glory.  We have had snow, rain, wind and today the sun is shinning, all part of the winter deal.  The naked trees reflect on the lake in stark contrast to the fluffy clouds passing overhead, a sight only caught in winter.

Were this summer time, we would all be whining about the coolness of the day.  But since it's not summer the 45 degree day feels like a gift.  It's all relative.  We think of home-sweet-home as warm and cozy.  The eagles, on the other hand, would probably find "warm and cozy" a startling idea as they settle into a stick nest far above the Terra Firma.  Nestled up in the tree limbs they lay and hatch their eggs, raise their young and I will bet they wonder how we survive down here on the ground.  Perspective, that's what we all need to survive and enjoy winter.

So enjoy these wet, cold, crisp days ahead and be happy you can have toast for breakfast.  Those inhabitants of the tree tops are having mice as an entree and are satisfied with that.  Yummm!

ROCK THE CRADLE

Our beautiful Pacific Coast along the edge of Oregon presents itself in new ways each day.  We sometimes are blinded by the sun as we take in the mountain's profiles tumbling into the sea. More likely, we are feasting our eyes on glorious shore waves rumbling to meet those same mountains.

My favorite is the times the water mingles with the land making it difficult to tell where one stops and the other one starts.  Fog is the medium.  Fog is the "fabric softener" of the mountain scenes.  Fog, like cotton balls, rolls in to fill the canyon gaps. Makes me think the mountains are snuggling up with a downey blanket.  Just think of it.  Pull the fog up to your chin North America.  Listen to the music of the Pacific Ocean.  Rock on!

CATHEDRAL OF THE SEA LIONS

How many of you have visited the Oregon Sea Lion Caves?  It is located on the Oregon Coast just 11 miles north of Florence.  There is ample parking and a visitor center with all the usual touristy coast related items for purchase.  You have to buy a ticket (check the website for prices) then take a beautiful cliff walk to the elevator.  Once in the elevator the descent is rapid.  When you step out you are in the cave.

The fragrance in the cave hits you about as hard as the sounds.  Sea Lions live here.  They actually LIVE here.  They have their babies, raise their young, sleep, play and lounge around in the pounding surf inside the huge cavern accessed by the Pacific from two openings.  So, absolutely, there is a fragrance of sea life unlike any you will encounter elsewhere.  But, that's as much a part of the experience as the sound.  Personally, I felt like I had walked into a monastery durning evensong.  Those puppies can sing.  There is such a cacophony of song you wonder how a puppy hears her mother.  But, she does.

If you are lucky enough to go when few other people are there, just stand, close your eyes and listen.  The pounding surf, the cries of the pups, the answering calls of the parents all meld together to create a song emanating from that cave that makes it unforgettable.

So, during these winter days when camping is out of the question (for wimps like me) take a trip over to visit the singing Sea Lions in their very own cathedral.  You may even want to join in the harmony.