dining in the woods

I cannot figure out why I would have high blood pressure in Oregon during the summer.

There is no place better to be on earth than in Oregon from July through September.  For those of you who think Oregon is one step away from living under a waterfall of rain all year, you are thinking of the winter. 

In the summer, it is blue skies, plenty of sun, and plenty of mountains, trees, plains, and rivers.  A perfect place to live -- other than its nasty tax system.

Yesterday I drove from Salem to Redmond to spend the day and night with my Nevada friends, Roy and Nancy.  The drive was enough to seduce me into wondering why I do not live here?  The scenery was right out of a Sunset magazine.

Of course, I have rehearsed with you the reasons why I no longer live here.  And there is no need to keep beating that dead horse.  It is in its way to the glue factory.

Instead, I will enjoy the days I have left up here.  And yesterday falls into the category of memorable times.  Sharing news with friends.  Having a good meal of just plain food (roasted quail on a bed of steamed rice, in this case), and enjoying the veritable Pacific Northwest wildlife diorama that wanders past the deck of the house.

Watching a mule deer fawn suckle in the juniper is not one of those experience you see every day.  But I can share it with you.  And I just did.

You are welcome.  Days like this are meant to be shared.