Rowena Plateau

The last two and a half years have been an adventure.  Job losses, pulling family roots, moving towns, moving states.  But we landed in a place I never want to leave.
  

We live in the great Northwest, where God is our neighbor.  He lives here in the trees and streams and sends us fresh air every day.  It is the greatest pleasure I have known. 

Unfortunately, the past few weeks we weren’t listening.  Somehow I picked up some respiratory crud.  It knocked us for a loop.  Weather too cold outside, so we locked ourselves in our new apartment.  Some lingering germs maybe?   We fought it. 

This weekend we may have finally knocked the illness that has haunted our household the last few weeks.  Friday, was the first day both of us started feeling like we had our old energy back.  Real bad cold threw us for a loop.

My wife works from home now, and I have the chance to, if I am under the weather or just don’t feel like spreading germs.  So, last month good friends of ours were in town and we went walking in downtown Hood River for souvenirs and other novelties.  I bought this book about places to see and trails to hike in our neighborhood.  This weekend, feeling much better, my wife suggested that we take the book and explore. 

Ten miles east of our town is a scenic overlook and trailhead to the Rowena Plateau.  We both thought this would be a nice leisurely way to start to get some fresh air and gain our strength back. 

A wonderful hike.  

We started out overlooking the Columbia River.  Then a short hike into the meadows.  Awesome.  

The little white dots in the river are wind surfers.  The water actually had white caps today.  A good strong west wind. 

Lupine

The HIstoric Columbia Gorge Hwy 30. 

Balsamroot flowers.

And below, more Balsamroot flowers, the trail be some basalt outcrops, Ponderingwife, and I-84 to points east.

The Day

Smile, I meant to say,
    to you on this beautiful day,
    when we wake up, breathing and living.

A day, the gift to any mortal being,
    when the night and fears are fleeing,
    the day begins, a gift for the giving.

David Normand, March 2018

To Honor My Dad

On This day he would have been 88 years old.

Night Words

after 3 years

I was away when you died.
You said “safe travels” before I left,
Words I should have said to you.

But my plans could not be changed.
The rule-breaking was not for me.
The die had been cast.

I was not meant to be there,
By Whoever’s plans, as in
Other things, and other lives.

David R. Normand, 3-31-2018