Found a bunch of hope in the woods today!

Quilla and I went on a morning walk in the woods today. Even on hot days, the woods near my house remain so comfortable, and up here in the hills it always feels at least five degrees cooler than "in the city," even if we are just three miles away. We met a group of young students (and their teachers) from a Nature School, which seems to be a type of summer daycare, but with the children spending time outside, learning about flora and fauna (and mythology, based on a conversation I overheard), and developing environmental awareness. To be cautious, they didn't pet Quilla, but I stopped to tell them her name and to find out about them. I asked how old they were, and a chorus of excited voices simultaneously exclaimed, "Five!" Six!" Four!" It seems they were mostly five-year-olds, but one young fellow was very pleased to be the only six-year-old and one tall girl surprised me when she said she was four. Soon they all told me their birthdays and their ages (usually accompanied by the requisite finger demonstrations). I felt joy just being in their presence. They were so polite, attentive, and seemed interested in what I had to say. Then I remembered: children are constantly learning and exploring the world: it's a lovely thing to see. That of course is why it remains so important for everyone, not just parents, but all of us to provide good role models for every child we encounter. After they moved on, I felt hopeful. Often we bemoan the state of the world and the future, but I know that good people everywhere work with children to help instill in them the ethics, awareness, and sensitivity to others that will make the world a better place.

Who said they wanted summer weather??

Oh, how we waited through the May and most of June for Oregon weather to indicate even slightly that summer was nigh. Yet it remained downright cold many nights and gray for many days. Many of us wondered if summer was ever to arrive. Then on Summer Solstice, the clouds disappeared, the sun shone, and the temperatures shot up. Now, like the proverbial dissatisfied customers, as we swelter under glaring sunlight, we are already complaining of a forecast predicting at least a week of 90- to 100-degree days with no rain or even clouds in sight. Personally, I was happy when I still had to light my woodstove in early June, although for economical reasons I try never to buy firewood and pay my gardener in the same month. I live with seven critters: six felines and one canine. Each of them has been "off" her/his food, scrappy with each other and with me, and talking too much for my ears. Now I understand why.

I work at home, which admittedly is a very wonderful thing and something I acknowledge often. In another economical move this year, I canceled my subscription to the local newspaper. I then learned that friends across the street get the paper, but he reads only the news and editorial pages, she reads only the comics, and neither of them does the puzzles. They now give me the paper when they have finished it and I have all the puzzles my little heart desires, read whatever I want, and finally either use them under mulch in my garden or give them to my gardener, who uses them in her tie dye business. Now that's practical reuse! The only downside is that I hear about news and weather up to 5 days after the event. Since I listen to old radio shows instead of watching TV, this means I'm get all my news from the Internet or not at all. I think I prefer it this way. If it's going to be miserably hot for a week, why have the information in advance? I'll just suffer more by having time to contemplate how hot it will be. It's enough to suffer during the actual hot days.

Certainly I had hoped my first blog to be worthy of, well, anything. But, I'm too hot to be creative and in truth my thoughts are on the most boring subject of all time, the weather. So here it is. May my thoughts tomorrow be more inspired. Christine