Meandering on the Way — December 15-23, 2022

Thursday, December 15, 2022

Not much rain or snow here lately, but still it was a cold and frosty world this morning, with winter mist in the air and a crunchy layer of frost. E walked to tertulia while M drove. Coming home, we switched roles.

Sunday, December 18

Fairly nice weather today with intermittent rain and sunshine. Our new neighbors down on Maple Street marked the upcoming solstice by inviting the neighborhood to a celebration. It wasn’t an open house party, but rather an open garage party that also featured canopies in the driveway and a couple of propane heaters. They served snacks and drinks and also gave every departing guest a bottle of homemade soup to take away. They had quite a crowd, but they were ready. What a nice idea and what an undertaking!

Wednesday, December 21

We visited Niagara Falls today. We didn’t know if we could spare the time, but we decided we needed a break from all this Xmas business. And as it turns out, the Oregon version of Niagara Falls is only a few hours away. Why had we never been there before? We don’t know. And why is it called Niagara Falls? Is it because it looks so much like that other, more famous, Niagara Falls? No. It’s pretty though.

There are actually two falls on this hike, both dropping into the same box canyon. The first one is called Pheasant Falls.

At our lunch spot we were at the end of the box canyon, with sheer walls rising on three sides. Only the northwest end was open, which means that the base of Niagara Falls hadn’t  seen direct sunlight for three or four months. And you know what? It was cold down there. The temperature up on hillside was somewhere around 40. Down in the bottom, it had to be in the twenties. We ate our lunch there anyway, but we did not linger.

The trail leading down to the falls was only about a mile long, but it is a lovely walk. In the beginning it follows a small watercourse downward. On the hillsides the trees are mature but not really old, maybe fortyish. But down near the stream in the bottom of the ravine, it seems like nothing has ever been cut and many of the trees are mammoths. Most prominent are the huge old ash trees, but there are also a few ancient hemlocks and cedars. On the ground lie their immediate ancestors, just as impressive in their way.

Thursday, December 22

So we had a break yesterday, but today was super busy. E started at 4:00 a.m.(!) by doing some digital correspondence. M slept in till 6:30 when he finally rose and made coffee. We had a pre-breakfast of wonderful Texas grapefruit and then read the paper for a bit before heading off for tertulia. It was pretty cold, 24 degrees, and the news was full of warnings about possible ice rain. So E decided to come with M in the car instead of walking. Later in the morning we went down to visit Wild Yeast, the newest bakery in town. Then we were off to Trader Joe’s for a few tidbits–boy were they crowded–before coming home to do some baking of our own.

M made pecan sandies. They filled the house with a wonderful aroma as they baked. But that may have been their high point. Our preliminary conclusion is that, as cookies, they’re not what they should be. Serves M right for having used an internet recipe. E, on the other hand, did something tried and true; she made her famous bars. They’re definitely good.

After the baking, it was time to deal with fact that the Mazda’s left front tire has been leaking. So off we went to drop off the Mazda at the tire place. Then it was time for a quick lunch: humus for M and leftover Solstice party soup for E. Then the guys from Lane Marble arrived to install the shower glass–the final piece of the bathroom remodel. Joe the contractor also came by to see how it went and to celebrate the project’s completion. Somewhere along the line, E had put together a small platter of cookies and fruit for him to take away. Then the tire place called to say the Mazda was done. Off we went again. E then went directly from there to a medical appointment, returning an hour later just in time to tune in to Laughter Yoga. 

Meanwhile, we’ve been getting bits of news from the world outside. From Big Sky, Montana, we’ve heard from our friends L and P. P has been working at the Big Sky resort for many years now, after leaving his job in Bend, Oregon back in the 90’s when that town got too crowded for his taste. Finally, this year, it was time for him to retire. We hear there was an awesome party to mark the occasion. We’re not sure how old P is; we think he’s 92. 

Friday, December 23

We got up to find Corvallis locked down by a layer of ice. Nothing is moving on any of the streets around us. We’ve never known it to be so quiet here. At 8:00 the temperature was 24 degrees and a light rain was falling, perfect conditions for making the ice even thicker.

By 1:00 the temperature had risen to 32. Not much help there; the ice was worse than ever. By 3:30, though, there were clear signs of melting. They say it will get into the 40’s later this afternoon and stay that warm overnight, so we may be able to move around tomorrow. Meanwhile we have heat, light, food and an abundance of unhealthy sweets. We’ll be fine. 

Peace, warmth, and happy days to all.