Bill and I went to "the cabin" last night for dinner.
Normally, visiting the Thompson (my sister-in-law is a Thompson) family cabin on Lakeshore Drive offers a spectacular setting for viewing the Lake Pend Oreille and the river and just plain relaxing while folks swim or sit in lawn chairs visiting.
The setting hasn't changed, but "fun in the sun" just ain't happening these days as the constant film of forest fire smoke throughout the region hides the sun and hangs heavily in the air.
Some at last night's gathering called it eerie. Another used the term "apocalyptic." I added that the stillness and quiet creates an odd sense of nostalgia.
Whatever the perspective, we can all agree that we are living in a generally black and white world at best.
Actually, I think that this gloomy atmosphere could be called black and white with a serious case of the blahs.
Even though the group who gathered, including a young lady from China visiting "beautiful God's country" for the first time even seemed subdued, just like the smoky air.
Still, we enjoyed Sefo's barbecued chicken, a delicious summer salad, cukes swimming in ranch dressing and samples of Tom's blueberry upside cake with ice cream.
Oh yes, the usual staples of wine, beer, sodas and cell phones rounded out the evening.
Occasional entertainment from a treetop next door interrupted the visiting in a nice way. Seems Judy and Chris, who live next to the cabin have a family of eagles living in the tree below their house.
So, we saw eagles sit, eagles soar and even heard the eagles singing. Yup, nostalgia, all right.
If last night was gloomy, add the superlative to this morning's air.
Sad to see this situation going on for so long, and from what we hear in the weather reports, there's no end in sight. Maybe we don't see the end cuz it just gets smokier every day.
And, so, this morning, a black and white touch up on an otherwise dull looking world out there. It also seemed appropriate to share the words from one of my favorite songs
Enjoy and don't breathe too hard.
Happy Sunday.
"In Color"
by Jamey Johnson
I said Grandpa what's this picture here
It's all black and white, and it ain't real clear
Is that you there, he said yeah, I was eleven
And times were tough, back in thirty-five
That's me and Uncle Joe just tryin' to survive
A cotton farm, in the Great Depression
And if it looks like we were scared to death
Like a couple of kids just trying to save each other
You should've seen it in color
This one here was taken overseas
In the middle of hell, in nineteen forty-three
In the winter time, you can almost see my breath
That was my tail gunner ole' Johnny McGee
He was a high school teacher from New Orleans
And he had my back, right through the day we left
If it looks like we were scared to death
Like a couple of kids just trying to save each other
You should've seen it in color
A picture's worth a thousand words
But you can't see what those shades of gray keep covered
You should've seen it in color
And this one is my favorite one
This is me and grandma in the, summer sun
All dressed up, the day we said our vows
You can't tell it here but it was hot that June
And that rose was red and her eyes were blue
And just look at that smile, I was so proud
That's the story of my life
Right there in black and white
And if it looks like we were scared to death
Like a couple of kids just trying to save each other
You should've seen it in color
Yeah a picture's worth a thousand words
But you can't see what those shades of gray keep covered
You should've seen it in color
(Should've seen it in color)
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