Monday Miscellany

 

Starting off the day today with two Love's who truly love each other. 

For Foster, Annie is and always will be the No. 1 human in the world.

And, of course, for Annie, he's the Top Dog of the trio of dogs here at the Lovestead.

In Foster's world yesterday, leaves were falling on green grass, and he looked kinda pretty.

In Annie's, snow had already fallen where she was traveling on her current road trip around Oregon. She looked pretty too. 

The snow created exquisitely beautiful scenes around Crater Lake, which she saw for the first time ever. 

I told her it was pretty but good that it was far away, only to see dustings of snow on the mountains outside my window this morning.  

Turns out we also saw some snow along the roadsides yesterday when we went for an afternoon drive to the Trail Creek area east of Naples. 

Our primary goal fell short soon into the trip.

Bill had heard from a colleague that the gate to a road into the North Fork of Grouse Creek and the trail head to Kelly Pass (in Boulder Meadows) was open. 

This gate is located on the Trail Creek Road several miles up and just past the horse corrals and camping sites. 

Bill and I have walked beyond the gate several times, usually in the spring, always wishing we'd have time to go further.

Well, an open gate seemed like the perfect opportunity to drive the rest of the road. 

Turns out the gate was closed and locked when we arrived, immediately dashing hopes of getting to see some uncharted territory, for us,  in the back country.

So, Bill suggested we drive the Twenty Mile Peak Road, several miles back down the Trail Creek Road.

Though we have seen many of those views on an earlier a drive a few years back, the experience made up for our disappointment at the horse corrals. 

We went for short walks in cold air and did see snow as we moved further up the road. 

We also saw a mule deer mom and her baby.  I tried to take photos as they stood like statues looking down on us from the hillside, but big trees between me and the deer stole the focus. 

Eventually the two bounded off through the timber. 

Mule deer are so pretty.  I'm thinking that's because we don't see them nearly as often as all those ubiquitous whitetail around the Selle Valley.

Overall, I must say that fall color has yet to make its big appearance.  Several times we saw groves of deciduous trees, and though I wanted to will them to instantly turn gold or red or yellow, they remained in the state of "promise," i.e., "I promise to put on a show but not just yet."

Guess that means more afternoon drives to the back country.  I think I can handle it. 

And, now to the "I could kick myself" department.

I CHANGED THE CHANNEL WITHIN THE LAST THREE MINUTES OF THE SEAHAWKS-VIKINGS GAME LAST NIGHT. 

You can imagine the shame I felt when several Facebook posts celebrated Seattle's exciting one-point victory after Russell Wilson completed a pass. 

Once again, the lesson:  we must believe, and when it comes to the talent of Russell Wilson, I totally screwed up when I thought the Seahawks were surely doomed to lose their first game of the season. 

Please also imagine the Monday morning excitement immediately following my moment of shame. 

Good job, Seahawks; now 5-O!

Finally, in the "Monday Morning 'A-HA' department, I thank my friend Mow for sending me the graphic below. 

Seems like a good way to top off the post.  

This neo-knowledge inspires me to ask the chimney fixers, who are coming tomorrow, to also check around the roof and see whom I know and love that might be stuck up there. 

Happy Monday.