My Thoughts on Mother Nature

Lately I have missed writing in my blog.  My reasons may sound crazy--or maybe lazy is a better word but here goes my explanation:  I have written dozens of blogs in my head but when it comes time to put them up on my blog site, I keep thinking about how long and how many problems I have to solve to get where I want to go!  Do any of you get what I am saying?  It takes almost a whole day to get it the way I want it and then 9 out of 10 times it still gets messed up and I have to figure out another way to do it!  Well I just have to bite the bullet and get this show on the road again!

The smoke around our house was thick on Sept. 5, 2017!

I keep thinking about subjects for my blogs but I never follow through!  Here are some thoughts for today. The smoke has been terrible up here in our high mountain desert. My eyes are scratchy and the sun doesn't feel as warm as it should. I can't see the mountains or favorite landmarks from my usual breakfast spot where I drink my morning coffee.

Smoke makes for very pretty sunsets

A beautiful day for fishing.  The fish don't mind the smoke, I guess.

 I do have to admit that the sunrise and sunset is quite beautiful seen through a thick haze of smoke but I could forgo that when I think of all the damages that happen from these persistent wildfires!  We have had what I would call light smoke almost all summer. This has come from fires in Montana and Canada, but this past week there have been several wildfires burning just to the west of us on the other side of the mountain. We even saw a helicopter with a bucket hovering over some nearby mountain lakes.

The old Haskins cabin.  Also known as the "bat

I know I am whining about my minor discomforts when I should be grateful I do not live in Houston or Rockport (where we spent one winter and I loved it and many people I met down there).  Or around the Gorge in Oregon, or just about anywhere in Montana where they have over 40 wildfires burning or in Southern Florida where they are bracing for one of the strongest hurricanes the Atlantic has had in many years!  My heart goes out to all the people struggling to survive these disasters.  I have visited many of these places and dread to see what people will have to contend with in the aftermath.  I guess I just feel like I have to document my little slice of life, pray for all those who are dealing with the abundance of natural disasters we seem to be having and try to help however I can.

On that note I think I will share a few pictures just in case we have a lightning strike up in the

National Forest  we border on and which is littered with miles of beetle killed trees. Yes, it is only a matter of time and we all know the thinking is to "let it burn" to get rid of all the downed timber.

Our winding driveway into our house

Even the beetle kill has changed the beauty of our mountains and our privately-owned lands as well. Mother Nature will have her way!  I still feel blessed to live in "God's Country". Please remind me of this about February of next year when we are snowed in and the wind is howling!

As a matter of fact that might be way sooner than February!

My favorite time of year in North Park is just around the corner. Every year I take pictures. It seems like the same trees are more beautiful each year. I have included some from years past.  They are from 2007 before we could see what the beetles had done to the pines!

This photo was taken in 2007 before the beetle kill became apparent!

*Note:  I just got information that the reason it was so smoky that day we saw the helicopter was because there was a fire in the Forest about 1 ½ miles from us that had been started by a campfire!  This, when there was a ban on all fires in the National Forest!  They did get it put out with the help of the helicopter!