I love this valley. In the spring, the endless grass seed production fields are green as green can be, with grass for grass seed crops growing. It makes me think of the shire, in The Hobbit series.
By this time, July, the fields have mostly been harvested, the seed piled high outside warehouses, waiting to be bagged and shipped out all over the world. Hay fields have been cut and baled, straw too.
What's left of the fields are shades of tan and brown stubble. Not long from now, dust clouds will fill the air, as the fields are turned under, to be ready for fall reseeding. Then the valley turns to a dustbowl and dirt brown.
This valley is my home and has been for most of my life.
I only know it so well because of cats. Almost every backroad I drive brings back memories of who lived there and cats I helped there.
I took five cats to be fixed at the FCCO yesterday. This morning I returned them. And I took this video on the backroads from Brownsville to south Lebanon. Here's the old amiable torbi tux I'd just returned before making my way to Lebanon. I'd fixed my phone dash cam system sort of, but I know my windshield was covered in bug splat. No way to keep it clean from that long around here.
I've got a lot to do but I'm doing nothing because I'm tired from the trip yesterday. I went to the rest area after registering the cats at the clinic (8:00 a.m. was my check in time). I had a book and intended to read but I was sleepy. I'd been up since before 5:00 a.m. I crawled into the back and slept, using cage cover towels to lay on. I'd been in the shade initially but the sun climbed and beat down until I woke baking hot and sweating. After that I felt sick to my stomach the rest of the day.
I got home maybe 6:30, navigating terrible congestion in Portland and south, on the freeway, as is usual. Today I'm just going to kick back for a few hours now, after returning the cats. I'm on break again!!!
Enjoy your totally deserved break.
ReplyDeleteThank you EC!
DeleteYou are getting skilled at making YouTube clips.
ReplyDeleteI make these on my phone with imovie app.
DeleteI'm glad you showed us backroads instead of the congestion in Portland. I especially like the music you chose to go with the video.
ReplyDeleteNot much good about congestion in Portland to show. My goal is always to be wide awake enough to not stall out my manual transmission car in bumper to bumper traffic if my mind wanders a tad, stuck like that. You can't mind wander in a manual.
DeleteDid you get some water after baking in the sun? I feel like after being too hot, I need more water to cool off. But that could just be me. Enjoy your continuing break.
ReplyDeleteYes, I had quite a lot of water along, and drank after waking up so hot. But I have to be careful about eating or drinking much on these trips, because it can be tough to find a public restroom.
DeleteMost of the first cutting of hay been harvest. Mid August or first of September
ReplyDeleteWhat a relaxing and beautiful video. Nice music, too! Our world offers fantastic climate variations I find fascinating. Too bad we can't do a road trip together. :D
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I despise mowing the lawn and often think of how growing this stupid crop is hard on your environment. Buffalo grass or other options would be much better than turf-type tall fescue and rye blends. Sorry for my ramble, by the way, my useless knowledge is an occupational hazard from decades working Midwestern lawn care customer service.
Hugs, my dear, and enjoy the break which I doubt you'll take for long. ;) You're too dedicated a helper and hard worker.
And despite the mountains of grass seed right now beside many warehouses in the valley, the price is so high we peasants cannot afford grass seed here in the grass seed capital of the world. Yeah, it is so useless, really, lawns, the whole industry surrounding them, the chemicals to kill weeds and insects that then work into the environment, what a waste, not to mention the water wasted watering them. Don't get me going.....yes a road trip, have always fantasized about a road trip vacation with fun friends.
DeleteDid I not comment earlier? ~shakes head~ Anyway, I agree about the lovely music and sorry about the dust bowl conditions. :( On another note, our 1997 mid June honeymoon was in Key West, a surprise from my husband as he knew I wanted to visit the Hemingway house. I mention this because we didn't think about the location and time of year. This was probably the only vacation during which I lost weight after feeling ill from each day's heat and humidity. lol But it's good to share a chuckle over the memory. :D Thanks again for all your efforts. Hugs, my dear.
ReplyDeleteOh I can't imagine a June Honeymoon in Key West!!! Yikes! Well I learned one thing from the corona virus thing, that August and its dust bowl conditions can be made easier on the nose, but not the eyes, wearing a simple mask. Yup, and I have leftovers.
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