Windmills and Motels

Somewhere between Pendleton and Portland.

Summertime, Revisited

I miss summer dearly, but I am trying to learn how to love winter.

End of Summer Meteor Shower

I like to base the time scale for my life off of meteor showers. For the last two summers I've spend sufficient time over at Mona lake. To me, Mona is summer. And every summer is a meteor shower so what an appropriate place to go than Mona. I've ended each of these last two summers in the same place, with the same feelings, and last time I had no idea what was going to be happening over the next year. At the meteor shower last year little did I know of what was to come and it was scary and I hated it. This coming year, however, I think I'm going to try to have a little different perspective and instead of being anxious and nervous, be excited. A year is a long time. A lot has drastically changed since then, and I'm excited to see where I'll be a year from now. Happy last few days of summer and happy meteor new year.

The Community Garden

There is a community garden founded by a few friends from school. It's only about a mile away heading out towards Utah Lake and I go to prune tomatoes and weed and much as I can, and when I do return, I get a spectacular harvest, all of these wonderful homegrown vegetables. Tonight we had a feast of homemade salsa, zucchini "boats" with cheese and tomatoes inside, fried eggplant, and zucchini brownies. I love post-garden feasts.

The Dominican Shower

So I thought I posted this blog a while back, but after looking through recent posts, it's not looking like I did. And while I have only one more week here (as of today, sad day!) I figure it's only appropriate to post some things I should have done months ago, little vignettes about life here.

So, this is the Dominican Shower: a bucket and some water. We frequently have running water although it is never warm, which is fine because it is so hot in the city. However, even when we do have the running water they opt to shower this way, which I think is the best way to shower. And, surprisingly enough, you only really need 1/2 the bucket. Go team Earth and the Dominican Republic.

Earth..? Kind of.

Down by the sea is this sculpture. It's quite large and in this beautiful square in which I don't think people ever visit. But you can see the monument for blocks as one of the main roads goes straight to it. However.. I think they ran out of money? Or didn't really care too much about the rest of the world? Because the Americas on the main side are perfect, to scale and everything. But then as you walk around, things start to get a bit lazy.

I mean.. I don't even know what this is on the back. Apparently South East Asia (I'm assuming that is) is the only thing that matters, not Russia or China, just that lower part, which I don't konw if you know or not.. but it looks like that.

Frost on the Lake

I like Utah Lake in the winter because it is iced over and that is peaceful.