We have pretty much just concentrated on rebuilding for this whole year. Actually it has been one year and four months since the Oregon Road Wildfire changed so many lives here in Elk WA. This is a picture of me and Max helping Pete to lay boulders down where the roof sheds snow. Erosion control.
You may not have seen us and wondere what we are up to. Well, it takes all the energy you can collect to actually get through all the County paperwork and restrictions so you can build. Then the insurance companies are another large barrier to overcome. They eventually do pay what is owed if you stick to your guns, and are able to do a lot of spreadsheet lists to their liking.
It is not funny how many times I have been asked to show pictures or receipts to prove we owned something. That is kind of hard to do when everything you have has been reduced to ashes and twisted metal. We have even considered just taking some ash and putting it into an envelope then mailing it to the intelligent person asking for proof.
Our home was nestled in a thick forest and was private and full of wildlife. We miss the trees and all the shade and protection they supplied. I still feel quite exposed and am still not used to seeing all of our neighbors houses. We will have to put curtains on our windows and that is new. More security is a must when we are this exposed, especially when some newer neighbors are marginally certifiable.
We hope to move in soon and are awaiting that day with great anticipation.
A wildfire destroys everything you are familiar with so fast. On August 18th of 2023, a home full of lifetime accomplishments and accumulation disappeared. We had 20 minutes to get out. See a more detailed description of that day 
Moving On
Here is a picture of our melted Kubota tractor parked in front of the house. Wildfires (
Memories pop up randomly. My piano. and my Mom’s music book that we played duets together so long ago. The many photographs of our family, children as babies, parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all gone. Trophies, ribbons, heirloom linens, and that wonderful apple cider press. Okay, I am sure you get the picture.
Noticing the remnants of life around me. After a great visit with our family in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, we started the long drive home. Aspen are magical, as they transform the color of an entire mountainside in Fall. They take my breath away. My husband and I stopped on the side of the road and took a short walk to stretch our legs and reenergize. We followed what looked like an old game trail meandering up the hill.
I wondered what kind of stories that old fence post could tell if he could talk. That post was where a gate had hung, at the base of a beautiful expanse of grazing land. Was this a large farm or ranch in the past? Were there cattle, horses, gardens, homes, and barns? This artist’s mind kicked into high gear then. Wouldn’t it be great to explore and see if the story from a long time ago could be found? Are there pioneer cabins back there? Big ole’ log barns? Ponds?
Where did all the people go? Standing there, we were very much alone as the sun sank further down in the sky. I took some photographs of this sturdy old cracked fence guardian before leaving.
His, “Remnants of Life” will remain a secret, but the beauty of the land that he guards will be seen by whoever views this painting.
You must go see, “
My brother and sister-in-law let me borrow their camera to take pictures of a wedding and reception at the Woelk family farm property that Dan and Ann owned.
I fell in love with Dan’s professional digital camera that day. Pete saved and bought me a “real” camera the next year, a Nikon D60.
It is a true blessing to be able to shoot as many pictures as you may want without the worry about the cost of developing negatives and printing to hold you back. The most time-consuming part of photography for me now is, sorting through, naming, and discarding the less than perfect shots.
Yellow Rose 01 Tutorial. When your garden provides the perfect yellow rose, you just have to paint it. This photograph captured all of the curving surfaces so well that I could not resist.
As more of the petals are given their yellow base washes I begin to see the magic of three-dimensional illusion begin to appear. Flowers are so very amazing with the way they curve every which way showing light hitting their surfaces in ever-changing values.
