Picaresque

Picaresque is the adjective to describe writings about a common or low character who survives the pitfalls of life through luck or good fortune. My travels, interests, my animals, my photographs, my wonderful friends and family are featured.

About Me

Name:
Location: Arapahoe, Wyoming, United States

(Note: Blogs read from bottom to top; scroll down for beginnings, scroll up for most current.) After 30 years in public administration and four degrees, as well as numerous workshops with luminaries in Education and Public Policy, life in a slower lane became a goal. Most recently I have done policy writing and consulting for the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Tribes. Mostly, I am just coasting slowly and gently downhill these days-seeking joy where I can find it before the glorious ride ends.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Home Again , Home Again...

Good-byes having been said the night before, we took off in the glooming-grey day, traveling upward to Klamath Falls through several layers of clouds. Blustery coolness. We stopped at the Happy Horse in Lakeview for our last taste of Oregon: Beef Barley soup and a Saucy Turkey Sandwich for me, half of a plain turkey sandwich with provolone for Buster. You might ask, as I did, what a Saucy Turkey Sandwich is. Start with sourdough bread, spread it with cream cheese, add a layer of cranberry sauce, then a layer of lettuce and alfalfa sprouts, a generous layer of sliced turkey, mayo on the top slice. Cunningly spear it with sandwich picks to hold it together. Deeelicious. We ate half of our lunch and saved half in case we got snowed in or broke down-neither of which happened.

I enjoyed the drive, knowing it well enough now to plan our stops and get pictures. We also have our favorite rest stops, both provided and impromptu. I made a lead deposit in a gravel pile in order to test and learn about my new pistol: (Made by the Jimenez Firearms Co. of Phoenix, AZ-can you get any more "Saturday Night Special" than that?) Observations: it is louder and has more kick than I expected. It is a real gun and a serious tool. Hope I never have to use it for self-defense but now I know how.

Stopped and hiked back up the road for this shot of a waterfall on Drake Creek, near Adel, Oregon:












The Wild Burros were very placid this time and allowed several pictures to be taken without moving a step. I am very concerned about them. They were brought into the area by the Spanish Conquistadors so have been resident for 400 years. Some genius has decided that since the Pronghorn Antelope is "more indigenous" the Burros should go. The Burros have friends, though and the battle is being waged. Of course this legal precedent would be very interesting if the Native Americans were able to make it stick. Anybody who isn't truly indigenous to North America would have to go back from whence they came. Leave the burros alone!

posted by Stephen's Pictures | 9:00 PM