Finally Fall

Fall is finally here!  I was so relieved to see the rains come right on time, like Mother Nature knew exactly what we needed.

The fire was extinguished and peace is restored!!

As is the norm, I have been spending Sept. and Oct. preparing for winter.  Getting the rest of the firewood in, cleaning the chimney and wood stove, gutters, and now raking leaves.  

I have pruned the trees and brush as well.

We've had some really nice days this late, 60 degrees and sunshine!  Unusual.  This week we're dipping down into the high 30's at night and waffling between the 40's and low 50's during the day.

The mold season didn't last long, thank goodness!  But I found that my air purifier that I purchased when it was so smokey came in real handy during that time.

I made my trek out to the Washington coast in mid Sept. and thoroughly enjoyed my short but very fulfilling stay out there.  The weather was fantastic, perfect clear mornings for shooting and way less people on the beaches.  I really enjoyed experimenting with my infrared filter and the film camera.  Shot over 300 images!

copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved Jeni Gray Photography

copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved Jeni Gray Photography

 When I got back I narrowed those down to about 60 for the website. You can view the rest of them at www.jenigrayphotography.com .

This will be my go to site for this year.  By early next year I'll have a stand alone site where I'll have more control over the printing process.

I changed the name of my facebook page from J Gray Design where I primarily promoted my jewelry creations, to Gray by Design so I could share all of my creative endeavors.  I don't get a lot of business from facebook, so it seems logical to invest less time there.

I did create an Instagram account, however, as I heard it was a great way to promote yourself.  So find me there @jenigrayphoto where I am posting one black and white image a day.

I didn't get as much done on the old house this summer as I wanted to that couldn't wait till next year.

This winter I might paint the kitchen, it's nearly time.   

I'll be working this winter on my newest blog Gray By Design where I'm writing about the creative process.  I'm still creating jewelry too.  So it will be great fun to have lots of projects on those long dark days of winter!

Hopefully by early next year I'll have LightRoom for editing photos on my new computer.  That had to be upgraded first, have I mentioned that I think I've been living in the dark ages?  LOL.  Artists should upgrade their equipment and skills from time to time I guess.

I turned 62 last month so I'm happy to report that I don't feel like it!  Or at least how the masses portray it.  I have very physical work, exercise, walk, eat healthy and sleep great.  I cannot financially "retire" until I'm 70, so I best keep up the great health!  I live simply, affordably and will even have my house paid off in six years!  

Thanks for following along this journey with me!

Till next time.

Bad Weather Travel Tip

One of the things I have found to be necessary where I live is an over-night bag in the car.  This idea came to me, of course, after I was unable to return home due to a massive snow-turn-to-rain event back in 2007.  I wasn't able to return home for four days due to many mud slides and flooding.  Of course I knew kind friends who let me stay at their place, but imagine not even having your toothbrush with you.

So the over-night bag has become a staple emergency item that gets checked and repacked every Fall, and stays in the car till June.

Today I found a new use for it.  I was cleaning an outdoor hot tub for a client in the wettest downpour I have seen in a long time out here.  Needless to say I was mostly soaked.  I remembered that I had that bag in my car and was able to change into dry clothes in order to finish my work there.

Things to put in this bag would be pertinent to you and your travel habits.  A change of clothes, toiletries, pj's, etc.  I also put a twenty dollar bill in there.

It's really about peace of mind for me.  I imagine that four day stay away from home and think about what I might like to have with me.  

In a worse case scenario, a bottle of water, even some non perishable food might be a good idea.  A blanket and a flash light.  I have a space blanket that fits in the glove box.  What if you had to sleep in your car?  

Imagine no cell service, no people, bad weather, maybe it's dark.  That's no time to panic, just be prepared.

Have any great travel tips to share?

Detour to Adventure

Living remotely often has its set-backs;  flooding rivers, snow storms, and mudslides to name a few.

After several weeks of record rainfall, one big snow storm, several freezes and fast thaws, the earth could take no more.  A mudslide with large trees gave in to gravity and covered both lanes of the main highway this week.

I was on my way home with groceries when I came upon the road block.  The state patrolman said it would be two to three hours before they could open the highway.

Having lived out here for nearly twenty years I knew of a forest road that could get me home - albeit 45 minutes out of my way, but might as well be driving than sitting at a road block.

Like an old pioneer, I'm prone to stories about the old days, in this case, the slides of 98 - 1998 that is.

I was living smack-dab between two of the biggest slides they'd had in this area.  So big in fact that the whole area was closed for over two months.  They were unable to clear them for fear the hills would continue collapsing.

People don't sit around and wait for anything for long out here.  Soon the locals began traveling the forest roads.  These gravel, often one lane roads are mainly used by forest personnel, hunters and hiking enthusiasts.  Needless to say the only road to and from civilization became a grid lock at commute time.  Well, not like in the city, but you get four cars each way and a herd of elk and you've got grid lock!

Back to the present.  I called a friend from my cell phone before I set out on my detour adventure into the hills, just to have a human to check in with on the other side - because there is no cell service up there.

She reminded me there could still be snow, so I was grateful for the tip.  

It's about 45 minutes total time, but about a third of that is a nice stretch of highway that winds around a big lake with fabulous views of the mountains.

Now I'm at the forest road turn off.

No problems, looks good to me.  Off I go in to the wild green yonder. 
The road is two lanes for a while, then becomes gravel, narrows, but there are places you can squeeze past oncoming cars.  I always try to be the one who pulls over and lets them pass.

This is where it turns into one lane.  This is also the last photo I shot of the road.  I dared not take my hands off the wheel or pull over to shoot more pictures after it got rough.

There was snow and ice and only the worn tire tracks of previous vehicles to follow along in, but it wasn't deep enough to get high centered on.  I at least had the smarts to put the car in AWD mode.

Lots of mud and slushy areas, but nothing really serious - I don't think, by now I was operating on survival mode.

After some white knuckle driving I passed some cars coming from the other direction, so at least I knew it was open all the way.  I had to remember to breath, but this was inspired by some breath taking views of the forest, streams, and non-snow covered areas where the gravel road meandered through the wilderness.

At one point I saw a huge red tail hawk (I think) fly up off the road in front of me.  I fumbled for my camera and only got this shot of him flying out of the left side of the photo - while the car was still moving.

I made it out and back on to the highway, just north of my house about 45 minutes later.  I pulled over to call and check in with my friend now that I had cell service again.

I have to include a photo of my car once I arrived home.

Of course our four-wheelin' buddies would laugh at that sight, but for this middle aged woman it was a big adventure!  Needless to say a trip to the car wash the next day was in order.

All in a day in the life of a New Pioneer I guess.

By the way - it took them four hours to clean up that mudslide.  I made it home in less than an hour and have fresh milk to prove it!