Reflecting Hope

I dropped back a bit so that I could get this picture as my husband approaches the entrance.

What, you might wonder, has this image to do with a reflection, as you may have reached this post through James's meme, Weekend Reflections. There is more than one kind of reflection.

This is the entrance to North Star Lodge in Yakima. We're spending quite a bit of time thare lately, and will for the next few weeks.



In April, he spent a week in the hospital, having been sent to the cardiologists because of severe shortness of breath.

A week of pokes and prods, scans and grams, being waken up in the wee hours to be weighed (What's that about?), more doctors and nurses than you can shake a stick at, but all around wonderful care from the team there. Then they sent him home with more appointments. They didn't know what it was, but they wouldn't find out more by keeping him there.


A couple of weeks later, after some more tests, pokes and prods, the diagnosis came down. Myeloma. His is Smoldering Myeloma--meaning that it is slow progressing.

Another wait while his hemotologist/oncologist consulted with other specialists to choose the best plan of treatment to avoid causing problems with other systems.

He's now had four chemo treatments at North Star. Prognosis is positive. North Star Lodge is Yakima's Cancer Care Center.

All about us reflects peace and hope. The staff--the receptionists, the doctors, the lab people, the nurses, the volunteers, and even the cleaners--are welcoming, encouraging, gentle and reassuring. Always listening.

As we sit among those some of whom are obviously undergoing more grueling treatment than his (so far, so good--only some minor nausea), all are peaceful.

Reflections of hope.

Prayers welcome.

Wilelife Refuge Reflection

Water is high in the wetlands. We took our lunch to the Toppenish Wildlife Refuge to give ourselves a chance to get out into the open. As we headed to the pass on our way to California last week, I caught a glance of large white birds in the refuge waters. I think the pelicans have returned to the Valley for the season. With eighteen hours of driving ahead of us, I didn't even suggest stopping then, and the pelicans were not hanging around for lunch. I'll have to make an early morning visit and see.

This reflection is inspired by -- well, by the tree --  but by James' Weekend Reflections at Newtown Daily Photo.

Skywatch Reflecting Retrospective --Japan Earthquake

Reflecting on the earthquake this morning in Japan I thought to remember what images I might have stored that relate to Japan. The Japanese Garden at the Yakima Arboretum came to mind and I found these reminders from a visit there a couple of years ago.

Our hearts go out to those affected directly by the quake and with prayers also for those awaiting the tsumani's approach across the Pacific not knowing how extensively it might affect each area.

This is the Rotary International Centennial Pagoda at the Japanese Garden.

We visited in the fall.

SkyWatch is reflected also for Weekend Reflections. 

Reflecting Back

 Since I have not been out and about with my camera lately, I have not had any reflection photos to share in recent Weekend Reflections. So while poking around in my files, I discovered some fun shots from the cruise ship when we went to Alaska a few years ago.

When your cruise is not somewhere particular, the ship itself offers some interesting shots.

When you are visiting glaciers, the icebergs and  the ship's photographers going out in a small boat for special photo projects offer some great reflections.

Weekend Reflections is hosted at Newtown Daily Photo.

Rimrock Reflection

As I drove past Rimrock Lake this past week I could not help remembering that a few weeks ago the eastern portion of the lake near the dam was covered in ice seemingly thick enough that you might contemplate hiking out toward the center. Not so on Wednesday when the skim of ice that covered the lake looked thin and left openings for reflections of the foothills beyond.

Many faces has Rimrock Lake! Returning yesterday, there were only a few skims of ice remaining. I have also had the experience of hiking out onto the dry bed of the lake farther toward the western end. Rimrock Lake is an irrigation reservoir and can look quite empty of water in the fall in dry years when water for the crops in the Yakima Valley is scarce. On another occasion we passed and the lake was so still it was a perfect mirror.

James sponsors Weekend Reflectiosn at Newtown Daily Photo.

I have had nostalgic thoughts about Odd Shots Monday which has been on hiatus for about a year. An e-mail over the weekend inspires me to resume hosting the meme. Look through your files for your oddest photos and watch for an announcement of details sometime in the next week or two.

Beaver Pond

Trail of the Shadows, Longmire, Mt. Rainier National Park

Weekend Reflections--sponsored by James at Newtown Daily Photo.

A Reflection or a SkyWatch?

Shall it be a SkyWatch for Friday?

Or a Reflection for the weekend?


The reflection is obvious--there is yours trully the  blogger reflected among the palm trees. The sky is there among them, too. Not just as obvious.


Let's go for multiple reflections!

 And there atop the tree a star in the sky!

You will find all the SkyWatches here.

And Weekend Reflection hosted by James here.

walkers reflected

at the Susan G. Komen for the Cure 3-Day walk in San diego last week. We fought this weather the whole weekend.

Weekend Reflections courtesy of James at Newtown Daily Photo.

Reflection in Pink

3-Day Walkers at lunch are reflected in the pond at the Arizona 3-Day Walk last year in Phoenix. The Phoenix walk is taking place this weekend. I will walk next week in San Diego. 3 Days--60 miles--because everyone deseerves a liftime.

If you would like to donate for Breast Cancer research, Please consider sponsoring me in this event. There is a link on the sidebar to my donation page.

Weekend Reflections is hosted by James at Newtown Daily Photo, who was my first sponsor this year and the recipient of last year's donors' quilt. This year's donors' quilt is almost finished, and will be given to one of my sponsors from names drawn at random.

Sky Reflected

I didn't want to miss both SkyWatch and Weekend Reflections, so I remembered one evening when my hubby said, "Come here and bring your camera." It was a glorious sunset, and a fun foto as reflected in the windows of our cars parked in front of the house.

Find SkyWatch here  and Weekend Reflections here.

Reflected

Look at all those lines and

Look at all those lines and angles reflected. I could have saved this shot for Monday's Geometry. I took this last week while walking along the Columbia River in Richland. Lots of moorages along this part of the river. I walked eight miles on the river pathway--part of the Sacajawea Trail.

When James started sponsoring Weekend Reflections at Newtown Daily Photo, amazing reflections started being everywhere. Do memes make us more observant? See what everyone is reflecting on at his site.

returning for the evening reflection

 When the light was sweet, we found our way to the ideal spot for viewing Half Dome. It is a bridge whose name I disremember. Perhaps Martha will tell us.

James hosts Weekend Reflections at Newtown Daily Photo. I have found that reflection images are amazingly satisfying and sometimes tricky to catch. See what others have found at his site.

Bodie Reflected

Bodie reflected was quite interesting--contrast of old old and the clear vibrance of reflections. I find the double bill below rather fascinating. And as you can see, I was not the only one. Bodie was overrun with photographers the day we visited. It was nearly impossible to not get someone with a camer in the background of any shot.

 You can see a few of the interesting items that were on sale at the general store when it closed in 1942.

This is a Weekend Reflection in answer to James's year old continuing invitation to post a reflection shot each weekend. You can find James's post at Newtown Daily Photo, along with the links to others. Reflections are so fascinating--sometimes artsy, sometimes difficult to get without being in the picture.

Another Weekend Reflection in London

The differing angles of the glass in this modern building cause the reflection to be disjointed. Turning around, here is the view of Westminster Cathedral.

James has been hosting Weekend Reflections at Newtown Daily Photo for more than a year now and this Weekend Reflecction was taken almost two months ago in London. How time flies.

A Weekend London Reflection

Such a London reflections for Jame's Weekend Reflections at Newtown Daily Photo.

On to London--Reflecting on St. James Park

St. James Park is a huge Royal Park in Central London. It is surrounded by famous places--Buckingham Palace is at one end. The Horse Guards are at the other. St. James Park Lake provided many opportunities for Weekend Reflections.

Gothic Reflected

Mirrored table in the cathedral cloisters.

Visit James for more Weekend Reflections.

Hercules' Garden

So our week of Highland hikes has come to an end and we are on our way back to Edinburgh to make our ways back to the next phase of our lives. Alexander and Elizabeth back to their studies, Nicola back to work, and the two of us on for further adventures. Shaun had another group to meet on Saturday, so Jon from Walkabout Scotland came to join us and escort us on our journey back to reality. He had a few small adventures for us along the way, though, including a stop at Blair castle's garden.

Outside the garden was a statue of Hercules, thus its name. The formal garden spans ten acres, but the best of it was the pond. This pair of swans had a single fledgling, who stuck pretty close to mom and dad.

A perfect Weekend Reflection

Some other random bits from the day are appearing at my photo only blog. Haven't been over there? Be sure to look through all the August archive. They are all full screen images--odds and ends from the Scotland trip, and will continue into England and Wales with us next week.

Ullapool

That second half of our Scottish Highlands week, while we were hiking Cul Mor and Stac Pollaidh, we stayed in the little port town of Ullapool. Lynda, back in Edinburgh had told us that Ullapool was the port that the first settlers of Nova Scotia had sailed from. It has  changed quite a bit since that time, though many buildings are quite old. Unlike many Highland villages which just kind of grew helter skelter and then roads were put in to connect, Ullapool was built on a grid, and is quite an orderly layout. Our B&B was in this street across from the harbor with this view of Loch Broom. As you can see, we

continued to have gray wet weather, some days wetter than others, some days grayer. This was to our delight, as we had escaped the summer heat of Central Washington, but, then, some of the wettest we could have done without.

From our window we could observe quite a bit of local activity, as the harbor was really a center of it all.






These boys were passing the time one morning splashing rocks.

And here, for the SkyWatchers is one of our brilliant Highland rainbows. The photographs do not do justice to the brilliance of the colors. One that we had had on our way back to Kinlochewe from a hike was so bright, we just pulled over and stared for several minutes. It was complete in the field beside us, and double, and I have never seen colors so extraordinary. (No pictures of that one--the cameras were in the back of the van drying out.)

SkyWatch links can be found here.

The boating activity in the loch was quite varied--small pleasure craft gave us their reflections (A bit early for Weekend Reflections hosted by James at Newtown Daily Photo but I have another for tomorrow.) and we were, of course, properly checked out by the local inspector:













Fishing boats tied up at the docks.

And the arrival and departure of the ferry to the Isle of Harris and Lewis was an important part of the day.

Gairloch Reflections

Our Wednesday hike was a breather. No climbing--stroll through beautiful fields and farms to a waterfall, down to the village to the tea shop and bookstore, up and around to the beach. I'll show more of that hike as there was lots to see, but for now, the reflections from the ponds we passed.

For more Weekend Reflections, visit James at Newtown Daily Photo.