A LITTLE BIT (of) BLUE

There was at least some blue sky and mid-day temperatures in the 50s all last week, so we remain pretty darn lucky here in Oregon during our  Covid Winter.

 

A little blue sky on a River Walk, early February 2021

There's really no good reason to feel even a little bit blue -- but I can't help wishing for some new things to blog about.  Not being able to travel is a small price to pay for good health though.  I know that many bloggers are doing  memory posts  these days and below are some of ours from past Februarys. 

 

Mardi Gras Parade, Mobile Alabama February 2005

 

I got a kick out of this picture I found in the archives.  It's practically ancient, all the way back to 2005, but it looks like the two  guys in the back are wearing their masks correctly for 2020.   Here is what I said in a blog post in 2010 about something that was already a memory by then:  

Mobile Alabama Mardi Gras celebration in 2005.  In the Pacific Northwest, we had Lent but we never got to celebrate for weeks leading up to it!  We loved the parades.   It really is a wonderful community-wide party and more family-friendly than the better-known Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans.  Mobile says that they celebrated it first and New Orleans stole the idea.  

 

Next, a couple  from Florida, where, until this year, we've spent February since 2011.  

 

 

Penta Plant

 

From the Gardens at the Butterfly Park near our Canal Cottage.  Perfect that this plant with all its little hearts blooms during Valentine's Month.

 

 

Lakeland is a birder's Paradise of a town.  There are dozens of swans in the City's central Lake and this regal one was lovely to see on one of our explore-Florida trips in  February 2014.

Below, it's back to Lane County Oregon (where we are again now) for this memory from Fern Ridge Lake.   We used to stay at the Lake when we visited Oregon during the years we were  living full time and traveling in our RV.

 

 

 Most of the time, we were there only  during parts of the summer and fall, but in 2010 we were at the lake in February.  That year, we got to experience living along the almost dry Lake, which   had been drained for the season (it is a flood control reservoir).  

And now -- back to the present day:  

 

 River Walks, early February 2021

It isn't just the sky that can't make up its mind around here -- early spring plants are popping up, but the remains of Fall are evident at the same time.   Some days it feels like Spring, some days like Fall.  Not a lot of what most people would call Winter.   And for that we are grateful.  Cold weather takes a lot of getting used to when you've spent Winters in sub-tropical temperatures for over a decade.   

 

LINKING this week to the following sharing opportunities.  Thank you to the hosts:

 

MOSAIC MONDAY;  NATURE NOTES;  THROUGH MY LENS;  TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS; OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY;  MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; THANKFUL THURSDAY;  SKYWATCH FRIDAY;  FRIDAY  BLISS; and  SATURDAY CRITTERS; 

 

Comments

[Margy]

Wayne and I flew commercial to Florida back in the late 1990s. We rented an airplane to fly around Florida and then out to the Bahamas. We flew into Lakeland Airport while we were there. It was a fun way to see the state. - Margy

[Michelle Banks]

Well I did hear a chickadee calling his territory call, but we have a ways to go....love all the color...

[Beatrice]

Sallie, you are so right in that there some days is little that's new to blog about. As you said, many bloggers are doing look-backs and posting about adventures in previous years. I have enjoyed many of those and the heart-shaped blooms and the swan were lovely to see in this post. Thanks for your recent birthday wishes. I had a delightfully quiet day at home.

[Terri @ Coloring Outside the Lines]

I thought we were having a pretty mild winter until this big winter blast hit. I guess we are in for it! I'm ready to be able to travel again too. It seems like it's been ages and ages. Stay safe!

[Jeanne S]

Good post! I'm amazed that you have been blogging for so long (2007?!!?)! It is nice to be able to look back at memories, but I agree that it will be nice to travel again. Many here are getting the vaccine, have you been able to get one? Once many have had it, perhaps life will return to normal...

[Shiju Sugunan]

Beautiful photographs!

[DeniseinVA]

Good health always Sallie :) Enjoyed your photos very much, including the mardi gras parade. Thanks for catching up with me, very much appreciated :)

[Debbie]

these are beautiful memories sallie, we are lucky to have them!! i have missed our day trips and weekend get-a-ways, and have been struggling with topics to write about, thank goodness for the snow!!

i think monday, i will have to start tapping in to the past. i have been cleaning out my pictures and have really enjoyed reliving "our" past. that is such a colorful picture from mardi gras, it looks like fun!! did you have to pull up your shirt to get beads??

[A ShutterBug Explores]

glad you are having some good weather where you are ~

Beautiful photos of your memories ~ gorgeous!

Moment by Moment,

A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

[EileeninMD]

Hello, Sallie

I agree good health is more important than traveling right now.
You did manage to take some beautiful photos. I love the swan and geese in flight. The flower is beautiful. Our temps seem to be colder than normal, more snow/ice and rain lately. I am ready for warm days and sunny skies. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a happy weekend!

[My Corner of the World]

These are great images, Sallie!
The good think about blogging and seeing so many photos from everywhere is that everybody can post shots I have seen before but I will not remember and enjoy them over again :) I've been known to show some favorites now and then that are repeats, too.

I'm so glad to see you at 'My Corner of the World' this week!

[Jim, Sydney, Australia]

It's great.

[Alana]

Oh, what I would do for the 50's. I enjoyed so many of your photos, especially the swan, the birds flying and the confused early spring plants. Our plants are under snow and we are supposed to get 12-18 inches more on Tuesday - so please keep posting!!

[Peter B.]

Beautiful photos and memories. I love the shot of Fern Ridge Lake with all the birds overhead!

[riitta k]

I loved the swan and all that green in your photos. All over the world people must have rejected their dreams. Let's hope that some day the world is again open to us. Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day Sallie.

[Laurie]

You are lucky! My son sent pictures of snow last week (he lives in Corvallis). I have visited Florida every winter since I have retired. I hope we both get to go back there next year! Such a pretty plant!!!

[craftygreenpoet]

Wow that penta plant is magnificent!

[Heidrun]

Yes, Sallie, we are all wishing to write about other things... I know what you mean. Very well. But we hope, doing each day our best, to take a normal life as before.

Wish you and your family a wonderful week.
Stay healthy and well, dear blogfriend.

[Kalpana]

Like Amy I haven't been to a mardi gras parade and thoroughly enjoyed the photo you posted. Let's hope we can all travel again soon, in real life and not just virtually.

[David Gascoigne]

It's great to have a photographic record of these memories, Sallie. We are all itching to travel again, but I fear that for this year it looks like that is not going to be possible. We can only hope! Stay well and stay safe. At least your situation in Washington has taken a turn for the better.

[Lisa]

It's nice to look back and enjoy the memories. I hope we will all be travelling again one day soon!

[handmade by amalia]

I'm hopeful that we will all be taking new photos soon.
Amalia
xo

[Lady Fi]

Some lovely shots. I did some work in a film studio on Monday and it was the first time I had put on jeans and a bra in six months!

[Linda W.]

Gorgeous swan photo! I've dug into my archives a number of times. I think it's a good thing.

[Carol]

That first photo of the blue sky makes me happy and then you added a red penta, the butterfly magnet. Yeah!

[Dawn aka Spatulas On Parade]

I'm sure you're missing your Canal Cottage and pray you can return soon. Looks like parts of Oregon are getting snow. Bundle up.
Dawn aka Spatulas On Parade

[Su-sieee! Mac]

Thank goodness for heaters. There are sunny days I'm fooled into thinking it's warm, only to go outside and come quickly back in for a jacket. I can thank the Husband for insisting on being comfortably warm indoors. lol

[EileeninMD]

Hello,

The swans are beautiful. We did see lots of swans in Lakeland during our visit there. I would b happy with temps in the 50's, it is cold and snowing every other day. The 5th photo is gorgeous, love the view and sky! Take care, enjoy your day and week ahead!

[Iris Flavia]

Great memories, yes, that´s what we rely on - and stay hopefully healthy.

[Photo Cache]

I would guess you have plenty of photos from your previous trips that didn't make it to your posts so this is the time to share them. I, on the other hand, am still blogging about the road trip to Utah in 2019. I have a few more backlogged then I'd probably do some reminiscing posts.

February already!!!!

[Alan Bates]

I love the Mobile, Alabama and the area around it. I've never been to anybody's Mardi Gras. Not sure I want to!!

[Barb]

Glad your winter is mild this year Sallie. It was fun to see your memory photos. Bob and I won't travel this spring either. I do hope we can take a couple day trips to see some different scenery. We finally got a couple snow storms so it looks more like winter here. Stay well.

[Sondra]

Its getting harder to find blue sky, really enjoyed your photos and Know how you feel...I want to kick up my heels a little.

[ellen b.]

It was fun to look back with you. Looks like you've found some nice color in for winter in Oregon. Mardi Gras is upon us already. Hope you have a good week.

[Taken For Granted]

Enjoy seeing pictures from the pre-Covid era when life was almost normal.

[Pat]

Hi Sallie! I know we are all missing the opportunities to travel and gather with friends and family. We just have to hang on a little longer. I have enjoyed looking through photo memories and I enjoyed seeing some of yours. For all the times we visited New Orleans we never visited at Mardi Gras time--always right before or right after. Our winter has also been mind up to now--we really need snow as it's been very dry on the front range and yesterday there were two large grass fires in different places.

[Rain Frances]

Hi Sallie :) I love the Mardi Gras photo! But the Lane County one is just breathtaking!

[Martha]

All such gorgeous photos Sallie. I'm so glad your weather has been mild this winter. It's funny but here in Florida we have actually had more winter weather this winter than I ever remember before. I haven't had the AC on once yet this year, very unusual for Florida.

[Penelope Notes]

It’s nice to have good times to reflect upon from the past but you're right. If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything. Weather in the northwest never does seem sure of what it wants to do in winter. Sometimes it even snows in late February after a few weeks of spring-like weather. Hopefully, that won’t happen this year!

[Cathy Keller]

Oh my, what lovely photos. So many are breathtaking. Thank you!! Love the swan! Have a wonderful week!!

[Little Wandering Wren]

Sallie - I wish I could send you some Thai sunshine we have more than enough to go around! Your patch of blue sky is showing some promise, as we would say!
Happy Monday
Wren x

[Angie]

Sallie - it is quite normal to be blue every now and again. I was thinking the other day about the end of ski season and the beginning of mud season and I got a bit depressed. I can totally understand that you are missing Florida - sunshine makes such a big difference to our moods! I am shocked to see spring plants emerging - we just got another six inches of snow over the weekend! Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday!

[Teresa Edgerton-Scott]

Mardi Gras is Yardi Gras this year. Looks like New Orleans is embracing it big time. I live in Shreveport, in the northwest corner of Louisiana, and we pale in comparison. However, my husband and I have completed our Yardi Gras decoration. The theme as designated by our neighborhood krewe is looking back on 2020. Our theme is "Riding Out the 'Rona." We feature a bike painted green, gold and purple with rope lights illuminating it and corona virus balls hanging about. I should do a post on the decorations in our neighborhood before we all disassemble everything next week.

[William Kendall]

Swans are always a pleasure to see.

[Amy Franks]

I've never been to a mardi gras parade, it looks fun. I hope once Spring comes you'll be able to get out more and take more photos of your travels.