Category: Life

While driving through the Santiam Pass today along highway 22, it occurred to me that I don’t have a favorite. Favorite thing to look at in Oregon, that is. I asked David what he thought the most scenic thing in Oregon was and he was befuddled and had no answers really, either.

Here are a few obvious choices for scenery destinations in Oregon, along with a few personal faves. What are yours?

It had been my hope to merge my current site theme (The Heavens) with a winter weekend in Sunriver, Oregon. The high desert resort community usually has cold, clear weather at this time of year, and is far away from significant light pollution. That is, the stars can be heavenly, and I have in the past dabbled with entry-level astrophotography there with somewhat acceptable results.

I wanted to write for you about taking photos of stars. Alas, lingering between me and said celestial objects was a stubborn and weepy slab of clouds and mist that did not lift for the entire four days I was out there.

After plan B failed, too, I just had to make something up. Enjoy this latest post in my “heavens” theme series.

Today I returned to a site that unites three eras of history.

At the Besson site along the Deschutes River in central Oregon, a wide swath of rocky and sandy ground bubbles lightly and forms a series of streams that join and then flow into the Deschutes just beyond. It’s a slightly magical place, with odd-colored algae, deeply black basaltic rocks, and roiling underwater silt where the water burbles in. The place looks quite different than it did last year; the patterns of precipitation and season change the locations and intensity of the springs.

Thanks for your patience: I haven’t been feeling at my best for the past few days and as such you are seeing a pause in the flow on my site. More good stuff (stuff, at least) is on its way. I’m in Sunriver, Ore., recouping: once I’m at 100% again (or at least a strong 64%) I’ll start mixing it up once more.

A stray inspiration from Autumn last week turned into a full-fledged planned exodus: The Pencils are going to I*eland. That is, both Iceland and Ireland (and also France (and also the UK (well, me at least (David is going back to the US earlier than I am)))).

We are going in late May. The prices on non-stop Icelandair flights out of Seattle seem too good to be true. David’s round-trip ticket was $553.67. Mine was costly enough that I’m embarrassed to disclose the total: I’m flying first class.

Photo by Cristiano Corsini

Okay, this might be the fifth/thirtieth/umpteenth time you’ve seen this already, but it is just that good that I feel like I owe the world the public service of sharing this video of the Muppets’ Beeker singing “Dust in the Wind.”

Right now on Lyza.com, I’m exploring the heavens. In the next few weeks, you’ll be seeing posts that delve into celestial topics.

You might try this post about the mysterious and massive electromagnetic storm of 1859.

Here’s one about Messier objects that grew out of my (weather-caused) dual failure to execute on astrophotography or reach the Pine Mountain Observatory after a thankless snow-hike.

See all heavens-related posts

Phoenix Rising party in Seattle: it was a celebration for my stepmother Christie, and my sister Maggie flew in from Washington, DC, to be there, too. We got gussied up and Christie’s cousin Marian, a hairdresser from Cincinnati, did very impressive things to the coiffures of both Gardner sisters. The evening was atypical for me; I am standoffish when it comes to both family and females as a general rule. It’s good to get out of my anti-social rut, though. Very good.

A million people live there and it’s the second-largest city in Great Britain. I lived there briefly in 2000-2001 for an ill-advised tilt at graduate school at the University of Birmingham. The poor city: it’s mostly reviled by the British and ignored by the rest of the world.

Birmingham natives have one of the most easily-recognizable regional accents of the entire English collection. And it has about as much cachet as New Jersey. Yet, I find it rather soothing.

That’s a photo I took in Birmingham. Of a rainbow.

Here we go! It’s all the sundry occurrences and passing thoughts that didn’t warrant actual posts in January, as well as updates on popular or unusual items. January overview, February prognosis, a look back on popular posts and a few things that will probably bore you to tears!