Uncategorized – By Alanna Pass

Breitenbush Rising

Tucked away in the Oregon Cascade Mountains lies Breitenbush Hot Springs. I’ve been going there mostly every winter for over 25 years for a getaway with friends and sometimes solo. It is an intentional, off-grid community dedicated to living in harmony with nature and providing nurturing experiences to its guests.

In 2020 a catastrophic wildfire tore through the area. Through massive efforts, Breitenbush is being rebuilt. I just returned from a two-day stay there with a friend.

Breitenbush Rising

The fire left a mosaic
of green among black
surviving trees standing proud
above layers of ferns, mossy rocks, 
and the glossy red leaves of Oregon grape

I recognize familiar voices
chickadees, nuthatches, crows, and jays
busy among the treetops
as squirrels scamper below

Thanks to the bravery of a few souls
the stately lodge remains standing
the meals served there are
still ample, still delicious
with nary a scrap of meat

The stone-lined pools in the meadow 
and the hot tubs down the hill
offer respite to the body as they always have
their hot minerals sinking deep into muscles and soul 


We sleep in new lodgings
in the spot where forested rows 
of  boxy brown cabins once stood
and mice once played 
in the heart of night

The river still flows with vigor
a roar of rapids over stones 
unconcerned of the surrounding devastation
a vein of life in a wounded land
its soft breeze on my cheek reminding me 
that life goes on 
no matter how much pain we endure

the landscape has changed
as have we
destruction and rejuvenation 
stand side by side
as the earth's heart
beats strong and steady
beneath our feet

It’s good to be back

A Recipe to Cure the Late Winter Blahs

Uncategorized

It was early February when I noticed the symptoms…

fatigue

lack of motivation

low mood

anxiety

getting pudgy

Something felt familiar…my annual nemesis Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD was back, catching me off guard once again. My pet name for this is Seasonal Defective Disorder. I first came face to face with SAD during my first year of teaching- along with my first migraine headache (not a good omen). My classroom was in the basement of the school with only a small rectangular grated window up on ground level. I had virtually no natural light all-day.

I discovered that even on anti-depressants one can fall victim to this syndrome. It’s thought to come about by biochemical changes in the brain brought on by lack of sunlight. For those of us in northern climates with dark winters and inclement weather SAD can be quite common. It can also happen any season if you are constantly indoors and deprived of natural light. In this conditions it’s hard to spark joy or feel creative. The good news is there are easy and affordable ways to deal with SAD. Here are my four go-tos to get back on track within a week or so.

Sit in front of a SAD light every morning for about 15-20 minutes daily. These lights emit full spectrum light like sunlight. Years ago these were big cumbersome boxes that cost several hundred dollars. Now you can get a little portable unit you can place on a desk at your workplace for about $25. Here is a link to the one I purchased on Amazon which I like a lot (I get no kickbacks for this recommendation).

Take a lot of vitamin D3. I recently upped my dose to 15,000 units to get through the rest of the winter.

I take several dandelion capsules a day. These supply an amazing amount of micronutrients and antioxidants. Of course, you may eat fresh young dandelion leaves usually in abundant supply in your lawn- at least in mine.

Get outside as much as possible. There is nothing like fresh air and natural sunlight. I say that as the rain continues to fall here in Oregon.

If you have found yourself down in the dumps lately for no tangible reason, consider the possibility you might have SAD. You can try my recipe which is quite noninvasive or see a medical professional. Whatever path you choose- remember that life is too short to be depressed! Get the help you need.

PS- My muse has returned. YES!

Sketches by the author

Checkout my other blog about sustainable living at onesweetearth.blog

The Notion of Time

Uncategorized

I have been thinking a lot about time lately. In the mirror, I see a mop of gray hair on a much older face than what I started out with. This August I will turn 70. Really? Where did all the time go? Time flies quicker than the wind these days but as a child, a year was forever. Time is often a notion of perception, yet it can be measured precisely…

Here is a peom I wrote about time

Time is an Ocean of Moments

Time is an ocean of moments

the blink of an eye

Time is the circular path of a clock

the arc of the sun across the sky

the phases of the moon

the ebb and flow of the the tides

Time is the growth of a child

the passing of a loved one

Time is memories

As time gallops across the universe

I grip its mane tightly

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mathias Svalina (@mathiassvalina)

A take on time from Mathias Svalina of the Dream Delivery Service

Poem and drawing by the author

Stop by to my other blog about sustainable living onesweetearth.blog

Even the Muse Needs Time Off

The Creative Process, Uncategorized

We are in the doldrums of winter here in Oregon. Inspiration has alluded me and I am more inclined to curl up with a good book by the woodstove rather than settle down to any creative projects. This has led to a certain amount of guilt and frustration on my part…

But then I got to thinking, dormancy is a normal part of nature. Most of the plants in my garden have died back to the ground. The bulbs have been sleeping waiting for the right time to come up and bloom. Fruit trees are resting before the growing season. Dormancy in the winter leads to flowering in the spring. Even farmers let their fields go fallow to give them a chance to regenerate.

So we humans must rest as well, particularly those involved in creative pursuits. Sometimes the muse just needs a break. So I am bidding Daphne, my muse a nice holiday. I’m to go about cleaning and sorting my long-neglected house and workspacen and catch up on my mending. interesting that during my most mindless moments, my best ideas manifest.

Rest up Daphne…

MUSE

Come out & play with me

you my best of friends

I am happiest when we hold hands

& dance our secret dance.

Whisper in my ear

& fill my head until it is overflowing

with sparks & flowers

of inspiration.

Let’s bring forth from the cauldron of the ethos

a new incarnation of matter & thought

an offering of our magic

to the altar of the earth.

A Portal to the Past

memoir, Photography, Uncategorized

My mother passed away last June at the age of 93. The family house is up for sale. I drove down from Oregon to do a final sort and bid goodbye to a long chapter of my life. Part of my task has been to go through the family archives such as they are unsorted and unlabeled in boxes and tattered photo albums. I’m most interested in the old pictures from my immigrant roots. The record is best documented on my mother’s side.

Images started to show up in the late 1800s after arrival from the old country, mostly from Vilnius, Lithuania, considered the new Jerusalem after the diaspora. The Jews from that region emigrated to escape Russian oppression. My father’s side of the family had a respite in Scotland and my mother’s in England before they immigrated to the US. Both families were Ashkenazi Jews. It is just by chance that my parents met and married with a similar past.

My mother’s grandfather Nathan Davis was born in Vilnius and that is where my photo record starts. He married Leah Silverman Bernard and they settled in the gold rush country of California where he opened a dry goods store that served the miners. He did quite well there and had one son, Charles, my mother’s father. Unfortunately, Nathan was murdered in Elko, Nevada where they retired. They never found the murderer. I did find a record of his gravestone however on gravestone.com (who knew?).

Charles married Anna Alpert. He opened a curio and Mexican goods shop in Colfax, California, driving down to Mexico occasionally to bring back stock for his store. After the war, where he served in the signal corps, Charles opened an electronics and radio shop in San Francisco. They had two children, Elaine (my mother), and Robert (my uncle). Anna tragically died in her 30’s from cancer. Charles passed at age 54 from leukemia

My grandfather Charles Davis, Charles (right) and friend (at the World’s Fair? Charles in front of his curio shop in Colfax, CA

What times they lived through- religious oppression, immigration, the Depression, World War ll. Despite their hard times, they survived and prospered. I see my face in theirs even though we are strangers in time.

*A school picture from my mother, Elaine Pass. She is 5th from the left middle. Check out the faces of these kids! Find Waldo*.

Six Years Gone & the Blog Goes On

ARTifacts, The Creative Process, Uncategorized

Happy birthday dear blog, albeit two months late. Although I have not been as attentive to you these past two years, let me tell you how much you mean to me…

Thank you for being the virtual scrapbook of my adventures, musings, and ramblings. Thank you for providing a platform for my essays and poetry and for connecting me with other like-minded people.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity be my own publisher and editor. Thank you for making me a better writer.

I may not get to complete memoir in my lifetime, but you are there as my proxy. You are an essential thread in my life and for that I am grateful. In the coming years, I will strive to be more focused and more timely. May I also acknowledge my dear readers for their commitment to reading the meanderings of my mind.

Now, let’s blog on, shall we?

Tune into my other blog onesweetearth.blog on sustainable living.

Artwork by the author

Scavengers

Poetry, Uncategorized

I like to draw parallels between we humans and the natural environment that surrounds us. This poem was inspired by my recent trip to S. Arizona…

Estate Sale
The scavengers come from near and far
reaping the benefits from the death of another
facilitating their survival 
in this harsh desert environment

the jay 
the crow 
the coyote
the vulture 
the beetle 
the packrat 

You’ve got to get there early, one resident explains to me
a hint of excitement in her voice
People show up before they open, often forming a line down the block
It’s a weekend past-time around here, says another. Great deals to be had
If you can wait until the second day everything is 50% off
I’m hoping for those lampshades she indicates with a lean of her head.
Even at Walmart lampshades are expensive

We walk almost reverently through the house 
that is no longer a home
The contents of every cupboard are exposed on the counters and tables
like the innards of roadkill on the side of the road.
Glassware, dishes, appliances, knickknacks, furnishings.
Easy pickings
My thoughts turn to my mother’s home 
soon be open to strangers
there to snatch up her cherished things I must leave
all at bargain prices
She would be aghast but she is gone

The jay waits
the crow spies
the coyote lurks
the vulture circles
the beetle crawls
the packrat scuttles

waiting to feast on what is left
to circulate among the living

Please visit my other blog on sustainable living onesweetearth.blog

Exploring Hidden Arizona

Photography, Uncategorized

My husband and I left the cold rain of Oregon on Jan. 10 for a week-long getaway in Southern Arizona, the land of the saguaro cactus. For me, a New Year’s trip is a welcome change from the winter doldrums and a way to reset for the coming year.

High on our list to see was Chiricahua National Monument, an often overlooked gem tucked away in the SE part of the state in the Chiricahua mountains. This was the land of Cochise and Geronimo, the homeland of the Chiricahua Apache before they were killed or displaced by white invaders. The word Chiricahua in Apache means stand-up rocks. In the park are thousands of pinnacles made up of layers of volcanic deposits of rhyolite that have been sculpted by wind and weather. It’s a forest of rocks, a wonderland that we hiked through on the Echo Canyon trail from Massai Point. We need to go back!

Another delight we found was Madera Canyon National Recreation Area nestled in the Santa Rita Mountains, not far from Green Valley, south of Tucson where we were staying. This is a premier birding area where you may see 250 species of birds, including. wild turkeys, 15 species of hummingbirds, elf owls, Mexican jays, and if you are lucky an elegant trogon. We were not lucky in this regard BUT we did get up close to a coatimundi.

Continue reading →

A Joyful Hat

Uncategorized

I was perusing downtown McMinnville last Friday as part of my weekly field trip habit to spark joy in 2023. I ducked into a new little shop on a side street full of an eclectic mix of candles, plants, clothing, artwork and the like when I spotted the hats. They were displayed on the wall in subdued colors of black, grey, and navy. The hats were wide brim with wire inside for personalized form with tops of a low, bent, wizard shape- not so high to be audacious but just high enough to evoke a bit of Gandalf or Harry Potter. Cool- but such dark colors.

Then in the next room, I spotted the red one perched on a coat rack above a trendy wrap. I placed it on my head. It was perfect. Now I am not one to buy conversation piece clothing but had to have this hat (aging gives you license to not care what people think.) It would be a bit of joy to parade around in and make me feel just a tad magical. Plus the wool blend and wide brim were a practical combination for the cold, rainy days of W. Oregon. It would also be a blank canvas for some pins I had collected with nowhere else to display.

I paid for my purchase and wore my red hat out of the store. People smiled. One lady called out from across the street, “I love your outfit!”

Maybe it is a magic hat.

Joy, my word for 2023

My swallow pin from Scotland and an Audubon heron pin

P.S.

When I looked for a poem that celebrated red hats I found the Red Hat Society, an Internatonal organization dedicated to women over 50 who want live life to the fullest. “The Red Hat Society is a worldwide membership society that encourages women in their quest to get the most out of life. We support women in the pursuit of Fun, Friendship, Freedom, Fitness and the Fulfillment of lifelong dreams.” On their outings they wear red hats and purple clothing.

This poem is from the Red Hats of Manitoba…

A Red Hat Poem
My hat I wear with great aplomb
It makes me feel so bolder
For though I’ve passed the “50” mark
I don’t feel any older
Than when I was a sweet young thing
Just barely out of my teens
And wearing out my platform shoes
And wide bell bottom jeans.
But now I have a purple frock
It really is a shocker
all finished off with “Big Red Hat”
With ostrich feather topper.
I know the colors really clash
To me, it does not matter
I’m proud to say, I’m in the club
I’m a “50” plus “Red Hatter”



Who knew it's a thing?  Perhaps I will join.  I've got the red hat.  All I need now is some purple clothing to go with it!

Tune into my other blog about sustainable living at onesweetearth.blog

Sparking Joy in 2023

Poetry, Uncategorized

Boganuary WordPress Challenge Jan. 1

The New Year 2023 Started with some good omens, sunshine for one- always welcome in my corner of NW Oregon at this time of year. The other was my 60 lb Cattle dog mix, Mars, jumped in the shower with me. Since I got him 2 ½ months ago he’s always seemed fascinated with the shower, sticking his head in and catching streams of hot water. This morning, thinking he really did want a hot shower, I said “come”, and he gleefully joined me. If you are a dog lover you would see the delight in that. Plus, it’s an easy way to wash your dog.

I gave up the New Year’s resolution tradition years back seeing it as a recipe for disappointment. Instead, I have a word (or words) of the year that can act as a guidepost for my annual journey. I keep them posted in my journal and day planner to deep up the intention. Last year’s were commitment, generosity, and focus (focus was a repeat from 2021). I am happy to report I had a decent outcome with those.

So without further adieu, drum roll, my new word of the year is JOY. After 3+ years of pandemic and political turmoil, a knee injury, and the passing of numerous friends and family, I’m ready for some. I have this saying, “ spend as much on yourself as you do your car and your house.” I’m so due for a little repair and maintenance. This includes…

Shopping for some new clothes and ditching my threadbare clothing
Monthly massage & chiropractic for my poor aching back
Artist’s dates, library dates, field trips, and other little self-care tidbits that put some spark back in my life.

Author and home organizer, Marie Kondo begs the question “does this spark joy?” That will be mine for the coming year. I hope you take some time for joy too in 2023.

A Toast for 2023

It’s the season of new

the Earth has spun through the heavens

and arrived at the place we call the beginning

a bookmark we humans have put in the order of things

the New Year, the first day of the first month of the 23rd year of the 21st century

All is new, yet all the same

a cycle in a continuum of millennia

yet a comfort that we have a fresh start in our minds

Shall we proceed then with our new slippers

virgin calendars full of exotic pictures

day planners devoid of marks

and forge on with gusto?

for we have been given another turn

a blank canvas to paint another 12 months upon

Let us mix up our palettes with new intentions

hope, faith and the unseen circumstances that will surely find us

stroke, splash, and drip with abandon

make your marks with love, touching others with color

bringing forth new memories

painting this Earth a brighter place

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