End 'O August & Beer Ingredients

Here we are at the end of August and some cooler temps here in the PAC NW along with some rain this past month! I actually got caught (while cycling) between two sets of showers moving over the Eola Hills on my way back home as I was skirting the county roads in Polk County. Was good to get quite wet on the bike and keep it up right and now am letting the shoes doing some drying.

Well, speaking of the topic "beer ingredients" I was out for a ride a few Sunday's ago and rode by some "Hops" fields over the river on the Marion County side of things. They are coming in quite nicely and should be harvested soon and sold to multiple brewers and others who might use this crop. I am a fan of the IPA's and they are usually a little hoppier then the average beer. Anyway after riding by them in the AM, I went back out in the mid-evening and got a few shots. I have only unloaded the shots from one camera and not the other yet so I have included a few of what I have. Five years ago while riding with others I had to ask what these were and they told me as I had no idea they grew on a vine. It is amazing when you see these huge fields of Hops while going along the road, and with a little moisture in the air they can have a very wonderful aroma! Makes me kind of thirsty!

Other items; I Had been doing about 10 photos per week to Smugmug for almost four weeks when last week I kind of got out the process with some Physical Therapy, another little leg injury and two days of vacation from work I just lost track of time and effort. Will get back in the swing again on that as this week progresses, and might have some more time in the evening now that school will be starting and that should take up some energy from the daughter.

Well, that is it for now. Not much in the way of enlightenment I don't think. Hope it has been a super Labor Day Weekend and now on to the fall Season!

Tim -

August - Dog Days

Here we are heading towards Mid-August and the 'Dog Days' of summer! Where I grew up in Nebraska this became the hottest time of year with humidity equalling the air temperature. I would sweat in the shade in the middle of the night it was so hot at times.

Well, now here we are in Salem, Oregon and yes we do get some temps in the 90's but overall we only get 2-3 days of this in a row and then it is back into the low and mid 80's. We actually just had a few days here in August with the highs in the low 70's with night time temps in the 50's and 60's. If you have never been here in the Pacific NW, don't believe the rain stories....we seriously get very little rain June - September and even in our town the annual average is only 42 inches of precipitation per year. Keep moving and the moss will not grow on you much!

Anyway, I was going through some older photos and came across this one in a set of shots from July of 2007. This is a view looking [N/NE] from our deck over the roof tops and you can kind of make out Mt. St. Helen's in the background in the middle right. When we do have these evenings it is good to sit out on the deck, enjoy a beer and watch the view!

Wherever you are I hope that you enjoy your sunsets and sunrises and everything around you. Enjoy every moment and never take to much for granted!

Tim -