The rainy Pacific Northwest, and flooding...

I know many of you all love it when summer ends, and Fall rolls in.

Well, around here the foliage changes, like most everywhere else, which is lovely for a short while. It is the rain that I don't like. It seems like it just rains all the time, and the sky is gray, a lot!

Yesterday we had a crazy storm come through, and for a short period of time, we has standing water in my walkway, like an inch or so...crazy!

Man, I think it was raining so hard and the wind was blowing hard as well, that the rain was raining sideways!

Now, because it rained so hard, the driveway to the barn and arena has huge rain ruts, and my horses paddocks are muddy and ugly! UGH..this sucks!

The good news is that where we live, flooding will probably not be an issue like elsewhere in this region.

Down in the south part of King County ( Seattle is in King County), they are giving business's and residents a heads up that they will be flooded this year...isn't that a lovely message to receive.

They are actually telling people to get Flood Insurance, because they can guarantee that the Howard Hanson Dam is not going to do it's job, and they will have to release water from it this winter to prevent further damage that was done previously.

My husbands business is in Kent, which has areas of the city that are in this flood zone. He thinks they will be OK, as the shop is higher due to the loading dock. The old building they had been in, is in the flood zone.

The government agencies have had public meetings regarding the flood area, for those residents and business folks to come and find out more. I cannot imagine how awful this is, to those who KNOW they will be effected.

The information I read about the dam says they do not have the funding to complete the repair work... to quote the information posted at the City of Auburn website...

"Issues surround the ability of local jurisdictions to remove debris from the river, dredging and shoring up levees. In order to do any of these activities, there is an extensive review and permitting process that must take place that often take months or years to complete. Due to the current pool restriction at the Howard Hanson Dam, local entities would like to see exemptions made to the current permitting process in order to work on the rivers and levees to protect citizens from potential flooding.

The Army Corps of Engineers is currently seeking funding for the necessary repairs at the Howard Hanson Dam. At this point, there appears to be little funding for these repairs."

Hello out there..where is all this 'help' that my grand kids are going to be paying for? It seems to me fixing a dam should qualify for something?

So here comes the rain, and here comes the flooding for so many folks and business's, who cannot count on help... and can only hope and pray, and buy Flood Insurance at a huge premium.

Then again, these are opportunities for entrepreneurs to create new companies...

My Family thinks I am OCD...

I have always felt strongly about something I am interested in. It may be a compassion for a political viewpoint...or an interest in something specific.

If this thing has grabbed me..it really grabs me! I think it is a good thing..they may not!
My horses and dogs have held a lot of this kind of outside interest in my life, my faith as well.

Well, since I bought my new camera.. this is the new OCD interest, or so they think. I just know, I love the art aspect of photography...and photo editing.

The difference is, I have always loved art, wanted to study art (did at college for a while), love many kinds of art, and many funky art type stuff.

When I was in high school, to get involved in photography, meant developing your own film, big turn off to me. With Digital technology, the whole ball game has changed for the amateur photographer.

Now I am playing with photo editing...now this is a really fun challenge, as there is a learning curve for sure as I move up the photo edit food chain!

I will post much of what I do on Mt Forest Pictures, but the stories really are here, as this is Jan's Place!

So, I just got done playing with some tweaky kind of edit options.. what do you think?


I call this...Funky Burro!
Click on picture...to get more funky effect!

I am going to be doing some strange edits..to see what I can do. They say it is good for an old mind to be stretched!

Hang in there, and let me know if you think I am going overboard!

End of summer.. and one more "wish", checked off the picture checklist

I mentioned this story on my other blog Mt Forest Pictures, which is more photography related.

We live in an area where in the summer time the hot air balloon come over the valley in the evenings.

I have seen them from afar all summer, and either never had time to go find one close up, or was just not fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time. Bummer!

Recently we were heading out the door, and I almost did not take my camera...if you are my family members, you know that is not often!

So, my husband made me go back in the house and grab it.

I am so glad I did! I didn't get just one balloon, but two that day. I was just happy as could be...isn't it funny how it is small things like that, that really can bring pleasure to you and a smile inside!

A while back I got this shot, at the last moment, with my old camera..on my own property..
I am waiting to get this chance again, as I hope to be more prepared and know where my camera is to get the shot sooner.

Also these things move pretty fast..so it was gone... like that!

The balloon was so close that the noise of the hot air being released scared my horses (at least the one that is not deaf...Zoe could not hear it). Also the sight of this huge round ball flying over their heads really freaked them out!

Happy VGNO.. you wonderful Blog ladies!

Well...it is Friday's Virtual Girls Night Out...hosted by Ann Again and Again...

I have not been able to participate in such a long time....



I rented a Pink Virtual Limo for some blog hopping ..with room for all of us!

So...all I can say is ...

Party On Ladies, and Happy VGNO!

Remembering Jimi Hendrix...

We were at the cemetery with the family on Friday. We all got to say a final goodbye..for now, to my sister in law Karen, as the new gravestone was laid for her.

It was really a good thing, and actually we were all upbeat, as we all believe we will see her again in heaven because she loved the Lord.

So that being said, on too my post....

Someone else is at this particular cemetery, and gets a lot of traffic to his memorial.

Jimi Hendrix... yes, he used to be a "stones throw" as they say, from where Karen and her parents, my in laws, are.

The Hendrix family moved him down a ways, and put up a memorial with room for his family members. In fact some are already there.



We had to mosey on over and get some shots, as I thought someone out there may be interested in this information.



The original stone from his first grave, has been built into the memorial



Do you realize he would be 67? While we were there, some people were coming in to look at it... and calling someone on their cell saying "guess where I am?!" ...

For all of us locals on Seattle's eastside, well, we have known Jimi was here since the beginning. After all he was really from south Seattle, not far from Renton where he is now.

The man who runs the Cemetery said he came in from lunch recently, and a huge coach was in the parking lot...Motley Crue was stopping by to see Jimi...

I think that this Cemetery has a great marketing person... because if you turn around after looking at Jimi's memorial this is what you see...

Find Me Friday..did anyone see some little ponies?

We were hunting down a garage sale, and ran across this mini pony farm.


The little guys were pretty feisty, and did not want any part of us.

Look, they are running up to join their friends...


This old boy below must be their mascot, as the only big critter on the place!

Please visit Ali for Find Me Friday...better yet, join in!