LIFE'S FLOW~Shavua Tov; Woodland-WA

Today was a tranquil, laid-back day; I didn't sleep much throughout the previous night (sticky humid, and hard to breathe night), so I snoozed off and on throughout this day.

Holland sat beside me, surfing the internet in blessed quietness - he was enjoying the quiet lulls; hahaha ;-)

When I woke around 4:30 PM, he said, "How about some ice cream, and a short drive?" I agreed, while freeing the Sandman slowly.

We drove 5 minutes up the road where Holland ordered my new favorite ice cream treat - the Turtle Pecan Cluster BLIZZARD: so yummy!

Holland got a peanut butter flavored concoction for himself; then we sat in the shadowing shade of a large tree to finish them off.

Then, we enjoyed a lazy drive past the Tulip Farm, and along the dike road … we saw a cow nuzzling her newborn calf, whose fur was spiked with wet cow licks … and carefully passed over the rutted and crater-pocked dirt road under the Ghost Bridge; ending at our favorite river watching spot, where we both peeked towards the osprey nest platform to see if the youngsters have fledged yet: they haven't.

Newborn calf along the 'Ghost Bridge' Dike Road; Woodland-WA

Mama Osprey is still ferrying food to her youngsters …

As the sun began to lower in the evening sky, we parked on the beach and listened to the gentle lapping of the Columbia River as it's low curving waves softly kissed the sand.

Loggins & Messina - 'Watching the River Run song' 1973: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZfIE9mbZdY)

There was a little nip in the breeze due to the low hanging clouds … but the chilly, wind whipped waters did not seem to faze the jet-skier's - the river was teaming with human porpoises, a few popping wheelies & doing twisting tricks that eventually found them bobbing in the waves alongside their upended power toys ;-)

The river was very busy tonight - parking space was limited & firepits scented the breeze; Austin Point~Woodland-WA.

Tonight was a good close of this week's Sabbath ebbing … and the new week hovers, waiting to be embraced :-)

Shavua tov is a Hebrew term used as the Sabbath ends, to wish someone a good coming week.

SAME DAY~DIFFERENT SCENARIO

This morning last year, we were enjoying our trip to Yellowstone National Park; neither one of us had every been there before, and it was one of the Bucket List notations.

'SHINE ON~Cameron-MT'~2023 Post: 

https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2023/07/shine-oncameron-mt.html

This morning this year, I saw an article on my Tablet that drew my attention:

We still maintain that the West end of the Park is a disappointment (except for the hydrothermal Fountain Paint Pot viewing):

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK; West Entrance/Old Faithful Side~2023 Post: 

https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2023/07/yellowstone-national-parkwest.html

However, we did view Yellowstone National Park from all entrances … and found those excursions redeemable - Holland went above and beyond to cater to my American Indian Blackfoot DNA; and of course he also, has American Indian Blood ties to this land through his Cherokee DNA:

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK; North Entrance/Mammoth Hot Springs side~2023 Post:

https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2023/07/yellowstone-national-parknorth.html

On our way towards Wyoming, we passed again through Yellowstone's west side … this area is where the recent hydrothermal explosion took place; and we were also hauling our 45-foot RV (basically a studio apartment on wheels) behind our red 'Beast':

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK; Wyoming~2023 Post: 

https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2023/08/grand-teton-national-parkwyoming.html

This year's Yellowstone West Side news …

This Day, last year, was a Bucket List adventure through Yellowstone; and we are happy we experienced it … but, it will not be a repeat.

HIGH LANDS; Toutle-Castle Rock-Green Mtn. Road, Woodland-WA

We drove into the Jantzen Beach Mall Complex, in Vancouver this morning, to purchase some items needed for our new kickoff venture as soon as we get Independence back from the repair shop … traffic has been backed up (as in slower than a snail's pace) from Kalama to La Center every morning until about 6 PM (the blacktop is being scraped off & hauled off from the outgoing southbound twin bridge).

WSDOT I-5 Construction April - October 2024 Expect Delays: https://www.ci.woodland.wa.us/community/page/wsdot-i-5-construction-april-october-2024-expect-delays

Last year Holland gave me an adventure of a lifetime: 3 years into widowhood, I had wanted to shake things up in my life and spread my wings … before I married Bob I had my thoughts set on traveling across America and experiencing every mainline State, but Bob snagged my attention in the Spring of 1974, and I happily let moss grow under my feet for 44 years; when that chapter if my life ended with Bob's last breath, I revisited and entertained that old dream of mine: I prayed that Elohim would give me a traveling companion. I never thought Elohim would answer my prayer in such an unexpected way - I was 66 years old when Holland's 35 year old vision/quest took root in both of our lives: he got the wife he was promised and held out for, and I got the Bucket List Adventuring my itchy gypsy feet were wanting.

I never thought I'd remarry; Holland never thought he'd be driving across America again: but here we are, rocking our world.

Together, since marrying, we have traveled through, and enjoyed 21 States last year: this year, we will be seeing America a new way: Holland's Bucket List Adventure is being set in place, this month.

Holland found what he was looking for - and I grabbed a pair of headphones to use while I'm surfing the internet: our tastes in music, movies, and news sources are very different; headphones are a staple in this Redmill relationship ;-)

When we got back to Woodland, Holland went online to track down a weight distribution hitch; and I went online with a hope and a prayer.

Graced with enough WIFI to check FB Friends Pages …

The internet connect here for me, is spotty at best - and nonexistent 99% of the time. Holland struggles too, but he is able to be online for a significant amount of time before the wave disappears, and he too, is kicked offline :-(

This afternoon he was able to connect and stay online long enough to track down the hitch he is needing … and off we went to Toutle, to collect it: it was listed as brand new (never used), for half the price.

I was happy to be getting out - and looking forward to a high land country drive :-)

The hitch was brand new, and the sunny drive was soothing: we were both feeling good.

As we were leaving Toutle, and crossing the overpass to enter freeway traffic … our ears heard, and our eyes beheld a strange sight: a bagpiper playing a Highland Scottish tune!

Don't know where he was headed to, or why he was piping - but we started laughing because we were listening to Steve Earle (whose song starts with a bagpipe intro); so Holland pulled over onto a wide spot alongside the freeway entrance and let me listen to the overpass bard because he knows I like the sound of bagpipes ;-)

Bagpiping 'Overpass Bard'; Castle Rock-WA

Copperhead Road song …

Steve Earle - Copperhead Road/Official Music Video: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvaEJzoaYZk)

The Story of Copperhead Road Song: (https://www.bathroomwall.com/blogs/rock_blog/steve-earle-the-story-of-copperhead-road)

'Be yourself - do what you wanna do'. LOL

Driving back to Woodland from our Toutle pickup appointment, we decided to take the Green Mountain Road back to our motel room: we quickly saw that the backroad route was just as congested as the freeway (we passed two offshoot spurs where state patrol was rerouting freeway traffic to merge with backroad travelers like us); but at least the high land traffic moves forward - freeway traffic pretty much stands still (southbound bumper-to-bumper standstill from Old Pacific Highway out of Longview, to La Center-WA).

I was happy to be in the high country backroad.

I am very familiar with this road, having traveled it most of my adult life.

Freeway overflow congestion on Green Mountain Road: long string of vehicles in front, and behind, us; Woodland-WA

A 10 minute drive stretched out to a slo-mo, h.o.t., 55 minutes.

Coming off the upper high land road … we decided to avoid downtown Woodland (where most of the traffic was headed); and continue backroad travel, which would be much easier to drive. We grabbed a hot fudge sundae, on our way back to the motel room.

Holland is happy with his purchases today - and I'm happy his newest Bucket List Venture is working for him, so far. We have one or two more things to check off; but when we leave WA State again, this year will be Holland's adventure and we are both excited to get it underway :-)

Tomorrow we will be taking care of more {business}; but tonight is for relaxation and unwinding …

A cup of cocoa and a relaxing read before welcoming the Sandman.