(photo credits Joan Capshaw)

I have to admit, it’s been a tough week around here.  In a case like that, you just have to do things to try to get through it.

I ordered this online from Scotland.  Who knows when it will arrive.

With a sweet rose and blue forget-me-nots on top, I think it will be just the right thing to hold Rosie’s ashes.

Then I decided a little chartreuse paint on some old porch furniture would be a good thing.

The chair has a nice moss cushion.

If you look closely, you can see the ubiquitous photo-bomber peeking out the door.

Picked lots of roses every day and gave them away.

This morning, I decided to change our routine and go early to The Minto. It was a very special time.

We pretty much had the place to ourselves.  Nice.

Lots of blackberries in bloom.

Next week will be easier.  And the next one.

Rosie was very photogenic.   I took many pictures over the years, and I couldn’t make myself omit any of them.  Good-bye, Beautiful Rose — aka Special Agent Piggy Tail.   Roxie and I miss you

Rosie.

Started off with catching a glimpse and wonderful music of our youth string group warming up pre-service at St. P.’s early Sunday morning.

Under the direction of Texas Tech alum Will Balch.

Monday,  I walked over to the hospital for a routine MRI of my brain.

Perfectly normal.  I guess an MRI cannot show “absolutely bonkers.”

Then, on Tuesday, Oregon went for Bernie.

Wednesday, I gave the little porch chair a new cushion of moss.

Thursday, I drove to the Wilco in Stayton to get some seed potatoes

I’ll probably never go there again when “ours” opens in my neighborhood in the fall.

This is the old Safeway location.

And I doubt I’ll ever buy clothes anyplace else after that.

I was able to get two special varieties of potato:

On Friday, John tilled the bed and I set the potatoes into their holes.

Always with the photo-bomber!

Then early this morning, as I typically do, I went out back for my walk around.  So often, this turns out to be a spiritual experience.

The roses were in full bloom, and that wonderful old Cokesbury hymn began to sing in my (perfectly normal) head.

“I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses.”

Again with the photo-bomber.

And I began to think how very lucky I am.  See that little shed in the background?

Here is a close up.

In the past, it has been a play house and a dog house.  It’s where I store my yard furniture in the winter.

Anyway, as I walked back into my beautiful house, I thought about how many people there are in this crazy world who would be so grateful to have my shed to live in.

Here endeth the lesson and the week.

Since all voting in Oregon is by mail, we don’t really have a “day.”  But if the USPS hasn’t delivered your completed ballot by today, you’re going to have to drive it over to a designated drop-off location this afternoon.

Voting by mail works really well. It’s convenient,  cost effective, and pretty much precludes opportunities for cheating.

One of our senators, Ron Wyden, was the first U.S. official elected entirely by mail. He is now campaigning for all federal elections to be by mail.  On NPR this morning, he cited the difficulties about actually having to go to a polling place to vote.  Transportation.  Child care.  Physical disabilities.  Time off work. Waiting in long lines.

The word he used to describe these inconveniences was “kafkaesque.” Listen, I’d vote for that man just because he said that.  Actually, I voted for him before I heard him say that.

Words do matter.  There is another candidate running out there right now who said to a crowd, “I know words, I have the best words.”  Not.

The thought of his being our president is definitely the K word.