How Did We Get Here?

March 3, 2020:

“How did we get here?” My mind wandering in disbelief as two men cough near by.

“COVID I will not panic, but you got my attention.”  Then another person sneezes.

My name shows up on the computer screen indicating my meds are ready.  Going to the window the distressed lady shouts out to me,

“Look at the spit all over my window.  We have two Coronavirus patients in the ER and my family just called me and said don’t come home.”

What is home anyway? Is it as safe as you think if you’re not invited any longer?

 

Romancing The Tulip

As I promised yesterday, I would bring to life the amazing tulip fields of Washington State. It is where the love birds come and I saw plenty of them! The tulips however even outnumbered them! Enjoy! These photos were taken with my Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1:

Tips on Growing Tulips.

Fair Weather

At times you struggle in life and so does nature. For you see the mood in the air each day. As nature speaks out, “What shall I do today?” The photographer goes behind to see the result. On a recent walk through a familiar area that I live near, my camera captures the season upon us as a neighbor gladly rakes the most beautiful leaves to mulch in his garden not so far away. He states to me, “This is a photographer’s paradise. No more beautiful street than ours is there?” I say back, “No. No other. As I snap a few more photos. Enjoy:

Fall

Photography is a great hobby and one I admire immensely in those who have a good eye. Today’s post is from my 16-year-old son’s camera who just so happens to be taking Photography in high school. I try to give him a critique or two about his photos. However I thought better yet give my followers a chance to give my son some good advice. Please feel free to comment as my son Elijah will read what you have to say:

Love this shot with the reflection of the trees.

Interesting shot of fall foliage

This really makes me feel like fall is in the air

Great lighting on an unusual subject by my son

Only my son would take a shot of this!

Catching the water

The Haunting

Seriously that car had a tree growing out of it!

Walking a trail to the cemetery included passing these abandoned automobiles!

More abandoned cars. Could they have been driven by those trying to find the cemetery?

The cemetery is maintained very nicely when you finally discover its location.

Stones are spread out in one of the most ghost hunted cemeteries in WA state.

I found an unmarked grave.

At last I find the stone I have been asked to photograph. It was sad to see it had been broken.

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Seattle. In fact so nice, I decided to go for a walk on some trails not too far from where I live. I actually had a dual purpose. As a volunteer photographer, I had received a request for photos of The Maltby Cemetery. With camera in hand and a map with directions, I set off on my adventure.
You might ask how could this be an adventure? The truth is I had no idea where I was going. The only information I could find out about this place is that it is in such plain view that you can not find it! I guess you could say that peaked my interest. Having lived in the area for about 20 years, I figured this place can not be that hard to find! I was wrong.
Now before I go too much further, I must share with you the legend of The Maltby Cemetery which is sometimes called Paradise Lake. It is one of the TOP 10 most HAUNTED cemeteries in the nation! Seriously if I had known this yesterday, I would not have gone. I was not prepared for what I was going to come across!
Driving along the road to my destination I knew I would have to go through the Paradise Valley Conservation Area which is a 795 acre wildlife refuge (http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/paradise-valley-conservation-area). I began my sleuthing from there and began asking folks if anyone had heard of the cemetery. To my shock, no one had. I then decided to scout out neighboring home developments and met a few folks that knew of it, but did not know exactly how to get to it. This adventure was proving to be more than I bargained for. This day was about to get tricky! Finally I found an area that looked like it could be the spot where a trail might lead to the cemetery. I began walking it, but soon abandoned it due to it becoming unwalkable and I was headed up a steep enbankment. Before I began walking back to my car I shot a few photos of what I saw lying on the side of a cliff. This was truly creepy and I just knew I was SO CLOSE to the cemetery, but I could not find it. I began to get a spooky feeling these photos show what may have belonged to people many years ago trying to find this cemetery. Let me know what you think.
After 2 hours of searching, I finally found some folks out walking that knew more information. The cemetery was very near the area I had just abandoned. These people knew of another entrance which is completely unmarked. Alas, I was able to get my photographs. After leaving the cemetery, I stopped to talk with a man who lived nearby. He said to me, “You know this place is haunted.” To that I replied, “No. I am just photographer. Have you seen any ghosts?” He began to smile and say, “I know that someone was caught digging up a grave back there.” I replied, “Wow, you sure they weren’t just burying someone after they died?” His reply was, “OH NO, the cops took them away!” With a shocked look on my face I said, “Glad I did not know that before coming up here.” After that I said thank you for the information and left.
After returning home I decided to google this place and sure enough the place I had just visited is considered one of the most haunted places in Washington State. It is even more haunting if you are a group of crazy teenagers with a six-pack looking to have a good time with your buddies in a place you do not belong at 2 in the morning ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbcQH8O3Xdw ). If you need a good laugh I would definitely go look at these guys You Tube. It is pretty hysterical. I must admit the place did creep me out some, but I never felt unsafe. In fact the folks buried there are some of the first settlers to the area. May they rest in peace.

Breakthrough

Valentine’s Day Brings A Nice Surprise for me. I took this photo of two lovebirds in Victoria, Canada.

Recently I began thinking of how much information should I share on my blogging? This blog began as a way of pouring out my story for family. As I learned how to share on WordPress, I than realized my life was resonating with others. Yesterday I shared about my disability from my brain tumor. In December I also wrote this blog post: (https://alesiablogs.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/are-you-homeless/). It is a poignant description of a visit to the Veteran’s Administration in Seattle, WA. To sum things up, my sister had helped me apply for disability through the military almost two years. I had all about given up on all this until today.
It is interesting how life takes twists and turns. We never know what may come our way. If you asked me 25 years ago that my life would have turned out the way it has, I would have said you are nuts. I was very self-sufficient and taught to be extremely independent. Yet, now I need help.
Today’s mail came dated on Valentine’s Day from the Department of Veteran’s Affair. I thought to myself could this be my “love” letter from them that began two years ago? Indeed it was. After serving in the military as active duty in Desert Storm overseas and then staying “available” for 15 years for call back, the military finally wrote me a “love” letter.
Here are the HIGHLIGHTS:
Dear Mrs. Alesiablogs (changed for you who know me by this name),
We made a decision (in my favor) on your claim for service connected compensation….This letter tells you about your entitlement amount and payment start date…Your Award Amount and Payment Start Date is shown below…………….
As you can see it was a good letter for me to receive. I do not feel happier from this though to be honest with you. Please do not take this in the wrong way. I am happy for the decision, but my life is so different due to my illness that it is a catch 22. I am learning a new way though. In fact as I received this letter I was on my way to a volunteer effort. Giving back and providing my time for a needed purpose is becoming part of my legacy. What is yours going to be? Did you know there are over 50,000 nonprofit organizations across the country? By volunteering, I am learning a new kind of happy.

Locked In!

On our way to go snow shoeing!

Photogenic views in Washington State abound.

Numerous waterways surround the forests where we enjoy the outdoors.

Finding mutually agreed upon family activities that cause you to get some exercise has been a goal for my husband and I over the last 3 years. When you add in the fact that the activity of choice needs to meet our son Luke’s criteria as fun and worthwhile, it becomes tricky. Luke has AUTISM and we have learned over the years that not too much interests him when it comes to outdoors. Joyfully, I can report that we believe snowshoeing has won over Luke’s heart and today as we drove up to Mt. Baker National Forest, we prepared ourselves for a wonderful family outing. So as we got locked in our snow shoes we walked along one of the many trails offered. I could not help to think how peaceful of a time we had. We were all alone. As is typical I am behind everyone else as my husband and sons snowshoe together. They kept looking at me to make sure I was still in sight which is pretty cute to me. My gait on the left side of my body is off slightly from a small stroke I recovered from so you could say I am slow. In some ways it was nice to be alone as I noted the sounds of nature around me. I had the distinct pleasure of enjoying the soft sounds of snowflakes coming down, the distant roar of the river, and last but not least the crunching sound of the snow under my snowshoes. I was reminded in my heart of no sound of voice is heard at all. I hope many times when I am alone I would hear the voice of God Himself though. It is than I realize it is not meant to be. Rather God is showing himself through nature itself as I quietly walk along with a smile in my heart for no one to see, but only God to know. It is than I hear my younger son as I approached the jeep after our walk saying, “Mom did you see Luke just about running back to the car in those snowshoes? You would think he has somewhere to be.” I laughed and thought to myself we all think we have somewhere to be when we should be content right where we are at.

Related Story: https://alesiablogs.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/unplugged/ This post shares other photos from another snow shoe trip we took in one of our National Forests in Washington State.

Unplugged

Family matters especially for the children. So it is time to get unplugged from all Internet activities!!! Winter gives us an opportunity to take our sons up to the mountains. One of the best places we find great trails is a short car ride away. It is Mt. Baker National Park! Come join us on a fun photo showing of our day! http://www.fs.usda.gov/mbs for additional info on this spectacular mountain filled drive. Our Autistic son Luke caps off the end of his day with a dip in our spa. Ahhhhhh!