Sunday Drive

The folds of land around me that roll down from the nearby mountain range are once again lush with the green of winter wheat grown thick and rich from recent rains. As my car crests yet another rise, I am treated to the 360 degree expanse of more velvet hilltops that eventually spill into a blue valley with the faint glint of a spring rain-swollen river cutting its length. In this part of the state, where cities are few and towns are far apart, travelers are reminded of the hugeness of the earth and the grandness of nature that is often taken for granted.

I must say, Oregon does have it all, from sand dunes and ocean waves to high deserts, lush valleys, forests, and snow-capped mountains. Here’s to taking time to appreciate what we have and what we are part of and taking the personal as well as political steps necessary to protect and maintain it.