Friday, January 13, 2006

something to be said for persistence

it's been raining in portland. a much grander display than anything from last year. twenty-five of the past twenty-six days have included rain and no sunshine. the land, normally so proud of its capacity to withstand it, has been overtaken and defeated. ground: 1 water: 25.

our dog, Montana, knows nothing else. how good that would be, to only have known a wet portland winter - not dreaming of the oregon summers and the accompanying expeditions to the river and secret waterfall and juniper desert. he wouldn't understand why coffee addiction grows so dramatically during these months, why people gripe at each other on the bus, why that mildew smell is abnormal.

last night, as peter and I were taking a walk through sellwood, we found that we didn't notice the rain. it's become our new normal. in fact, it also freshens the outside air, makes the river rise to alarming (albeit interesting) heights, and coerces our front white rose bush to produce.

Friday, January 06, 2006

soundtrack for 2005

soundtrack for 2005 (a short, but highly concentrated selection)

revelator - gillian welch
i'd rather dance with you - kings of convenience
i want you to be my love - over the rhine
a good man is hard to find - sufjan stevens
ain't you wealthy- bonnie 'prince' billy
jezebel - iron & wine
when soul meets body - death cab for cutie
el condor pasa - simon & garfunkel
when the man comes around - johnny cash
red clay halo - gillian welch