From Ice to Pineapple

This month has provided interesting things to think about. On the 15th and 16th of January, we had freezing rain turning the region into sheet ice. Just a day later, we had the warmest January day in one hundred thirty years as the "Pineapple Express" brought warm, almost tropical air off the far south Pacific. What an astonishing juxtaposition! I'd be tempted to say, "only in Oregon" but that's probably not even close to being true.

Regardless, January has made us pay attention to the world around us. Tsunamis in the south. Mt. St. Helens dome expanding daily with molten stone like glowing Play-doh!. Floods and even snow in California. And snow and heavy winds tearing across New England. That's just off the top of my head. Pretty interesting.