Smoke signals

Monday I stepped out on the porch for my 3:00 break; I glanced to the left of my porch out of habit. The first glance did not quite register and then I looked again. A thundercloud. It sunk in I looked again. Wow that is one big thundercloud. But I paused for a moment and cocked my head, thinking...soaking the thoughts. How could we have a thundercloud with no clouds? We have had no clouds for days. A chill crosses the skin of my upper arms and that sinking feeling in your stomach mixed with that feeling I can best describe as your blood gets steamed under your skin making you break out in a sweat.

Eric my neighbor comes out on his porch that sits alongside mine and he glances left out of habit too. Looks over at me, "It that a thundercloud?"
"I was just wondering the same thing" I reply, "It kind of looks like a fire."
"I think it is a fire too. Scary.'
"Yeah."

At six I headed down to the park to watch Nick's baseball game as I walked a float plane made a pass over my head. Heading to the lake. It looks like a float plane but it can fill up with water. I don't know what they call those. But it has started making passes over us to Lake Cle Elum. I reached the park and watched the game and as I walked home I ran into Nate my renter at the shortcut to home. We talked about the fire and he said Tammy and Scott lost their house. Again with the chills up my arms. Later in the evening it was reconfirmed that they had not lost their house and it is the house in the picture above.


Tuesday morning I drove to Cle Elum and you could see the fire as it burned Lookout mountain. I took the back way up the Tanuem and took pictures along the way. After I left much of it burned as the winds gusted and stirred up deep trouble.  The week was long with the following two days hot and hotter, no wind and yet a small breeze that changed direction causing chills for the third time this week to run across my arms. Blowing the smoke up the valley to us. It sets heavy and sultry in the air. We are hoarse and raspy after three days of inhaling heavy smoke. The kids schools and playgrounds are colored with the domes of hundreds of fire fighters tents. 984 as of this Saturday, fireman helping us to get this contained.

Last night in the dark I walked down the street to meet Nick at the 'Y' to head to the Brick for awhile to listen to 'Down North' a friend of Nicks from High School, girlfriend was playing in the band. As I made my way down the hill. Two Fire trucks pulled to the house I walked in front of and some firefighters got out looking exhausted. Startled I said "Hi," and then stopped and said "Thank you, Thank you."

"Your welcome."