Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Columbia River Hills (Post Number 500)

When I've arrived in Kellogg, I can never remember exactly where the lumpy hills I love so much are on the north bank of the Columbia River. Are the after The Dalles? Yes. But, are the before Arlington? Across from Biggs? I can never place them later because I am so present with them that I lose track of their place.

When I drove I-84 back in March, the hills were lumps of green tufts, as if bloated Northland green geckos lay poised in search of trees and leaves.

Last winter, the hills seemed like hippos lying in wait to crawl into the Columbia.

Today the tawny hills looked the rounded backs of lions ready to spring across the Columbia in search of prey.

Each season, with the different angles of sunlight, with the changing cloud colors, these hills on the north side of the Columbia River change color and seem to be animated by the different animals they stand for in my imagination.

2 comments:

Go Figure said...

Have you ever seen the big horn sheep that live in the crags, to the east of The Dalles on the south side of the freeway? I don't travel that route often but the last time through there, probably 3 years ago, Matt saw them and he was able to get a photo of them through his binoculars that have a 35 mm camera in them.

Pinehurst in my Dreams said...

Cool imagery.