Hurricane Katrina

Oregon can be depressing. Sure, it's gorgeous in the summer, with the burst of greenery, the temperatures that are genuinely temperate, the lazy cloud formations swirling above the nearby mountains and hills ....

But on the depressing side, there is the winter and spring, which can seem to be nine months of drizzle interrupted, for variety, by occasional rain. Oregonians have 18 different words for rain, and at least 13 are not printable in a family blog.

But today, I am reminded of another of the reasons, along with summer, to love Oregon. Unlike California, we need not worry seriously about earthquakes. Unlike the entire Midwest, Oregon is not threatened by tornadoes. Unlike the eastern seaboard, our blizzards last maybe 24 hours before melting completely away.

And Oregonians, thank the heavens, never get hit by hurricanes. I hate to hear the word "refugees" applied to anyone, but when it hits close to home--as in "refugees from New Orleans"--it is especially galling.

If you have loved ones in the area, they are in my thoughts. May all survive to fight another day.