7. The Dry Side

Dry, dryer, driest... Our new state is big and sprawling with contrasting values. It's evenly divided at the Kaskade Mountains-- not only geographically, but socially and politically. The eastern portion of is mainly desert and socially conservative. The very liberal Western side often refers to the eastern side with sweet nicknames like No Man's Land, The Armpit, or as I like to call it, The Dry Side...

My first Northwest painting. This is a rare, old style wood chip burner left over from the days when air polution and clear cutting just weren't discussed.

I understand that the locals call them hay turds.

At one point I notice that all the lumber trucks are now delivery trucks for the small town-destroying mega superstore giant, Val*mart. We must be getting closer...