FINDING PEACE

TRANSITIONING INTO THIS ASSIGNMENT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT YET. MY FIRST WEEK OF WORK I HAD A SINUS INFECTION AND LOST MY VOICE FOR 3 DAYS. AS IF TRYING TO FUNCTION WITH ONLY ONE HAND WASN'T HARD ENOUGH, TRY BEING A SPEECH THERAPIST WITHOUT YOUR VOICE. TO UPDATE YOU ALL ON MY HAND...I WENT BACK TO THE DOCTOR LAST FRIDAY. THERE WAS NO CHANGE ON MY X-RAY. GOOD ON ONE HAND BECAUSE IT HAS NOT SHIFTED ANYMORE...BAD, BECAUSE THERE IS NO CHANGE AND NO BONE GROWTH. SO NOW I HAVE A BRIGHT RED CAST (MY CHOICE OF COURSE FOR THE HOLIDAYS). I AM TAKING CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS AND PRAYING THAT WHEN I RETURN IN JANUARY, MY BONES WILL BE GROWING BACK TOGETHER AND WILL NOT REQUIRE SURGERY. I AM BECOMING QUITE EFFICIENT WITH MY LEFT HAND. I WILL HAVE TO SHARE ALL OF MY NEW TECHNIQUES IN ANOTHER BLOG THOUGH. I WOULD LIKE TO DEDICATE THIS BLOG ENTRY TO MY GRANDMOTHER, BETTY LOU EVERETT, WHO PASSED AWAY ON SUNDAY, DEC 9TH.

SHE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED AND WE WILL DEFINITELY FEEL A VOID WITHOUT HER HERE WITH US. I KNOW THAT SHE IS NO LONGER SUFFERING AND THAT SHE IS UP IN HEAVEN WITH A PERFECT MIND AND BODY. I CAN'T HELP BUT REMEMBER HER SPUNK. SHE HAD A SWEET SOUL AND DIDN'T MIND BEING THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. THE PICTURE ABOVE DISPLAYS THAT. MY COUSIN WOULD ALWAYS GIVE GRANDMAW A GAG GIFT FOR CHRISTMAS, USUALLY SOME LINGERIE. GRANDMAW NEVER FAILED TO DANCE AROUND AND SHOW IT OFF. CONTINUE TO SAY PRAYERS FOR MY FAMILY. I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS.

"LEFTY"

OUT OF ALL THE EXTREME THINGS THAT I HAVE DONE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE LUCKILY NEVER ONCED INJURED MYSELF. SO WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED THAT I WOULD SIT ON MY NEPHEW'S SLIDE, FALL, AND BREAK MY HAND. THAT'S RIGHT, I BROKE MY HAND...MY RIGHT HAND. I NOW BASICALLY HAVE NO FUNCTION OF MY RIGHT HAND. SAY SOME PRAYERS FOR ME THAT WHEN I RETURN TO THE DOCTOR IN TWO WEEKS THAT HE WON'T SAY THAT I NEED TO HAVE SURGERY. I AM SLOWLY LEARNING TO BE PATIENT WITH MYSELF AND I AM LAUGHING AT MYSELF, A LOT! WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? GOOD THING I WORK WITH OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST. I WOULD LOVE SOME POINTERS FOR AN EASY WAY TO FASTEN A BRA, AMONG OTHER THINGS! HA!

MY TIME OFF FLEW BY SO QUICKLY. I FINALLY ARRIVED IN ROCKY MOUNT, NC ON SATURDAY NIGHT AFTER A LONG DAY OF DRIVING. IT SURE DID BEAT 5 OR 6 DAYS OF DRIVING. I ENJOYED MY TIME WITH MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND WISH THAT I HAD LONGER. I MISS EVERYONE ALREADY AND CAN'T WAIT TO GO HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. I HOPE YOU WILL ALL PARDON ME FOR BEING BRIEF. THERE IS SO MUCH THAT I WANTED TO SHARE. HOWEVER, PECKING IT OUT WITH ONLY MY LEFT HAND IS ANNOYING. HOPE YOU HAVE HAD AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON.

"FIVE SLEEP"

I can barely remember my last week in Oregon. It was such a blur. Halloween was interesting. Went to Ashland and experienced Halloween like I never have before. There were people every where and you looked odd if you did not have on a costume. Don't worry, I sported a Richard Simmons outfit and we dressed up my new friend "Erica" (aka Eric) as one of my fat, supportive fans. We had a great time, but I really didn't enjoy it to the fullest because I had packing and finishing my last week of work on my mind. It seems as if seven months just flew by. I had a blast in Oregon and wonder if I will ever have another assignment like it. While I was excited about seeing my family, I was so sad to leave such great new friends and a west coast lifestyle I had grown accustomed to. The thought of making that 3,000 mile drive back home was not as exciting as it seemed back in April when I drove to Oregon. However, that soon changed. With little convincing, I had my dad on a flight to Oregon and travel buddy to explore the northern route. We were going see areas that I had never seen before and I was going to get to spend some quality time with my dad. It took us six days and "five sleep" to drive from Oregon to Mississippi. The following is a day by day journal of our travels. I will warn you...it is long and probably won't be half as interesting to you as it was to the both of us. If you choose to continue, enjoy! Otherwise, just enjoy the pictures.


Saturday Novemeber 3, 2007
DAY ONE:
Drove out of Medford, Oregon at 7am. It was still dark. Glancing down at my mileage gage reminded me we were only 10 miles into our 3,000 mile journey. Dad and I had mapped out our first leg of the trip...our destination Boise, Idaho (pronounced Boy-see not Boy-zee). I was a little apprehensive about traveling through the mountains due to the fact that everyone at work kept asking me, "Do you have chains for your tires?" It did not ease my mind that we kept passing signs stating, "Snow area-Chains or Snow Tires Required." I watched the temperature slowly drop as we climbed up higher in elevation. Luckily the sun was shining and the roads were pretty much clear. As we drove along the Rogue River I recalled all of the great times I had on that river and in Southern Oregon. It truly was a beautiful place. Imagine my surprise when we made it to Bend, Oregon and started heading eastward...desert. Ugly, boring desert. Lots of vegetation for miles and miles resembled yellow heads of cauliflower to me. Finally, as we got closer to Idaho the scenery changed. Oregon was once beautiful again but not with rolling hills covered with trees. We saw beautiful colors layered in the rocks and plateaus and the small canyons. Beautiful. The land eventually flattened again and farmland emerged. Idaho at last. I could check another state off my list. Riding with my very agriculture minded father I learned that some sugar is made from sugar beets as we passed a large truck loaded with sugar beets. Also learned that Idaho/Oregon produce a large number of onions. Day one is complete. 497 miles traveled.

Sunday, November 4, 2007
DAY TWO:
Goal today-reach Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Back on the road early again. Saw the sun rise in the hills. I was beginning to think that Idaho was going to be nothing but plowed fields with irrigation systems and hay bales. But then we took the "Thousand Springs Scenic Route" and there was the Snake River. It does just as its name states...snakes around. There were lava rocks everywhere. We also found out why it is called the Thousand Springs Route. Along the cliffs that formed the canyon which the river ran through were random water falls. Some in the middle, some at the top, some at the bottom. The most spectacular of them all required a little off-roading. Shoshone Falls. Wow. What a beautiful sight. The sun was shining and formed a perfect rainbow across the falls. Back on the interstate the scenery began to change once again and snow-capped mountains came into view. We were nearing Wyoming. Those had to be the Tetons. No, not quite but getting closer. I noticed my my car having to work harder and realized we were climbing. We first drove over Pine Creek Pass. "Entering Wyoming." Another state checked off. Now these were mountains. We then took the Teton Scenic Route. Wow. "That's beautiful" is all I could say. A few more mountains to pass and then there we were. Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Not the bustling resort town that it probably is during the ski season but still a good amount of people out wandering around. Dad and I decided to do the same after a long ride. We walked through the town square and visited a few shops. Checked on the real estate. I think it is safe to say that I will not be purchasing a 5 million dollar home anytime soon. We also checked out the visitor center and the Elk Preserve. There were probably a couple hundred elk out in the field. According to the statistics at the center, approximately 7,000 elk will come to the valley by January. I bet that is a site to see. Dinner and to bed. Stayed at a little place called The Painted Buffalo. Made me want to see some bison. 418 miles traveled.

Monday, November 5, 2007
DAY THREE:
My car says 20 degrees. It is Cold! Goal today-Rapid City, South Dakota. Left Jackson Hole heading toward Yellowstone. Around the corner and vavoom. Now those are the Tetons. The sun was rising and providing a spotlight for the snow-covered, jagged peaks. It seemed that no matter how far we drove from the Tetons, they were always there. (Side note-not able to go to Yellowstone. Closed all entrances except the northeast route yesterday. Just a day or two short.) The Tetons eventually did disappear as we climbed higher and higher and more and more snow appeared. We entered the Teton National Forest. Mountains, trees, snow. White fields with animal tracks everywhere. Small tracks and large tracks. What could they be? We got our answer. Found two moose beside the road (the large tracks). Dad wouldn't let me get to close to them. Drove a little farther and saw a red fox out in the middle of a snow covered field (the small tracks). He never noticed us and trotted along. Made dad get out of the car and play in the snow. He was very excited to see the Extension project and the boardwalk near us. This was great. I loved every minute of it. With views like this, I could drive all day. We eventually came down out of the mountains and found red rock hills and plateaus. What a transition. A friendly man at the service station in Dubois, Wyoming, highlighted my map with suggestions for a scenic route. We drove through Wind Canyon and I think my mouth was open wide the whole time. We went through tunnels and watched the train tracks on the other side of the canyon disappear in the mountain and reappear again. This drive keeps getting better and better. We drove through Thermopolis, Wyoming and saw the "world's largest hot springs." We stopped in Ten Sleep, Wyoming for a break and saw a sign answering our question, "how did it get its name?" The Indians had no method for calculating miles. So instead, they measured their journey by how many times they stopped to sleep. Thus, Ten Sleep was named. One more mountain pass to cover. The Big Horns. Unfortunately, we did not get to view the highest point of the Big Horns. Once we reached the top, we were in the clouds. The temp dropped quickly and the trees were frozen. Uh-oh. Did we need those chains now? We inched along, the clouds broke, and the sun started shining. Alpines that looked like flocked Christmas trees lined the road. Ice covered lakes with the clouds above glistened in the sun. Time again for a change of scenery. Mountains turned into prairies. We say deer and antelope everywhere. We frequently passed large flashing signs stating "Stay alert and watch for deer." Even saw a few buffalo. Crossed into South Dakota. Yet another state to check off. 571 miles traveled.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007
DAY FOUR:
Chilly! 10 degrees. Goal today-Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Before reaching our destination we had some things to see. Mt. Rushmore being one of those. I had only seen the four famous guys in pictures. Walking up to the monument through the avenue of flags, I began to realize magnitude of these sculptures and the skill it took to create them. With not a cloud in the sky, the sun was shining on Mt. Rushmore with a brilliant blue sky as a backdrop. This was of course how the sculpture intended it to be. Dad and I just sat there and stared in amazement. Well enough looking at four dead presidents. We drove through the Black Hills National Forest across the pig tail bridges and through one-way tunnels that required honking to alert oncoming traffic. I am so glad we chose to make this drive. Again, just beautiful. We eventually made it to Custer State Park which has a buffalo preserve. I was going to get to see buffalo. What I didn't realize was how up close and personal we were going to be. They ruled the road and you yielded to them. Signs stated, "buffalo are dangerous, do not approach" and I began to wonder if I was going to leave with some dents in my car. Luckily, they minded their own business. We also saw a few mountain goats. I was very content with what we had seen already but there was more to come. On our way to the Badlands, we passed about 25 miles of entertaining signs for Wall Drug. They guaranteed 6 ft tall rabbits, dinosaurs, 5 cent coffee, western wear, etc. We were both intrigued so we stopped. The signs ended up being more entertaining but I guess they worked. We stopped. The Badlands were impressive but not overly exciting. I enjoyed the many prairie dogs and their mounds along the way. One more thing to see before we reached Sioux Falls...the Corn Palace! Mitchell, South Dakota has a "palace" which is just a building but very interesting. The building is covered with murals made out of corn cobs, grains, seeds, etc. Worth the stop. 454 miles traveled.

Wednesday, November 7. 2007
DAY FIVE:
Not as cold today. Goal-St. Louis Missouri. Our hotel was off of 29 south. We figured since we were already headed south, why not continue. No sight-seeing to see today. Just driving. Iowa has to be one of the most boring states that I have ever driven through. Corn, tractors, fields, silos....the scenery never changed. We just drove and drove and drove. Finally, Missouri and then St. Louis! Whew, I need some sleep. 612 miles traveled.

Thursday, November 8, 2007
DAY SIX:
It's getting warmer. Goal-Prentiss Mississippi. Reserved a cheap room, with a hot meal and turn down service for the night. Mom even agreed to leave chocolates on my pillow. We started off the day with a walk on the river front to view the Gateway Arch. The sun was glistening off the silver arches. The trees lining the walk way still displayed the fall colors and the mighty Mississippi flowed to the left of us. We were not far from home. Crossed into Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee. Considered stopping by Graceland. Quickly forgot about that as we crossed into Mississippi. The last leg of the trip. Six days, five nights, and nine states later, we arrived. Dad turned out to be a great travel buddy and I learned things about him that I never knew before. I can now identify rice and alfalfa and know more about hay than I ever thought I would. I am grateful for the experience that we had, safe travels, and most of all, home!

Flying Fish, Fresh Cut Flowers, and a Space Needle

Okay, business first. I have a little over a week and a half left here in Oregon and I am anticipating my return home. I will be heading to New Bern, North Carolina for my next assignment. It's not as close to home as I would have like to have been, but at least it is on the same coast.

Now on to the fun stuff. In my quest to see every state in the US, I knew that I was too close to Washington to not take the opportunity to visit. Even thought it is only about an 8 hour drive, I chose to fly...I will reserve the driving for the 3,000 miles it will take to get back home. Seattle was just as I had imagined it from the movies and pictures that I have seen...wet, rainy, windy, with the sun breaking through the clouds occasionally. My overall impression of Seattle: beautiful and charming with a bunch of grumpy people. Not that everyone was this way, but it seemed the majority of people that I passed all had sour looks on their faces. Is it the rain and climate? Maybe. One place though, that seemed to have happy people was Pike Place Market. Immediately you see beautiful, over-sized flower arrangements being diligently made by the SE Asian Hmong women. Walk a little farther and mounds of colorful fruits and veggies abound. Vendors were every where displaying their crafts. The main attraction though, was the entertaining fishmongers at Pike Fish Market hurling fish high over customers to the countertops to be weighed and wrapped for travel. Much to my dismay, you had to purchase a fish to be able to catch it. Honestly, I didn't want to bother with flying back with a large fish that I wouldn't know how to cook. I was also disappointed to learn that I would not see a geoduck in person (you will have to look this up yourself). Anyway, did get to see some flying fish and purchase some smoked salmon. I can't leave out the gum wall. It is located in an alley near the market. You guessed it...already chewed gum stuck to the side of a wall. Quite interesting. Across from Pike Place Market was the original Starbucks' which started back in 1971. Not a big thrill for me. Being as Seattle is known for its coffee, I made it my mission to sample all the local brands. My winner- Tully's. What it lacked in atmosphere, it made up in flavor. I think I stayed jacked up on caffeine all weekend long.

The view from the hotel was spacey. Seattle's architectural icon, the Space Needle, was framed perfectly by the window and was a short walk away. At about 600 ft, the ride up the vintage, external elevators to the top was enjoyable, but the 360 degree panoramic view while dining at the revolving Space City restaraunt was awesome. I quickly got over my motion sickness and enjoy the great food. Another great view of the city was from the top of the Smith's Tower, built in 1914. It was once the tallest building west of New York. The history of this building is fascinating, especially the Chinese Room with its antique carvings and inlaid porcelain ceiling.

One final point of interest and probably my favorite of the whole trip was the Hiram C. Chittenden Locks and the adjacent salmon ladders. The Locks are like the Panama Canal but on a much smaller scale. I still marveled at the engineering it took to raise and lower the ships and boats allowing them to pass. The salmon ladder was equally exciting. You could go below and actually view the salmon jumping and moving upstream through the large glass windows. I found myself cheering for the little guys (and extremely large guys). "Go, go, swim, swim!"

Although a cab would have seemed like the sensible option for maneuvering around the city, I got plenty of exercise by exploring on foot. I am glad I did though because I really got a flavor for the city and its many different areas. From Freemont with its trendy and artsy boutiques and restaurants, to Queen Anne with its elaborate houses on the hill; From Ballard with its enduring charm and small town feel , to Downtown with its business district and what seemed like a large homeless population; From Lake Union with its boat houses and Center for Wooden Boats, to Pioneer Square and its underground city, I was satisfied that I had seen most of Seattle and had done this in only 2 days.

Boot Camp, Chemistry, and Hiking

Started off the weekend with a little bowling with friends. Not being the best bowler in the world, I finally broke 100 and was satisfied. Perhaps I was more concerned about the young mom who was bowling with her premature infant. Yep, baby in one arm, bowling with the other. Don't worry, she took an occasional cigarette break and sang a few karaoke songs...rednecks do exist every where.


Saturday started off in a fog. Literally, there were fog clouds hanging low in the sky of the Applegate Valley. This did not deter me from Harvest Boot Camp though and the clouds would soon clear. Now I am sure that you are wondering, "what is harvest boot camp?" To be honest, I didn't really know what I had signed up for. All I knew was that I was suppose to wear something that I did not mind getting dirty. Hum? I was glad to find out there was no drill sergeant, no cadences or no push-ups. Just Chris, the owner, there to welcome us. I was given a pair of shears, a few five gallon buckets and sent out into the vineyard with "master picker" Dustin to remove the bunches of grapes from the young Cabernet Sauvignon vines. I would take clipping grapes from vines over picking tomatoes any day...sorry Dad. Thank goodness I was able to go at a leisurely rate. If I were on the clock, I would have been expected to pick 1 ton of grapes by the end of the day (that's one person). It was quite pleasant and relaxing clipping the clusters of grapes, and I soon forgot about the propane cannon that blasted frequently to scare the birds away.


Next we went back up to the processing area and removed the MOG (material other than grapes) as the "fruits of my labored" passed before me on the conveyor belt. The pressure was on. Not only because the belt was moving so quickly, but if the small green grapes (immature grapes) and jacks (AKA stems) were not removed, they could completely alter the taste of the wine. I could not be responsible for botching a batch. Next, I was able to spend some time with Herb, the "winemaker" for a little chemistry 101. He removed samples from the large vats and taught me how to measure the sugar, temperature and describe the taste sensation I was experiencing. This is logged daily and alterations are made as needed to achieve the final product. I soon realized, that Herb was the genius behind a good bottle wine. The day ended with a little wine tasting and lunch outside with all the staff and fellow boot campers. What an amazing day. I received a certificate and t-shirt for my efforts and a greater appreciation for a good bottle of wine. In 2 years or more, I will be long gone from southern Oregon, but the grapes that I helped pick will be bottled and ready to consume. I will be on the look out for Troon's Cabernet Sauvignon 2007.

Ended the day with a sunset hike up to Lower Table Rock. What an amazing view of the Valley and what a great way to end a perfect day. Don't worry mom, I went with someone this time.

Sunday was a lazy day to begin with. It was beautiful. Played a tiring game of tennis, rested on a blanket in the park, and finished the day off with a little tossing of the Frisbee. Can't wait for next weekend. Flying to Seattle. Hopefully, I will have some great pictures and fun stories to share.

Purging, Painting and Productivity

While my past weekend was uneventful, it was productive. I have begun the count down and thus the purging process has been initiated. The goal-it will all fit into the trunk. Finished a book, completed a few errands, and tried to figure out how to work my new camera. I see a photography class in my future. I also drove to Grants Pass and went to the street painting festival. They blocked off a whole street and local artists from the area, on hand and knees, created these amazing paintings from chalk on the black asphalt. They also had a section for kids to create their own paintings. Grants Pass' downtown is very historical and lined with cute little shops, restaurants and pubs. I took a back road home and enjoyed the view of the Applegate Valley with kaleidoscope of colors emerging from the side of the mountains. Fall is really beautiful here.

Still hoping for an assignment close to home but not ruling out other possibilities. Have a few fun things planned before I head home. Going to a vineyard to help harvest grapes this weekend. I know...a little crazy. I am volunteering for manual labor. Should be a fun experience though. Also have a trip to Seattle planned. I figure I am this close, I should go visit. Hope to catch a fish at Pike's Market. Hope you are all doing well. Looking forward to visiting soon.

Snow in the East, Rain in the West, and Sunshine in Between

When I first started traveling, my family all said, "Great, we will come visit you wherever you are." A year and a half later and they finally followed through on their promise. My mom and sister arrived last week both looking a little green. I had warned them that flying into the valley was rough but from the looks on their faces they had figured that out. I only had one remedy for them...chocolate. We strolled through Harry and David's and made a few selections before I gave them a quick tour of the valley. Needless to say they were both exhausted from their journey, so we retired for the night but stayed up long enough to catch up with each other.

Our first day of travel was cold and dreary and led us to historic Jacksonville. We shopped in the many stores and I showed them the manicured downtown and the somewhat freaky "Pleasantville"-like neighborhoods. We warmed up with a cup of chowder at Bella Union before driving into the Applegate Valley for a little wine tasting. Well, maybe I should clarify...Melissa and I did a little wine tasting. We walked through the rows of grape vines. Who knew that Cabernet Sauvignon grapes actually look like big blueberries. Even though there was light mist, it was a beautiful sight to view the vineyard with the cloud-covered mountains in the background. Having felt satisfied that they had a true wine tasting experience we drove to Ashland. I wanted them to really get a feel for the unique populous that is Ashland. From the hippie, to the alternative trendy; from the gender confused to the hoity toity, they saw it all. We enjoyed visiting with a friend and touring an Ashland home before we went to eat at Dragonfly. We completed the night by watching a chick flick.

Saturday had to be one of the highlights of our trip. While it was a bit chilly, it was very fitting for the scenery that we were about to view. The road leading up to Crater Lake had a fresh blanket of snow covering the ground and the trees. As we were driving through this winter (actually fall) wonderland, snow was falling from the tree limbs, giving the illusion that it was falling from the sky. While Crater Lake is still amazing and doesn't seem to get old, the snow covered mountains were absolutely beautiful. We got in a few snowball fights enjoyed the powdery snow before driving back down the mountain. We stopped on the way home and viewed a lava tub and hiked to two waterfalls. After daring my sister to crawl out on a rock for an action shot, my mom turned away and stated, "Daphne, she has two kids." I guess I will have to be the one to stick to the wild adventures. We climbed over boulders to get a better view of the river. Mom watched from afar and just shook her head. I suppose I am rubbing off on my sister. We were all tired from our hike, so we had dinner on the river and headed home.

While it seemed that our final day of travel would be spoiled by the rainy weather, we still had a great time. The drive through the National Redwood Forest was beautiful, as it meandered along the Smith River and offered amazing views of the gorges. We all felt small and insignificant compared to the redwoods and also to Paul and his blue ox. I won't explain...just refer to the picture. The view of the Oregon coast was somewhat limited due to the heavy rain, but that didn't stop us from searching for the best view points. I think we were successful and Mom and Melissa were impressed by rugged and spectacular coastline. We spent the rest of the night reviewing our photos, recalling funny moments, and watching the season premiere of Desperate Housewives.

It was a great girls weekend. Thanks again Mom and Melissa. Maybe you will inspire others to come visit too. Love ya!

Historic Towns, Jumping Fish, and Parks

I have been taking it easy lately, but that doesn't mean that I have not been exploring. This past weekend, I went with some friends on a moderate hike along the "Wild and Scenic" Rogue River. The hike was very picturesque as we meandered along the clear, green river waters through the canyon. Our trail ended at Rainie Falls, a large rapid which I can only describe as "angry". The water was churning out of control. We took a resting place on some rocks near the rapid. Much to my amazement and sheer excitement, a large salmon jumped out of the river and up the rapid. We watched this occur about 10 times before we hiked back. I have never seen that happen. Most of these salmon had to be at least 2 feet or more. It was awesome. Sunday was beautiful and I spent it playing tennis in Lithia park. While playing tennis, there was a doe and three fawns across the street just grazing. After playing tennis, relaxed on a blanket in the park and read a book.

Went back to the Applegate Valley to attend church. It is still held outdoors in an amphitheater. It absolutely beautiful. I am getting quite used to spreading out my blanket and kicking back while we sing and listen to the sermon. Then we have dinner on the grounds. I have been doing more shopping lately too. I am trying to stock up on souvenirs for everyone. Ashland and Jacksonville are very trendy and historic and offer an excellent selection of shopping. Still taking tennis lessons and playing as often as possible. I am surprisingly getting better.

Heading to Portland this weekend with a co-worker for a conference. We are hopefully going to be able to go to Body Worlds while we are there. Starting my count down-for real this time. Can't wait to come home and visit. Hope everyone is doing well.

Lounge Lizards, Craters, and Kayaking

Wow! What a week it has been. Many thanks to Wendy for visiting. I know she is exhausted. I kept her moving...but there is so much to see. I didn't want her to miss anything. It is always nice to see a familiar face...feels a little closer to home.


Where do I begin? Went to a "lounge lizard" party on Wednesday night. Wendy got to meet the Oregon gang. We all enjoyed some not so traditional games. Lots of fun though. Thursday night, we enjoyed the venue at Britt Festival. Saw Chris Botti-a jazzy trumpet player. I thought he was hot until I looked him up on the internet. He looks better from a distance. Friday night, we had tickets to go to Romeo and Juliet at the Shakespeare Festival. We dined at the DragonFly before the play. They serve a fusion of Latin and Asian food. Their theme is "be curious"... I was. Tried caviar for the first time on top of baked plantains. The rich and famous can keep their hors d' oeuvres. Romeo and Juliet was long but wonderful with its medieval setting and many modern twists. My favorite thing about the play was that it was performed on the Elizabethan stage which is outdoors. Not wanting to end the night but having a hard time staying awake, we dropped in the Black Sheep Pub to give Wendy a taste of the night life. That's about all we had and then we went home.


By Saturday we began to drag a little bit. We ate a scrumptious breakfast at Morning Glory to get energized. I gladly made the drive back to Crater Lake to show Wendy the sapphire blue water. I will have to admit that while Crater Lake is still amazing, I enjoyed it better with the snow. We stopped by Becky's, a restaurant on the way to Crater Lake, to pick up her much talked-about huckleberry pie. We stopped to see the lava tubes before heading back. Saturday night opted out of "nerd night" and watched a movie instead. I know you must be wondering what is "nerd night"? Basically, the gang dresses up like nerds and goes out dancing. We were very entertained as they modeled their outfits while in full character. I couldn't let Wendy leave without showing her the huge Redwoods. Sunday we drove through a portion of the Redwood National Forest on our way to the coast. We hiked a few trails, saw some seals, and waded in the tidal pools on the beach. I can never get tired of the absolute beauty of the Oregon coast. Needless to say, Sunday night we went to bed early. Monday was full of adventure too. We went kayaking on the Applegate river. It was very peaceful floating through the small canyons and looking down into the clear river water. We stopped in an eddy and picked some wild blackberries...yum. We completed the day with a little vino tasting at Troon Vineyard, where I plan to return later in October to stomp some grapes.


So it would seem that my time here will be extended yet again. I now will officially be completing my assignment on Nov. 2nd. I promise this is the last time. Hopefully my next adventure will be as great as this one has been.

Spam disappointment and Lava beds

This week was pretty mild compared to the past few. Still taking tennis lessons and thought I was getting better until this past session. Let's hope next week is better. Anticipating Wendy's arrival. She is coming to visit with me for about a week. I am so excited.

Friday night was devoted to cleaning up my condo. Saturday, I was so pumped about attending the Spam Festival in Shady Cove. This is 1 of 3 official Spam Festivals in the world. Having never consumed Spam nor attending a festival devoted to Spam, I was intrigued. All of my excitement quickly fizzled. I missed the parade because I was stuck in traffic. Once I arrived in Shady Cove and made my first loop around the booths, I realized this was no more than a glorified flea market. Only one booth had Spam paraphernalia. At least the people watching was good. So my friends and I opted for eating at a Mexican restaurant on the river. Not exactly Spam, but good food and a great view of the Rogue River. Seeking more adventure, Stephanie and I ventured out to find Butte Falls. Let's just say another disappointment. I was expecting at least 100 ft falls or more...it was about 10. At least Saturday night ended on a good note. Went to a pub to hear some blue grass with several people. After watching the incense, infused hippies dance barefoot on the dance floor, we all decided by default (Ally) to join in. It was a knee-slapping, toe-tapping good time!!

Sunday was no disappointment. Went with several friends to the Lava Beds National Monument. This turned out to be more than I expected. Over the last half-million years, volcanic eruptions on the Medicine Lake shield volcano created a rugged landscape dotted with cinder cones, lava flows, spatter cones, lava tube caves and pit craters. The caves were first developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1930's for public access. There are over 600 caves. Being as we only had a day, we were only able to explore 3-4 caves. Complete with our hard hats (or as they call them "bumphats") and flashlights (which are a must), we crouched, crawled under and over rocks, and performed the occasional duck walk to miss the low and sharp cave ceilings. It was a little eery as you walked deeper and deeper into these caves and farther and farther away from the light, not knowing what was ahead. Several of the caves have ice floors. Some of the caves were closed off due to bats. We finished off the day viewing petroglyph point, a formation created when volcanic tuff erupted from the floor of ancient Tule Lake to form an island. Waves undercut the cliff, and early people paddled out in boats to carve images in the rock. There is more Native American rock art here than anywhere else in California. Modoc Indian stories are still told about this formation. It was also very interesting because the weather has created crevices and now prairie falcons, great horned owls, and even Canada geese make their nests there. It looked liked someone had randomly poured white paint all across the huge rock...but not so. Just bird poop!

Starting the count down. Will know soon where I am going next.

Star gazing and Sea Lions

Wow, I have two weeks worth of things to catch up on. Let's see if I can make it the abbreviated version. I will start with this past weekend, since it is fresh on my mind. Drove to the coast Friday night to Bandon. Stayed in a cute little inn that overlooks the Coquille River flowing into the ocean and "Old Town Bandon". Walked down into this cute little Sea side town with tons of character and charm and started off Saturday with breakfast at the Minute Cafe. Walked around for a while and explored the many shops. Particularly enjoyed the hand-made candy and chocolate store...free samples, yum. Even the beer candy was good. That's right beer candy. Anyway, their specialty involves cranberries. For those trivia buffs, Bandon and the Oregon coast produce the majority of cranberries in the US. Ocean Spray has contracts with most of the farmers. So learned about the bogs and sampled berries. Also, visited an art gallery and finally did what I have been saying I was going to. I purchased some art painted by a local. And of course, I bought an ornament. For those of you that don't know it, I buy Christmas ornaments from every place that I visit. The only thing is, it has to be something representative of that area or something that I did. I hope to one day have a Christmas tree full of ornaments from all of my travels.

That afternoon, went to the West Coast Game Park Safari. There are free-roaming wildlife that you can pet and feed. In total there are 450 animals representing 75 species. A little stinky and tricky to walk around (watch where you step)....but fun and interesting. Drove along the coast and reached Face Rock. There are tons of off shore rocks and rocks near the shore with caves that you can explore. Absolutely beautiful!! After playing on the beach and taking a little siesta, headed back to the boat launch in Bandon for a little kayaking in the Coquille. Wasn't brave enough to head out into the ocean, but did make it far enough to see the lighthouse. Paddling was difficult with all the currents and totally made me exhausted. Luckily, had enough left in me to eat at the Wild Rose which had scrumptious, fresh seafood in a cozy atmosphere.

Sunday was rainy but ended being my favorite exploration. Kept driving up the coastline to a little town called Charleston. Visited Sunset State Park which had amazing views of the cliffs, seascapes, and crashing waves. A little farther up, at Simpson Reef and Shell Island, from the overlook you could see and hear endless numbers of Seals and Sea Lions. I have never seen anything like that. At the tip of the Cape, Cape Arago, was another great place to view the rocks and crashing waves. Spotted a humpback whale making its migration. Also visited Shore Acres State Park. I truly cannot describe this view...was what I call a "go God moment". Walked around the botanical gardens (formally a private estate in 1921) and marveled at the displays of floral and scenic beauty. Not wanting to get home late, started heading back. Just when I thought my adventure was over, spotted a sign for Elk viewing. Little did I know how much viewing there would be. The first field had about 8-9 elk just sitting there. Down the road, another field had about 20 or so. Overall, a great weekend!

So I won't bore you, I will make the rest short. I just have to mention the star gazing. Last week went with a large group of people to the top of Mt. Ashland to view the Perseid Meteor Shower. I don't think I have been closer to the sky nor had that view. The meteors sailed across and lit up the sky as their tails faded. One actually looked like it exploded. Everything was so clear up there. Also played in the park one day with a group of people. We were celebrating Julie's half birthday. It was complete with relay races and singing half of the birthday song...you would just have to be there. Went rafting again on the Rogue which was fun and visited an art festival in Shady Cove. Walked around Ashland and sat in the shade of the trees in Lithia park listening to Blue Grass music. Still having a blast and loving the West Coast. Whew...I think that is it, give or take a few details. Hope you are all doing great.

Wow is it hot!

Finally made it home for a much needed vacation. I have become quite accustomed to working three months and then taking a month off. So, extending this contract and not having my month off has been difficult. Traveling back home across the country was an all day affair. All of my flights were delayed but I managed to arrived only 30 minutes behind schedule. As I walked out of the airport in New Orleans, I suddenly remembered something...heat and humidity. I instantly felt that sticky, hot feeling. My hair screamed and frizzed out. Ah, to be back in the south.

Anyway, moving along. Visiting with my family and friends was wonderful. I just needed some more time. You don't realize how much you miss everyone until you are around them. My niece and nephews are growing like weeds but are so much fun. My dad is up to his nose in tomatoes right now. My mom is enjoying her new dining room table which is so big my nephew designated the chairs at each end as the "king and queen" chairs. My brother is all geared up for football (he is a coach). Life as we all know it, stops during football season. My sister is busy with the boys, and they are a handful-cute-but a handful.

Life in the south is just as I remember it, except for one thing. I cannot forget to mention my house. I have a new tenant in my house that I am currently renting out. So, I wanted to do a walk through to make sure that she was taking care of things. When I left my house a year and a half ago, it was cute, manicured, and one of the nicest houses on the block. Let's just say that I was very disappointed when I did my first drive by. The house is hiding behind all of the over grown plants. The yard needs to be mowed. There is a basketball goal just sitting in the front yard. There are some metal things laying up against the side of the house. And I most certainly cannot leave out the large cement lion statues that are sitting in front of the house at the edge of the sidewalk, my ranch style house. The lions are very out of place. Hopefully my chat with the tenant and the rental company will correct all of that. The real bummer of my whole trip was the gaping hole in my house from rotting wood that now has to be repaired. Oh the joys of owning a home.

I finally made it back to Oregon but only after rescheduling my flights about five different times. Flying across the country is no easy task. I am not looking forward to returning to work but I am looking forward to more exploring. I already miss my family and friends from back home and I am looking forward to returning again in October. Hope everyone is doing well.

Flying Kites and Spinning Rides

The weather is beautiful again and was perfect for a Saturday afternoon ride into the Applegate Valley for a little wine tasting. I had already been to three of the larger vineyards, so Karen and I decided to try out the small vineyards. The first was wonderful. A breeze was blowing, a man was playing a guitar and singing, and the view of rows of grape vines with the mountains in the background was beautiful. Each wine had a story behind it and the owner gladly shared this with us. I was not crazy about the second vineyard but the third had tons of charm as it was small and family owned. This owner also shared many fascinating details about the history of the vineyard. I was informed that in late September, during harvesting of the grapes, I could possibly stomp some grapes. Lucy looked like she had fun doing it, why not?


Saturday night would not be a bore either. I was somehow talked into going to the county fair. While listening to Joan Jet sing "I love rockin' roll" was a highlight, the "people watching" was far better. Why is that county fairs bring out the cream of the crop? I felt special to have all of my teeth and not one tattoo on my body. I also learned that apparently as you age, you do not tolerate fast, spinning rides that flip you upside down. I felt nauseated more than once that night...or maybe it was the fair food.

Sunday had to be my favorite day. Several of us went to the coast to Brookings (pop. 6,000) for the Annual Kite Festival. I really didn't know what to expect as I had never been to a kite festival, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed myself. There is something very relaxing about sitting and watching these beautiful kites sore through the air. The fact that the ocean was right behind us didn't hurt either. The amazing thing is the passion that these people had about their kites. Met a man named Rob Craw who has traveled around the world to International kite festivals, and he was very kind to let me fly one of his kites. Who knew this was so popular. They also had people performing to choreographed music. It was actually quite fascinating to watch this group of four men make formations and trails with their kites. My favorite was "Big Bear" a forty foot kite that took a lot manuevering to get into the air.


After the kite festival we all went to the beach. The Oregon coast is absolutely gorgeous. You really need to see it for yourself. The water was warm enough to play in and the beach had plenty of shells and rocks to comb through. We had all worked up an appetite and of course had to have some seafood before we left.


After a long weekend of fun, I was exhausted and crashed very quickly. It is finally time to go home. I am very excited. This will be a much needed vacation. I have become quite accustomed to working for three months and taking a break. Hope to see some of you soon!!

House of Mystery

So my last weekend started off low key. Went to a chic flick with the girls on Friday night. Saturday, I set out on an adventure (since I haven't been on one lately and was itching to do so). Found the House of Mystery at the Oregon Vortex. Let me try to explain...supposedly it is a spherical field of force, half above the ground and half below. There are certain spots that you can't stand erect due to the magnetic fields. You could roll a golf ball on a downward slope and it would roll right back up. Brooms stood upright. Although I witnessed some of these things myself, I am a little sceptical or maybe just a realist. Maybe there is something to it. Anyway, traveled on and drove up a curvy but scenic road to reach the Oregon Caves. This is a national monument, designated by President William Howard Taft in 1909. As soon as you stepped in front of the entrance, the temperature dropped to 40 degrees, and it stays that way inside the cave year round. The caves were cold, wet, and in many spots the narrow passages and low ceilings required you to bend and squat down while you walked. The caves are made of marble but are mostly covered with calcite, which creates fascinating sculptures. At one point, we were standing there after we had walked deep into the cave, and the dim lights that helped guide our steps along the way were turned off. Total darkness...really couldn't see the hand in front of my face. Very eerie. I think it is safe to say that I will never be a spelunker. Returned home, took a power nap, and headed out to eat with some friends.


Sunday was full of adventure too. Drove up past Crater Lake to discover some waterfalls. The first was Toketee Falls. What it lacked in height (90 ft) it made up in beauty. From the top the water cascades into a small pool which continues on and falls into a much larger pool of clear green water. Will post a picture. The second waterfall, Watson Falls, is the tallest fall in Southern Oregon. While not as impressive as Toketee, it was very majestic and mysterious as the mist from the water crashing onto the rocks below floated through the air. Was going to try to go view and possibly take a dip in the hot springs. However, after over-hearing a family (that was also viewing the waterfall) make the statement that they were going to go get in the hot springs, I quickly decided against it. It was not that I was concerned about overcrowding but more about what I would consider an extremely excessive case of "grocery store feet". The whole family was filthy. Maybe another day.


Things have cooled down this past week. The sky is a still bit hazy from all the forest fires. Thought our concert was going to get rained out, but it didn't. Went back to Britt Festival Wednesday night with some friends and listened to Lyle Lovette and k.d. lang. Both were excellent. I don't ever think that the setting and venue will ever get old. I know I have described it before, but the sun setting and then the lights from the city appearing from the valley are beautiful. While the music was good, I will not soon forget our cherry pit spitting competition. Yes, that is correct. We had a spitting competition (mom I know you are proud). Sad to say that even with my competitive nature, I lost by one. You truly had to be there to understand.

Heading home next weekend. Can't wait to see everyone!!!!

STARS AND STRIPES:

What a busy week. I don't know if having a day off in the middle of the week is such a good thing. Went to the Ashland 4th of July Parade. It was so much fun. This is a big event here. People place tarps and chairs in the medians and on the sides of the street a day in advance to reserve a good spot for the parade. You can see a little bit of everything...from politicians to scantily clad tattooed women walking with carousels to bald eagles to colorfully decorated cars complete with legs, troll dolls etc. attached to them. Point is, not what you would expect from a 4th of July parade but lots of fun!!! A day of kayaking followed the parade. About 8 of us paddled our way down the Applegate River. Good thing the river was so cold because it was very hot (but still no comparison to the south and our humidity). A little side note: I have learned that when talking to people here that I have to specify that the "south" I am referring to is the "deep south/south shall rise again" and not Southern California. Okay, back to kayaking. Wrapped my kayak around a rock and had to get help getting it off. Even though the current we were in was not significantly strong, it is amazing how powerful it is when your kayak is submerged in a rapid. Anyway, no injuries...made it out okay. After a day of paddling in the sun, we were all beat. Had just enough energy though to purchase some sparklers, crash a cookout, and catch a somewhat limited view of some fireworks. All in all, a fun but exhausting day.



Friday night had to be one of the highlights of the week though. Went back to Britt festival and heard Allison Kraus. I can't begin to explain how peaceful and relaxing it is to sit back and recline on a blanket, partake of a picnic and some local wine, and listen to great music all while watching the sun set on the mountains in the distance. It truly doesn't get any better than that. A big thanks to Eric for scoring some tickets!! Saturday was a cleansing day. By that I mean I cleaned up and did laundry. Had a cookout by the pool with several friends and played "washers"(a fun yard game). Sunday went to church and met a friend for lunch in Ashland. Walked through the arts and crafts fair and finished the day with some ice cream.



It is starting to heat up here. The job is a little busy since I am the only therapist right now, but I do love the overtime pay! Summer is in full swing and I am looking forward to all of the festivals and recreational activities. Hope you are all doing well. Miss you tons.



Daphne

Kayaking on the Applegate

The weeks seem to fly by here. Kinda had low key weekend. So, it would seem that my new fun sports (tennis, ultimate Frisbee) are creating some over-use of my muscles and I now have shin splints. I am having difficulty running more than 5 minutes. Now I must decide what to eliminate to give my legs a rest. Spent the majority of my weekend moving into an new apartment. Long story short...my neighbor smokes and it was coming into my apartment. I couldn't handle it any more and since the maintenance guy's idea of a quick fix (cardboard/duct tape covering a hole in the wall in the closet) did not work, they had no choice but to move me. Had a cookout this past week for some of the other travelers who are about to leave. Lot of fun...yard games, food, music.

Saturday was a long, fun and active day. Started off with a bike ride in the Applegate Valley and then went kayaking down the Applegate River. This was my first time to go kayaking. Luckily, only had one accident and got stuck under a tree, but I was able to get out with a little help. It was so peaceful and serene for the most part.

Got up and went to church this morning. It is so pretty. It is an outdoor service in an amphitheater. There are enough trees to provide shade so it is comfortable. I have never experienced a service like this...surrounding the stage area are beautiful flowers, plants and a waterfall flowing into a small stone pool. This is where they baptize. It not like what I am use to where you schedule when you are going to be baptized. Instead, when you walk down and make a profession of faith, you are baptized right then and there. Very neat.

I hope you are all doing well. I miss you all. Come visit. It is beautiful here!!!

"The San Francisco Treat"

Wow, I have two weeks worth to catch you up on. Where do I start. I am torn on Thursday nights now between playing Ultimate Frisbee and going to EdenDale Vineyard for "Jazz in the Garden". It was so pretty to watch the sun set over the vineyard while listening to music and enjoying sampling the local wines. The Britt Festival is going on now and lasts until September. It takes place in historic Jacksonville (a cute little town but almost too perfect) in an outdoor amphitheater. Musical acts from all over play all during the week. Went to see Indigo Girls and Brandi Carlisle. How relaxing to sit on a blanket, enjoy a picnic and watch the sun set while listening to music. Minus the lesbian love fest (sorry I know that wasn't too PC), it was wonderful. Going back to hear Lyle Lovett soon. Still taking tennis lessons and surprisingly getting better. Went hiking up to Pilot Rock with some friends. Reaching the summit was very difficult and involved some actual rock climbing. The view from the top was amazing.

The most exciting thing that I have done recently was my weekend trip to San Francisco. While the trip was more business than pleasure, I loved it. Went down for a conference. Got to visit with 2 cousins that I have not seen in over 6 years. Both live in SF. It was a great and fun reunion. Tried my best to avoid all the festivities associated with Pride Weekend. Also got to visit with Stephen, Nick and Mike at the Giants and Yankees game. Thanks again Stephen for the invite....I had a great time!!! It was awesome to sit and watch a baseball game while viewing the bay and sailboats surrounding the stadium. Even joined in with a few "boos" after B. Bonds was consistently walked and not allowed to hit. Hiked on a trail with my cousins until we came out to a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Was only my first visit to SF, but I will definitely go back and visit again.

Hope everyone is doing well. Looking forward to coming home to visit soon!!!

Cultural Experiences

Well, nothing too exciting to write about but definitely some cultural experiences to share. A few weekends ago, I went to "Baga Fete". This is a traditional celebration of West African music, dance and culture. The Baga ethnic group is located in Guinea, West Africa. The drumming (by hand, not with drum sticks) was fascinating as they produced rhythms by which the girls danced to. We are not talking the two-step or the waltz but full out African dancing with flailing hands and big movements. At the end, the raising of the "Kakilambe Mask" was performed which is invocation of positive hopes for the community in the coming year. You were invited to dance around the mask and throw what looked like crushed corn. While this was very interesting I must tell you about the location of the event. It was held at Wellsprings which is a natural hot springs spa. Until that night, I had not seen a lot hippy, granola, tree hugging people like I expected to see when I first arrived to Oregon. That all changed. It was like a little hidden community. They had tents, trailers and RVs everywhere. Lots of dreads, long hair, no make-up, tie-dye, flowing clothes, etc. We went to view the natural springs before the performance began. There were several people in the water and walking/lying around. Apparently after 8pm, clothes are optional. I believe it was about 8:30 at that time. You get the picture.


This past weekend, I went with a group of people on a jet boat ride through Hellgate Canyon. If you remember the movie, A River Wild, it was filmed in this canyon. It was a fast, wet ride. We sped over the water very quickly and then suddenly did a 360(many, many times). No staying dry on this ride. We saw a sea otter, 2 bald eagles, osprey, and wild goats on the mountainside.
Coming home for a brief visit at the end of July. Hope to be able to visit with some of you. Miss you all.

Holiday weekend travels

I know that I said I couldn't top my camping/rafting trip, but I think I did. Congratulations and a big thank you to Matt, my first and only visitor to Oregon. I had so much fun! I will try to give you the abbreviated version of what we did Memorial Day weekend. That Saturday we went on a guided fishing trip down the Rogue River. We caught several fish (cut throat and steel head trout) but no Salmon. We did see them rolling in one section of rapids though. The scenery was great as we drifted down and we spotted wildlife and birds, including an eagle. After a quick nap to recover from our so very tough day of fishing (ha), we walked through Lithia Park in Ashland and threw the Frisbee a while. The trees and plants are absolutely gorgeous. This is no typical park. It is so manicured and so clean. We ate at a local brew pub and sampled the home brew. That was day one.

Day two gets better. We drove down to Northern California through the Redwood Forest and toured the "Trees of Mystery". Saw Paul Bunyan and his blue ox babe. We took a tram ride above the tree line. Absolutely fascinating. These trees are massive. The Brotherhood tree is 19 ft in diameter and almost 300 ft tall. I was a dot compared to that tree. I actually drove my car through one. We stopped at the harbor in Crescent City and watched the sea lions sun bathe while we ate a delicious lunch. We then followed hwy 101 up along the Pacific coast to Gold Beach. We stopped off at many view points along the way. I cannot truly describe how amazing and beautiful the coast line is. These large monoliths just shoot out of the water and the waves crash against the cliffs. Once Matt and I reached Gold Beach, we began to realize we had limited options for going straight across to the east to get back home and were going to have to back- track. But as luck would have it or not, we found a small pass that crossed the mountains led back home. Now there is a reason why parts of the line indicating a road on the map were dotted. For two solid hours, we climbed mountain after mountain on a one-way road that was washed out in many spots. Parts of the road were not paved. We passed a tree with about 20-30 pairs of trees thrown up in it...I have no clue?. There was evidence of rock slides everywhere. I was starting to get nervous and hearing that banjo song from Deliverance in my head. We came around a curve and there in the middle of the road was a huge black bear. My heart was pounding. I have never seen a bear in the wild. Luckily, he was just as scared of us and ran into the forest but not before stopping one last time and staring at us. We continued our meandering with no civilization in sight. At last we began to descend and finally reached a road and saw lights. Turns out, that is the same road that the Kim family was stranded on last year when they found the husband dead about four miles from the car.

Day three would not be lacking either. I had never heard of Crater Lake before I moved here, but wow!! It was formed after a volcano that erupted caved in. It is 2000 ft. deep and the water is sapphire blue. The snow outlined the edges and was reflected in the water. As we drove back down from Crater Lake, we searched and found several waterfalls. We also found the "Natural Bridge" which is were the river flows through the rock created by lava tubes. The water is hidden as it passes through.

There are so many spectacular things to see here and the sheer beauty is amazing. From clear, green rivers to lush, green rolling mountains, I am constantly amazed. I will be here until October now, so feel free to visit. Miss you all!!!!

Nature Girl

I survived...I made it almost 3 days without a shower, make-up, bed or the luxuries of a home. Okay, so maybe it sounds a bit exaggerated but it is true. I love camping. We left last Friday night and headed to northern California on a road that curved a lot and followed the river. We were out in the middle of no where. There were 16 of us. We set up camp and after visiting a while around the fire, we all settled into our respective tents. We woke up to the sounds of birds chirping. After drinking our coffee and eating breakfast, we were picked up by a van and dropped off at the river. We had a full day of rafting on class IV rapids. It was so much fun and so exciting. The scenery was amazing as we drifted through canyons made of marble and granite. Occasionally we encountered a small waterfall. Back at the camp, we all changed out of our wet suits (definitely needed those...the water was freezing) and gathered around the fire while dinner was being cooked. We had dutch oven brownies, smores and food that was better than what I normally eat at home. I actually had no problem sleeping in a sleeping bag. The sky at night was beautiful under the canopy of trees. I almost got car sick on the way back due to the curving roads. Went through a small town called Happy Camp...apparently, the legend of Big Foot exists. They have a huge statue there.

Still playing tennis and taking private lessons. I can actually volley for a long time now. Enjoying ultimate Frisbee and even bought some cleats this past weeks...I am serious now. Have been talking with my scheduler. I am more than likely going to extend my contract and stay here until October 12. I have been told the summers here are great. Come visit!! Just in case the rumor spreads (...Seana) I am not a tree hugger, yet.

Before I forget, I want to wish Jon a very happy belated birthday. Also, want to congratulate The McPhails on completing their nuptials and hope they had a great time in Greece!!. Hope everyone is doing well. Miss you all.

More Adventures

Have you ever wanted to go back in time? Well, this past weekend, I went back to the 80's...to prom to be exact. Some friends here were having an 80's prom party. We had so much fun. The crazy thing is that most of the stuff I bought and wore is in style now and I had no trouble finding it. My outfit was complete with blue eye shadow/liner and a teased, side pony tail. You can see for yourself from the photos. It has been a while since I have written a post. I have been a bit under the weather. I have been told the Rogue Valley is known for creating allergies. It slowed me down some but I have still been active. I am becoming somewhat green...maybe mint green. I have started walking to work and the grocery store (minus the rainy and cold days). It conserves gas which is nice since it cost about $3.49 a gal.

Last weekend went with some coworkers to the "Taste of Ashland". What a beautiful day. We walked all over Ashland from art gallery to art gallery sampling wine and food from local chefs, restaurants, and vineyards. My favorite was our last stop. You walked down a path to several little stores which overlooked a flowing creek. We sat on the deck and listened to live music and watched a man create pottery on the wheel. Very neat. Started tennis lessons this week and have decided to take belly dancing lessons soon....just something different. However, one of my patients quickly informed me that "belly dancers always have big bellies." I have been talked into playing Ultimate Frisbee which I will probably enjoy just for the competitive part of it.

Went and hiked Grizzly Peak this afternoon. How beautiful. There was still snow on the mountain which made seeing the trail somewhat difficult. The view from the top was amazing. I am still having a blast here and wondering if I will see everything that I want to. Going camping and rafting this weekend. We will see how I do without the modern conveniences. Hope you are all doing great. Miss you!!! You all need to come visit...it is awesome out here. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms!!!!

Week 2 in Oregon

Well here we are again. I will try to give you the abbreviated version of what I did last week and this weekend. Last Monday I went rock climbing. Looked pretty easy when I was watching other people, but I soon found out there is a degree of difficulty and technique involved. Thursday night went salsa dancing again. I think our group is now officially considered one of the regulars. We knew so many people from the week before. Had a great time and getting better with my steps. Went to a birthday party on Friday night and met so many people. It is crazy. There is a group of about 20-25 people who are all single, young and get together often. Most of them I met at the rock gym or at salsa. Saturday, me and 3 other travelers went on a self-guided wine tour. We had so much fun. Being as we were all from 4 different states, conversation at the vineyards was never lacking. After a week of constant going, I needed some down time. So Sunday, I went to a play at the Shakespeare Festival. Absolutely wonderful. The job is still going great and I am never lacking for excitement. The sun finally began to shine today. I will try to post some new pics soon. Hope you are all doing well. Miss you tons!!!

First week in Oregon

You have all already received my novel on my travels across the country so I won't bore you with a repeat. I have completed my first week of work here in Oregon. The job is going well. I am already having a great time. There are 3 other travelers here and several of us all live in the same complex. It will be nice to have some other people to hang out with. This past week, we all went out salsa dancing. I need to get a little more in touch with my Latino side and move my hips some more. We had a blast! I will definitely take some lessons while I am here. I located the Harry and David's store yesterday. Great chocolates!!!
I also visited Ashland, OR. It is such a cute little town with boutiques and restaurants. It also hosts the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. They were having the Ashland Independent Film Festival yesterday. Since it was raining, I decided to check out some films. I saw documentaries by a guy named Les Blank. The main feature was about an American tea importer...who knew so much was involved with growing and making tea. They also show-cased two short documentaries which are works in progress. Would you believe that one was about a guy named Butch Anthony who lives in Alabama. I had engaged in conversation with the couple beside me before the films started( they have a B&B in Medford...very nice couple). We all laughed when "Butch" started talking. You guessed it...heavy accent, barefoot, wearing overalls. They immediately asked if I had heard of him. Obviously no, but I am going to look him up. It is suppose to be nice today so I plan on going for a run and then hiking up to Table Rock. There is so much to do here. I hope I find time to fit it all in before three months is over.