Christmas Eve on the Oregon Coast

I don’t know how close I came to not seeing this amazing sight out of pure unromantic stubbornness, but thank goodness it didn’t happen.

July 4th Road Trip – Part III: John Day Fossil Beds

Arno and I had never been to this part of Oregon before, and for me it was a surprise to discover what a wealth of fossil excavation and high-quality paleontology is going on right here in my back yard.

July 4th Road Trip – Part II: Warhawk Air Museum

Though I had suggested the museum stop as a way to placate the boys, I ended up really enjoying it, and wished there was more time to spend exploring.

July 4th Road Trip – Part I: Silver City

We packed our three teens into the back seat of the truck, left the Columbia River Gorge, and took off through the wilting heat for southern Idaho.

Religions and Relationships

In the whole scheme of things, what I am responsible for boils down to me and my short life, which, when all is said and done, is done.

Arches!

Thursday morning we packed up and left the beautiful little Hamburger Rock campsite. We stopped a few times on the way so that I could snap a last couple of photos of North and South Six-Shooter Peaks, on our way back to the highway. We headed back toward Moab to replenish supplies of dry ice […]

Rocks and Ancient People in Canyonlands

Tuesday morning I was up on the rock again before the sun rose. We all slept pretty well. It was only a little chilly but Arno and I are such outdoors people, that all five of us had warm gear. Arno went into get-going mode right away, and I let him. I sat and watched […]

Visiting the Treasure Valley

Tara’s Spring Break was last week, so I took the week off work, and we made plans for a road trip. Arno suggested going to Moab, Utah, since that is what he and the boys have done multiple times in the past. T and I were game. We went in separate vehicles, since I could […]

Surround yourself with beauty

Before the year is out, I want to lament the loss of my mother once again. Maybe I can find a way to process my grief in 2012 and stop spinning around like a leaf in a pool. Today, after working 5 hours of overtime on a Saturday – New Year’s Eve no less – […]

Triggers of trauma

“This is my family. I found it, all on my own. Is little, and broken, but still good. Yeah, still good.”