Shelley Macdonald Designs

The Road to Elko

2012-01-28T12:30:00.000-08:00

Once again I'm headed to Elko, NV for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Last year was my first experience. I went with my friend Carol and had an absolutely incredible adventure. I had no idea what to expect and got my boots blown off.

The Gathering is a grand celebration of the west. This years focus is the southwest, specifically Arizona and New Mexico. Both states celebrate their centennial year of statehood in 2012. I'm especially interested because I have ties to Arizona history. My great grandfather, Stanley Chipman Bagg was at one time the editor of the Tombstone Epitaph. My grandfather John Sherman Bagg discovered the Catherine Mine near Lake Mojave. Some of the historic information states SC discovered it, but the real story is that JS was under 18 when he filed the claim and had to put it in his father's name!

Children's book illustration from

The Poet of the Sierras published in 1937

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Cowboys, ranchers, and denizens of rural and urban environments come together in Elko to enjoy a week of workshops, poetry, music, art and history. I'm introducing my darling husband, a rural Oregon boy, to the Gathering this year. We'll meet up with friends from Idaho, Nevada and California that we rarely get to see. Trisha's Posse rides again and we'll celebrate the friends who could not join us, but who will be there in spirit!

Vince and Trisha Pedroia

Instead of making the drive all in one day like last year, Rod and I decided to take it easy: have dinner with friends and spend the night in Reno. We were planning on getting home by 2/6 but we just found out we have no promises to keep so if the weather holds we may do a little exploring.

I'm taking my camera this time so there will be words and pictures. Do put this one your Bucket List. For more information go to the Western Folklife Center website at http://www.westernfolklife.org/

Breast Cancer Journey ~ Post Script II

2012-01-25T13:38:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since my last post. After completing four weeks of radiation in early December I decided to take the rest of the month off and just heal.

My oncologist was out of town most of January, but I had a chance to meet with him yesterday to further discuss my concerns about a 5 year course of the drug Anastrozole as a preventative measure. I am what is called estrogen positive and the drug is supposed to help reduce estrogen hormone levels (as if menopause wasn't enough). Conventional wisdom is that there is a 45% chance it may help reduce chances of re-occurrence but there is no definitive evidence to support it. The list of potential side effects is daunting and I already have a compromised liver and osteoporosis which this drug could further exacerbate.

He said "Look you are already under a microscope because of the breast cancer and we'll be watching tests and mammograms closely. I feel there is no need to take the Anastrozole if you don't want to." I cannot tell you what a weight off my shoulders that was.

Lightness Becomes You

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So where from here? You Really Are What You Eat ~ I'm working with a nutritionist to make adjustments to my diet. I don't drink or smoke and rarely eat red meat so that's a plus for me. However there are changes afoot and this is now the "No Excuses Tour"

Drive by the Drive Thru
No more processed foods ~ We grow a lot of our own, but will shop at local stores and farmers markets for fresh, organic, locally grown produce.
Reduce fats
Eat whole grains
Embrace a plant based diet and seek out foods high in cancer fighting phytochemicals like kale, broccoli, tomatoes, onions and garlic. Check out: http://thechinastudy.com/
For me it has been suggested that I stay away from soy products (no problem as I'm not too fond of them in the first place)
For information and helpful tools check out: http://www.livestrong.com

More exercise ~ walking, weight bearing and/or resistance training. I visit my gym several times a week and take walkabouts in my neighborhood and local parks. I'm looking into Yoga classes and Zumba dance at my gym.

Education ~ Learn more about xenoestrogens, the estrogen mimickers that are rampant in our environment and everyday lives. Learn what to stay away from and make simple changes to avoid these bad boys. Start with this website: http://www.energeticnutrition.com/vitalzym/xeno_phyto_estrogens.html

The journey continues ~ It's up to me to further my education and make the right choices, to question authority and be my own advocate. It's a tough job but each of us has to take responsibility for our actions.

The Journey ~ Her Story

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Artisan and Travellers ~ Thank you to the amazing Etsy artisans who have given me inspiration and helped me illustrate my blogs. To my fellow travellers ~ thank you for keeping me company on the journey. I will continue posts as I find new resources and inspiration.

The Whole Story: If you type "breast cancer" in the upper left hand search box all the blogs of the series will come up starting with August 23, 2011.

Handy Man

2012-01-22T12:38:00.000-08:00

I'm the first to admit that I sometimes take my better half for granted and at times question his methods. Rod is a hands on kind of guy: most times his approach to a problem is well thought out, other times frustration takes over and the take is if it doesn't work force it.

I often see alternatives to his train of thought and don't hesitate to voice my opinion. You know "work smarter not harder" or "whoa, whoa, whoa wait a minute, time out". This has been know to rankle his good nature but then again he sometimes sees the sense in my suggestion and follows through.

The water pressure in our shower has been getting worse and worse, we're talking seriously wimpy. One morning we both looked at each other and in a blinding flash of the proverbial light bulb it occurs to us to check the little filter screen in the shower head (we're on well water).

Sounds easy enough until our vintage plumbing comes into play. The shower head comes off easily but so does the threaded part of the pipe. Oh Boy, now we have to remove the entire "S" extension that's screwed into the plumbing in the wall to replace it. A collective holding of the breath proved worth our while, it easily came out of the wall, threads intact. Off to Sebastopol Hardware for a replacement part and a low flow shower head (will enhance pressure of a small amount of water).

Handy Boy has all back in running order in no time and says "I think you're going to be happy with the water pressure." I am so looking forward to a real shower I'm in there in a flash. Wahoooo! I had to hold on to the soap dish to keep from being shot to the other end of the enclosure. The hot and cold water faucets are barely a open a quarter turn and we've got Niagara Falls. We plugged up the tub for both our shamelessly long showers and it was less than a third of a tub of water for both. Something to be said for low flow shower heads!

The Man of the Shower

Kudos to my plumber and all men who put up with their women making suggestions. Sometimes we're right and sometimes we're slightly off base, but that's what teamwork is all about ~ compromise.

Rain with a Chance of Butterflies

2012-01-18T08:48:00.000-08:00

We're expecting our first rains of the season today and it's about freaking time. We've had to water the gardens the last two months and that's just not right. Awoke this morning to a delightfully cloudy sky.

These little beauties are ones we discovered in the Rain Forests of the World Exhibit at California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. We met up with a friend from Vermont last April and spent the entire day on a walkabout. If you've never been it's a must adventure, put it on your to do list.

Beauty in Small Packages

2012-01-11T08:50:00.000-08:00

Mt. Tamalpais 12/25/11

“Consider the Lichen. Lichens are just about the hardiest visible organisms on Earth, but the least ambitious.” Bill Bryson

Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get ~ Mark Twain

2012-01-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

Warm and sunny days are sweet, but we need a change in the weather!

Proceed with Caution

2012-01-05T09:48:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite breakfast spots is Cousteau Bakery in Healdsburg, CA. We always stop if we're in or on our way through town. You have to cross the main street to get there and you pretty much took your chances at the crosswalk. To be fair it's only a two lane road, but people everywhere seem to be distracted or in too much of a hurry to pay attention to those on foot.

Minnie was an aggressive drive

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The town recently put in one of the flashing cross walks to hopefully get the attention of drivers. You hit the button and wait for the flashing lights. I was rather taken aback with an audio addition in a rather nice male voice that said:

"Proceed with caution, Drivers may not stop"

My husband and I just looked at each other and burst out laughing and we still look both ways and make eye contact with drivers before crossing any street. Small towns are bad enough I can't imagine living in a big city where drivers are not only distracted, but usually upset about something!

A Treasury of Delights

2012-01-02T08:33:00.000-08:00

Omne Trium Perfectum III ~ Revenge of the Appliances

2011-12-29T10:34:00.000-08:00

I've already done two posts this year on how things happen in threes: first it was flat tires on each of our three vehicles in July, then it was various elements of the well and water system in September, now it's aging appliances. We have to replace the washer, dryer and dishwasher. Now to be fair to these old dears, they gave us 15 years of good service, amazing in this day and age.

Though it was tempting to hit the big box stores for appliances, we decided to shop local to keep our dollars local. Our favorite repair expert gave us recommendations on brands and models and what to avoid which helped us narrow down the list tremendously. So off we go to Santa Rosa and at our first stop ~ boom there's the washer and dryer set that was high on the list on sale. The color is silver which made us laugh out loud. Our sales person gave us kind of a quizzical look until we explained we just celebrated our 25th (silver) wedding anniversary. Silver will work really well in our newly updated laundry room.

Okay two down one to go. On to the dishwasher section. It was suggested by our repair person that we bring some of our dishes to assess how different racks will or won't work, a dry run so to speak. We narrowed it down to two models and after talking to our sales person about pros and cons we make a choice, it too is on sale. Inside an hour we're done, so we treat ourselves to lunch, a walk around Spring Lake and Mission Impossible at the movies. A day well spent.

Alas, today there is one more set of three: An appraiser is showing up this morning (We're refinancing to reduce our interest rate to 4% and lower monthly payments by $160), the appliances are getting delivered and installed today and our exterior paint guru is, weather permitting, going to prime and paint our skylights.

I'm definitely in for the day, but my studio is warm and I'm working on some great projects. That said, Puleeze let this be the last set of Omne Trium Perfectums!

Acorn Brandy

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Happy New Year! Your mission for 2012 is to fill your life with love, creativity, plenty of play days and time with your friends. Now get to it!

I Left Town with Santa and Returned with the Fool on the Hill

2011-12-24T09:26:00.000-08:00

December 21st was our 25th wedding anniversary. How time flies when you're spending it with your best friend: still in love and still laughing. We had some lofty ideas about what we were going to do to celebrate: from returning to the scene of the crime in Gold Hill, NV to spending a few days on the Rogue River in southern Oregon at our favorite getaway. What we decided on was a little staycation to explore some of our own neighborhood and off we went to Healdsburg, a little town about 20 miles to the north of home.

We went up Tuesday morning and returned Thursday afternoon. The weather was unseasonable to say the least: cold in the morning, but sunny and in the mid sixties during the day. I actually had to water my flower barrels before we left town!

We rented a small cottage about a quarter mile from the downtown square and did a great deal of exploring on foot: walking to breakfast, lunches and our anniversary dinner, 9 antique stores and cooperatives, and two second hand stores. One afternoon we hopped in the Honda and visited two nearby casinos and entertained ourselves for a couple of hours at each. On the way back we stopped at the huge Salvation Army Thrift Store complex north of town (an awesome place to shop for anything).

Needless to say we had more to show for the shopping than from the casino play, but it was all fun. We found 3 shirts for Rod and 3 sweaters and a tank top for me. We scored a pair of vintage wrought iron stands that will make great new stick stands for our fair displays and this awesome jester's hat (Peter Connors has met his match).

On our first day walkabout we passed a small bar and restaurant called Barndiva. The menu looked interesting so we decided that's where we'd have dinner on the 21st. When we arrived I mentioned to the hostess we were celebrating our wedding anniversary and thought nothing more of it. During a fabulous and tasty dinner our waiter delivered to flutes of champagne as a treat from the house and the truly decadent dessert arrived with candles. We felt really special and were delighted with the whole experience.

It's amazing what you can find close to home and the best part is that it took less than an hour to get home. We're usually on the road this time of year, but since Rod saw his family in November we find ourselves at home with no promises to keep for only the third time in 30 years. What a delightful dilemma! We're going to do a little work outside today since it will again be sunny and warm. Christmas day we're going to pack a lunch and head down to Marin County for a picnic and hike on Mt. Tamalpais and Muir Woods.

Breast Cancer Journey - Post Script I

2011-12-19T10:19:00.000-08:00

As mentioned in my last BCJ post I graduated from "radiation class" on December 9th. I had none of the expected side effects like a raging sunburn or fatigue, only the alleged diaper rash on my left tata. It has faded over time, though still a visual, there's much less itch.

However, as the first post treatment week went by I started experiencing some extra added attractions:

Say What?

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slight swelling ~ expected ~ I'm very flat chested so having a breast in my way is amusing to say the least!
soreness ~ expected
left nipple feeling like roasted marshmallow ~ unexpected
sporadic sensation of needles pricking said nipple ~ unexpected
occasional pain and super sensitivity ~ an unexpected step up from soreness.

This time of year clothing optional is not an option so I found a soft cotton tank top that goes under anything and helps with irritation. I called in and talked to nurse Kim at the Rohnert Park Cancer Center on Friday. She said the first week after finishing treatment is usually the worst with the symptoms like I described. A well kept secret I'm thinking, funny that wasn't mentioned. Then again perhaps I should have asked.

She did mention a product available at Target made by Ameda called ComfortGel Pads that are used by nursing mothers. We had a good chuckle at the thought of a 66 year old asking where the breasting feed pads were located. There is something amusing in any situation.

Well, off on our 25th wedding anniversary adventure tomorrow morning ~ a staycation at a sweet little place close to home for a few days and then a Christmas camping trip on the north coast. We haven't been at home for Christmas in 30 years - no sense changing a tradition.

Reuse & Recycle = Elegant Zeroscape

2011-12-17T14:05:00.000-08:00

In early spring our Oregon Oak leafs out to a gorgeous canopy that shades the house, and provides habitat for numerous birds and our the resident squirrel families. The added bonus is an elegant visual for us and the neighbors and a perfect spot to hang two swing chairs for summer reading.

Late fall arrives and with a few cold nights the leaves begin to change and drop off over a period of weeks ~ creating raking and play opportunities for Rod and the kidlets next door. This year however, we had a cold snap and then warm, gusty Santa Ana winds out of the north. Not only did the leaves all come off all at once, the wind neatly pushed them up against the back fence.

We decided it was time to lose our pathetic excuse for a lawn which was basically mowed weeds. We hired our teenage neighbor Solomon to lay out gopher cloth and then bring the leaves down from the back. The tree provided about a six inch deep cover of the whole area. It will mulch over time, and our beloved poppies may show up again in spring.

A simple and elegant solution ~ repeat next year

Breast Cancer Journey ~ 1st and Goal

2011-12-07T13:55:00.000-08:00

My 20 day radiation schedule has gone quickly, only 2 marbles left in the out box! Monday was the last day of traditional radiation which targeted the whole breast. The last four days target the area of the original tumor and incision, it's called a "boost" and is site specific.

My "A" team of fellow travellers at the cancer center have all been a part of the journey and we sometimes have a chance to visit while awaiting sessions. On Friday we got off on a tangent talking about the ailments du jour. Suddenly everyone got really quiet and then we burst out laughing, aghast at the idea we were becoming our mothers. One said her grandmother used to call it "organ recitals" and they were banned from family gatherings and dinner conversation. A conciousness raising moment for sure.

Spirit Horse

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As for the decorative sunburn and random rash I was blessed (too bad there's not a font for sarcasm) with just the rash. It looks like someone placed a pancake over my breast as protective gear and then dusted the surrounding treatment area with buckshot. I don't have kids but I'll bet it's akin to diaper rash and it itches like poison oak. I quickly found a solution to that little inconvenience: Mama Meryl's Healing Salve. It's made here in Sonoma County and available at Sebastopol Hardware. We've been using it for years for everything from cuts to scratches and burns to stings. One of the main ingredients is calendula which is in a number of recommended potions in the "dealing with it primer" for radiation patients so you may be able to find something akin to it closer to home.

Not feeling the predicted fatigue or I've just been too busy with life to notice it. The serendipitous timing of our four craft fairs following each week of the radiation sessions is perhaps no coincidence, but a handy coping tool nonetheless. I will say that during the last week or so, when 4pm roles around the barcalounger, a tall glass of water and a couple of chapters of an NCIS marathon are a pleasant diversion.

Once I graduate on Friday I'm going to take December off and give my body a rest. The next step in this journey will be five years on an estrogen inhibitor called Anastrozole which of course has a host of potentially nasty side effects.

I've always be one to question authority so I'm doing some homework. First I'm looking into an alternative to ingesting medication orally by talking with a compounding pharmacist who can use my prescription to make a topical cream. We also have local MD who believes in incorporating alternative therapies into her practice and some of those may mitigate potential side effects of the medication. Her specialties cover my gambit of concerns: women's health, oncology and hepatology. Both are willing to work with my oncologist at Kaiser so once I have more information I'll contact him to discuss possibilities.

Apologies for the football analogy in my title today, but our beloved SF 49ers have come back to life after what seems like decades. It just goes to show you should never give up hope ~ ever!

Little Did We Know

2011-11-23T11:42:00.000-08:00

Dear Trisha, It seems impossible that a year has passed since we lost you. Not a day goes by I don't think about you and I'm sure that's true for all of us, friends and family.

Sunlit Wagon Wheel

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Being a visual person, I think of you as the hub of a wheel, each spoke a different aspect of your diverse array of friendships. You had an irresistible enthusiasm for adventures of all kinds, pursuits you delighted in sharing with your pals. You left a wonderful legacy of spirit that brought together the people who shared your life. Thank you for being in mine.

~~~

Trisha was a gifted photographer with an uncanny ability to capture fleeting moments before they disappeared: the impetuous expression on a child’s face, a shell on the tideline, or a quiet moment that captured a doe in the glowing long-light of a late Ruby Mountain winter afternoon, a moment when friends were relishing their bond of friendship, Vince reading his last poems, sharing the awe at the beauty of the light on the land.

She loved horseback adventures and long days in the saddle, nights around the campfire under the stars giggling with friends, entranced by music and stories, coyotes singing in the distance. She was passionate about music and trains and went on just about every Roots on the Rails adventure offered from Canada to Mexico. She would regale me with stories and introduced me to new music I might not have discovered on my own.

National Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Betty, Trisha and Carol

Rod's paper airplane that won Trisha
a Professional Bull Riding Championship jacket
signed by Adriano Moraes

Betty and Trisha in Monument Valley

Trisha, Michael and Martha in Churchill, MB

on the Polar Bear Train

We all shared everyday cares and joys with her in different ways: maybe while organizing a closet, on a horseback ride or perhaps on hands and knees working in the garden. The girl embodied serenity and grace dusted with a wicked sense of humor: a true and honest friend and the ultimate straight shooter. All would agree she was the perfect partner in crime. We shared the gamut of emotions over the years we were in each other lives ~ but mostly irrepressable laughter.

The great Benbow Adventure 2009

Each of us had future plans with her and said “see you next week” or “see you in April” with the absolute expectation we would. Little did we know. To her friends each escapade shared was a grand, unexpected and priceless adventure: be it a music train, cowboy poetry or thrift store shopping, playing Mexican train or penny slots, road trips with cameras and no promises to keep, or riding in the back country. All of our lives would be less rich had she not been part of them.

Heartfelt thanks to Betty P, Betty R, Martha, Margo and Melinda for allowing me to share their thoughts and words. Trisha will always fill our hearts and her gift to us is that we have all found each other along the trail.

Breast Cancer Journey - Radiation Therapy

2011-11-15T08:01:00.000-08:00

So after a few days off, I am back in the saddle.

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Last Wednesday was a test drive of what will be my treatment scenario at the Rohnert Park Cancer Center. My radiation therapist and nurses checked and rechecked all settings and finalized positioning for safety and efficacy of treatment. It took about half an hour and I was done. I'm now familiar with the layout and very comfortable with the crew who will see me through each session.

I received a scan card so I can check myself in each day and head to the changing room. Once changed you come out to a pleasant little cove of chairs until called. My appointments are all at 10am, so I cross paths with the same dedicated warriors every day. We share stories, bits of our lives, and find laughter in our little corner of reality.

Sun's rays via a raindrop

on the tip of an apple blossom bud

My team double checks all the parameters to make sure all is in proper alignment before we start. The treatments take less than 5 minutes and I don't feel a thing. So far I'm not experiencing any side effects, but radiation therapy is cumulative so I've been told that the treated area may appear to get a sunburn and I may experience fatigue a few weeks in. There are creams and potions for the skin, but my friend El says good old aloe vera works the best. Fortunately I have a large plant that has gone feral under our pear tree.

I've always been a visual person so I decided to track the days until end of my treatments like I did when my friend Trisha and I retired. All you need are two vases or jars ~ one with the number of marbles for each day until you're done and one empty. Transfer a marble everyday after you return from your treatment session and feel the glee of seeing the balance change!

Deep Space Phenomenon

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Speaking of marbles, check out this beauty from Sean Clayton. Suggestion for a daily plan after your session: take a time out, put on some music and loose yourself in a universe of your choosing. They're playing "Dance to the Music" on the radio right now, how perfect!

Ah Autumn!

2011-11-11T09:53:00.000-08:00

A few photos from yesterday's walkabout between appointments

Luck of the Draw

2011-11-06T08:40:00.000-08:00

Rod and I decided to go to the movies last Wednesday afternoon. Once there we realized we were an hour early so off we went for a walk. Many of our local parks have benches along the trails to honor the memory of someone. I always read them and as I passed one in particular, I was struck by a dedication to a 20 year old. I started thinking about some of the amazing moments in my life that have occured since turning 20 in 1965.

1967 ~ Bought my first car a 1963 VW Bus
1969 ~ Watched a man walk on the moon with my grandma Olive
1970 ~ Spent a month on the road exploring western Canada with my dog Charis as co-pilot, climbed Mt. Robson with some new friends I met along the way and experienced a glacier calving at Berg Lake

1972 ~ Visited the Colorado Rockies for the first time, the same month John Denver released "Rocky Mountain High" in the summer of my 27th year

He was born in the summer of his 27th year

Comin' home to a place he'd never been before

He left yesterday behind him,

you might say he was born again

You might say he found a key for every door…

1973 ~ Started what would be a 33 year career at the Bodega Marine Lab

1975 ~ Looked a grey whale in the eye as it raised its head up out of deep water next to Death Rock at Wrights Beach - I have witnesses

1981 ~ Met the love of my life at the Ft. Ross VFD music festival in Cazadero

Rod and Hazel Sit Down

1985 ~ Was present at the birth of my goddaughter Casey

1986 ~ Rod and I married at the haunted Gold Hill Hotel in Gold Hill, NV
1988 ~ Bought our first home and have been here 23 years

1996 ~ Celebrated our 10th anniversary by renewing our vows at Gold Hill
2006 ~ Retired on April Fools Day with my best friend Trisha. We treated ourselves to 2 weeks in Hawaii and never looked back

Trisha, Rosie and Me in Waimanalo

2008 ~ Attended my 45th HS reunion and had lunch with some of the gang

Julia, Lynn, Laurie, Melinda, Gayle

Mary, Lynn and Taffy

2009 ~ Saw NYC for the first time

2010 ~ Attended the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, NV

2011 ~ I'm winning the battle with breast cancer and we're celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary on December 21st

How lucky we all are to still be here looking forward. Just yesterday morning I was laughing out loud as several of us Mill Valley kids were on Facebook trying to identify our classmates in a 6th grade class photo from 19 ought 50 something.

Your homework: Initiate random acts of kindness, thank a Veteran and take care of your little corner of the world. Wealth is not defined by financial success, but how you spend the time you have, spend it well.

Day of the Waltzing Trees

2011-11-01T11:53:00.000-07:00

So what did you do yesterday? We took 2 trees on a road trip.

Our long time neighbor Elder Tom passed away in late September. He and Rod were buddies and Rod has been maintaining his yard and fruit trees for over 15 years. We're now working with the executor of his estate.

Tom had two favorite trees in planter boxes. The one on the front patio is a Japanese maple. It was planted in a 30"x30" redwood box about 20 years ago when it was a wee sprout. It's now close to 18' tall and has a trunk about 8" in diameter. It's so root bound it needed to be watered daily and was starting to show signs of distress. The other is a 10 foot tall blue spruce that was at the corner of the guest room.

The trees needed to be moved but there was no accessible place on Elder Tom's property to plant additional trees so we asked the executor if we could move them to our property as a memorial to Tom. He felt this was a a great solution so we called our friend Chuck at Apple Blossom Nursery to come up and give us a hand. He is a master on a tractor.

The spruce was the easy one, the Japanese maple proved to be challenge.
Chuck had to negotiate our power lines, a low hanging oak branch and thread his way between the blue spruce and our herb bed to reach the spot.

Root bound was an understatement for the maple. The redwood planter box had to be pried off and a breaker bar used to loosen some of the roots before it was gently lowered into its new home.

Several hours of watering and a B-1 feeding last night and a couple of hours of water this morning should get both trees on the path to recovery and growth. It's really cool to see them when I look out of my studio window. A variety of small birds are already exploring. The pictures are from early this morning.

Oh, and the old apple stump we removed for the maple planting was relocated on a whim and a prayer to a place down with 2 other apple trees in the pasture. It had a little bit of new growth on it so we're hoping it will get a second chance. It was one of my favorite eating apples before the gophers got to it.

Breast Cancer Journey - Off Season Training

2011-10-29T09:13:00.000-07:00

I usually avoid traveling to the east side of Hwy 101 into Santa Rosa or Rohnert Park like the plague. I save up errands and appointments so I only have to go in every week or two. This week was an anomaly for sure, but all for a good cause ~ my future health!

I met with my Oncologist on Monday ~ reports are good, the tumor removed was about half the size they anticipated. I have positive estrogen receptors so it has been suggested that I start a regimen of Anastrozole to help lower estrogen levels ~ as if menopause wasn't enough! One of the possible side effect is hot flashes ~ Geeze Louise, I made it all the way through menopause with one night sweat and no hot flashes, so I'm hoping that whatever my body knew then it remembers now! Due to a long list of other potential side effects I've asked if I can start when I'm done with radiation. I should hear back in a couple of days. I don't want to hammer my body with too much all at once. Tuesday was a follow up mammogram to see if there were any residual calcifications. Report back from radiologist was that films were clean and clear. Oh Yeah!

Wednesday off to the Rohnert Park Cancer Center (RPCC) to meet with my Radiation Therapist and discuss preliminary treatment plan: five days a week for four weeks. We've got it worked out so I'll be done about a week before we take off on our 25th wedding anniversary adventure (destination pending ~ we keep getting new ideas).

I got Thursday off and didn't leave the property except to attend a concert at Studio E with singers/songwriters Tom Russell and Thad Beckman. It was an amazing evening full of laughter and outstanding music dedicated to my late friend Trisha and shared with family and friends.

Friday took me back to RPCC for a CT scan, to document my treatment plan, design positioning devices to keep me in same position for each session and tattoo my skin for positioning accuracy (we're talking four blue freckles here, nothing major). I met with nursing staff for patient education and got more homework. On Nov 9th they'll do a Sim Verification or dry run and perhaps my first treatment.

Trisha's Bobcat ~ Cherry Camp Vineyard 2009

For anyone who knows me, Bobcats hold a special place in my life. As I walked into my Radiation Therapist's office and sat down I looked up at the calendar on the wall ~ there looking back at me was a Bobcat and the words of William Wordsworth "Let nature be your teacher". I no longer question these experiences, I just know my husband, friends and spirit guides have my back and are with me for the duration of this journey.

Oh If You Could Smell My Kitchen

2011-10-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

We came in from the garden Wednesday afternoon expecting to sit down and watch the World Series, but Game 6 was called on account of foul weather. I went out to my studio to work, but after about half an hour the aroma from the kitchen drew me back into the house. Rod had decided that it was a good night for Pizza and I don't mean take out. We're talking homemade from scratch sourdough (thank you Nancy) with herbs and ingredients right out of the garden.

The Aroma Generator - Onions, Garlic, Oreganos, Tomatillos, Sun Gold and Heirloom tomatoes gently simmering for sauce.

I checked back in about half an hour later and the sauce was beginning to take shape - color magnifico red.

Thursday is the day the waste management trucks come to pick up recycle, garbage and yard waste. They won't come to the top of the hill so we all wheel the carts down to one place on Wednesday night. This time the men of the ridge top and the three kids took off all at the same time so the gang found out about Rod's pizza making on the walk. Neither family was available to join us so he promised them each a pizza. They'll be delivered today "Meals on Heels" for reheat and eat!

Ingredients on hand from the garden: zucchini and crookneck squash, Asian pear, red bell pepper and herbs. Add to that asparagus, crimini mushrooms, mozzarella fresca, Parmesan and goat feta cheeses in various combinations.

Pizza #1 disappeared shortly after it emerged from the oven!

Pizza #2

Pizza #3

We'll have to tape Game 6 tonight cause we're heading out to one of our great local music venues called Studio E to see Tom Russell and Thad Beckman. If you ever get a chance to see them in your neck of the woods, don't hesitate.

How's Your Addition?

2011-10-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you add up 64+6+4+4.5? You're saying 78.5 of course. These are not random numbers, but rather the combined ages of the "Top of the Hill Gang" which includes my husband Rod the Kid Magnet and our three adorable neighbors.

Truth be told Rod is really a 6 year old trapped in the body of a grey beard. So lose the 4 in 64. Age matters not when it comes a fertile imagination, a sense of play and why not do something creative instead of chores. The four of them built this dude while I was out running errands.

The straw from summer mowing is kept in a large pile just outside the garden for our composting bins. The four of them took the garden cart down to the pasture to bring up enough to stuff the shirt, head and pants. When they started moving straw they uncovered a whole new world of bugs and from what I hear got temporarily sidetracked on another learning adventure. Kids, dirt and bugs are a magical combination.

Once back up to the yard, Rod built the frame and the kids did all the stuffing. The face is an old canvas clothes pin bucket that had outlived it's prime.

The funny part is that we all do a double take when we drive in. Our scarecrow looks a little like Rod cause this is his usual gardening outfit, less the hay of course.

Power to the child in all of us!

Choose Your Attitude

2011-10-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

I've always had a positive attitude: it could be genes, it could be growing up in a small town, or the shear luck of the draw. Whatever the reason my outlook on life is a key ingredient of my well being.

Life continually throws us challenges but how we choose to grow from the experiences are the important lessons. I lost my parents when they were in their 70's ~ far too young. Little did they know that the lifestyles sold to them as healthy in their youth would be their downfall. They were not of the generation who chose to question authority and trusted the family doctor without a second thought. What I learned is that we have to be our own advocates and take responsibility for our well being.

I've lost close friends to disease and accidents, beloved pets when I made the choice to let them go with dignity. I've faced medical challanges for 20 years and have recently been dealing with breast cancer. Each experience has helped me grow, made me wiser and taught me how to deal with adversity. I've learned that exercise and changes in diet are the best things you can do for yourself at any age. But probably the most important lesson is that life is short: do what makes you happy, start work on your bucket list, keep people in your life who love you for who you are and make you laugh.

This brings me to a conversation with my surgeon when I had my stitches removed last week. Much of the information given to you regarding surgery and recovery tells you to rest and don't do much. I told her it wasn't my style to sit around and I was off and running (albeit carefully and with some common sense) on autumn projects around the house and at a neighbor's the day after my surgeries.

Point of View
http://www.etsy.com/shop/JessicalynnBrice

She said to me "Your big picture perspective, positive outlook and sense of humor play a huge part in your overall health and healing". She drew a box in the air and then made a small box in the lower corner of that square. "You have chosen to perceive your cancer as only a small part of your life experience, it will never rule you. Unfortunately many patients choose to let cancer become their life, they become victims of their diagnosis rather than taking on the challenge and looking ahead".

No one said life would be easy, or fighting a life threatening disease would be a cake walk. I just want to encourage anyone dealing with cancer to remember your friends, family and a army of survivors have your back and are there for you. Call in the troops!

This morning's Press Democrat has a great article about cancer survivor Nina Sibert. Her cancer and treatments were far more radical than mine, but her outlook is very similar. Please read and share it. I hope to meet her someday. Here is the link:

http://cloverdale.towns.pressdemocrat.com/2011/10/news/pinktober-comes-to-cloverdale/

Now go outside and enjoy your day!

Breast Cancer Journey ~ Bottom of the Ninth ~ Grand Slam

2011-10-10T17:53:00.000-07:00

D Day Part Deux, Thursday October 6th

We awoke to thunder, lightening, rain, then sun and the news that one of our gang of "Usual Suspects" is moving home from out East. It was gonna be a good day, even with surgery scheduled around 3pm.

After reading the initial pathology report my surgeon suggested that we create a larger margin of clear tissue where the tumor was removed from my left breast. Just a little added insurance. There were no "wasp on steroids stings" (radio tracer injection) or wire guidelines this time. She had been down this trail just last week so it was a pretty simple procedure.

It's kept cool in the admittance room where you wait to get wheeled into surgery. They have you put on a huge, double layered soft paper gown/tent that ties in back and has a series of strange little vent holes in it. Much to my delight I learned there is a heat pump and hose that hooks into one of the vents and blows hot air into the gown to keep you toasty. I need one of these for watching TV in this winter! I was home by late afternoon with an appetite (18 hours with no food) and very little discomfort.

Friday I was supposed to relax and take it easy. Needless to say, sitting still is not one of my strong suits unless I'm totally enthralled in a book or at a music venue. Rod has gotten really creative, short of tying me down, with keeping me put. After breakfast he emptied our overstuffed piggy bank on the counter and said "sit, sort and count ~ right arm only". That kept me out of trouble for a little while.

He's pretty sweet for a tough guy. He's been fixing me fabulous meals and doing the dishes. How often is that going to happen? This morning he made us designer pancakes. I got a pony and a redwood tree and he made himself a dinosaur.

Just in, hot off the wire:

We've hit a grand slam out of the park ~ I just talked to my Breast Care Coordinator about an hour ago and the news is that my margins are clean. Game 1 is in the win column, but it's important to not lose sight of the fact this is an ongoing series, kind of like the playoffs. Once I talk to my oncologist on October 24th I'll find out more about my post-season training schedule of radiation therapy.

That said: just a reminder to never lose your sense of humor, always question authority, dance in the kitchen and walk in the rain. Let your mind out for a run around the block.

Rain Couple

http://www.etsy.com/people/Karensfineart

Dew Drop Inn

2011-10-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

A foggy autumn morning drifts in without a warning

I cannot see across the pasture

But spiders have begun to gather

Strings of pearl strung about the yard

and a little sun on the liquid amber

Like four aces to a gambler

we have a stunning visual card

Go outside and play

live each day

as if it was your last

tomorrow is only the future

and yesterday is just the past

Breast Cancer Journey - Top of the Ninth

2011-10-02T16:51:00.000-07:00

A little rain today, the air smells fresh and I'm on one of my inexplicable tears about the house: cleaning out drawers, rearranging my studio, switching pictures on the walls and delivering a Jeep load of cool stuff to our VNA Hospice Thrift Store.

I'll bet you're saying to yourself "What is she thinking she just had surgery on Wednesday?" Well the first couple of days I took care to keep my left arm close to my body. I'm mostly a "pullover shirt" kind of girl but I inherited some beautiful button up shirts, so like Napoleon (wrong arm, but you get the picture) I was able to tuck my left hand in between the buttons and be good, at least for a couple of days.

I have felt really good, none of the side effects listed as possibilities ever showed up. For me it has been therapeutic to be doing what I've been doing, albeit very carefully. Ye olde sports bra was the best discovery of the journey: it applied pressure, shielded me from ice packs, protected the area from arm movement and kept my tatas from dancing around on my daily walks.

The highlight of my Saturday was a long hot shower ~ four days is a long time for this Pisces to be out of water, but I did okay. Camping has educated me on the art of the sponge bath. There are stitches and steristrips holding the incisions closed and then a huge patch of sterile gauze for cushioning and protection. The stitches and steristrips stay in place and you remove the pad to shower. The part they don't tell you about is that the tape to keep that pad in place is seriously akin to duct tape - Everyone should have a roll in their toolkit! Ouchamaymucho!

Update: My surgeon called this afternoon to say that my lymph nodes and vascular system are clean as a whistle which is excellent, cool beans, and just plain outstanding news.

However, though the pathology report doesn't come out and say it directly, she said there is some concern that the margin, the extra area around the tumor that is removed, was not clean, that some of the cancer cells could be at large. We talked about it and decided the best approach is to go back into the incision and remove additional tissue. Since I already have an appointment on Thursday we'll take care of it then. Get to skip the dreaded radio-tracer bee sting and needle localization and go directly pass go to surgery for a gentle sleep and a little more tuck and roll.

I will still need to follow up with radiation in a month or two, but feel I have been dealt an amazing hand. I owe a lot to the women who took this journey before me, including my mother and a number of friends. I stand strong with my sisters around the world who are now on the same journey. Remember attitude is everything and don't hesitate to ask questions or get a second opinion.

A Promise to Pay it Forward: 10% of all my Etsy and craft fair sales this fall will be donated to Susan G. Komen For the Cure. Their website at http://ww5.komen.org/ has a lot of helpful information and ways to get involved.

Breast Cancer Journey - D Day Done

2011-09-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

09/28/11 ~ To borrow a phrase from my two favorite Marines (the real Ken Rodgers and the mythical Jethro Gibbs from NCIS) OOORAH!

We got up when it was still dark and Rod took me out on the front porch to show me the sky. Long ago, when my parents passed away, we assigned them each a constellation, the Big Dipper and Orion's Belt. Both were visible, one right off the front porch and the other behind redwoods out back, so they too were part of my posse.

No coffee, no food = torture!

First stop to Nuclear Medicine for the radio tracer injection, said to feel like bee sting. I didn't feel the needle at all, but on the bee sting scale I'd say the injection was akin to a giant wasp on steroids. Take comfort in the knowledge it was only long enough to chant the F bomb to myself seven times.

Next stop to have what they call a needle localization. Numbing injection didn't hurt at all. The radiologist inserts a small tube with a small gauge wire down to the tiny marker placed when I had original biopsy. The wire guides my surgeon to the exact place.

Next stop outpatient surgery clinic for admissions and chats with my operating room nurses, anesthesiologist and surgeon, all while lounging in a comfortable bed with back and knee supports and warm blankets. All I needed was a stuffed teddy bear. The atmosphere was relaxed and calming. I wasn't nervous at all. They hooked me up to IV for fluids and I presume sedation, because the next thing I know I'm in recovery with my eyes half open. While I was there my surgeon went out to talk to Rod. She is really confident that she got it all, and the sentinel node was very small which is a good sign. Tissue and nodes are in for biopsy so we'll know for sure in a couple of days. The stay in recovery about an hour and a half and then we were on our way home.

Next stop our favorite Chinese restaurant to pick up a couple of orders of hot and sour soup (our version of chicken soup) and the video store for a few movies. I parked myself in one of the barcaloungers: Rod ceded the remote to me, served me soup and with an ice pack chaser and left me to rest for a couple of hours.

The movie we watched last night was Rango. The animation, writing, and constant play on words keep us laughing out loud. Lucky I didn't pop a stitch. One of the lines we wrote down (we listened to twice so I think we heard it right) was "it's a puzzle, it's like a big old mammogram". Somehow appropriate for this adventure, wouldn't you say? If you haven't seen it, rent it.

09/29/11 ~ I've had very little discomfort today, haven't needed any pain medication. I am one lucky rascal. I owe a huge hug to my posse of friends from near, far and other dimensions who have been sending me energy and positive thoughts all along the road. My friend Nancy just dropped off home made cookies and my neighbors down the hill brought me a dozen yellow roses! Sweeet! Well back to the barcalounger: soup, movie, ice and a foot rub on the menu tonight. I'm pretty easy to please.

Breast Cancer Journey - D Day

2011-09-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

Yikes, lumpectomy surgery is tomorrow but my proverbial ducks are lined up and my questions asked so I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Taking notes really helped! Kaiser staff and doctors played a huge part in preparing me for this journey and lessened my fears of the unknown. There is the great interactive program on their website that walks you through each step and what to expect at https://my-emmi.com/

The X Factor: The biography I wrote for my 40th Tamalpais HS reunion (2003) was entitled "My Middle Name Should Have Been Serendipity". If you've read any of my blogs you'll begin to understand this cosmic force of nature has been a huge part of my life's journey. I found out today that not one, but two of my friends had the same surgeon and said she was the best. Works for me!

My knight/chef will be there at every turn and has promised to spoil me rotten and give me foot rubs while I heal. Friends from near and far have checked in with good wishes, healing thoughts and humor. What more could a girl ask for?

D-Day starts early

At 7:45am I head to Nuclear Medicine for an injection in my breast of a blue and/or radioactive tracer that travels along the same path cancer cells travel as they spread. I've been told the injection can be uncomfortable (might sting a bit, uhuh!) and asked if there was something available to mitigate the discomfort. Found out there is topical compound that will numb the area and asked for a prescription. Never be afraid to ask about options!!!

That done, I'm off to the mammography clinic. My tumor is so small it cannot be felt so I'll be having something done called a "wire localization". The area will be numbed with a local and then using ultrasound or x-ray images a very thin wire will be guided to the tumor. My surgeon can then follow the wire to the tumor during surgery. When the tumor is removed the surgeon will also take a margin around it to be tested.

My cancer is called "invasive ductal carcinoma" which means it has escaped the duct wall and may have moved into the lymph system. If it has reached the lymph system, the sentinel lymph node, the one that is the brightest blue or has highest level of radiation from the tracer injection will be removed for biopsy along with a few others.

The ideal scenario would be to find that: (1) the margin will test negative, meaning no cancer cells have spread from tumor and (2) sentinel node will confirm no cancer has reached the lymph nodes. I'm voting for this one. A possible scenario is that the margin is positive and/or nodes are involved. If that is the case additional surgery may be required. I'll know stage and next steps in a few days. Surgery will only take a couple of hours, then a couple of hours in recovery and I can go home. I can't wait for Thursday because that will mean Wednesday is history!

Yes, I'm a little nervous, but whatever the outcome I know I have a dedicated posse riding shotgun. This is just a bump in the road, or maybe one of Petaluma's infamous potholes, but my ponies have always been 4 wheel drives, so out of my way world I'll be back in the saddle in no time.

Original Posts:
A Journey of Another Kind 08/23/11
Nobody Told Me There’d be Homework 09/06/11
Required Reading:
Just Laugh Out Loud 09/09/11

Eight Friends, Dinner and a Movie

2011-09-24T15:29:00.000-07:00

We spent last Sunday afternoon in Santa Rosa at a private screening, for friends and supporters, of a powerful documentary made by our friends Ken and Betty Rodgers. It's about the 26th Marine Regiment, Bravo Company and the Siege of Khe Sanh, Vietnam in 1968. It is an incredible story told by those who lived it, survived it and are sharing the experience in their own words. The title is:

"Bravo! Common Men, Uncommon Valor"

For a link to the project blog and trailers please go to http://bravotheproject.com/

After the screening, eight of us gathered for dinner at a Thai restaurant on lower 4th St. called Khoom Lanna, a short walk from the 6th Street Playhouse. As Betty and I looked around the table we realized this group of friends, old and new, from all walks of life had been drawn together by a common thread, our late friends Vince and Trisha Pedroia. We could only smile at the synchronicity of that moment and the serendipitous chain of events that brought this film from an idea to a realized dream. There be magic afoot.

The opening of a dialogue

After my husband Rod and I got home we started talking about Vietnam. I was a college student in my early twenties and pretty much out of touch with the realities of the war, perhaps by naiveté or by choice I don't remember. Rod had tried to enlist several times, but because of a medical condition was turned down.

We all need to think about the cause, effect and consequences for the generation, our generation, who was in the middle of it. I believe the film will provide new understanding and long overdue healing: for those who lived through it, for those who kept the home fires burning, for those who protested it, and for those too young to understand it.

The Vietnam War tore this country apart. No matter what your opinion was, it's now time to open your hearts and minds to the men and woman who did what their government asked of them. One of the terrible things about the Vietnam War was that our returning soldiers were not treated as heroes as are today's veterans, but as pariahs, spat upon and called baby killers. I hate the concept of war but I will always support the men and women who serve.

Unfortunately history continues to repeat itself and the same mistakes are made over and over again: A government of old men sends children to war and then looks the other way at the pathetic care provided for veterans and their families. The Ship of State following its Train of Thought over a cliff.

It's time for a sea change, a transformation of our thinking as human beings. Perhaps today’s young men and women can get it right and find another solution to the unending cycles of war that seem to stalk each generation.

Just a Day For Best Friends

2011-09-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

Best Friends

http://www.etsy.com/people/PatriciaLeigh

Best Friends Forever

http://www.etsy.com/people/JLNilsson

Best Friends

http://www.etsy.com/people/HollyvisionArt

Girl's Best Friend

http://www.etsy.com/people/MarkJAsher

September Song

2011-09-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

One morning you wake up at your usual time and realize the sun's not up yet, what's up with that? It's getting dark earlier too and the leaves are starting to change.

Oh wait, it's September. Shoot another summer bites the dust which means another year has passed, AGAIN! Okay so we're getting older, can't stop time, but you can enjoy the season. We often get our best weather this time of year.

Autumn means less work in the garden as summer crops begin to fade and bulbs are pulled up and stored for spring.

September is the beginning of our craft fair season, which is a lot of hard work, but loads of fun. Tomorrow is our first, the 2nd annual Much Ado About Sebastopol Renaissance Fair. License to dress up and play make believe. How many adults do you know that get that chance?

For us it also becomes "nesting" season as in "let's clean out the nest and auxiliary storage nests and reduce the amount of stuff we possess". Henry David Thoreau said it best:

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams!

Live the life you've imagined.
As you simplify your life
the laws of the universe will be simpler."

We used to take things to the flea market and make a few bucks, but who wants to waste a day anymore? We now donate items we no longer use to local charities to support their missions, all needed in these times.

So start with a drawer, start with a closet, start with room. Doesn't matter where, but just start. You'll be amazed at how good it feels, and you might even create a great new space for your favorite feline to snooze.

Closet Cat

http://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaPellegata

It Comes in Threes - Part Deux

2011-09-13T13:10:00.000-07:00

I just wrote about Omne Trium Perfectum in mid July and here we are again. My first thought was now what have we done to piss off the goddess of the manor? But then I realized humans aren't the only things that age and have parts wear out.

One – Hmmm, I wonder how long it's been since we changed the filters on our water system. Much of Sebastopol's well water harbors bacterial iron and other minerals so it's a given that things get will get funky on a regular basis. One should change filters annually. Check the paperwork - oh crap - it's been two years. Hey Culligan Man! Filter change quite reasonable, but what's that you say the compressor's shot too? Whoa $760 is an expensive lesson, but we’re trainable and a filter change is on the calendar for next summer.

Two - White Fang the Jeep ~ the extremely comfortable, 5.9 liter, deep throated and trustworthy beast I've have had for almost 12 years. She just turned up 180K so I was banking on a major tune up this week which is an ouch by itself at $550, though well worth expense. I trust my mechanic!

But life isn't always simple is it? I notice a small leak on my front differential and make a note to show him the next day. I take off to go workout and start hearing a really strange noise. I'm thinking this isn't good and since I was less than a ½ mile from home I turn back. It started getting louder. As I start up our road I'm chanting "Come on baby just get me home, just get me home". On the second to last corner of the driveway I hear a loud "thunk" and all of a sudden I'm driving a Mack truck with no power steering. I park in front of the house and open the hood. Yikes, no serpentine belt and fluids hemorrhaging everywhere. I walked back down the road and retrieved the belt.

Because the Jeep is a 4X4 a flat bed tow truck is in order to get it to my mechanic. All of a sudden I’m really glad we have AAA (first time I’ve actually had to use it). The guy shows up about 7:50am with a 26 footer and his first words are "I can't turn around up here". I said "Of course you can, bigger trucks than this little puppy have turned around here". He gave me a really testy look.

By then my neighbors up are because their kids heard the big truck and all are out watching. They're kind enough to move their vehicles so the big guy could get turned around in their driveway at the end of the road. He loads up and off he goes. About 30 minutes later I get a call from AAA to verify the address where he’s supposed to go (the street is like 3 blocks long). I call my mechanic to see if he's arrived. Kathy, his wife says “No but I just saw the tow truck go by he'll figure it out eventually.”

She called back the next day and said "Well, we expect things wear out with this much mileage, but not all at once". At that point we just burst out laughing. The front differential needs R&R, water pump replaced, power steering repair and major tune up. The job is done and I pick the Jeep up this afternoon. The invoice is only $1,968.79.

This is what my friend Trisha would have called an “Oh Well” moment. It a huge amount of money, and really inconvenient, but even this is really "small stuff" in the big picture.

Three – Oh well, oh well!

It seems the cement pad that surrounds our well head and holds the pressure tank is slowly crumbling and heading down the hill (It's over 40 years old and had a falling tree rock it's world about 6 years ago). Our well guy suggested we might want to replace the slab prior to winter. Preventative maintenance called for here, so let's stay one step ahead on this one. Estimate is about $500, seems like chump change at this point!

Messages here:

Due diligence on preventative maintenance whether it’s your body, your home or your vehicle.
Set up an automatic amount to go in your savings every month (no see ‘em, no spend em), no matter how small it adds up and can save your proverbial bacon.
Don’t sweat the small stuff because most of it is small stuff.
See the humor in everything.
Now go treat yourself to a massage, you've probably earned it!

Today

2011-09-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

Today is not for

I should be

I'm supposed to

I need to

Today is for

Saying thank you to those who serve

Hometown Heros

http://www.etsy.com/people/KimDow

Opening a door for someone

Smiling at a stranger

Taking a walk outside

Calling a friend

Planting a tree

Dancing in your living room or

Making a child giggle

Remembering

Those no longer with us

http://www.etsy.com/people/samclarkphotography

Never Forgetting

How precious life is and

How lucky we are

Life is too short to sit around and let happen: follow your heart, chase your dreams, and do what makes you happy. Rain or shine step outside for a few hours. It's amazing what awaits you on the other side of the door!

Just Laugh Out Loud

2011-09-09T15:25:00.000-07:00

Did you know that:

Laughter relaxes the whole body and relieves physical tension and stress?
Laughter boosts the immune system by increasing infection fighting antibodies, decreasing stress hormones and improving resistance to disease?
Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals that promote an overall sense of well-being?

Laughter protects the heart by improving the function of blood vessels and increasing blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack?

Inside Joke

http://www.etsy.com/people/gracegallery

The author of the following story is unknown but no doubt an audacious and fearless woman of my generation. I rarely share things forwarded to me but when I read it I laughed so hard I had tears running down my cheeks.

A Mature Woman Buying a Bathing Suit

When I was a child in the 1950s, the bathing suit for the mature figure was boned, trussed and reinforced, not so much sewn as engineered. They were built to hold back and uplift, and they did a good job.Today's stretch fabrics are designed for the prepubescent girl with a figure carved from a potato chip.

The mature woman has a choice, she can either go up front to the maternity department and try on a floral suit with a skirt, coming away looking like a hippopotamus that escaped from Disney's Fantasia, or she can wander around every run-of-the-mill department store trying to make a sensible choice from what amounts to a designer range of fluorescent rubber bands.

What choice did I have? I wandered around, made my sensible choice and entered the chamber of horrors known as the fitting room.

The first thing I noticed was the extraordinary tensile strength of the stretch material. The Lycra used in bathing costumes was developed, I believe, by NASA to launch small rockets from a slingshot, which gives the added bonus that if you manage to actually lever yourself into one, you would be protected from shark attacks. Any shark taking a swipe at your passing midriff would immediately suffer whiplash.

I fought my way into the bathing suit, but as I twanged the shoulder strap in place I gasped in horror, my boobs had disappeared! Eventually, I found one boob cowering under my left armpit. It took a while to find the other but finally located it flattened beside my seventh rib. The problem is that modern bathing suits have no bra cups. The mature woman is now meant to wear her boobs spread across her chest like a speed bump. I realigned my speed bump and lurched toward the mirror to take a full view assessment.

The bathing suit fit all right, but unfortunately it only fitted those bits of me willing to stay inside it. The rest of me oozed out rebelliously from top, bottom and sides. I looked like a lump of Playdough wearing undersized cling wrap. As I tried to work out where all those extra bits had come from, the prepubescent sales girl popped her head through the curtain, "Oh, there you are," she said, admiring the bathing suit. I replied that I wasn't so sure and asked what else she had to show me.

I tried on a cream crinkled one that made me look like a lump of masking tape, and a floral two-piece that gave the appearance of an oversized napkin in a serving ring. I struggled into a pair of leopard-skin bathers with ragged frills and came out looking like Tarzan's Jane having a rough day. I tried on a black number with a midriff fringe and looked like a jellyfish in mourning. I tried on a bright pink pair with such a high cut leg I thought I would have to wax my eyebrows to wear them.

Finally, I found a suit that fit, it was a two-piece affair with a shorts-style bottom and a loose blouse-type top. It was cheap, comfortable, and bulge-friendly, so I bought it. My ridiculous search had a successful outcome, I figured. When I got it home, I found a label that read, "Material might become transparent in water."

Oh My!

Thirties Bathing Beauty

http://www.etsy.com/people/ktullo

So, if you happen to be on the beach or near any other body of water this year and I'm there too, I'll be the one in cut-off jeans and a T-shirt! Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain, with or without a stylish bathing suit!

Ladies Dancing in the Rain

http://www.etsy.com/people/hedgehogcottage

Nobody Told Me There'd be Homework

2011-09-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

Information: Kaiser and the American Cancer Society provide copious amounts of helpful information for patients to read: explanations of diagnosis and treatment, different procedures and therapies, how to understand pathology reports, integrative health and healing services resources, post operative exercises, living smart and more. It’s all good, but a bit overwhelming. So where do you start?

http://www.etsy.com/people/soulfulsayings

Get Organized: I sat down one morning with all the booklets and flyers, a yellow highlighter and post it flags and began the task of educating myself. This is going to be an ongoing adventure so I figure it’s in my best interests to stay on point.

A binder sounded like a good start. I setup tabs for questions, notes, schedules, pathology reports, doctors, anesthesiology, post operative care, resources and a section for communications received from friends, acquaintances and total strangers who have sent humor and positive thoughts, offered to answer questions and forward information to help me on the journey. I also taped my team's business cards to the front inside cover for easy reference.

What's Next: At my age memory isn’t something that can always be relied upon, so I decided type up an outline and make a list questions to ask doctors. Several of my friends who have been through this offered to provide me with additional questions that I may not have thought about. I intend to use all resources offered.

On the Horizon: Due to an annual mammogram the cancer was caught early and the consensus is that it is Stage I, confined to a small area. My decision is to have a lumpectomy and radiation rather than a mastectomy. Surgery is scheduled for late September, followed by a radiation therapy for a minimum of four weeks. The game could change some if we find out that lymph nodes are involved, but the answer to that question will have to wait until surgery day. My take is to keep a positive attitude.

Community: This has become a community excursion. Countless women have made the journey before me, and others will find themselves in the shoes of the new kid on the block as I did, all members of the club no one wants to join. I am happy to have a sisterhood of strong women along for the ride and hope by sharing I can help take the thunder away from someone else’s fears.

Stay positive and dance your cares away.

Check out some amazing art in my latest Etsy Treasury

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTk2NTA5OXw2NzU1OTQ1NTk/dance-your-cares-away

The Unexplained

2011-09-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes things happen you can't explain ~ I know it as synchronicity. The term was first used by Carl Jung who defined it as "the coincidence of events that seem related, but are not obviously caused one by the other". A group of my friends are well acquainted with such phenomena and we no longer question it. We simply enjoy the ride and share knowing smiles.

A Facebook post from a friend in Oregon caught my eye this morning and I felt it was worth sharing. Dealing with a recent diagnosis of breast cancer and the journey to come, I found the quote both relevant and timely. Doing a little research I found the words were from philosopher Karl Marx, as applicable today as in the 19th century.

"‎There comes a time in your life when you have to let go of all the pointless drama and the people who create it and surround yourself with people who make you laugh so hard that you forget the bad and focus solely on the good. After all life is too short to be anything but happy."

Wake Up Each Morning and Choose Your Attitude

http://www.etsy.com/people/StudioChamberlain

As I was writing this post, an instrumental came on the radio that just made me stop, listen and smile. I found out it was "Water Song" from Hot Tuna. I think it will be the first addition to my "healing play list".

So now it's time to go outside and enjoy the end of Summer ~ my gladiolas need to be dug up to make room for some fall and winter vegetables. Your mission is to go outside and play in the dirt too.

A Journey of Another Kind

2011-08-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

The day before we left on our Oregon adventure in July, I had my annual mammogram done. When we got back there was a message that my radiologist wanted an additional one. I went in Aug 8th and waited while she went over the new films.

She discovered some minuscule calcifications in my left breast and suggested that I have a Stereotactic Biopsy. They had an opening that afternoon so I decided to just do it before I had time to over think it. The procedure is a minimally invasive one that uses computerized three dimensional imaging to pinpoint suspicious areas and allow samples to be taken with a needle. Much to my surprise and relief it was not uncomfortable. By Thursday I had results and an appointment with my Breast Care Coordinator to discuss results and talk about options for treatment.

"Don't Panic" from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

What I have is called Invasive Ductal Carcinoma - most in situ (in the duct) and some outside the duct, hence the "invasive" moniker. The area is quite small and thought to be Stage I at this point. Early detection may well play a role in my future. If it's been awhile since your last mammogram I have three words for you "JUST DO IT".

Ladies with Attitude

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My girlfriends are women with attitude and several are breast cancer survivors. All have embraced me with love, knowledge, humor, and offers of the occasional kick in the butt as needed. The most important message thus far is "be your own advocate and don't hesitate to ask questions or get a second opinion".

Leaning on a Friend

http://www.etsy.com/shop/shfoust

Needless to say, I'm calling all my spirit guides back from their reveries, retirement and galactic roadtrips.

The Appearance ~ Guardian Angel

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtByMarinaPetro

Time to cowgirl up! It is what it is and I intend to face it with my usual optimism and the love and strength of my knight/chef and friends. Writing is good medicine for me so I have decided to blog about the journey.

Perseverance

http://www.etsy.com/shop/KBCarpenterArt

Thought for the Day: Quit sitting around waiting for life to happen and start chasing your dreams. Just breathe deep and jump!

Furball in a Calico Jumpsuit

2011-08-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

Our neighbors are off on a month long adventure to deliver their two eldest to colleges in the north central and south eastern US. Their housesitter fell through at the last minute and they asked if we could take care of the cat. I have a slight allergy to some cats, but she's the very independent outdoor type so we figured it would be fine. One of the boys carried her up the morning they left, put her and her food bowl on our deck along with a 25lb bag of kibble. She's a small calico with amazing green eyes.

Around dinner time I was cleaning up in the kitchen and turned to ask Rod if he'd fed her yet. As soon as the words were out of my mouth I hear a thunk and look up to see four paws attached to the window screen over the kitchen sink. Like most cats she is a quick study.

We have a couple of padded rockers on the deck, she has already claimed one and spends her nights there atop a folded up sleeping bag. If her bowl's empty she'll knock on the screen door or follow you around outside until you get the message. Her given name is Princess Paddy Paws but she goes by Kitty. She's only been here a week and is already growing on us.

Post Scripts

2011-08-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

IPhonea: Land sakes, not only does an IPhone have a yellow pad for notes you can email to yourself, it also makes videos (Showing my age, eh? Well I'm at an age where I don't really give a rat's patootie what people think and that's a very liberating state of mind). Little did I know, until we got home from this trip, that Rod had made a video while I was taking photos at Sweet Creek Falls. Dignity be damned, the shot was worth it and so was the video.

Bird Straifing: Our rig has two small (10" x 10") screened skylights for ventilation and light, one in back by the kitchen and one up front. The first thing you do when setting up camp is to open them. Instead of a sleeping area up over the cab there's a television flanked by storage cabinets. After a walkabout day and dinner one night we decided to watch a movie. I noticed something splattered on the lower corner of the screen that looked like bird poop. Sure enough a wet paper towel confirmed it. When you think about the physics of a straifing flyby that made it through a 3" opening and screen at the proper angle to hit the TV screen it was pretty amazing.

Dogs in pickups: I always worry about dogs riding loose in pickup truck beds. Many owners have their pups safely tethered but a majority don't. We were stopped at a red light in Bandon, OR when an older Jeep Cherokee pulled up next to us. The rear driver side window was down. A happy looking German Shepherd was sitting in the seat with his head out the window and his seat belt on. That's what I call a responsible owner or one smart dog!

When eating out in Oregon always ask your waitress about portions: We were totally shocked at the lumberjackesque portions served at restaurants in Oregon and learned to ask questions first. When we asked our waitress at a Coos Bay eatery if the half portion of a particular salad would be enough if we split it she simply smiled and said "Oh Yeah". We did our best to finish it, but it may have been enough for a family of four.

So the point is: Plan less and wander more. Don't take things so seriously. There is something amusing in any situation. Squeeze the life out of every day before your head hits the pillow. Sweet Dreams!

The Turn for Home

2011-08-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

Did you ever ride horses when you were a kid? A horse always seems to sense when you make the turn for home. Ears perk up and each step has a little more spring. We've been out for a little over two weeks on a grand adventure: some places familiar and some new ~ but for the first time in ages it's been on our terms, at our pace. Once back to the coast we begin the journey south, excited about getting home.

We camped in the Redwoods north of Crescent City and spent the next night with old friends in McKinleyville. Our last night out was at Richardson's Grove on the Eel River just south of Benbow. There's magic in the grove that's enthralled me since I was a kid. Posted on the nature walk in one of the groves are words from John Steinbeck:

The redwoods, once seen,

leave a mark or create a vision

that stays with you always...

they are not like any other trees we know,

they are ambassadors from another time

An afternoon walk along the river and up through the redwoods back to camp for dinner, cribbage and reading was the perfect last day out. We read seven books between the two of us ~ time well spent.

We got "back to our barn" around 1pm yesterday and took a deep breath. As much as we enjoy travelling we love getting home even more. Friends and neighbors cared for the house and gardens in our absense. The weather is quintessential summer with foggy mornings and warm breezy afternoons. A few chores have piled up, but we have ripe tomatoes, blackberries to pick and the Gravenstein apples are almost ready to harvest for pies and applesauce. The Sonoma County Fair is in full swing so that's next on our to do list. Hope you've enjoyed the journey.

Add a Little Sweet to the Lemonade

2011-08-01T20:16:00.000-07:00

07/31 ~ Day 3 on the Siuslaw River dawns on a bit of a sour note. We emerge from the rig to find that our Grillmaster grill and propane case have been pinched. Good thing we packed everything else up last night! The girls next door had left for the coast before we got up so we couldn't ask if they'd heard anything. The bicycle campers down the way thought they'd heard a boat about 11:30pm.

Our theory is that it was probably the disgruntled speed racers from yesterday getting back at the owners. Our rig was on the perimeter of the camp area open to trees and the riverbank and no doubt the path of least resistance for the local opportunists. The violation of trust initially ticks us off, but truth of the matter is that it's just stuff and can be replaced. We have a hearty breakfast, report it to the owners and then take off on our adventure to Sweet Creek Falls. Once on the trail the morning's disappointment is quickly forgotten.

Following the ancient trail ~ hieroglyphics from another time

The Upper Falls

Trail to the Homestead

The walk from the upper falls down to the lower trail head of Sweet Creek is about a mile. The morning is cool and as the sun rises in the sky the light continues to change providing great photographic opportunities. Back to the rig and off to the coast.

Rod's thinking he'd like to get more fishing in before we head home so we spend the night in Coos Bay and tonight just north of Crescent City in a place called the Redwoods. Tomorrow we'll start to check out the rivers along the coast route to home (Klamath, Mad, Van Duzen and Eel). No hurry, we still have five days to explore.

High Drama or High Comedy?

2011-08-01T07:35:00.000-07:00

7/30 Day 2 on the Siuslaw River - the morning dawns calm and cool.

We spend most of the day reading in the shade and Rod once again tries to catch something with fins ($36 for two day license, no fish = recreational therapy).

Early afternoon some new neighbors move in a couple of campsites away, three women on a girl's weekend, to relax and do some clamming on at the coast tomorrow.

River etiquette requires you slow your boat down when passing other boats or docks where boats are moored otherwise your wake can reek havoc. A couple of idiots in a speed boat keep racing up and down the river towing someone on an inner tube. Truth be told it looked like fun, but the waves were banging the moored pontoon and pleasure boats against the dock.

One of the pontoon boats evidently belongs to the owner of the Park, who was up visiting for a few days and checking in with the camp hosts. All of a sudden the four of them come running down the knoll between our sites, yelling at the boaters to slow the bleep down and trying to get a hull number so they can report them to the sheriff. The boaters flip off the "river rangers" and continue the joy ride. The park owner then fires up his pontoon boat and parks it in the middle of the river prepared for a showdown.

At this point we share a double take with the neighbors. One of them shouts "I thought we were here for some peace and quiet?" to which Rod responds "It's Days of our Lives" and we all disintegrate into laughter (out of earshot of the owners of course).

Things calmed down for a bit and then we figure the owners and camp hosts get their wires crossed again. One of the guests has a small boat that didn't need to be moored so it was pulled up on the bank and tied to a piling. He's taking his dog and some gear back his site further up the hill when the owner's wife asks what he's going to do about his boat battery. He calmly replies that he'd be back for it since his hands are full. The next thing we know the camp host's wife is in screaming hysterics because this poor guy (I'd say harassed camper) came somewhat unglued when she too asks him about moving the battery. File this one under "too many cooks in the kitchen" or "who's on first?"

Geeze Louise what a side show - towards dusk they all retreat to the barn and us peace loving campers get on with fixing dinner and settling in around our campfires.

We did see a couple of more meteors but the fog was starting to roll in so we called it a night. Got most of our gear put away that was outside, but had to wait until we can retract the slide out in the morning before we can stow Rod's Grillmaster Grill and propane bottles.

The saga continues...

Can't Judge a Book by It's Cover

2011-07-30T11:08:00.000-07:00

7/29 Evening ~ 7/30 Morning

Just after dinner we hear and then see 6 motorcycles come down off the knoll to the tent camp area at the opposite end of the site. We're thinking oh boy here we go again! With age comes some wisdom and you realize that first visual impressions aren't always the correct ones. From the plates we see the group was from Boise, ID and all about our age. How bad can bikers be with a stuffed dog lashed to the top of one of the riders backpacks? They we're funny, quiet and respectful of other campers ~ so there you go!

Built a fire last night and spent and hour or two mesmerized ~ drifting back to ancient times as keepers of the flame. We let the fire die down about 10:30 and stretched out with pillows under our heads. Rod has an app on his IPhone called Star Walk. You hold it up to the sky in any direction and it will identify what stars and constellations you're looking at. Almost directly above us was the Alpha Capricornid. On the screen you could see the meteors not visible to the naked eye, pretty amazing stuff. We did okay with our primitive style of skywatching and spotted quite a few. Rod got up at 1:30 and saw 5-6 more. I was up at 3:30 and saw a huge one go all the way across the sky.

We're up a little after 6am thanks to the resident goose and his gang of mallards who hang out at the dock. We've got chairs, fishing gear, a campstove and other gear out on the picnic table next to the rig. We're sipping coffee and gazing out the window when the owner's quad come down the hill to our site. Rod's first thought is jeeze louise he's come to complain about all our gear being out. Not! A gentle knock on the door and he tells us his wife has fresh coffee and hot pancakes at the barn if we'd like to join them. From Rod a sheepish grin and perfect eye roll (Nancy understands). Met and chatted with other campers from around the country.

Because we're only about 15 miles from the coast the Siuslaw River is tidal driven. Really low this morning so after breakfast Rod took his book and fishing gear down to the dock to watch the river rise and got a couple nibbles. We learn that mid-September through mid-October it not unusual to catch a 30 lb. salmon or steelhead from the dock, we may have to come back in the fall.

Settled in for a day of reading and cribbage. We can rent large innertubes for $2 and the owner will drive us up river and drop us off to drift back. Might be a great afternoon adventure. Lazy Days Rule!

Down a New Trail

2011-07-29T19:28:00.000-07:00

7/27 -7/28 ~ Rod got his August schedule last night and the realization hits us that we can stay out another week. This will be our first 3 week vacation ever (we're talking 30 years here people)! On the spur of moment we decide to spend a couple of days with his 93 year old pop in Sublimity, OR.

We hadn't planned to go that far north but what the heck we have the time and the drive East on Hwy 22 from Lincoln City is gorgeous. This time of year there are acres and acres of oat hay ready to be harvested, best described as a golden ocean, waves created by ruffling winds. Before we drop down into the Willamette Valley we spot Mt. Hood and Mt. Rainier in the distance ~ a bit of a miracle these days with all the haze.

7/29 ~ It's in the mid 80's so we decide to head back towards the coast about noon. We sacrifice a little time to I5 to expedite the trip south and turn off at Halsey to pick up Hwy 126 west to Florence. We've never driven this route before and it's another winner: ranches, forests, rivers, creeks, organic farms and small towns.

There are two lesser known meteor showers tonight and tomorrow night, the Delta Aquarids and Alpha Capricornids, so we look for a place off the beaten track to camp. There has been a marine layer at the coast so we're thinking inland a bit. We discover Mapleton and the Maple Lane RV Park on the Siuslaw River: $25/night, water, electricity and wifi. What more do you need?

The site is level grass (we can run around barefoot) and 30 feet from the river. There's shade under the trees for reading and a small dock. Rod's down there now trying his trout mojo while a chicken simmers on the BBQ. I'm off to the "reading room" for a bit, deep into a Jeffery Deaver mystery. We're thinking the dock may be a good place to watch the skies the next two nights.

The owners told us of a place across the river and about 15 miles west called Sweet Creek Trails and Falls. Excellent for hiking and photographs, so we'll head up there tomorrow afternoon or Sunday morning on the way to the coast.

Choices

2011-07-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

We depart Lakeside midmorning and turn north. Rod has a couple of days left on his Oregon fishing license so we're off to find a fishing stream. There's a little BLM campground at Smith River Falls just north of Reedsport and 26 miles east on a delightfully uncrowded (5 cars) scenic drive along the river.

As we near our destination the river bottom changes from rocks to sandstone steps peppered with water worn cavities created by eons of rocks spinning in the river current. The falls is at a summer low, but in spring it's about 150' wide. There is a very intricate cement fish ladder that climbs the north side of the river and a great network of pools and natural slides.

The 10 space campground is on the river and we find a nice spot to set up camp. We're in a bit of a rain forest so it's warm and humid. Spent some time wading in the river.

Rod is off to fish and I decide to stretch out on the couch and read. He's back 4 hours later grinning like the Cheshire cat. Dancing with the fishes. From Rod:

$70 for Oregon fishing license

7 brook trout caught and released

found graphite pole and reel

on a grass hummock in the river

when the lure snagged my vest

4 hours of grinning

priceless

BLM and other free campgrounds attract all kinds. Our neighbors ranged from college students, to young families, to a middle aged man quietly practicing the guitar. The spoiler appeared about 5:30, a man being a really bad role model for his two young daughters: beered, loud, bad eighties music and firecrackers. So much for peace and quiet.

Rod and I look at each other and say uh-uh, no way, we have choices. So we pack it up and head back to 101 and north about 10 miles to a little RV Park on Woahink Lake ~ sand dunes, hot showers, dinner and some reading. The drive, the fishing and the photographic opportunities were well worth the trip. As for the camper from Hell ~ Oh Well!

Wednesday morning coffee ~ breakfast and laundry next. As you can see nose to the grindstone and shoulder to the wheel. We'll plan today's journey over breakfast.

The African Queen

2011-07-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

The last time we were here, in Aug 2007, Rod went bass fishing at o'dark thirty on a Saturday morning. The silent calm of his casting near a structure (fallen trees and weeds along the shore that provide a safe haven for bass) was suddenly broken by the roar of dozens of high powered engines and bright lights. He found himself smack dab in the middle of the start of a bass tournament. Boys with expensive toys.

We got here late Sunday morning and Rod decided to rent a little boat for some bass fishing today. At the rental desk we find out another bass tournament was just ending. What? He went out for a bit Sunday evening after all the boys were off the lake and again and early this morning. He only got a few bites and figures the bass were pretty wary after the weekend. Next time we come up we'll make sure it's before or way after a tournament.

As requested the overcast burned off so Mr. Allnut and I took the African Queen up the channel to the north lake to explore. It's much less developed and is all private property. There are a lot of sweet little lake front homes for sale and it got us to fantasizing about gathering a few friends together to go in on a place.

Think we'll move on tomorrow to explore someplace new for a couple of days. Now I'm going to go sit in the sun while Rod fixes dinner ~ I was smart to marry the chef!

Ducks Aloud (for Bonky)

Norther We Go

2011-07-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

07/23/11 ~ After breakfast we left Gold Beach and headed north to Bandon. One of our favorite camping spots is at Bullards Beach, but it's Saturday and sure enough the campground is full, so norther we go to Coos Bay. The Mill Casino has great food, awesome views and a nice RV park on the shore of the Coos River where it meets the bay. We decided to spend the night and do some recon on our next move. Tough day today, covered a grand total of 80 miles. We left a little cash there but were entertained for hours so no complaints.

07/24/11 ~ After breakfast at the Plank Restaurant (why mess up the rig kitchen) we decided to continue north. The Rodster is up for some bass fishing so instead of backtracking to Bandon we head to Lakeside to spend a few days on Ten Mile Lake at Osprey Point (a whopping 15 mile drive). Our site is right on the lake. We took a little walk up the small channel that connects the lakes and found these water lilies.

It's overcast and cool, but quite pleasant. Here's the view from the campsite. We've seen osprey, blue herons, geese and mallards from the shore. Red bean soup with fresh garden veggies for dinner. Popcorn and a great Oregon Public Television special on photographers called "Outdoor Idaho" before bed. We're definitely going to have to put Idaho on the adventure list.

Hoping the sun will break through tomorrow so I can get out with my camera. If not no worries, I've got a murder mystery and some earring making parts so I'm a happy camper.

The Mighty Rogue

2011-07-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

07/22/11 - Morning dawned with a couple of robins doing the two step on the roof of the rig (tickita - tickita - tap - tap). We eat a good breakfast and though we'll lunch up at Agnes, we pack a couple of sandwiches, my camera, binoculars and put on layers of clothes.

The jet boat picks us up at the dock at 8am sharp. We have the same driver as we did 4 years ago. Jeff is the grandson of the man who started the mailboats in 1958. He's a skilled driver, a great storyteller and historian. We'll be venturing 52 miles up river through public lands, national park and wilderness.

One of our first sights is this magnificent bald eagle. Whenever Jeff or one of the passengers spot something worth seeing he'll pull over so we can all see what's up. We did spot the rear end of a small bear heading into the underbrush, but are told we may not see any others. Blackberry season is so late they haven't ventured down to the river.

Our driver knows a lot of the fishing guides and we stop along side of a friend of his who is happy to show us the morning catch. Rod's eyes get as big as saucers.

The Rogue originates at Crater Lake. There are only two dams left on it, but a visible side effect of the dams is it's opaque green color. It's not crystal clear like the Illinois River that merges with it up stream. The Rogue is higher than normal for this time of year and is warming rapidly. Some of the fall run salmon, like this one, are being caught 30 miles up river which is unusual. In a matter of days, a majority of the fish will move down to the cooler waters of the bay.

The Rogue is a magical and spiritual place, around every bend is something unexpected. Herons and ospreys abound, otter families play along the banks. We learned that once pups are born, the male otters take over rearing and educating the youngsters.

One the perks of traveling the Rogue in a jet boat (no props) is that it can navigate in eight inches of water. Though there are miles of smooth water with fast currents, we also experience class 3 and class 4 rapids. Whenever we come upon rafters, or campers along the shore the boat is slowed so as not to create waves. On the other hand we're all giddy with the thrill of knifing through the rapids, some quick stops (the front end drops everyone on the boat gets a shower) and doing 360 donuts which soak everyone. There were about 10 kids on our boat and what we noticed as the trip progressed is that all adults became more childlike: laughing, screaming, requesting more spins. Yeah Baby! Wahoo!

We dock at Agnes and have lunch at the little restaurant on the hill, the finishing touch is sharing a slice of still warm from the oven blackberry pie with vanilla ice cream. It's hard work playing on the river.

The return trip is just as heartstopping and fun as the way up. We are absolute toast by the time we're dropped of at camp about 3:30 in the afternoon. We opt for cereal for dinner, a little reading and early to bed. We head a little way north tomorrow.

Southern Oregon

2011-07-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

07/20/11 ~ None of the reports of rain ever materialized for us but we heard a storm rolled through a few days before we got here. Glad we left Tuesday instead of Sunday (Thank you Andrea for scheduling the BBQ for Monday night!). We spent our first night out near Trinidad at Emerald Forest under the redwoods.

Off to the Smith River this morning to see if we can find a spot to camp at Jedediah Smith State Park. We’re used to travelling in fall and winter when the rest of the world is home so we knew we were taking our chances. Sure enough it’s full. If our return trip brings us down 101 perhaps we’ll make reservations for a couple of days stay. It’s a gorgeous place with some great hikes and fishing.

We decide to continue north on 101 into southern Oregon. The wind is screaming on the coast. At several places we spot some fearless surfers kite boarding at Pistol River. I’d rather take my chances with a zip line thank you.

Just outside of Brookings we decide to call ahead to a place we’ve stayed before called Kimball Creek Bend, about 8 miles up the Rogue River from Gold Beach. They had a spot open up due to a last minute cancellation. We end up with a primo spot on the river with full hookups (for the uninitiated that means power, water, and sewer). We be roughing it here boss! View from the site.

After we got set up Rod headed for the river (about 50 yards from our site) to do some fishing.

Dinner is roasted home grown veggies (beets, carrots, zucchini and crooknecks) and Sonoma County corn on the grill. It’s about 65 and breezy. We’ve been watching four turkey vultures peering into the river from rocks just above the waterline. We’re trying to figure out what they’re after so we get out the binoculars and head for the beach. Just below the rocks we spot an otter dragging a huge salmon out of the water onto a postage stamp patch of sand just out of reach of the birds. The otter munches for a bit and then takes off down river about 20 yards to a little beach. All of a sudden there are 4 of them: two adults, a juvenile and a youngster. It’s time for a late afternoon roll in the warm sand. We watch them play for about 10 minutes and then they’re back in the water and disappear behind a small island. The vultures continue their vigil unable to figure out how to reach that salmon.

As we’re walking back to camp we hear an osprey and turn to see it gliding towards the opposite shore. Binoculars up, we watch it land on a huge nest in the top of a tree and feed its chicks. I’d say we had a home run of an afternoon. Tonight: a campfire, stargazing and reading until our eyes close.

07/21/11 ~ Today we are going to read in shade and perhaps walk the river a bit, I mean someone has to do it.

Tomorrow we are headed up the Rogue on a 104 mile round trip on one of the jet boats: layers of clothes, binoculars and camera - wahooo!

D-Day Approaches ~ Right or Left?

2011-07-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

The adventure begins at o'dark thirty on Tuesday morning. We've been watching the weather and due to the haze and heat down near Sequoia and Kings Canyon we're going to head north instead of southeast this trip. The parks are still on the top of our list, but think we'll wait until a storm or two has rolled through and cleared the air, perhaps in the Autumn when leaves are changing and the crowds are back home. This trip we could end up at any of these incredible places or somewhere else altogether.

Falls on North Umpqua River

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Today and tomorrow are the preparation trifecta: pack the rig, soak the gardens and clean the house (there's nothing like coming home to fresh sheets on a real bed after a couple of weeks on the road). We don't consider any of these activities chores, the payoff is the freedom to wander for a couple of weeks or more (Rod gets his August schedule in late July, so if he doesn't have time scheduled the first part of the month we can stay out longer - yeah baby!).

Oregon Coast

We'll be ready for any kind of weather Mother Nature chooses to throw at us, but it does seem a bit odd to pack rain gear, long johns and swim suits. The beauty of a motorhome is that you can take whatever you might need and you don't have to pack and unpack every day.

Imnaha Nights

http://www.etsy.com/shop/BenCanales

A little side note: After our last trip to SE Oregon in May I did a spreadsheet on actual costs (fuel, camp fees, food, etc.) and created the same hypothetical trip taking the Honda, staying in lodging and eating out. In spite of the cost of fuel we saved about $500 taking the motorhome. The biggest perk and true value is that we were able to stay in the woods, along rivers and at the ocean.

Rogue River

Fishing gear, cameras, walking sticks, hiking boots and binoculars ~ check! Books, books on CD and music ~ check! Next comes clothes, foodstuffs and systems checks. I'll keep you posted as we go. We may be off the grid for periods of time, but that's half the fun. There is a "follow by email" button on right side of blog, sign up you'll get notified of new posts.

Omne Trium Perfectum

2011-07-12T17:43:00.000-07:00

Loosely translated it means "everything that comes in threes is perfect". In writing the "rule of three" is a principle that suggests that things that come in threes are inherently funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things like: Three Bears, Three Stooges, Three Musketeers, or Three Little Pigs to name a few.

The Three Bears Cooking

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It's taken on a whole new meaning at our house. To quote the one and only Madeline Kahn from Blazing Saddles "I'm so Tired" but not in the context you'd think. We're really talking tires here.

Fix a Flat - Norman Rockwell

http://www.etsy.com/people/KingPaper

1. Friday - We take our little motorhome in to have the tires rotated and find out that the two inner tires of the dualie axle need to be replaced. Duly (pun intended) noted and ordered.

2. Monday - I have a soft rear tire on my jeep and so I take it in to my tire gurus at Valley Tire in Santa Rosa. They find a three inch sheet rock screw but are able to repair it for no charge.

3. Tuesday - My husband calls me from work at the coast to say he'll be a little late ~ flat tire on the Honda. What? There is a three inch gash with a utility knife blade wedged in it. I call my guys again arrange to bring the Honda in this afternoon.

As I finish my conversation with John he says "be careful these kind of things happen in threes". My response, as I snort with laughter is to tell him we already have it covered. We're done with this triumvirate, the triple crown, threes a crowd, and triple play week. The tire is too badly damaged to repair but at least the tread on it's mate is good enough we only need to replace one. Phew!

We're pretty sure #2 and #3 are the direct result of a remodel we did a couple of months ago - dude left behind some flotsam in our gravel parking area that finally found a place to call home. Oh Well! So total damage for the three tires is about $660 ~ oh look it's divisible by three!

The Creative Road Trip ~ Part Deux

2011-07-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

My parents were both accomplished artists. I always wondered when I'd find my artistic niche. The answer came in 1990 with the simple gift of a handful of vintage beads and the opening of a local bead store. Artisans and customers have often asked about my creative zone, my place to play.

My original studio was on the "L" counter that divided our living room and kitchen. My first creative endeavors were earrings so each project was pretty self contained and there was ample space for a few bead boxes and a place to work. The second year I added necklaces and bracelets to my repertoire and we prepared for our first craft fairs. My husband makes walking sticks and canes, so we've done local fairs as Sticks and Stones for over 20 years.

My munchkin assistant is goddaughter Casey. She is now 26 and a graduate student at University of Chicago. How time flies!

I soon realized I could no longer afford to shop retail. I got my resale license so I could enter the world of wholesale: license to shop and a whole new understanding of the term "business expense". As my body of work expanded space and storage became an issue. Rod wanted the kitchen back and we also wanted to get our office out of the bedroom.

We decided to demolish the rickety old sun room attached to the back of the house and build a studio/office on the same footprint. The best decision we ever made.

You can never have too much storage space, the key to sanity is being organized. The cabinets and shelves are the main storage areas for my varied crafting interests, the tall workbench is where I prepare packages for shipping, easy on the aging back.

The creativity zone is the old oak desk I got at a garage sale 25 years ago. The magic of this spot is that I can walk away from a project and not have to put it away. I can also store several works in progress on the nearby shelf which gives me options on any given day.

One corner of the room is set up with a "tabletop" studio. I need digital photos for my online store at Etsy and for applications to juried shows. I taught myself how to do product photography and practice has improved my skills. No matter how good you are, the editing tools in your photo program can often be your saving grace.

The office corner: In addition to our craft businesses I also do consulting work so an office space is a must. The light and airy nature of the room is good for focus and the back door to the yard is a great incentive to get up and away from the computer. It doesn't have to cost a lot to furnish your space. Except for the "L" desk unit every other piece of furniture and shelving in the studio/office came from the flea market, garage sales or second hand stores for pennies on the dollar.

So there you have it. Your creative space can be a kitchen counter, a dining room table, a corner of your bedroom or a studio. The key is that you find a place to let your imagination run free. Most important thing is make sure the welcome mat is always out for your muses.

This is my 4th blog in a series about creativity and marketing, if you'd like to catch up on older blogs check the archive for:

12/22/09 The Creative Road Trip

08/21/10 Marketing Close to Home - A primer for the Craft Fair Season

11/19/10 Marketing Close to Home Part Deux

A Sunday Drive on Friday Morning

2011-07-02T07:52:00.000-07:00

The paper said it was going to be 93 today, not my cup of tea. Give me 75 and light breeze and I'm a happy camper.

The gardens are still moist from the rains at the end of June and the pasture's been mowed. No chores? After breakfast and cribbage we decide on a local field trip. We'll head to Armstrong Redwoods for a hike in the shade, and if that doesn't do the trick we'll head for Walk On Beach up the coast and post our butts next to the ocean for a few hours and stay cool.

We pack a picnic and head for the woods about 11. Hungry by the time we get there, we eat first and then head up towards Armstrong Tree with the idea of doing the Pool Ridge Trail Loop (about 2.3 miles).

Fungus on a dead fall - Rod called them Turkey Tails

What we had forgotten (we did this hike about 20 years ago - 20 years younger ago) was the 500 foot climb with lots of switch backs. It was like walking up our 45 degree sloped road. Can you spell shin splints? And of course the temperature and humidity climbed as we did. About 1/2 a mile up the trail we looked at each other and shook our heads - not working, so back down the trail we go and head out to the coast.

Hwy 116 has just been repaved, the temperature falls into the 60s as we head west and there is no traffic - the trifecta of awesome. The drive up Hwy 1 is gorgeous. Even though it's July there are copious amounts of spring wildflowers and the hills still show a hint of green. We do have to watch out for the occasional sidehill salmon ~ grazing cattle to you city dwellers. Flights of pelicans are cruising gracefully up the coastline and then drop out of the sky, like wayward missiles, diving for food.

Walk On Beach is just south of Gualala and the trail allows you to walk along the cliffs at Sea Ranch. Fortunately for us part of the agreement for allowing development of the area was public access.

Walk on Beach trail view

After a walk of about 2 miles we decide it's time for a snack so we head north to Gualala. Here we discover Bones Roadhouse (BBQ, brews and blues music) and split a delicious seafood sampler. In answer to your question ~ no we haven't fallen off the Vegan wagon ~ we are now what Rod calls Flexitarians and occasionally we allow ourselves chicken or seafood. After dining we hit the local bakery for a few cookies for the ride home.

The return trip just as gorgeous and cool, as we head inland towards home the temperature rises, but by the time we hit the driveway it's a reasonable 80 degrees. We read on the porch until dark and then called it a day. A good day!

Adventure Planning

2011-07-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

We've just discovered that the last two weeks of July are open for interpretation: no work scheduled, no commitments, and no promises to keep. You know what that means ~ Road Trip!

We rarely plan more than a general direction which is known as the "shall we turn right or left" school of planning. This time we added a few parameters:

blue highways
temperate climate
fishing
hiking
photography
bird watching

If the weather cooperates (not too hot) we may head towards Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon.

Sky Parlor Meadow

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If it's unseasonably warm in the Sierra's then perhaps we'll head north to the Smith and Rogue Rivers along the coast. We've travelled Hwy 101 to Oregon every year for 30 years and never get tired of exploring or the view.

Smith River Walk, Smith River, CA

Rogue River

Something to add to your bucket list is a Rogue River Jet Boat trip. It's a 104 mile round trip through some of the most beautiful wilderness you've ever seen. Prepare for an experience of a lifetime and prepare to get wet. It's been 4 years for us, so if we decide on the Oregon Coast for our trip we're going to do it again. They even picked us up at our campground. Here's a link to Jerry's Rogue River Jet Boats to learn a little about the company and it's history: http://www.roguejets.com/

Life is short ~ don't waste a minute!

Catitude

2011-06-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

My husband is a huge fan of Robert Heinlein and has turned me onto some great reads like "The Cat Who Walks Through Walls" and "The Door into Summer". It appears the late Mr. Heinlein had a special place in his heart for cats. When I read the quote below I just had to pass it on.

Cat Woman Letterpress Print

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Women and cats will do as they please,

and men and dogs should relax and get used to it.

Robert Heinlein

"I Am Tekha Sher,

The Tiger That Lives Inside Your Mind"

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Thanks to these Etsy artisans whose imaginations are out of this world.

Beads of Courage

2011-06-25T21:06:00.000-07:00

I purchase a lot of my accent beads from lampwork artists Becki Meckier and Sharon Peters. I've been spending a lot of time in the studio lately and realized I needed to replenish my stash to prepare stock for Fall shows. Once again the stars aligned and I found out yesterday they were both going to be in Sacramento for a meeting of the NorCal Society of Glass Beadmakers and a trunk show today. No brainer ~ Road Trip!

Sharon emailed me the flier and directions. The second agenda item was BEADS OF COURAGE: Have any donations? Bring 'em along! I had no idea what this was so I googled Beads of Courage and discovered an incredible organization. From their website at http://www.beadsofcourage.org/:

"The Program is a resilience-based intervention designed to support and strengthen children and families coping with serious illness. Through the program children tell their story using colorful beads as meaningful symbols of courage that commemorate milestones they have achieved along their unique treatment path." The program is currently in 90 children's hospitals in the US, New Zealand and Japan serving over 15,000 children.

Take a moment to watch this video from CBS Sunday Morning ~ March 24, 2011.

I've gathered a large bead collection over my 20 years of design. Interests change as my experience grows so every once in awhile I go through it and set aside beads I probably won't use. After reading about Beads of Courage last night I realized I'd found the perfect destination for the beads and delivered a large box today, shopped, visited with the artists and met some new ones. A good day!

Joy Of Aging - Side & Sound Effects

2011-06-22T08:07:00.000-07:00

There are definitely side and sound effects to art of aging and let's face it we're all cruising into new and unknown territory. Here are a few of the ones we've cataloged so far:

"Don't Be a Sissy"

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AccuWeather: Body parts seems to do a better job of projecting changes in the weather than our local news.

Knees Louise: Squatting is no longer an option unless there is a block and tackle handy or my husband is close enough to give me a hand up.

Toots Suite: TMI ~ but a reality of life ~ think dueling banjos.
HipHopitous: The first 10 steps that follow arising from a seated or couch position. One would think we were budding hip-hop artists with all the snapping and popping, but alas we're just trying to get the booty in gear.
I've groan to love you more: It's a scientific fact that if you swear a blue streak when you stub a toe, hammer a thumb or bark your shin, it will hurt less. Must release endorphins or something, like laughter or a good cry. Who really knows but as long as we continue to laugh about it, it's cool.
CompuStoveUp: Too much time on the computer may (read that as will) lead to shoulder cricks, now what have I done and tendinitis. How do I know this? Talk to the shoulder. We humans need to spend less time riding herd on computer games, social networks and email and more time doing something physical like digging in the garden, working out, doing yoga or dancing.

Perhaps it time to do the Time Warp again!
It's just a jump to the left....

Daydreaming

2011-06-18T15:23:00.000-07:00

My husband constantly surprises me with his insightful observations of the human condition. He is a preschool teacher, a chef, a gardener, and an artist. He is also a voracious reader of both science fiction and the news. Considering the state of the world I wonder, at times, how he tells them apart.

I came into the house the other day and he was gazing out the kitchen window down towards the garden. I asked what he was up to. He just pointed to a piece of scrap paper on which he had written the following words:

The Intuitive Mass

Transition occurs

when enough people arrive

at the same thought

at the same time

without being told

what to think

I'd call those words worth pondering. I know he's on to something, because I often do my best thinking while appearing to stare into space. That's my creative time.

A Walk in the Park

2011-06-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

The sun is out at last, time for a walk in the park, but alas which one? Sonoma County is rich in state and regional parks and home to an unbelievable array of summer to fall celebrations of life. The two major ones this weekend are Peggy Sue's All American Cruise and the Health and Harmony Festival. No matter where you go you'll see cars right out of American Graffiti and humans right out of the 60's Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco. We grew up during those heady times so see no need to join the crowds.

We decide on River Front Park just west of Windsor. You can take the back way from our place and avoid any highways and traffic (our favorite kind of road). We packed at picnic lunch, binoculars and a camera and hit the road about 10:30 this morning.

The park is adjacent to the Russian River and has several good sized "lakes" that were formerly gravel pits. Only one, Lake Benoist, is open to the public right now, but it's a nice 2 mile walk. Bass fishing is said to be good and there is prime Blue Heron habitat on the south side. Most fledglings have left the nest already but we did spy a nest about 80 feet up a dead spar with large Heron chattering up a storm. There are also other winged attractions this time of year: some yellow, some black, some turquoise and some in camouflage gear like this beauty.

Further along the trail we find a bench that looks across the lake to Mount St. Helena. It's a beautiful and peaceful spot to stop for lunch and take a load off.

I was taken by the dedication sign on the bench and the self written obituary placed carefully between the slats. Tom, it seems, was an architect, artist, traveller, outdoorsman, and photographer who lived his life to the fullest and encouraged others to do the same. You gotta love this place.

Vintage Warbirds

2011-06-08T10:49:00.000-07:00

I have a thing for old warbirds, vintage planes from WW II. We live about 20 miles from the Sonoma County Airport and Air Museum, home to a number of these restored beauties, so it's not unusual to see one fly over now and then. I'm like Pavlov's puppy. I hear those prop driven engines and I'm out of the house in flash with my binoculars.

I don't know where this obsession started but the seed may have been planted by my folks. They took me to the Unlimited Hydroplane Races at Pyramid Lake outside of Reno, Nevada when I was a kid. The engines that powered the monster 28' boats in the early 60's were surplus WWII aircraft engines like the V-12 Allison and Rolls Royce Merlin. When they went by at full speed your entire body would vibrate, way better than even a Grateful Dead drum solo at full volume.

So this is a big week for vintage planes locally. The Collings Foundation, a non-profit educational foundation devoted to supporting living history events (www.collingsfoundation.org) has a B-17, B-24, and P-51 on tour and have been at the Sonoma County Airport for a couple of days. My husband was reading on the front porch yesterday afternoon and all of a sudden I hear him shouting "get out here quick" so I grabbed my binoculars and joined him. What an incredible sight to see this baby fly right over the house.

Starting tomorrow the restored B-17 Flying Fortress ’Sentimental Journey’ and the B-25 Mitchell ‘Maid in the Shade’ are visiting the Sonoma County Air Museum (http://www.pacificcoastairmuseum.org/) on tour. I will definitely head up there with my camera, I might even take a flight over Sonoma County. I mean really what's life about if you can't treat yourself to one of your long term fantasies now and again?

Last year I went up to see the Sentimental Journey and started chatting with a gentleman wearing a vintage leather flight jacket holding a picture. It turns out his father had be part of the flight crew and the jacket belonged to him. I was honored to photograph him with the plane holding his dad's photo. Talk to your fathers, uncles and grandfathers and learn a little more about your history. Visit a local airshow in your area or check the links above to see if the tours are coming to your hometown. You will be thrilled and amazed!

Back of the Closet

2011-06-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

Every so often I get out the ladder and explore the netherworld of the large storage area above my closet. My motivation was prompted by the continuing rain (its June for crying out loud), it was time to see what was up there again and I was given a wonderful large brim red hat with it's own box that I want to store up there out of harms way.

When I was a kid one of my godmothers gave me a piece of silverware for each birthday and Christmas so that I would have nice settings for entertaining when I was a grown up. The thing is we're BBQ people, we don't have sit down dinners. The box has been stored "up there" for 20 years, it's contents rarely used, so I got it down for a look see. Her heart was in the right place, but her count a little questionable. To my amusement I found 4 knives, 3 salad forks, 16 teaspoons, 14 forks, 4 butter knives and no tablespoons. So my question was, why am I storing it, why not use it for everyday. Geeze Louise, that was a hard one!

We hold onto stuff for various reasons but there comes a time when one has to cowgirl up and make some decisions. I'm donating some really cool and useful things to our local VNA Hospice Thrift Store. My red hat now fits up there just fine.

Might be time to take a look in some of your "out of sight, out of mind" nooks and crannies. You may find something inspiring, some things to donate to a local charity and best of all liberate some space (a girl can never have enough storage). Good luck on your mission.

Post Script

2011-06-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

Driving east on 299

Heading for the Oregon Outback

North of the Southeast border on old 395

On our way to the sagebrush sea

Home to the ponderosa and juniper tree

Travelling the Emigrant Trails Scenic Byway

To see who's been on the migration flyway

The scenery is hard to beat

and it's time to give our buns a rest

And fix a bite to eat

So we stop on the crest of a mountain pass

With a vista that made us gasp

Delighted with the visual treats
We turn to look around

And suddenly have to take a seat

Cowboys in chaps and rigging exiting a dusty pickup

A tempting photographic moment

Until they step out into the road

They’re walking Pomeranians

Leashed and coated for the cold

All I can think of is the perfect raptor lunch

Furry with a bit of crunch

What’s happened to the cowboy?

Where have all the ranch dogs gone?

The ones who rode shotgun in a pickup bed

And worked all day

For just a pat upon the head

~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to these Etsy artisans I've regained my senses

Blue Heeler and Pasture

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"Cowboy Accessories"

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Cowboy Break Time

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Up to Hart Mountain ~ May 22nd

2011-05-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

Slept like logs last night, it's remarkable what a little exercise will do for the soul! We must bid adieux to Trisha, Leland and Annie the Wonder Dog this morning as they head home to Idaho. After breakfast and goodbyes we once again pile into Ken and Betty's trusty CRV and head out for the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge (over 240,000 acres).

It's located on a massive fault block ridge that ascends nearly three quarters of a mile above the Warner Valley floor. We pull into the first scenic viewpoint on the way up Hart Mountain for a short walk and are absolutely stunned by the expansive views of the valley. This is one of those places when you say to yourself "What population problem?"

We're only part way up the mountain

The Warner Valley

The Rodster

The east side of Hart mountain is less precipitous and descends in a series of rolling hills and low ridges: a sagebrush sea, sprinkled with juniper and bunch grass, that is typical of SE Oregon and the Great Basin. Aspen and pine are also found in the canyons and on the steep rim. Below are a couple of locals, the beauty on the left is a meadowlark.

Since its creation in 1936 as a range for remnant herds of pronghorn antelope, the refuge has broadened to include conservation of all wildlife characteristic of this high desert habitat, more than 300 species. At the high point of the refuge is the visitors center. I'm totally smitten with the residential buildings. Though I've not been able to confirm it, my guess is they were built in 30's or 40's. What an incredible place to live and work. If you like solitude this would be heaven.

Ah, but here is what we came to see, the Pronghorn antelope. It took us bit of exploring but the wait was worth it. It's so amazing to see these beautiful creatures in the wild.

They are curious enough to watch us but wary enough to know when to go. It's quite a site to see them race across the landscape. A special thanks to Leland for trusting me with his telephoto lens!

After a long day on the range we take a different route home and discover more picturesque landscape, rivers and ranches. Absolutely toast by the time we get back to camp, we decide it's time for dinner and a nap. Another excellent adventure. We reluctantly head for home tomorrow.

A Day Off - Sorta - May 21st

2011-05-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

After our birding adventure yesterday with Ken, Betty, Trisha and Leland we decide it might be good to take a day off and relax, we have another adventure planned for tomorrow.

Rod and I decide on a short walk. We've got a hand drawn map of the reservoir and ranch trails and take off about 9:30am. It's threatening rain, so along with binoculars, my camera, peanut butter sandwiches and water we bring light weight rain gear (smart move it turns out).

There are wildflowers everywhere. The leaves on this purple one look a little like our California lupine, but the flowers grow at the base (perhaps to protect blooms from extreme weather). There are bright yellow, pink, orange and white ones at every turn.

The ground is damp and cushions our footsteps. The aroma of pine is in the air and creek sounds and birdsong are all we hear. Very serene. The sky keeps changing, it's warm when the sun is out and cold when the wind shifts and comes right at you. Enchanted by our surroundings we keep on walking, making note of the land marks cited on the map. Then we come to a sign with an arrow that points in both directions. Back to the park is 2.7 miles and to continue the rest of the walk is 3.8 miles.

Okay, we're game, the altitude isn't bothering us, the legs seem to be pretty happy, and we've just had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Life is good, westward ho!

We pass large outcroppings of white rock, a field of rock with bright orange lichen, ponds, small footbridges and several flumes directing water in different directions, no doubt for irrigation of the upper pastures we are traversing. We turn a corner and the valley begins to stretch out below us. The skies darken and we're suddenly being pelted with hail and burst out laughing as we scramble to get into our raincoats. It breaks in about 5 minutes and we're back in the sun. Rod calls it a freshet. Around the last turn before we reach the lakeside path back to camp we spy a welcome site.

Kidding! We're totally amazed at the distance we've travelled today, almost 7 miles. It was a great excursion, but now it's time to relax, we again join the camp chair brigade and do a little bird watching with our feet up while we contemplate dinner.

Bird Watching 101 - May 20th

2011-05-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

We know most of the birds that visit our property and the Sonoma County coast, but were never serious birders until two things happened: good binoculars and this trip to a spectacular stop on a North American migratory flyway.

After breakfast this morning we pile into the car and head for Lake Abert, the third-largest saline body of water in North America. It lies in a basin with no outlet and so the mineral salts that have dissolved over millenniums are highly concentrated. Millions of brine shrimp (sea monkeys) in the lake provide food for thousands of migrating birds.

Abert Scarp Rim

The Scarp Rim, however, is the striking focal point of the area. The formation extends for 19 miles along the lake edge. It rises 2,000 feet above the plateau with an 800 foot lava cap that ends in a sheer precipice. It is one of the highest fault scarps in the world. We didn't find too many birds here, so after a short stop we head west to Summer Lake.

Summer Lake

The arid lands around Summer Lake were once lush. During the Pleistocene Era, vast areas of this region were covered by lakes and wetlands. As the last ice age was ending, rain and runoff from melting snow filled the lowlands throughout this region of the Great Basin, creating an immense, freshwater lake called Chewaucan. It covered 461 sq. miles at depths of up to 375 feet.

Summer Lake and Abert Lake are now separated by twenty miles and are the only remnants of Lake Chewaucan. Summer Lake is approximately 20 miles long and 10 miles wide. It's only source of fresh water is the small spring-fed Ana River so it shrinks during summer and expands dramatically in spring time. The Basin supports more than 250 species of birds and the wildlife area has about 8 miles of gravel road that weaves through the refuge.

When you were a teenager do you every remember doing what we used to call a Chinese Fire Drill? The driver would stop the car, all doors would fly open and everyone would change seats. I guess our greybeard version could be called the Birder Shuffle. The weather was perfect today, sunny and in the mid sixties like us. There was no one out on the refuge roads, so when someone spotted a new species our intrepid driver would simply stop the car and we'd all jump out with binoculars, scopes and cameras at the ready.

Our partial list includes ibis, sand hill crane, stilt, yellow headed blackbird, marsh wren, ruddy duck, cinnamon teal, tundra swan, horned lark, sage sparrow, chucker, red tail hawk, night heron, golden eagle, bald eagle and white pelican.

White Pelican

An amazing day for veterans and rookies.

Live From WJRR Cow Country Radio ~ May 19th

2011-05-26T11:18:00.000-07:00

From Burney we head further east to Hwy 395 and turn north through a number of small towns. At the Oregon border we discover New Pine Creek. As we toddle through town we spy an old building with a peace symbol and Just Stuff painted on the front. Rod and I looked at each other and decided we had to turn around and check it out.

Just Stuff ~ New Pine Creek, OR

There was indeed "stuff" from floor to ceiling, every square inch of shelving sags under the weight of wondrous treasures. The owner came there 30 years ago and started collecting things at garage sales and soon people were coming to her. We spent at least an hour and kept retracing our steps to make sure we didn't miss anything. We purchased four vintage 1937 California made Poppytrail dinner plates in yellow, blue, green and rose (we were never big on matching sets). You've got to love a small town, the owner gave us a dozen fresh Araucana eggs from her neighbor as part of the deal.

Back on board we turn left off of Hwy 395 and head west on Hwy 140 about 10 miles to Juniper Reservoir RV Resort. This little slice of high desert paradise is at 4,800 feet in the middle of a working cattle ranch. Meet our welcome committee. The leader of the pack looks like he's part reindeer.

Curious George

Juniper Reservoir

This is the incredible view from our spot. We are here to meet up with Ken & Betty Rodgers and Trisha & Leland Nelson, their friends from Boise. We all got in late afternoon, parked our butts in camp chairs with binoculars and cameras and chatted until hunger set it. Between the six of us we came up with homemade tamales, green salad and Rod's stir fry polenta and garden veggies. Early to bed to read for awhile, road trip tomorrow to Summers Lake.

Off We Go - May 18th

2011-05-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

I've reconsidered my dislike of Interstate 5, at least in the springtime. We traveled north through some of California's most beautiful orchards and farmland. How many of us take for granted the wonderful produce we find in our local stores? Hard working farmers around the country labor through good times and bad to bring us their best. Think about visiting your local farmer's market and spend your money locally.

Our adventure really begins when we turn right onto Hwy 299 at Redding and head East to McArthur-Burney Falls. Wild flowers abound, the Redbud is in full bloom, meadows are still green, and the rivers high.

Redbud & Pit River

We find a great spot in the campground within walking distance of the falls. There is no one down there when we take our morning hike.

Burney Falls (129 feet)

I've been coming here since I was a kid and I am always awed at it's beauty. The volume of water never changes. Snowmelt and rainwater percolate through the porous surface of the lava rock and is trapped in huge subterranean rivers and reservoirs. One of these underground aquifers feeds Burney Creek, and in turn, Burney Falls. The falls ﬂow all year even though a half mile above the falls, Burney Creek is often absolutely dry. One of nature's wonders to be sure.

Happy Campers ~ May 23rd will be the 30th anniversary of the day we met at the Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department Picnic ~ how time flies when you're having fun!

Happy Birthday Diane ~ May 19th

2011-05-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

I'll be on a road trip in SE Oregon and off the grid for a week, so I wanted to post an early birthday wish to a late friend who always made me laugh out loud. Oh the stories we could tell: the day that 6 foot diameter kelp balls rolled up on Wrights Beach with live abalone attached after a huge storm, our Thanksgiving trip to Ashland or the trip to Hawaii when we found out that our airline had folded after we got there. Oh darn, we're stuck here for a few extra days!

For many years we collaborated with our friend Rosie to make the wreath for the Blessing of the Fleet at the annual Bodega Bay Fisherman's Festival, a labor of love we truly enjoyed. Can you tell?

Diane ~ Me ~ Rosie

Here's to you Minkie, Happy Birthday

Time for a Road Trip

2011-05-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

The rig is packed and we head out early Wednesday for Lakeview, Oregon. We're meeting up with friends from Idaho to spend a few days camping near Goose Lake. The area is situated at the foot of the Warner Mountains on the edge of the Oregon high desert. I've never been there so it's going to be a grand adventure.

Pronghorn Antelope

Doing a little research I found that the Goose Lake Valley provides a number of unique animal habitats and the resident wildlife includes pronghorn, elk, deer, black bear, cougar, bobcat and coyote.

Bobcat

It is also on the western flyway from Mexico to bird breeding grounds in the Arctic. During the springtime geese, cranes and swans stop in the valley to feed and rest before continuing north. Numerous shorebirds migrate though the valley and nest in the areas around Goose Lake.

Tundra Swan

Sandhill Crane

This sounds like an idyllic place to learn about birdwatching and hone my photography skills with of a couple of experts and for Rod to do a little fishing. Stay tuned for reports and photos from the road.

Fresh from the Garden

2011-05-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

The "Vegan" road has been an easy one to stay on. It's become an adventure of discovery, experimentation and new tastes. We've unearthed local restaurants that support vegan and vegetarian choices, and re-discovered the local farmer's market for the vegetables we don't grow. We also allow ourselves the occasional digression: a bit of salmon, a hint of feta on a green salad or a shared dessert when dining out.

The Herb Garden
or What to do with a Old Leaky Stock Tank

A week or two of sunshine and the herb and vegetable gardens have kicked into overdrive. This morning's breakfast was harvested minutes before it prepared.

Several of our vegetable beds

Rod sauteed pak choy, collard greens, beets, radishes, spinach, 3 different types of oregano, garlic chives, onions, tofu and sorrel in one teaspoon of sesame oil and served it over a reheated brown rice mix of black, wild and brown rice. The results were amazing.

Bon Appetit!

Lookin' Through Old Books

2011-05-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

The title is borrowed from the poem "Lookin Through Old Books" from one of my favorite cowboy poets, the late Vince Pedroia. It begins:

Lookin' through old books

You never know what you'll find

Maybe an old pressed Douglas iris

Your mother's favorite kind

Besides getting the garden in and planning summer adventures, one of my favorite spring activities is to LTL or Lighten the Load: clean out drawers, closets and storage areas and rearrange spaces. Move a few pieces of furniture and find more open space and comfortable seating. Change what's hanging on the walls create a new awareness. We found many things we no longer used and donated to local charities. Win-Win.

I moved a stored bookcase into the living room and decided to pull out a few of my books and move them out there. I looked through each one and found some interesting things: Old newspaper articles from the Tombstone Epitaph (my great grandfather was once the editor), a handwritten recipe for Tabouli I had been looking for for years (perhaps I was supposed to find it now as we continue the Vegan diet adventure) and a picture of me and my two bodacious friends. We had gotten together for lunch in 2007 when Laurie (on the left) was down in our neck of the woods from Washington, Jean is on the right.

We are all now certifiable, card-carrying senior citizens. We've known each other since Kindergarten, over 60 years. Holy Senior Discount Card, I'd say that's some perspective on life! I think we'd all agree that laughter and a good attitude is the key to longevity. When was the last time you spoke to one of your best buds? Take a note ~ Make the call!

Spider Central

2011-04-27T13:57:00.000-07:00

I was doing laundry at my neighbors on Saturday (does the simple phrase "laundry room remodel" speak volumes?) and noticed some activity on the handrail of the stairs so I sat down on the bottom step to see what was up.

There was a huge hatch of baby spiders in cluster about the size of a silver dollar on the railing so I decided to trot home to get my camera. I held my breath and moved in for a close up.

When I slowly exhaled 100's of these youngsters dropped a foot or so on their silken threads creating a jeweled fringe. Still others spread out on a before unseen network of webs. A few seconds went by and they all scurried back up to home base. I have no idea what kind of spiders they are, but I was charmed and amazed by their antics.

"The artist is a receptacle for the emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web." Pablo Picasso

Cowboy Caviar Synchronicity

2011-04-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in earlier blogs my husband and I started on a Vegan diet three weeks ago to take charge of our health. It has been a lot easier than expected and we've already seen some early results. There's a binder of great recipes on the counter and additional recipes will continue to come via email ~ more bricks for our foundation of change. We pick 3-4 recipes for the week and shop for any ingredient we don't already have.

We aren't what you'd consider hard core Vegans, but strive to stay on point. There were some great quotes from Marilu Henner on Day 9 that will no doubt make it to the refrigerator door:

Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels
Set up your environment to win
Life is all about progress, not perfection
There's no such thing as cheating, every day is an experiment
It's all about choices (I said that!)

I brought home one of my friend Trisha's cookbooks and I found the following recipe folded up inside. It had been emailed to her in 2008 by a friend who brought the dish to a potluck. I remember how good it was. Three years later the recipe found it's way to me. The fact that it fits into our experiment in health is not lost on either one of us.

Cowboy Caviar

Ingredients

1~16oz can shoe-peg corn, drained

1~16oz can black eyed peas

1 to 2 avocados, cubed

2/3 cup chopped cilantro

2/3 cup chopped green onions

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves of minced garlic
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. cumin

Mix together black eyed peas, corn, avocados, cilantro, green onions and tomato. Mix dressing and then pour over veggies and toss to mix. Chill. Makes 6-8 servings. Serving ideas: As a dip with baked chips, over salad greens, stuff a potato, or dress up a brown rice dish. The possibilities are endless, eat in good health!

Vegan Morning - Bodacious Porridge

2011-04-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

I'm hunkered down in my studio trying to stay out of the way as our contractor demolishes and rebuilds a "plumbing wall" for the reconfiguration of our laundry room and installation of an on demand water heater. You know how it is, you're simply going to replace one thing that broke and then your wheels start to turn and off you go "well as long as we're in this deep we might as well do this and change that..." Sounds like he's coming through the wall in about 7 different places, but his whistling and self conversation are quite amusing.

We'll be camping for a day or two with no hot water. No challenge there boss, I've learned how to wash a dinner's worth of dishes and pans in the motorhome using only a large coffee pot of water heated on the stove.

So, as promised here is the great hot breakfast cereal we have a couple of times a week ~ rain or shine. Components make up about a 1.5 quarts of dry ingredients. We buy in bulk to minimize cost, mix together and store in a container in the fridge (wheat germ needs refrigeration, so if you want to store mix elsewhere add wheat germ when you're ready to make porridge).

Ingredients:

2 cups cracked wheat
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup raw wheat germ
1/2 soy grits
1/2 cut wheat bran
1 cup course cornmeal

Preparing in a double boiler is recommended, it will preserve vitamin B which will get destroyed over direct heat. Get the water boiling and then add 2 cups water and 1 cup of the mixture to the double boiler (that's the perfect amont for two). Stir it a bit, then cover and cook at very low heat for about 20-25 minutes. Throw in a handful of dried blueberries, raisins or craisins on top so they plump up during cooking time. We often serve over fresh berries or banana slices, the possibilities are endless so just make it up as you go along. Enjoy!