In Our Backyard!

I love living where deer are often walking through the yard, nibbling on whatever they find.  These two are still young.  The buck spent well over a couple of hours back there.  I watched him from our living room.  The fawns were in and out.  At one point there was three fawns, a doe and buck.  Yes, that would be 5 deer in the backyard.

Fall in Oregon

I love Oregon!  It seems like over the course of a year, I forget how beautiful the fall is.  I love this time of year!  I hope I remember to read this in the middle of summer next year as I start to mourn the changing of the seasons.

I Miss Spring

I miss spring and it's not winter yet!  How can this be?  It just seems that spring was way too short, the days flew by and now it is cold and wet outside.  Spring to me is like a promise.  A promise of the warm, sweet days ahead.  A season of hope and activity. 

16 Days and Two Miles Later

Late Sunday evening the phone rang.  A man on the other end of the line stated he had a cat matching the description we gave on Craig's List.  I was not optimistic, it had been too long and was certain from where he lived, it was not Simon.  But, it was Simon.  Somehow he had shown up 2 miles from home.  He was so happy to see us.  That night, per usual, Simon slept next to me with his paw on my head.

Missing Simon

Simon has been missing now for over a week. We found him four years ago driving from Oregon to Iowa. We pulled over in remote Idaho and there was a hawk diving in the field. When we got out I could hear a little meow and called to the kitty, with the hawk after him he ran right into my arms and buried his head. He was just a few weeks old, dehydrated and malnourished. We stopped and bought the litter box, cat food etc. When we pulled into Iowa, I immediately took him to the vet and he has been my baby since. Simon sleeps next to me at night. Often with his paw on my head. I miss him so much.

Simon is very clean, particular about himself and surroundings. He is also strict with his routine. In the morning when I get up he goes out. Simon comes right back in before I go to work and then out when I get home, back in for bedtime. Last Friday he went out in the morning and then visited the neighbors until around noon. They let him out and we have not seen him since.

We have walked door to door, posted advertisements etc. with no sign of him.

Backyard Plum

I like plums and how convenient having plum trees in the backyard. The deer must think so also. They usually rest their hooves on the fence and stand on their hind legs to eat the plums. Spitting the pits out on our lawn as they munch. This year they didn't pay a lot of attention to the fruit. I was most pleased!

I grew up in the midwest. Flat with some small hills.... One year when I was small we visited Boulder, CO. I remember the mountains and how beautiful. We began vacationing in the Black Hills and then the Grand Tetons. I was convinced I would some day live in the mountains and here I am. I love this view, the town I live in and the smell of the fresh mountain air in the morning.

Fall is in the air. Most of the days are still in the high 70's low 80's but the nights it cools down and there is definately a change coming. I hate limbo....especially between late summer and fall. The earth is dry and so everything is brown. Once fall is in full swing and the rain starts to fall a bit the trees change color and then I fully appreciate the season.

Fern Ridge Resevoir. Nice blue with puffy clouds - beautiful, warm day.

Perfect Day in the Oregon Country

I love photography and I love Monet oil paintings. If he were still alive, I believe he would have found this setting his muse.

San Francisco!

We drove by and through the city this year but did not spend time as we did last year. I can still admire from afar though! I did not leave my heart there but I do like this city.

Mt. Shasta

The signs of spring!

Jennifer V. and I went to a local rehab. to assess a patient for her return to our Assisted Living. The assessment ended and as we were leaving we noticed a family of geese.

Road Trips

I love to explore Oregon. That said just up behind our house is a great place to travel. Courtney and I headed out and ended up on top of the mountains at the tree line. While we were up there two coyotes ran across the road. It was a perfect day and we were literally "on top of the world".

San Francisco

San Francisco lends itself to photography. The colors of the buildings, the colorful people and the beautiful ocean all beg to be captured.

Courtney at the Oregon Music Teachers Assoc. Piano Recital

I have begun getting sentimental. This was the second to last performance for Courtney with the Oregon Music Teachers Association. Soon she will be in college. I am excited to watch her blossom into an amazing pianist and student but I am also sad for this part of our lives to come to an end. It has been an amazing adventure and I will miss her terribly. Courtney has chosen to study Piano Performance and International Studies. I am sure, as with everything she pursues, she will excel.

Seems like a long time ago...

This was taken in early December. It feels like it was a long time ago we saw this scene. I love snow when it blankets the trees and the ground. If only for a day or two the normal landscape is turned into a surreal setting. My father took this photo. The lake is just behind their home.

A River Runs Through It

Yellowstone is absolutely beautiful. From the moment we entered the gates the beauty enveloped us.

Spearfish Canyon

While my daughter and I were on a 5,800 mile road trip this summer we decided it would be wonderful to take a drive through Spearfish Canyon. I had spent a lot of time in the Black Hills growing up and wanted to explore the area as an adult. The canyon was more beautiful then I remembered!

Honeymoon and the Grand Tetons

John and I decided that we would take a roadtrip for our honeymoon. We had a blast, heading out Sunday morning from Oregon enroute to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. I was so overwhelmed by the beauty I couldn't put my camera down!

Sunriver, Oregon

I love spending time in Sunriver. It is the resort lifestyle coupled with outdoor activities. John and I spent Memorial Day weekend up there for our first year anniversary. The weather was unpredictable from snow, ice, rain to sun. I took this photo from the grounds of the Lodge. Even though the sky was icy blue the colors still were beautiful.

Spring - where are you?

Last year John and I went to Hendrick's Park. Trees and flowers were in full bloom. These past few days in Oregon have been really dreary. The days lighten up a bit but I wouldn't call it daylight. I would call it less dark than night. I was at a funeral and the person speaking related a story of how he always drank his morning coffee on the patio - rain, snow, sun or gray - it didn't matter. He and his wife always plant beautiful flower gardens and have fabulous roses. One morning his wife asked him why he continued to drink his coffee on the patio during the cold and rainy days. He stated "I sit out here and look out into our yard and remember the roses and the flowers". He went on to say that our memories bring back the person we have lost just as our memories bring back the roses in the winter.

A Day At The Ocean

Courtney and I went to the coast last year for the day. It was so beautiful - I almost cried when the day was over. A perfect day on the coast is rare. Often times inland it is sunny and beautiful to only be foggy and chilly on the coast. Even if you watch the weather reports 9:10 they do not accurately reflect the weather. Sometimes you can watch the weather reports, listen to the weather reports and get a perfectly great report only to discover the weather has changed in the short time it takes to make the drive. So, this photo is to remind me that once in awhile whether it is at the coast or just life in general, occasionally there are perfect days. Unfortunately those days are difficult to plan for but I believe the surprise is part of the perfection.

Enroute to Yellowstone Park

John and I got married May 26th, 2007! The next morning we had breakfast with our families and then we took off on our honeymoon roadtrip to Yellowstone Park. We had a blast. This photo was taken just outside the enterance.

On the top of the world!

Courtney and I were driving to Pierce, ID which is located 8,000 feet above the valley floor. The road up to Pierce is 2 lanes and narrow. On some of the turns it is 15 mph with not enough guard rails to make me feel secure. It is a beautiful drive if you can relax and not worry about the huge drop offs. By the time we hit the top Courtney had to jump out and soak up the beautiful surroundings.

Deer Creek Resevoir

Deer Creek Resevoir is absolutely beautiful. The resevoir is just outside Pierce, ID. The Idaho countryside is stunning. This area is like heaven on earth.

Eugene Sunset

About one mile from our house you can see down into the valley. I love this drive but it is difficult to take a photograph because you have to stop on the road. The roads are extremely curvy so one has to ensure there are no other cars behind you. Last night proved to be a glorious sunset. I had to capture the scene.

Brownsville, OR

The outskirts of Brownsville, OR was the backdrop for this exceptional scenery. The country around this area is absolutely stunning but you need to slow down and pay attention otherwise you may just speed right on past.

Portland, Oregon

I love Portland with it's hustle and bustle, architecture and funky, artsy attitude. It is a beautiful city surrounded by hills, mountains, water and tons of greenspace.

Oregon Coast - Agate Hunting

John decided we would take a trip to the coast and hunt for agates. The agates are tiny but we had so much fun. The coast is beautiful and when the tide is out formations and pools form. It is a great photo opportunity.

Our First Anniversary Trip

John and I celebrated our first anniversary with a trip to Sunriver Resort near Bend. You never know what Memorial Day will bring there and for us it brought snow, ice, sleet and beautiful scenery!

Multnomah Falls

Oregon boasts some of the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen. Multnomah falls are so easily accessible it's almost a sin.

Lava Fields

We visited the Lava Fields up the Old McKenzie Pass. This is the view of one peak from the observatory.

Outskirts Of Bend, OR

I love Bend, OR. When I first moved to Oregon, Bend was just a little town. Now with the property values escalating, little boutiques and great summer concerts, Bend has caught up with the rest of the cool west towns. I am not complaining because I always knew it had great potential, I am just sad I didn't move there before the boom. This is the scenery 10 miles outside of town.

Oregon Coast

I adore the Oregon Coast. Rain or shine, I have never had a disappointing visit. I also never tire of capturing shots along the beach.