SUN VALLEY

I just got home from a trip to Sun Valley. I went up for work. The seminar I was helping to facillitate went well. Also got to see some phenomenal country on the drive. It was rainy and dreary most of the way up, but on the way back we had blue skies and could see for miles. Idaho sure has some gorgeous country. I wish I had a camera with a wide angle sense to be be able to capture the scope of the grandeur. Even though these pictures don't do justice to it, they give a little taste of where I was. For more pictures of Sun Valley from the web click HERE.

Charm City

I just got back from attending a conference in Baltimore, Maryland. I was there for work, so most of my time was spent in the hotel. However, some colleagues and I did walk down to the inner harbor each evening for dinner. Two nights in a row we ate at Phillips which had some absolutely amazing sea food. The first night I had crab stuffed shrimp that was served on a bed of rice and vegetables. The second night I had a broiled seafood platter that included their award winning crab cake (much more crab than cake), garlic shrimp and broiled mahi mahi with a green Thai curry sauce that was to die for. DOUBLE YUM~!!

On the last day of the conference one of the other members of my team and I took some time to explore a bit by riding the "Circle Lady", the free city bus that took us into the Mt. Vernon district (on the Purple Route). We met some interesting people on the bus. I struck up a conversation with a few different folks, asking them what they liked best or least about living in Baltimore. It was intriguing the range of answers I got.

Baltimore, MD is known as "Charm City". Some say that is because in the 1970's the city developer came up with a promotional campaign (similar to something done in Pendleton, Oregon), having various businesses offer charms that in some way represent their establishments. People were encouraged to get the bracelets they went on and collect all the different charms, so the name stuck.

However, others say the name is more for the feeling of the place. Located on the East Coast of the United States, between New York City and Washington, D.C., Baltimore is one of America's oldest cities, known for its rich ethnic and maritime heritage, sense of history and fine food.

Whatever the reason, I found Baltimore to be a delightful city. Sure, it has its problems, as any city will. But at least the area where I went was pretty, it was surprisingly clean and I never once saw pan handlers or homeless people hanging about like I did on nearly every street corner on a recent trip to Salt Lake City.

I would like to believe that Baltimore's lack of beggars had more to do with providing appropriate resources for people down on their luck so they had more suitable avenues for getting what they need. I suspect it may have more to do with lack of tolerance for those who don't promote the "charm" image.

In speaking with some of the folks we met along our bus route the general consensus seemed to be that Baltimore is kept beautiful along the inner harbor and main business district - where I was for my conference; From what I was told once you get outside of that carefully guarded corridor there is a general decay.

The January 2009 Point-in-Time Homeless count for Baltimore was 3,419. That is out of a city with an estimated population of 636,919. (steadily decreasing since 1980.)

An interesting point a gentleman made to me on our bus ride was that there are enough vacant houses and apartments throughout the city to accommodate every one of those homeless individuals. However, those houses and apartments belong to someone who has no obligation to have them used by strangers in need. So what is the greater problem - poverty and homelessness or lack of willingness to be our brother's keeper?

That opens up a whole kettle of fish about whether or not giving someone free housing is in the best interest of the individual or the community. I worked in providing services to homeless long enough to know that many people fear if we do a really good job of providing for our poor the consequence will be having your community become a magnet attracting down and out folks from areas with fewer services. There are no simple answers.

Still, for me, my stay in "Charm City" was a pleasant one, even if I only saw the shiny face put on for visitors. I acknowledge that there are indeed significant problems behind that facade. Nevertheless, of the various people I talked to I felt a real authenticity behind the "charm", and I very much appreciated the graciousness and open friendly attitudes I encountered.

I will long remember the homeless vet who was carrying a big bag of food bank bread to go feed the ducks in the park. He didn't have much, but as he went he offered bread to the bus driver and other passengers, entreating them each to have a great day. I will remember the bouncer who had a pretty jaded view of life, who spent his days "beating people up and throwing them out of the bar when they get out of hand" and compare that to the conversation I had with the bus driver, an attractive young woman who had moved to Baltimore the year before, praising the city she viewed as "quiet, a good place to raise my son." (She had come from New York City.)

No matter where I go there will be both good and bad. I can be like the bouncer or the bus driver. I choose which part I will focus on.

Italy or New Zealand?

Next year my beloved and I will be celebrating our 30th anniversary. For some time now we have tentatively been planning a trip to Italy to celebrate. However, I think that trip just may get bumped. As much as I would adore spending time in Rome, Pisa, Florence and Venice, we've about made up our minds to try a different itinerary.

I think we may be headed to New Zealand.

No, it does not have the amazing cathedrals :


























But I think the breathtaking natural scenery just might make up for that:






So you lurkers and fans...

Any of you ever been to New Zealand? Or Italy? Any thoughts on pros and cons of which would be the better trip?

Idaho State Parks

On the way home from Utah my beloved and I stopped off at two Idaho State Parks. First we went to Malad Gorge State Park. We had a nice walk along the trail and had some great views of the waterfall and canyon.




Then we drove out the loop and checked out the picnic area and playground. Looked like a great spot for a picnic. (Besides, no matter how old I am I still love playing on the swings!)



Further on down the road we also stopped at Three Island State Park near Glenn's Ferry. We didn't spend as much time there, but did enjoy reading a bit about the Oregon Trail history of that area. There is a museum / interpretive center that we didn't go into but may check out another day. We were ready to get home. But it was still nice to stop and find out what was there so we can plan a more extended visit on another day.


















I'm very much looking forward to learning more about Idaho and exploring what the region has to offer.

Utah for the weekend

I just got back from a quick trip to Utah for the weekend. My husband's family has a tradition of gathering for a family reunion each year on the Saturday before Memorial day. This year things were different, because one of the cousins died last week. She had struggled with a tough battle with cancer for the past several months. Sadly, recovery was not to be. So instead of the usual pot luck dinner up at the field in the hills above town we all met for the funeral and luncheon afterward. It was a bittersweet time, sad to say goodbye far too soon to one we all loved. (She was just 63). Still, it was meaningful to celebrate a life lived well and to reconnect as a family.

Then, later in the evening, several of us did head up to the field for an evening weenie roast.









We sat around visiting, watching the shifting light over the field where we gather every year.

My beloved and I took two of the little girls on "An Adventure"...an exploring walk through the surrounding hills examining bugs and rocks and flowers. They learned about lichen and we looked at various animal tracks. Their major discovery was seeing three kinds of poop and noticing the difference in each one (deer, elk and cow.) Oh to be young and retain the wonder and curiosity for all the world they way they do. We all had a great time.

As the evening wore on the sky came alive with an amazing sunset, which is actually pretty common for that place but still never gets old...



It was just a quick trip, but still a very good time reconnecting in the place where my husband grew up, visiting with his family. One of the blessings of our move to Boise is we are closer to them now and will be able to spend more time there than just once a year at reunion time. It's not a place I'd ever want to live, but without question is is a very special place that we feel richer for being able to visit when we can.

New Virtual Book Tour on the Way

Trisiti Pinkston is at it again.

A successful writer herself, Tristi also works as Senior Editor of Valor Publishing. In that role she has been a real champion of finding fresh and innovative ways to get the word out about new books coming to market. One that she has successfully done is the "Virtual Book Tour" in which several bloggers are invited to read a pre-release copy of a new book and then write a candid review of that book on their blogs.

I have been fortunate enough to be included in this gathering of readers in the past. On March 24 I will be reviewing The Cleansing of America by Dr. W. Cleon Skousen.(Click HERE for a biography of Skousen)

While I have heard a lot about Skousen's past works, I have not yet read any of his books. I have a PDF file of this soon to be published work on a flash drive I will take with me as I am traveling to Arizona this week. I have about a three hour lay over in Salt Lake at an airport that does NOT offer free wi-fi. (What's the deal SLC?) So instead of bemoaning the fact that I can't get online while I'm there I'll use that time to do some reading.

I look forward to seeing what the book has to offer and I very much appreciate Tristi's continued confidence in me as a reviewer. I'm excited to have the opportunity to give this book careful thought and share my reactions to it here.

Power of FOCUS

Today I am thinking about the power of focus.

Lots of stuff happens every day - some good, some not so good, some bizarre, some mundane. I decide which of those things I will pay the most attention to. I am in control of my own mental focus.

I believe I have the power to be in charge of my own mood and attitude by deliberately choosing to focus on things I am grateful for, things I am excited about, things that make me smile INSTEAD of staying stuck in dwelling on all that is not perfect in my life. There is PLENTY that is not perfect in my world right now. If I chose to focus on those things I could work myself into a pretty potent pity party. (say that five times fast!) Instead, I am working hard to keep putting my attention on the many things I have that are fantastic. There are a lot of those things in my world as well. It's up to me to decide which ones will get the bulk of my attention.

Recently I had an opportunity to go on a week long cruise with my husband and some other family members to Mexico. We took a Holland America ship to Mazatlan, Porta Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. It was supposed to be a fabulous vacation in the sun, seeing interesting places and having the time of our lives.

Except I got sick. By the second day on ship I was coughing like crazy and felt kinda puny. So I went to the medical center to get some cough medicine. They took my temperature, did a throat culture and diagnosed me with flu A. Which means I was put into quarantine to protect the other passengers from my germs. I DID have fun in Mazatlan. But I did NOT get to go see Porta Vallarta or Cabo. Not only did I not get to see those ports of call, I wasn't even allowed out of my room. Not fun.

The first day I was very understanding about it. There are lots of little old people on cruise ships. I sure did not want to get anyone else sick. I thought with bed rest, pushing fluids and a course of Tamiflu I'd beat it pretty quick. However, my positive attitude about it pretty much went flying out the window by the third day of isolation. I was ready to go postal.

The time I was down was pretty grim. Not only did I feel terrible, I hated missing out on the only vacation I am likely to get this year. Also, I am by nature a pretty social person. Being in solitary confinement all that time was hard to take. However, when I finally DID get to get out of my room (on our way back home) I had an amazing day. Dolphins surrounded the ship by the hundreds, jumping out of the water right up next to the boat and all across the sea. After that we went through a pod of whales. Over and over again they came up to the surface within just a few feet of where I was standing on the deck. They were truly awesome to watch. I saw amazing islands, I enjoyed some good meals. Besides all that, I felt very grateful to simply be able to BREATHE without coughing and to have the freedom to walk around again.

When I think of that trip I could define it as a miserable experience that I spent locked up most of the time. Or I can think of that trip as the vacation I took when I got to commune with dolphins and whales. The choice is up to me.

For me, the most positive way for me to define that cruise to Mexico is to clearly remember BOTH parts of it. Rather than having to view my life experiences in terms of either/or good/bad dichotomy, I prefer to embrace both/and. This vacation was the trip when I got sick AND the trip that I saw dolphins and whales.

I do not want to put on blinders to my experience of being ill. It was a very difficult, painful, disappointing thing to have happen. Yet it also was a reminder to me about how very fortunate I am to have generally good health. There was a point that every free breath I took without going into spasms of coughing truly felt like a precious gift from God. (I was really sick!) It was interesting to watch how long it took for me to start taking breathing for granted again. It wasn't very long. I am trying to HOLD ON to that feeling of gratitude for things as basic as my breath. Remembering my period of illness gets me closer to feeling a deep appreciation for it.

I give meaning to what happens to me on a daily basis. I can whine about the things that do not meet my expectations. Or I can look for the blessings and lessons that are in ALL things that occur, even the painful ones.

I will definitely have pain. Whether I allow that pain to make me miserable is up to me. I really do believe that there are blessings in ALL my experiences. Some float right up to the surface, like those breaching whales and leaping dolphins. Others are harder to identify. But if I look deep, they are always there.

Pacific Northwest Beauty

I had intended to leave a long comment over on Violins and Starships but apparently there was an error in some of the HTML code I typed in for links so most of it got lost. So rather than start over there I figured I'd just post it here where I could edit any problems...

I was singing the praises of the Pacific Northwest.

Oregon coast is DEFINITELY worth visiting. My husband and I spent a weekend at the bed and breakfast at Heceta Head Lighthouse that was absolutely amazing.

Other special places worth taking in,

The drive through the Columbia Gorge - between Hood River and Portland has over 25 waterfalls, from the stunning to the sublime...several with nice hiking trails to the top through lush land.

Then there's Ho National Forest over in Washington, amazing old growth forest that makes my spirit soar.

The interpretive center at Mt. St. Helens is definitely work taking in. A whole hillside of giant trees scattered like pick up sticks gives silent testatment to the power of that might volcano's force.

Or if you enjoy covered bridges Oregon has lots of them.

Whether it's exciting city stuff in Portland or Seattle, quiet moutain retreats, skiing, windsurfing, or just taking in a farmer's market we've got it all here in the Pacific Northwest.

I may be a desert baby by birth, but this part of the country has most definitely captured my heart.

Last Day

Today was our final day of adventures here in Mexico. We spent the day at Xcaret Ecological park and had a fabulous time. My mind is a whirl of images from the day - snorkeling the underwater river through twisting caves and cenotes, the butterfly house, the acquarium, the jungle trails, the animals, the ocean, and of course the show. I've been to all manner of rock concerts, plays, pagaents and other shows of one fashion or another. This one topped them all. It was phenomenal - the music, the dancing, the costumes and the sheer spectacle of it all was quite a site to behold.

We befriended a couple from Tennessee who happened to be on the same bus taking us to the park and ended up spending the day with them. Shep & Sue, thanks for making the day even better by sharing it with us!

By the time the day was over we were all exhausted, but happy.

Tomorrow it's time to bring our vacation to a close. Our flight out is around 3:00 PM so we won't get home until the wee hours of Wednesday morning. Fortunately I can simply collapse into my own sweet bed and don't need to be back at work until Thursday.

Home. I've had a great time these past several days, but I am ready to return. Getting away has been wonderful. But every time I leave the country I am reminded how much I do appreciate living in the United States. I am grateful for water pure enough to drink right from the tap. I am grateful for my home, my job, my life back in the states. I'm grateful for my family, my friends, and even my dog that are all waiting for me back there. Despite the cold weather and the pile of work waiting in my office, I'm ready to get back to it.

So goodbye Mexico. Thank you for your kindness, your beauty, your welcome. This trip will stay in my heart for many years to come. It has been romantic, exciting, rejuvenating. But now it's time to bring it to an end. I wish I could just click my heels like Dorothy and zoom back...but instead I'll spend a day of travel tomorrow back to the land of work and winter. I welcome both. This break has been good for me. But now I'm ready to return to my regular life, refreshed, rested and ready to take on whatever may be waiting for me there. Ready or not, here I come.

Scenes from Chichen Itza

Temple of Kukulcan

The Nunnery

Temple of the Warriors

The Observatory

The wall of skulls - this one is for Papa Herman!

And of couse, one for that sports fiend Jaquandor - The Ball Court!

Belladonna in Braids

We had quite a fun time going into Cancun. I know just enough survival Spanish to be able to get by. We felt ever so resourceful to figure out the bus system. The tourists taking excursions pay $50 each way in a cab or else go on the big tour buses. We walked a few blocks to a bank and asked there how to find a local bus. It cost us less than $4.00 each for the trip. We wandered all over, had lunch, then found our way back. I've had enough of Cancun for a lifetime. Too commercial for my tastes. Had many of the same businesses I'd see at home - Blockbuster, GNC, Sears, McDonalds. Playa del Carmen is quite developed in terms of the number of resorts, but at least it feels and looks more like Mexico.

On the way home last night we wandered all over 5th street, the shopping district that is blocked off so it is restricted to pedestrians. I had one of the vendors there do my hair all in braids. Larry says I look like Bo Derek in the movie "10". Um. No. But it was fun and will keep my hair out of my face as I go hiking, swimming, etc. I will DEFINITELY be taking it out as soon as I get home.

Today we go to Chichen Itza and then on Monday we go to Xceret. We are having a fabulous time. I hear it is snowing at home. Do I really have to go back??

Chicken Trees

I have come to the conclusion that Edward Scissor Hands is alive and well in Playa de Carmen. Yesterday we took a bus into Cancun to do some exploring and have lunch. I had to smile at the trees shaped like chickens all along the median next to the road. This photo is rather blurry since I snapped it through the bus window as we moved rather fast, but I just couldn't resist.

Hola Amigos!

Mexico Bound

My bags are all packed and I'm about ready to head out the door. We'll rest for a few hours and then around 3AM head off for the airport in Pasco. This time tomorrow we'll be in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I'm EXCITED! I'm very much looking forward to seeing the Mayan ruins at Tulum and Chichen Itza. My beloved is looking forward to some scuba diving while I lay on a beach reading a couple good books. We'll explore the jungle and possible take a day over to the litte fishing village of Isla Mujeres. This should be a good trip. We'll celebrate our anniversary and beloved's birthday. We'll hopefully have a nice mix of adventure and relaxation. I'm ready to go be WARM next to azure blue waters.
I should have some nice pictures to post when I get back. Adios for now!

VACATION!!

I'm scrambling like a maniac to get out the door for my trip to Arizona. The last couple weeks have been a mad dash trying to get caught up on several important projects to make room for this time away.

This impending vacation has me feeling excited and apprehensive all at the same time.

I am remembering the time when I was a little kid when my father took all us kids to the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Baily three ring circus. From what I heard, all the other kids had a super time. Not me. I hated it. If I looked at the clowns I missed the dancing horses. If I looked at the dancing horses I missed the elephant standing on a barrel. If I looked at the elephant standing on a barrel I missed the trapeze ladies. If I looked at the trapeze ladies I missed the juggling man with the funny mustache. If I looked at the juggling man.... oh you get the idea. No matter WHAT I did, there seemed to be so much I was missing out on. It couldn't stand it. So I just cried in frustration and went to sleep to avoid the whole mess.

I find myself battling some of that same anxiety as I get ready to take off for this trip. There are so many different people who all would like to connect while I am there. There are so many gorgeous places we could see, things we could do. Somewhere, somehow, some choices will have to be made. My fear is that I will feel overwhelmed by all that I will miss. So I am trying my best to go in with clear intention to PACE MYSELF and acknowledge that there is just no way to do it all. I am trying to let go of any specific expectations of how I want things to be and just let myself be present to whatever IS, trusting the universe to let it all unfold as it should.

I don't know for sure who I will see when... Tonight we drive to Boise, where we will spend some time with my brother and do some things like go to LDS temple, shop at Costco, and generally unwind/recharge in prep for the MAIN leg of our vacation. On Friday we fly to Arizona. We will pick up our rental car in Phoenix and then head north for Oak Creek Canyon. The weekend will be spent with LOTS of family. Then Monday my beloved and I take our Hot Air Balloon ride over Sedona. Wahoo!

After that - who knows? We have tentative plans for Tucson, Casa Grand and Maricopa to see certain people. I am going to try to get together with a couple old buddies from high school days. I want to get a few good hikes in.

But mostly I want to BREATHE DEEPLY and RELAX.

I'll have my computer with me since I have to keep up with my online classes. Don't know if I'll make anytime for the blogosphere while I'm gone...depends on how much I am sleeping I suppose. I'm taking my new script for Rozarem with me, so if you don't hear from me till I get back, that means the medicine worked!

I've been kinda quiet of late, but still lurking on sites of the usual cast of characters. Know you will be in my thoughts while I'm gone. Be well.

Arizona Bound

Looks like our Italy trip is on hold for now.

Due to a variety of circumstances, we've decided to put off any international trips this year. Instead, my beloved and I will be heading to Arizona in October. I've booked reservations for us to take a hot air balloon ride over the majestic red cliffs of Sedona with Red Rock Balloon Adventures. That seems like an appropriate way to celebrate my 50th birthday. We'll also do some exploring / fishing / hiking / geocaching in Oak Creek Canyon. We will be going to the Apple Fest at Slide Rock State Park, which just happens to be located on my grandfather's homestead.

Frank L. Pendley came to Arizona from his native Texas in the early 1800's. He arrived in Oak Creek Canyon 100 years ago this year. Through hard work and amazing ingenuity he mastered the challenge of getting water to his property - something that had stumped all those who tried to settle the place before. He planted an apple orchard and built a house, developing the property a little more each year. This is the place where my father was born and where we scattered his ashes when he died. It's where I wandered around the hills as a kid and the spirit of the place has shaped me in more ways than I can name.

Although my grandfather died before I was born, I've heard so many stories of his life that I feel as if I had known him. So I'll gather at the ranch with a bunch of my cousins to honor this amazing pioneer and walk again in those red cliffs of my youth. Should be a good trip.

................................Frank L. Pendley

There's a nice photo of the packing shed HERE over on Flikr.

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About the park: Slide Rock State Park, originally the Pendley Homestead, is a 43-acre historical apple farm located in Oak Creek Canyon. Frank L. Pendley, having arrived in the canyon in 1907, formally acquired the land under the Homestead Act in 1910. Due to his pioneering innovation, he succeeded where others failed by establishing a unique irrigation system still in use by the park today. This allowed Pendley to plant his first apple orchard in 1912, beginning the pattern of agricultural development that has dominated the site since that time. Pendley also grew garden produce and kept some livestock. As one of the few homesteads left intact in the canyon today, Slide Rock State Park is a fine example of early agricultural development in Central Arizona. The site was also instrumental to the development of the tourism industry in Oak Creek Canyon. The park is named after the famous Slide Rock, a stretch of slippery creek bottom adjacent to the homestead. Visitors may slide down a slick natural water chute or wade and sun along the creek. The swim area is located on National Forest land which is jointly managed by Arizona State Parks and the U.S. Forest Service.

Together these areas have seen the making of many Hollywood movies such as "Broken Arrow" (1950) with James Stewart, "Drum Beat" (1954) with Alan Ladd and Charles Bronson, "Gun Fury" (1953) with Rock Hudson and Donna Reed, and a scene from "Angel and the Badman" (1946) with John Wayne.

FIND YOUR SPOT!

I just got turned on to a new service that I really like.

It's called FindYourSpot.com You take a brief quiz about your preferences in things like weather, town/city size, access to museums, medical care, churches, sports, outdoor activities and the like. Then it searches the country and comes up with a list of places you would be likely to enjoy living.

Each town that is listed for you shows the population, average home price, precipitation, amount of snow, and has links to job listings in that area.

Is that cool or what??

So I ran through it just to see where it thinks I'd like to be. Interestingly enough, the top two choices it gave me are Wenatchee, WA (where I lived for 5 years and liked it very much) and Walla Walla, WA (a town I also have a very deep affinity for.)

However, I am also offered Palmer, Alaska; St. Helens, Oregon; Hickory, North Carolina; Maryville, Tennessee; Dillon, Montana and a few others.

I'm intrigued. If nothing else, I may have just come up with a list of cool places to visit. And who knows? When my grant-funded job ends a year from now, this may give me a good starting point of where to look for work next.

Airport Hell - Part II

Apparently it was wishful thinking that we'd get home without a hitch.

On our way out to Michigan it took us longer to get to Detroit than it did to get us to Egypt. Looks like we won't do much better on the return trip.

We got to the airport way early so we could make it through all the THREAT LEVEL ORANGE security without having to be rushed. Since Detroit airport has a lot of international flights their security is fairly tight.

We actually boarded our plane pretty much on time and were excited that everything seemed to be going well. Then we sat in the plane on the tarmac for THREE HOURS due to a lightening storm passing over. Being stuck in an airport with ability to walk around, get food, use Internet, etc is not my favorite thing. But being stuck ON THE PLANE really is worse.

We finally made it to Salt Lake about 11 PM. (Should have been all the way to Pasco by 9pm)
Of course, by then the last flight out to Pasco was long since gone. So now we are here in some little hotel by the airport, hoping to make a different connection sometime tomorrow.
On the up side, we met a couple of really nice folks from Twin Falls, ID who had just gotten back from a month long trip to Uzbekistan. We enjoyed visiting with them about various international trips we both had taken.

But I'm tired, my head hurts, my throat hurts (I hate airplane air - it always makes me feel cruddy for a day after). I just want to go HOME.

ROAD TRIP

My beloved and I just returned from our long weekend away. We had a great time.

Wednesday night we drove to Hood River, which claims to be the Wind Surfing capital of the world, but to me will always be my old stomping grounds from my fruit tramp days back in the '70's.

THURSDAY - The husband person went fishing, exploring both Lost Lake and Lawrence Lake, while I was in meetings for the American Association of Women in Community Colleges.
He caught some fish, saw signs of bear and generally had a good time. I got to meet with some great women from all across the state and discuss Big Ideas, some which I'm still pondering mightily and may blog on a bit later. That evening we did a bit of geocaching and had a couple really nice finds.

FRIDAY - we went white water rafting near Maupin. It was a blast. We only did class three rapids so there was never anything dangerous or scary - just a fun ride down the river on a beautiful day. Again, at the end we did a geo search, nice end to a long day in the sun. Then we drove on to Redmond for the night.

SATURDAY - we did MORE geocaching, found several and got stumped on a few. Then we went to hear Terri Jentz talk about her book "Strange Piece of Paradise" at the Paulina Springs bookstore. Afterwards we went out to dinner with Terri and a few of the folks from the Bend/Sisters area that she knows. We had a fabulous time getting acquainted and sharing our thoughts about social responsibility, apathy, crime, and reclaiming life after trauma.

SUNDAY - we headed home going the long back way along Hwy 218. We went through lots of tiny little towns like Antelope, Clarno, Fossil, Spray, Heppner, Lexington and Echo. I couldn't help but wonder why people live in some of those spots...what took them there? What holds them? I'd love to go back sometime and interview a few of the locals.

Along the way we stopped at the John Day Fossil Beds and did a nice little hike to see some intriguing geology.

Then we stopped along the John Day River for a picnic lunch. Larry did some fishing (mostly caught TINY small mouth bass that looked like bait, but I guess it was fun for him) and I got to lay under a ponderosa pine tree reading a good book. Finally it was time to call it a day and head on home.

All in all it was a really good trip.