Sunday Fun and Recreation

I know I indicated my next blog would be about the mushrooms and fungi of Silver Falls State Park, but today was too much fun with just us girls and I wanted to post a few pictures.

We went to the local "Paint your own Pottery" place and made our selections and just got creative.

Here are a few pictures...

To anyone else this would simply be a lided jar or urn.
But not to Laura Jayne!
This is her alien space ship landing on earth...

Jax, the Queen of everything, naturally went for the Crown.


Caroline wanted a clean slate, (or in this case a plate), in which to create her own design. She was very excited about her dinosaur.


Lindsey also painted a crown before she helped with painting Christmas gifts for Cale and Zach, (which is what prompted our trip to the pottery place). Living with 6 young women in our house is bound to create a "Queendom".

As for me...
I was trying out a potential new tattoo on my 'clean slate' before I tackled one of the Christmas gifts.


All in all.... a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Perhaps the next blog will be about Mushrooms.

Escape to Silver Falls State Park

This past spring & summer were filled with many celebrations, graduations, a wedding, 2 reunions, a funeral and a few trips to the beach, along with an anniversary in Seattle. I enjoyed all the family and friends we were able to celebrate life and death with but I was in definite need of some time to process and re-create on my own. Last June I made reservations for my birthday and set my sights for a November get-a-way. Sometimes it seemed like a long time in coming, but the wait was worth it.

Silver Falls State Park was my destination.

It became clear a couple of weeks before my birthday arrived that an entire 4 days alone wasn't going to happen. (It seems that I might possibly be the only one in my whole family who thinks time alone is something to be desired.) We were all able to strike a balance. Some time alone, some time with my best friend, and some time with the kids who could join us. After all, it is only 40 miles from home and Jeff was great about shuttling the kids to and from the cabin so I could relax.


There were gorgeous sunsets, brilliant moonlit nights, and still, morning sunrises.







I wish I could share the park with everyone! From the Trail of 10 falls, to the Lodge, to the plant life and wild life... everything is a gift to experience!




A family of deer visited us each day.

A pesky raccoon came by every night.

And then there was the 'wild life' that slept in the cabin with me.



I took well over 200 photos. But regardless of the composition, the quality of the photo, or how I try to adjust the color to accomodate for the gorgeous sunlight streaming through the trees, nothing can capture the sounds, the smells, the experience of hiking the falls.








I had a wonderful adventure that was enhanced by my most excellent find.....

a Purple Mushroom!


Seriously! This is no product of Adobe photoshop or any other digital manipulation.
I saw a number of the deepest, richest color of purple growing on a wild mushroom/fungus or some type of plant that you could ever imagine.

I never knew such a thing existed! After all I am from Kansas!

Next Blog Subject: The Mushrooms of Silver Falls State Park!

Well Wishes...

I have received so many greetings and well wishes for my birthday today reminding me that I am so blessed to be loved by so many.

I treasure all of the emails, phone calls (especially my dad singing to me at 6:30 this morning), text messages, e-cards, notes and letters.

I have to share this one left behind by my youngest as she went off to school.


I can tell I am getting older because the notes from my kids are more often colorfully done on the computer instead of handwritten or made of construction paper and glue. But none the less, I keep them all.

However, I can't help but wonder what 'Party like there is no tomorrow' means to an 11 year old!
Next week when I am back 'on-line', I'll let you know what I learn about partying from Laura.

Thank you for reading my blog and being a part of my life in so many awesomely elegant ways.
Love,
DWNTWN

48!

Tomorrow I will turn 48 years old.
I seem to recall mom saying I was born at 3:15am on a Sunday morning.

I think back to birthdays as a child and I honestly don't have vivid memories of celebrating my birthday. I know some people who can tell you what they got when they were 8, or that on their 12th birthday they received this... But not me.

I don't mean to indicate that I didn't get great gifts and presents. I just have a bad memory. What I do recall is every birthday we got to decide the dinner menu. My menu choice year after year was what we called Goulash and it had to be served with fried potatoes. Our goulash is much like most people's spaghetti, it is just made with elbow macaroni pasta instead of spaghetti pasta. And the potaotes were basic potatoes fried in crisco and maybe a diced onion tossed in.

Now that is my comfort food!

I don't have my mom here to make my birthday dinner any more and somehow it isn't quite the same when I make it myself.
But this year I plan to be up in a cabin at Silver Falls State Park grilling out over an open fire or maybe cooking something simple on the single propane burner I bought.

All I know is I am looking forward to some time away. I may do some hiking, some reading, some quilting, some sketching, or maybe all I will do is some napping

At least until Jeff and the kids will join me on Friday or Saturday.
But I am fairly certain that I will remember this, my 48th, birthday!

Hope for the Future!

This Fall has been an incredible journey of political discovery in our house.

I have witnessed and encouraged our kids to be informed, to listen, to be aware, and to take part in our community, and our country.

One of my most memorable nights was the first debate between Senators McCain and Obama and many of Alex's friends gathered to watch the Brown's watch.
We paused the program to discuss and to teach, to explain and to analyze.
This election process has grown in interest and focus for all of us as well as for the friends of our kids.

Two nights ago, I sat down with my mail-in ballot and voter's guide (Oregon does the election process right) and let Alex walk us through voting.
Essentially, I let him vote through me, guiding him when needed, but I was excited to see how informed he had become.

Last night I got home from work a little before 5 and found Alex camped out on the couch with the election results on the television and a laptop next to him doing his own analysis and update.

As the polls closed here on the West coast, there was much excitement and enthusiasm, and yes, even some tears as we all watched history take place.

Both McCain and Obama gave very moving speeches leaving us with great hope for the future.

We know it won't be easy and we have told the kids, it isn't over with the election.
The hard work is ahead of us.
I learned today of three more people that were laid off.
I know others who are in jeopardy of losing their homes.
Our renters can't make rent.
The economic crisis goes on and on....

But we as citizens can unite.
We have the ability to come together.
We know how to work hard.
We can make a difference and have an impact on the politicians that represent us.

And most of all I believe we are a compassionate nation that will care for our neighbors here and our neighbors abroad and move this country forward.

Today is a good day, a hope filled day!

Re-Creating

It was a long week for so many who helped with the Builder's Blitz.
But it was all worth it just to see the expression on Pedro and Luz's face when they were able to walk through their homes.


I will remember Friday October 31, 2008 for many years to come.

In my effort to feel less like a construction worker and more like a mom, I spent Sunday working on my newest grandson's quilt. It feels good to get the top of the quilt pieced together.


Now all I need to do is find time to do the actual handquilting.