08.12.09
My Favorite Place
This is right before you pop out of the minam canyon and into the Wallowa Valley. Growing up in the Wallowa Valley I did not appreciate the beauty of the area that surrounded me. But, as I am older now and get to come back to visit I see how lucky I was to grow up in such a beautiful place.
Here is a view looking at the county from the other side, we are facing away from Mt Joseph and looking down towards the town of Joseph.
I was home for the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo. One of the cutest things in the world to me are little cowboys and girls. This little one just couldn’t get enough of the action sitting in the stands so they had to go up closer.
07.24.09
Headed Home
I am headed home to Joseph for the weekend of Cheif Joseph Days. Looking forward to seeing the mountains and being away from the city for a few days!
07.01.09
Very bad blogger
Wow! I promised a more detailed blog about the trip to Europe and now I have so many more things to report upon. So, I think that the Europe post will have to wait. Once I got home I have pretty much gone somewhere every weekend. Here is a quick review in pictures.
We had girls camping weekend at the Oregon Coast:
And then there was my birthday weekend:
The next weekend I went to visit my family in Joseph and got my dog:
And finally last weekend Andrea and I went to Leavenworth to see a friends band play at the opening of a new beer garden. The Michael Carlos Band performed at the grand opening of Der Hinterhof…great music and a great atmosphere!
I am loving summer in Portland and all the places that are around us to visit!
10.26.08
What I did on my Summer Vacation
I feel as if I have had a life time of things happen since I last wrote anything. I have had a very busy summer fire season. I went to California, Wyoming, and Oregon three separate occasions resulting in an extended time away from my friends, family and puppies. But so is life. After fire season there was school and work still. So, I have been a little busy for the last four months.
There was knitting, hiking, reading and a lot of driving (lots and lots!). And some sleeping, but not really enough I thought. Sleeping in a tent on the ground for the majority of the summer is usually the husband’s job and I think that he can keep that part of it 
Hiking on the Umatilla National Forest (this was on the Umatilla Rim Trail with Mac)
PBR in Pendleton during the Round Up
Visiting Heidi in Portland for Race for the Cure (this was the night before)
Fishing on the Umatilla National Forest
And seeing some awesome new places while getting paid. (outside of Pinedale, WY)
And that is what I did on my summer vacation. Lots of fun and little sleep. There will be some knitting in the next post as I have been working on a new sweater and a hat for one of the babies at work.
07.29.08
Hiking with Hunter
A few weeks ago I was able to go hiking with my water loving puppy (who is two-ish now, so not really a puppy) on the South Fork of the Walla Walla River on the wonderful Umatilla National Forest. I love the forest and have decided to try and see as much of it as possible this summer while I am home. Since I have worked at the front desk of the Walla Walla Ranger District for so many years and have sent countless people out to these areas I thought it was fitting for me to finally get out there myself and really enjoy the trip instead of feeling rushed.
Here is a peak at what the trail meanders next to.
As you can see Hunter loved getting into the water and then shaking all that water onto me…which wasn’t all that bad as it was REALLY hot that day.
This trail takes off just past Harris Park outside of Milton-Freewater and follows the river up the canyon. It was a nice first hike for Hunter, all the new smells were overwhelming at times I am pretty sure. Something to keep in mind is that there are motorcycles allowed on this trail as well as hikers, so when we heard one coming we just stepped off the trail into a visible place but out of their way. Since they were bigger than us.
I tried to get a self picture of both Hunter and I, but I am not that short and he kept running to a new smell every time I tried to crouch next to him. So here is one of me, as you notice the trail does raise up quite a ways from the river in places. But, then it falls back down next to the river which allowed great places for a quick snack and soak for Hunter.
02.21.08
not feeling well…thank goodness for puppies
I have not been feeling well the last few days and I think that my puppies have noticed. They both climbed up onto the couch with me the other evening and just calmly laid there.
They are just too cute! I have been knitting, but studying for Anatomy and Physiology has been more pressing. Since all of our friends are having babies I have been only knitting small little items; sweaters, hats, and all those fun things.
01.15.08
I am in love with Firefox
So, this quarter I am taking an online class that requires me to use Blackboard. Which is all great and good, but I ran into some problems with Internet Explorer 7 and Blackboard. Mainly I couldn’t write in text boxes, which is important because that is how you turn in assignments. Long story short, I downloaded Mozilla Firefox and quickly fell in love. The main feature that I love is that there is spell check whenever you type! Which for me is HUGE! Also Ravelry and Flickr seem to work better, but I am not sure if this is just my imagination. Very well could be.
In puppy news, Hunter has decided that he no longer wants to get into his crate at night to go to sleep. This has been very upsetting because he usually just climbs right in and goes to sleep, but we have been having to bribe him as well and slightly push him to go to bed. So after much thought and deliberation the husband and I have decided that the boys (as we fondly refer to them) are old enough to sleep in the laundry room. With a child gate across the door, of course, so that they can’t get out but still get heat. Hunter is now a very happy puppy, as you can see by how he is already curled up on his new bed. But, Mac was a little confused as to where I was telling him to go to bed. He was running all over the place as if to say “Here? Do you want me here? How about here? Look I am in my crate! How about on your bed mom? WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO GO?” (Mac is part lab and part poodle and slightly spastic)
They are both settled down nicely in their new bedroom now and hopefully sleep well.
01.07.08
2008 Update
The new year is in full swing and that means my yearly attempt to stay organized, this year I have recruited the help of a new calendar (that has dogs on it!), a notebook to make lists in, and my PDA phone. I am a list making fool, and I have been making quite the dent in actually completely everything on my list each day for the last few weeks. I am going to do it this year and keep my sanity!
In a knitting update, I have finished one of the socks for my Mother-in-law and have started on the second in addition to a baby sweater for another co-worker (there must be something in the water).
MIL Sock:
I will finish the second sock by the end of the week, I can study and knit at the same time. It is going on the list! Oh, the pattern is Jaywalker, the yarn is Mountain Colors Bearfoot and of course they are being knit on Addi circulars size 2.
12.21.07
Christmas time already
I really can’t believe that is already time for Christmas, it has really suprised me. I thought that I was going to have another week to get things in order, but I looked at the calendar today and saw that it is only 4 days away! I am so behind. I was able to get our gifts in the mail that are headed across the state in time, at least that is what the lady at the Post Office said. And they should be getting them on Friday…TODAY! So hopefully they do get them.
One of the holiday items that I am not behind on is baking cookies. This is something that HAS to happen during the holidays, it just has to. When baking for Christmas there are certain things that one needs:
A Trusty Mixer:
Appropriate Beverages:
Dunham Three Legged Red…yummy!
A Companion:
Mac just sat there the whole time that I was baking, every-time I left the kitchen he would follow me and then lay back down right here when I went back into the kitchen.
And this is what you end up with:
Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies…the original recipe calls for dried cherries but I subbed in some frozen cranberries that I had left over from Thanksgiving and the tartness mixed with the chocolate is amazing. Sadly, they are all gone now from my house.
Obviously this sugar cookie dough is headed to the frig for up to half an hour before it gets cut into little trees, gingerbread men shapes and reindeer. And then covered in icing so that the Husband can enjoy them.
12.01.07
Frozen puppy
The weather was cold today, here is a picture of our older dog Mac with a frozen beard. He is part poodle.
Also finished a hat for myself today…very quick knit. Started and finished today! It was knit bottom to top, Cascade Tweed 220, on size 7 needles.
