09.11.09
Summer gone already?
This week has been a busy one. Monday was Labor Day, which Becky and I spent traveling home from a fire in Omak, WA. We were on the Milepost 281 Fire on the Colville Indian Reservation. It was a quick up and down fire camp, but it was a great time. And on the way home we got to take the Keller Ferry.
We had to leave Karrie and Laura behind for one round on the ferry:
Here is my current project on the ferry, they are called Walter’s Manly Socks:
After getting home from the fire late Monday night I got to catch up at the office from being gone. I also got to register for classes for the upcoming quarter at Eastern Oregon University. I was finally able to get on the phone with my advisor, we had been playing phone tag for about a month. And I found out some great news! I have 24 upper division credits left to graduate, all of my course work is done for my major and two minors! This means that on March 20, 2010 I will be done with my undergraduate degree! I am pretty excited about this fact, hence all the exclamation points.
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.
