In this picture I resemble a dork, the water was as almost as blue as my sweatshirt!

Wizard Island peaking around the bend

Picture of Mount Thielsen, not far from Diamond Lake, pumice desert in the foreground
Well I finally made it to Crater Lake. My friends and I camped at Diamond Lake not too far up the road from the national park. It rained a good bit the last night there which made for a soggy departure, but it was nice and cool up in them mountains. My $25 tent from Target that I bought a year ago is holding up quite nicely. This monday I get to go back to (in the words of Dan Orme) 'God's country.' This has been one of the best summers of my life. I feel as though it has been too good and that something terrible is bound to happen to me. Hmmmm....

Take 2

I've decided to revamp my blog. My blogging fingers have been quite slothful as of late. I suppose summer has its perks. Speaking of perky...i took some bad chicken bad to the Trader Joes here and they didn't even ask to see the chicken, or the receipt. I think one other perk of living here (the Northwest) is that it isn't as oppressive climate wise or religiously or geographically. But is that a perk? I've decided that no. I think i'm spoiled with the beauty of this place that it becomes less beautiful and less mysterious. Living in an oppressive environment makes you appreciate grandeur while it also makes you love your home. The Civil War, the heat, the racism, the rolling hills, the mosquitos, the pollution, the cars, the tradition, the stubborness, the strip malls, the heat...i love it. As I said, i feel spoiled out here. But you know...i'm enjoying it.

Dollars well spent

Sunday was one of the happier days of my life....I finally got my dragon t-shirt. I went to Gateway Mall in Springfield, voted one of the top 10 WORST malls in America. I must disagree. They have an excellent arcade with skee ball AND whole stand filled with t-shirts like this one. There are many with wolves, fairies, puppies, kitties, dragons, knights slashing dragons, dragons slashing knights, etc... Anyhow, I wear it with pride. And no matter how much you may think it is a scene from The Lord of the Rings...it is most certainly not! This is a complete foreign cave with a completely different wizard and a completely different dragon-being-thing. I hope you enjoy this picture as much as I do.

A new looksie

Clouds? What clouds?

I don't want to bore you with the weather but...It's a simply divine day in the Pacific Northwest. Clear as crystal and breezy with temps around 70. Lurvely. I feel like we've earned this weather. Even locals say that this spring has been awful wet and cold. This morning as I left my apartment for church I was greeted with the Eugene marathon running right smack in front of my place. There was a portapottie and water station right outside. I was lucky enough to see the person in first place run by. White lightning. I almost couldn't leave my street, but I made it in time. Next year for sure I will run this race. And what a day to run it. Sunshine can work wonders.

Swing yore partner!

Today I caught up on some sleepskie. A modest 5 hour nap this afternoon was well needed. I attended two cook-outs this weekend due to the nice weather. And to top it all off, I went to a square dance last night. And am sore now from it. I love square dancing. I forgot how fun it is. I remember having square dancing in Mrs. Mercer's P.E. class back in Westminster. Such good times. And it's still a blast! A bunch of sweaty, smiling, half-drunk, smelly folks got together at the Vet's Hall last night and cut loose. Now, unfortunately, it's back to workskie.

Momma and Me