We had a nice time in Bend, although it was cloudy with rain showers. We didn't get to see the Three Sisters, only Three-Fingered Jack as we climbed the pass on our way over and Black Butte as we drove back to Sisters. It's too bad because I had the camera ready to take some great pictures of the mountains.

We did, however, visit several sites we had never been to, including the Lava Cast Forest and Smith Rock State Park. The Lava Cast Forest was so amazing and unique. I'm glad we took the time to stop there. I can see why some people don't make the 9-mile trip to the site because the road is gravel. Yet, the road was groomed well and we traveled at a pretty constant speed of 30 mph. Once at the site, we found several other people, so some were adventurous, like us.


We walked the 1-mile paved loop through the lava in amazement. These lava casts of ancient trees are so interesting. The walking tour guide pamphlet gave very good information on the site's geology, history and interesting facts.



I highly recommend visiting the Lava Cast Forest just south of Bend.

Smith Rock State Park was amazing also, but we didn't spend enough time there. Now we know to spend at least half a day exploring the park and doing some hiking. The park was very crowded, with hikers, rock climbers and people just wanting to watch the activities.



On our way out, we saw the old ice cream store where Bill Sullivan stopped during his walk across Oregon.

Make sure to read my Suite101 article - Lava Cast Forest Near Bend .

I've been traveling a lot the past few weekends. I've enjoyed it greatly but it sure was nice to come home last night. We traveled to Central Washington this Labor Day weekend, to see family. Along the way we stopped at Multnomah Falls and the Stonehenge War Memorial. We had great traveling weather but the traffic was heavy. The drive up the Columbia River Gorge is always beautiful, no matter the season. Sometimes I think I take for granted it beauty and the wonderful sites along the drive. Most times I don't stop much, just for a quick bite to eat in Hood River. It was nice to stop at a few places this time. I saw many more sites I would like to explore sometime, such as The Dalles Dam, Cascade Locks, the Old Columbia River Highway, Celilo, and numerous state parks. It does make the long drive more enjoyable taking several driving breaks along the way.

I plan on staying home the next few weekends, since I have a lot to do.

I returned late Sunday evening from Wyoming, to rain and cool temperatures in Oregon. It was kind of nice, as the rain was refreshing. My trip to Wyoming was a success, with smooth travel the whole time. My flights were early, the rental car was great on gas and our tour guides were excellent.

I have about 10 article ideas ready to work on. Sweetwater County, Wyoming is one of the most beautiful and exotic places I've ever been. Filled with wildlife and wild horses, adventure is easily found. The cities of Rock Springs and Green River are brimming with history and mystery. From coal mining to petroglyphs to Butch Cassidy and Sin City, their history is an exciting discovery.

I found the Western Wyoming Community College to be unlike any other school I have been to. How many schools contain a natural history museum or massive dinosaurs roaming the halls? Not to mention the massive boulders placed around the campus, representing the geology of the surrounding mountains, or the 9 ton Easter Island statue. The school is an exhibit in and of itself, with interesting architecture and large open spaces.

Mere words can not describe the beauty of the mountains near Pinedale, at the Flying A Guest Ranch. Beautiful horses, pristine mountains, wildlife and quaking aspen are just the beginning of the sights of this area. Riding horseback through the quietness of the woods, spotting bears and moose, surrounded by the Wind River Mountains and Gros Ventre Mountains is a unique experience. It will be a challenge to find the words to describe this place.

The people I met probably had the largest impression on me. Kind, authentic people who care so much about their surroundings and are so passionate about the things they love.

What a great experience! This is only the beginning of my thoughts on the location, experience and people. Stay tuned for more.


Photo by Peggy Paine

Well, we didn't make it down to Crater Lake this weekend, but instead spent a nice weekend enjoying the outdoors around Florence, Oregon. The weather was warm and dry with blue skies. We walked along the beach, finding beautiful shells and rocks. We walked through the sand dunes. We even rented ATVs and explored the sand dunes at faster speeds. It was fun to spend time with relatives and enjoy the outdoors.
More to come on this adventure later...

Tomorrow I am off to discover new places in Oregon with my relatives from Washington. We will start at the Oregon Coast near Florence, then head east, finally ending at Crater Lake National Park. I'm probably one of the only Oregonians who hasn't seen this natural wonder. Even people I've talked to who live across the country have seen the park. I can't wait to finally see it and take some pictures. I will make sure to post some if they turn out. I will also write an article or two.

The one area that I am always being tested in for my life, is my patience. If I could have everything now or in a timely manner, I would be very happy. I am not very good at waiting.

I had my graduate school interview of Tuesday for Pacific University's new Master's of Healthcare Administration program. It went well, I think. It was quick and I was the first one of the day. But the assistant dean told me they would start sending out information yesterday. I had thought she meant an e-mail or a phone call, but maybe they started sending out information packets yesterday, which could take awhile by mail.

I'm not too worried because I think they looked on my application favorably. The director even knew my CEO. But it would be nice to get the official acceptance, before I start planning my next 2 years. I don't want to count my chicken before they hatch, you know. I am very good at planning and setting goals but I do tend to get ahead of myself. Just ask my husband! ;)

So, if you get a chance, please pray for my patience. Thanks!

I'm excited today because my vacation begins tomorrow. Early tomorrow morning, my husband and I will fly out to Pennsylvania, to visit his family and attend the annual family reunion. I will get to discover the sites in Pennsylvania Dutch country and Central Pennsylvania. I am ready with pen and paper to write down my thoughts and create a few travel articles.

So, you will not hear from me until August, but keep reading and commenting. I enjoy reading your comments.

Thanks for reading!
Aurae

Summer's bounty is upon us! The roses are in full bloom, with lilies, gladiolus and more summer flowering beauties producing such amazing color! The garden is becoming overgrown with massive tomato plants, peas reaching for anything to grab a hold of and melons and cucumbers running all over the place. Small tomatoes grow on branches, increasing in size daily. Green pea pods form revealing the delicious peas within.

Yet, perhaps the most anticipated is the arrival of sweet, succulent fruit in the yard. The early blueberries are just now turning blue, offering sweet fruit. The raspberries are red and soft, melting in your mouth. It seems that once I think I have picked all the ripe ones, I look back and there are more! We are to go pick cherries from the grandparents’ trees. Local farms boast u-pick berries and fruit and I eagerly fill bags ready to freeze and use in winter or for fruit shakes.

I was at Borders the other day looking for a book on healing, when I ended up in the diet and nutrition section. There are so many different books on diets! Wow! So, I looked through them. After my father-in-law's shocking diagnosis of cancer, I have decided that I need to stop putting off getting healthy and do it. I'm tired of being overweight and tired of waiting for the right time to lose weight. I have learn the past few weeks that the present is the best time for most things. Life is precious.

So, I picked up two books I thought were interesting: The Maker's Diet and a diet started by a cardiologist. I really thought the Maker's Diet sounded great, using the Bible to guide our eating. It also talking about treating the body in a holistic way. So, I bought that book and started reading it. I found it's principles very logical and without argument. But it was a little extreme for me, now. I need something I can do and succeed at.

My mother-in-law had a book on her kitchen table by Bob Greene on the Best Life Diet. I started reading the book while I was there. I thought this diet sounded like something I could do and do well. So, I looked up his website, The Best Life Diet and signed up.

I like how his diet has 3 phases, with the first phase consisting of being more active and getting into the right way of eating. It's really pretty simple but just takes getting the mind into the right state.

I will update you on my progress. I'm not supposed to weigh-in for 4 weeks. That will be hard! But I'm sure I will see and feel the results before that.

On Tuesday, I traveled to Hillsboro to Pacific University's Health Professions campus for an open house. I had never actually been to Hillsboro. It didn't take very long to get to Portland area but it took awhile to get from I-5 to Hillsboro. It didn't help that it was rush hour, in Portland!

After the open house, we were hungry but not starving. We enjoy eating at the McMenamins restaurants in Corvallis, with good food, beer and a nice atmosphere. We had passed several McMenamins restaurants along the way. So, we decided to stop in McMinnville to eat. We tried to find the Hotel Oregon restaurant but were unsuccessful. After stopping to ask for directions, we realized that we had passed it!

Located in the historic district, the Hotel Oregon is a massive building. It's antique looking, with a Victorian decor and also a touch of McMenamins style. The pub area where we ate was so spacious, with a huge bar and private booths. As usual, the food and beer was excellent.

Read my full review: McMenamins Hotel Oregon

It's fun to travel to new places in my own state. It was a nice distraction from reality for me.