I was thinking about how much I like to write the other day and a strange thought came into my mind: I wondered, how many words have I written over my life? I've written since I first learned how and haven't stopped. I still have the intricate stories I wrote as a child. I have dozens of half-filled written journals, not to mention my computer files. Imagine all the notes I took and papers I wrote as a journalism student and then a graduate student in healthcare. Just today in class I think I took about 4 pages of notes. I'm still at it with a 20 page term paper due in November.

I write a lot. I write all day at work, through e-mails or meeting minutes, etc. I write for fun. I write for pay. Just on this website, which just began this year, I've already written close to 20,000 words.That's a lot, and just from blog entries. It's amazing. My pour hands will surely have arthritis someday!

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 .

Well, I am down to only doing weekly posts; not my ideal but I'm trying. Life is very busy. I started classes at Pacific and now have several books to get through on leadership. My professor is excellent, and willing to offer any help. I think this first class will be very good for me, once I can start digging into the work. I have to develop a leadership plan, for myself. I may be needing to contact some of you for feedback.

Other than school, we've had nice summer weather here in Oregon. It's been hot really. The evenings are cool and the sun is setting earlier. I don't like it getting dark at 7:30 but know it will only get worse.

Jeff and I will be celebrating our first anniversary on Monday. We have had a great year, despite the tragedy of losing Jeff's dad. We're still coping with this loss and will be for a long time.

I've continued with my travel writing but have limited my frequency of articles. I am still working on my articles for Wyoming. Here's one of my favorite pictures that I took in Wyoming at the Flying A Ranch :

I am alive! I apologize for the delay in posts. I have been extremely busy. I just finished an article titled "Payment Pain" for Brass Magazine, about medical billing errors and what to do. It was a great experience, writing about healthcare, especially since I begin classes this week. It was like a refresher course on researching healthcare issues. I went through countless stats and resources to find the information for my article. I just hope it gets printed. I am waiting...

So, as I said, I begin my graduate classes this week at Pacific University. I am very excited. I even have a homework assignment before classes even begin. I will be busy reading and writing soon.

I've had a great time visiting with family the past few weekends. It's been great to see people who I don't see very often. I really enjoyed it, even though I know I had a lot to do.

I still have several Wyoming articles to write, and also several other NW travel articles - one on Washington. So, look for those in the coming weeks, as I find a little bit of free time.

Wish me luck with all I have planned!

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

This week I am off to Wyoming and Utah for my wild west adventure and press trip. I already have a line-up for upcoming articles and I'm sure once I'm there, my list will only expand. Be sure to check back and look for my new articles at Suite101.com. I am also looking at some other publications for publishing my stories.

It's really frustrating having the desire to want to workout or take a walk and not being able to. Since my ATV incident this weekend, I have been healing but unable to walk very far. Last night, I tried to lay down on the floor, so I could stretch out. Bad idea. I felt a sharp pain in my side, and could not lay flat. My right side rib area had hurt just after my accident, and still hurts if I try to bend down. Well, now it hurts if I move at all. It isn't very painful but still noticeable.

It's frustrating because I've been watching the Olympics every evening. Watching the swimmers makes me want to go swimming. I have a membership to the local pool but I haven't used it lately. Now, I know I won't be able to use it for awhile. I could just imagine reaching out to swimming and having that pain in my side.

Walking is getting easier but I still can't go very far. Plus, I don't want to over do it. After my accident, we went to the dunes and hiked around. I know that made my foot hurt worse. By the time we got back to the truck, my foot was in constant pain. It doesn't hurt now unless I turn it funny. Maybe by this weekend, I will be able to walk the dog around the block.

It's just not fair because I have the desire to get moving right now and start losing weight, but I can't.

Well, yesterday I got the news that I had been accepted to the Masters of Healthcare Administration program at Pacific University. I will be in the first class ever. How exciting!

Although this may seem as off topic from my writing, I will now get the chance to bring my writing skills together with my career in healthcare. Though it may sound cliche, I want to make a change in this world, and I know that God is pushing me to do it. I have the skills, ability and insight needed to get things going in healthcare. I just need to do it. I need to stop talking and start doing.

I will continue to do my freelance writing, for as long as possible. I hope I can find just enough time to keep doing it.
Please feel free to ask me about my studies and what I am working on.

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...