June Poem of the Month

What Makes a Dad


God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad

~Author Unknown

Cooper Mountain excursion

Mt Talbert is one of my favorite places to hike. Discovering this glorious place also opened a door, a website in reality, to Cooper Mountain Nature Park. Both places fall under the jurisdiction of Metro. When looking at their website I came across this newest destination. The reason I hadn't made it before today? It is a long way (or at least feels like a long way) from my place.

Today, I had grand plans of waking up at 4:30 am. Yes, as in the morning, as in the sun hasn't technically risen. Crazy, I know! But, I really wanted to go to the Tigard Festival of Balloons and see the hot air balloons launch at 5:45am. I was kidding myself. With as tired as I was and as early as I didn't go to bed last night, I promptly turned the alarm off when it sounded this morning. Then I woke up at a decent hour, well, that could be debatable. Is 6:45 on weekend decent? Maybe. Better than 4:30 regardless.

Anywho, after doing some stuff around home I decided I would still venture out to Tigard. To go see the balloons, already launched. I decided to kill two birds with one stone and tackle both the festival and this new hike. They are both on the same side of the river, and not all that far from each other. When I arrived at the Balloon Festival there were no balloons in the air, so I kept on moving, heading towards my next destination:

Cooper Mountain

It is gorgeous!

There are daisies!

Everywhere!

Lining both sides of the trail.

There are more flowers.

And, funny looking horns

(listening horns, not for yelling-as a sign reminds)

And more flowers, all kinds!

And, birds!

To listen to through the listening horns.

It was a nice, hot (summer has FINALLY arrived in PDX) hike and I had a great view of some amazing wildflowers blooming when I was on my way home.

Ah, sweet rejoice for new places.

Next year I will attempt to be more successful at arising at the early hour of 4:30 to see a balloon launch. Really!

Embarking on a new adventure

One. More. Day. One more day. Thank goodness! And then, the real adventure begins....

I love what I do. I truly do. Right now I want to change things up a bit. So, after contemplating for a year or more I have decided to embark on the new adventure of Hospice volunteering. I had considered this option more than a year ago, but the training (28 hours of it) wasn't working into my schedule very well, or at all. The hospice program I am volunteering with only has 4 training sessions a year and with 2 different types of schedules. Last year, I happened to be out of town for 2 of the 4 quarterly trainings and then the other 2 didn't work with my work schedule. So when my chance came for this year I took it. I started training last week. I was in training Tuesday/Thursday night and all day Saturday. Ditto for this week. And now, I am tired. But excited. With one more day left of training, I see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's promising.

Then the real adventure begins. There are many different things I may be doing. I could be a respite volunteer, a friendly visiting volunteer, a vigil or bereavement volunteer, among a few others. I will get my first assignment 2-3 weeks after training, or as soon as I clear my background check, TB test and all the other loads of things that have to be checked off a list. Then a whole new experience will begin. Granted, I have lots of experience with people who are near end-of-life, have helped take care of family members and just in general feel comfortable around elderly people, my old soul and all. And yes, they have said that the majority of their patients are elderly. I guess I sort of envisioned younger people scattered in with cancer diagnoses, etc. And, yes I may work with someone younger, but there is lots of talk in training of working with patients who are elderly, some with dementia, etc. I have loads of experience with that. Loads.

The training has been interesting, somewhat of a refresher for me, but with (mostly) dynamic speakers. All sorts of things from M.D.'s to chaplains, Social Workers, Nurses, etc. I have had many take-away points from these sessions. A few of my favorite have been: in discussion about dementia-- there was a statement made that someone heard in a training-- instead of thinking of "Around the World in 80 Days" think of "Around the Day in 80 Worlds"- CLASSIC! It fits a lot of my days currently. An LCSW also stated that, "Do it now. Forgive now. Work on resolving issues now (not at the end of your life)." We were also asked, "What would your last words be?" and he more important question in my brain, "Who would you want to hear them?/Who would you speak them too?"

I am looking forward to the humbling and very privileged ability to serve those who are in their last months, days, and hours and the family and friends surrounding them. It is amazing. Really, breath-takingly amazing.

Dear Dad,

I love you! Thanks for all of your unending love and support. Hope you have a fantastic day!

~Steph (me)

Taken Father's Day 2009 at Denver Zoo

View from the Top ~ Angel's Rest

I took today off. It was a great idea. A smart idea, really. I slept in. I took my time in the morning. After being awake for 19 hours yesterday, it was glorious. Truly. After I spent a substantial time being unproductive, I got ready to head out for a hike. I'd been debating where to go all morning. After going back and forth, I settled on Angel's Rest. A hike in the gorge that I've wanted to do since I'd purchased this book. I pulled everything together and out the door I went.

When I go into the Gorge I enjoy taking the old highway. I love to wind along the Sandy River, through the small towns, and along the waterfalls. I shortly made it to the trailhead, got parked and headed out on my adventure for the day.

2.3 miles Lots of flowers were blooming.

The trails, trees and a rare glimpse of some blue sky!

More flowers...

Rock formations and MORE blue sky.

Look closely, click on the picture if you need too--check out the people way up there!

Heading out to the edge.

From top to bottom: Some blue sky and clouds, WA state, Columbia River (with barge), evergreen trees, my feet and rocks!

Some pretty cool rock formations.

Me with the west end of the Gorge behind me.

With the east behind me.

It is a long way down! A REALLY long way.

I found this adorable heart shaped rock on the rocks. It needed a picture taken of it, it also needed to come home with me.

This is the rock slide area of the trail. It was nice to sit on a rock, in the sun, enjoy my dried blueberries and walnuts and the peacefulness of the area.

More rocks.

Slanted angles.

You can see I-84 WAY down there.

The waterfall on the way.

Besides my hip being thoroughly upset with me at the midway up point (which I'm working on remedying) it was a good hike, with great views. I could have stayed up there for hours. Alas, the hike down, incoming clouds, and drive back home were beckoning me from the panoramic vista. I can now check off one more hike in my book!

The bane of my existence...

...at least for the weekend, and probably into the early week.

Yes, the culprit was this machine. Well, not this exact machine, but its twin. And the machine itself was not the bane of my existence, but what it means and implies, does. I've wanted to clean my carpets for a while now, but really, winter in Oregon is not the time to soak your carpets. So, I've been putting it off. And I can find almost any excuse to give as to why, especially now that I've done it.
I picked up the machine Friday after work and home I went to start. I tackled the living room and dining room first. Then I crashed. To bed I went, in a room that was full of bedroom furniture, along with much of the smaller furniture from my bedroom...then I got up Saturday and moved all the furniture, living room and bedroom furniture (minus the bed) into the living room and dining room so I could tackle the bedroom floors.

My apartment was crazy, as evidence by the photos below...

I dreaded cleaning this off before I could go to bed Saturday night.

Ezme loved her new little cave, which is now dismantled...

Interspersed with disassembling, carpet cleaning, and the attempt at reassembling my apartment I went on a "hike" with Megan at Tryon Creek State Park and enjoyed the sounds of birds, water, conversation and quiet.

Then we whisked away to Rocky Butte, a grand location for views, especially on such a clear day!

Mt St Helens with I-205 bridge

Because it was SO amazingly clear, we could see the peak of Mt Jefferson. A rare view from Portland.

And, of course, the ever-glorious Mt Hood.

In addition to the carpet cleaning, like I said, came the reassembling of the apartment. Interspersed with that was a quick jaunt downtown to meet up with Janelle to see the flowers at Pioneer Courthouse Square, on another gorgeous day!

When all is said and done (which it isn't yet) I will be much more comfortable sitting on my floors knowing full well that all that dirt is no longer in there, but also would have enjoyed not doing it in the first place.

My love...

My love is feet dangling over the porch swing edge...my love is creaking floorboards during lantern-lit parties...my love is birds singing, and dog-eared books...my love is freedom to spill your lemonade on a hot day...My love is an invitation to shout at the wind, an opportunity to feel the stars...My love is mud-tracked and weathered and offers only the comfort of hearts resting...Perhaps my love lacks convention, but surely and easily, my love offers the pure and simple perfection, found only, out here, on the porch.

~Author Unknown

When I was in Southern Oregon I picked up a card with this saying. I fell in love with the sentiment, as I love just sitting on a porch, balcony, etc. It is a peaceful refuge for me; one where I can escape with a good book, or my computer to write, to sit and enjoy the rain pouring down, all while I stay dry; a place perfect for dinner on a summer evening or hot tea on a brisk cool morning. A porch is definitely a component necessary of whatever future home I will have.

Photo courtesy: http://homepage.mac.com/rmansfield/thislamp/files/page0_blog_entry209_1.jpg

15 Things...

I was inspired by Jyndia, a friend of mine from college. Yes. She compiled a list of 15 things she'd like to do this summer. And so, I copied her idea. Really, last year, I had a list also. I just didn't type it anywhere. It sat, attached to my clipboard, next to my bed so I could check things off. And I did. Check things off, that is. I guess I did sit next to my bed a time or two also. I actually marked off a lot of stuff that was on my list last summer, and am hoping for a repeat this summer. Some of these things may not happen, or may not happen until autumn, but you've got to start somewhere, right?!

At first, 15 things seemed daughting, then I had to narrow it down, though I s'pose it wouldn't hurt to have more than 15....

If you'd like to join me in any of my adventures, let me know! I'm always happy to have company!

And the list is (drum roll, please)---

1. Go to the beach.

2. Go to the Tacoma Museum of Glass.

3. Hike, as often as I can, wherever I can.

4. Discover new music.

5. Drive to Leavenworth, WA.

6. Go to a Portland Timbers soccer game.

7. Go miniature golfing.

8. Go to a Portland Beavers baseball game (before they get kicked out by MLS).

9. Go to concerts in the parks (a few times, at least).

10. Go to Flicks on the Bricks (at least once).

11. Read more books.

12. Lay in the grass.

13. Go on more picnics.

14. Go to a Vintage Baseball game (again, it was so much fun last year!).

15. Go to festivals (Balloon, India, etc.)

16. Go to some area gardens (dahlia's, Leach Botanical, Japanese, Rose, Oregon, and more)

17. Drive to Sisters/Bend area (something I'd wanted to do all last summer and never did).

18. Go berry picking.

19. Drive the Fruit Loop (perhaps during pear season).

HA! Looks like it could be a fun-filled summer, best way to have them...and I'm sure there will be more to come!

What is on your list for your summertime adventures?

"Waterfalls are spectacular, simultaneously beautiful, uplifting, overwhelming and bringing such immediacy into our minds....

...There is no wondering about what the waterfalls were like yesterday, no way to know what they'll look like tomorrow. There will always be a shade of difference, a nuance noticed or not, but to see them right now, in this moment in their powerful splendor---that is the way to celebrate the present." ~Dave Gershner

Thank goodness for friends who are game for going on adventures! Today was Oregon State Parks Day (which really just boils down to the fees being waived for entrance to any state park). I had contemplated trying out a state park, if the weather improved, as we have had a very wet and cool spring/early summer. I figured that I should probably go to a park I'd never been too. See something new, expand my horizons, that whole line. Well, I changed my mind and it worked out well. I had just decided to go to a much loved (by me!) park called Silver Falls State Park. It is amazing. I could spend days hiking those trails, and I have. Shortly after I had decided my destination Megan came strolling into my office. She was going to bribe me to aid in yardwork at her house. I conceeded, with the agreement that she join me for a hike first. What a tough decision, right!?

Anyway, off we go with lunch in hand and ready for an adventure. One of Megan's earliest memories is of her pre-school group going to the park and seeing this amazingly huge waterfall that you can walk behind. Once we arrived at the park we headed toward that fall! It was so much fun to see her sheer giddiness when we approached the trail. It makes me smile. Revisiting places of early childhood memories are amazing.

The rainbow created by the mist!

This was the view peaking over the edge of the Upper South Fall (the big one)!
Beautiful! In all the hikes I've done in this area I have NEVER seen SO much water. The mist was amazing and oh-so-refreshing...

The sun shining through the mist and trees

Where's Megan in the picture below? Gives a good idea of the enormity of the falls.

The drenched girls...I said the mist was amazing, and oh-so-wet! Shower anyone?

We were on the "Trail of Ten Falls" and I've lost track of what picture is what fall...all are beautiful anyways.

~

The picture below is of the trail and you can see the mist from one of the falls in the upper left corner.

Coming down lots of stairs...

I think that is the Lower South Fall behind us.

I love these bridges...not sure why, but I do. Loved the green! I guess all the rain we've had is good for something, well, two things-lots of green in the area and lots of water! Spectacular!

Megan is so clever with a camera... :)

Check out the crazy hair style with the wind from the water pressure blowing at me from behind!

Mid-way, maybe even a little earlier, Megan got hungry. We decided it would be in our best interest, or her stomach's best interest to head back on the Winter Trail so that we could eat. Not a bad idea, as once we got to about 1 mile before the car my hip decided to revolt against going up any inclines, or even on level ground. Down hill was the best option, but rarely did we do it. Apparently, when you should be doing hip exercises daily and don't, body parts decide to let you know. Ouch. BUT, I made it and Megan made it and we sat down to lunch...

Salad with salmon, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, carrots and feta cheese...who said we can't dine in style out in the wilderness?!

Oh, yeah...that yardwork bribe. I followed through with lawn mowing (with a push reel lawn mower, which I can't remember last placing hands on) and some major sweeping and gutter cleaning. I was utterly exhausted at the end of the day, but overwhelmingly satisfied. What a great day.