Every summer we flock to the high desert country around Bend, Oregon, for our version of a family vacation. After 30+ years of vacationing there, the trip always seems to mark a moment in time for me. I take morning walks when the deer are awake, but most people are still in bed. Juniper joined me in the Ergo, which for you non-parents-of-wee-ones is a
Environmental Stewardship: My Hidden Agenda
Those cold, drizzly days of winter seem like a distant memory as we soak up summertime in Oregon. I am so much in love with this blissful time of year that I refuse to leave the state between the months of July through September. Instead, summertime is a chance to show off our great state to family and friends visiting from afar. I have to
Homestead Baby Care
Adding a baby to the homestead has presented new challenges in our quest to live simply. When it comes to baby care, I ask myself the same questions I ask about other homestead care: how can we create the least amount of waste, save some money and minimize our environmental impact? Here are some of our strategies for natural, simple baby care. Disclaimer: I’ll mention
Homesteader Reunion Weekend
Suitcases are being packed for Labor Day weekend – a sign that summer is coming to a close and fall is knocking on our door. I am being whisked away to the Homestead National Monument of America in the gorgeous state of Nebraska for the Homesteader Reunion Weekend that takes place over the holiday weekend. The event celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Homestead Act
Our Family Hike
My family has been enjoying the same hike through the Columbia River Gorge, a national scenic area, for decades now. My parents began hiking this easy trail in the early 70’s and continued to use it as the family grew. Years are marked in family photos with each child taking our turn riding in the baby backpack carrier and up through our restless teenage years.
New Year, New Bathroom
It’s a new era for us in our Portland house and time for some updates. We plan to be here for a while and want to enjoy the house as much as possible. But like many houses, there are things here and there that drive us nuts. With a baby on the way, we decided that if we don’t make changes now they will never
Portland, I’m Home!
Whose idea was it to move from Eugene to Portland while I am seven months pregnant? Oh, right… it was my idea. As stressful as a move can be, things went smoothly and we had tons of friendly hands helping us lift boxes, chicken coops and duck houses. That little yellow house was good to us, but it was never “ours”. (Yikes – look at
Charming Seattle
I am smitten with Seattle after my fun, albeit short, weekend up north. All of these years I have known there is something cool going on up in Seattle, but my trips up there have missed it. Maybe I was in the wrong area or with people who also didn’t really know the city. But this time I finally got to meet the Seattle I’ve
I’m Somebody!
I am honored to have had my first book signing event at Powell’s City of Books in Portland this past Sunday. When I arrived, I saw my name on their list of author events and my nervousness was replaced with excitement.My mind raced immediately to that scene from the movie The Jerk. Steve Martin’s character gets the new phone book, sees his name and starts