Northern CA

Recently returned from a wonderful vacation with my family in Boulder Creek, CA. I decided to spend a day driving down the coast on my way to meet up with the family. I viewed spectacular sites on the coast as I stopped to hike a few trails along the way:

This is Fern Canyon where parts of the second Jurasic Park were filmed 

As I walked back to my car I saw several elk on the beach- such an awesome surprise!

This is along the coast just above the trees looking out over the trees you see the fog which is where the ocean begins

Trail through the trees just above Fern Canyon

Trinidad beach trails - this is where I saw a family of whales but my iPhone camera couldn't quite capture them as they were too far out

 The driveway entrance to the home we rented for the week

This home was surrounded by beautiful Redwoods and it was hot enough during the day to enjoy the pool

The hot tub was perfect for the cool evenings

We all enjoyed the gorgeous outdoor setting and utilized the deck throughout our stay

There was even this workout deck for us to enjoy. Such a great week together. Some of us met in San Fransisco the first day we arrived and spent a few hours shopping and seeing the sites. Later in the week we hiked through 1000 year old Redwoods in Big Basin forest in Boulder Creek and drove to see the Santa Cruz beaches. A wonderful time together that went by too quickly! This was a beautiful area to spend our family vacation - I highly recommend it!

Lake of the Woods

Loved spending a few days at the lake with these sweet girls! Lake of the Woods is one of my favorite lakes here in southern Oregon. A sweet getaway for sure!

Fun with Family

Spent a fun weekend with my family the first weekend in May...

This classic convertible is my favorite color! Enjoying time with my son Josh

We brought our breakfast to the park and the grandkids had a great morning playing on the playground together 

                                Sweet little kissing cousins 

                      Saturday night was the BTB concert (Ben's band)

                       We were all there to celebrate Ben's success! 

I love hangin' out with these people - they are the best! We had a great weekend together and Sunday evening ended the festivities with a barbecue at Josh and Crystal's. Thanks everyone for the good times! 

Time for a change

We can always count on change. Life is constantly evolving and the more involved we are the more we will be a witness to change.

I've been out of town a lot this winter... My mother passed away the end of January and that change is not something I was expecting. Loss is hard. Now both of my parents have passed and it feels strange to enter a new stage of life. I miss my parents tremendously. 

So thankful for my family - my children, grandchildren, sisters and wonderful friends who have consistently been present in my life throughout all of the changes 

Baby it's COLD outside!

The temp is only 13 degrees outside this morning!!! The arctic air is coming thru and hope it doesn't stay for long. This picture of my grandson was taken last week at Crater Lake while he and his parents were here for Thanksgiving. I had such a wonderful week with them and they seemed to really enjoy seeing the sights and visiting here in Oregon. 

Below are more pics of our fabulous adventures together:

Walking thru Jacksonville Montana was so good to let Crusoe lead her on the leash

This was taken at Lake of the Woods - temp was in the 50's that day:)

Harris Beach in Brookings, Oregon

In awe of the giant Redwood trees in Stout Grove !!!

I love these grand babies, so thankful for this special time together!

The warm glow of Autumn

Love the warm golden glow of the Autumn colors. My home is surrounded by trees and when the leaves start to change color it reflects a golden glow inside my home as well! Feels very comforting and the seasonal change makes me want to decorate, cook and create. 

Our personal lives each have seasonal changes too, at times it is difficult for me to be in the current season - Sometimes I want to go back to what feels comfortable or jump ahead to what looks much better. I have to do some self talk to walk myself thru the uncomfortableness. Navigating new territory can seem appealing on the onset but once immersed in change it is easy to question myself.

What does all of this mean? For me it is about finding things that I enjoy and appreciate every day in my current season. It may be as simple as a walk thru the trees on the trail above my house. Appreciating friends who share this season of life with me and offer support by talking thru the steps and offering perspective. 

The older I get the more I know there are no right answers or directions that fit everyone and every lifestyle. We each have to navigate our own season our own way. Some choose a wider more traveled path and others choose to forge a new trail. For those who know me well you will read between the lines and perhaps understand more meaning here. More and more I'm learning to let go... Let go of control, let go of expectations, let go of what I thought I knew. It all takes time. One step, one day, one season at a time.

Cherish the good times

My summer has included many wonderful opportunities to play and spend time with some of my favorite people who visited me in Oregon...

                       

                        

                                         

                                                          

                      

                        

And I also spent time visiting in Utah

                                       

Love these special summertime memories ❤

There have been some sad and difficult days recently and as I reflect back on these photos I am reminded to cherish the good times because we never know what is around the corner. Ultimately we are a family and I believe our bond is strong enough to outlast the dark days.