Pages

Year in Review



2015: I dub thee “Year of the House.” Like everyone else, Andy and I got caught up in the Portland housing frenzy: we rebuilt the foundation on our little guacamole green house, sold it, and somehow managed to not have to move twice after our offer on a home we loved was accepted. Now we just have to rebuild a roof. It’s always a fixer with us.

There were also job changes, the addition of second fuzzy pup, and bizarre weather: one of our hottest summers preceded by one of our lowest snowpack winters. Now, it’s our rainiest December on record (including our highest single day of rainfall (>3”), and the mountains are getting hammered with snow.

Sometimes, it actually feels like we are grownups.

JANUARY
Aka “Juneuary” in 2015. Sunny skies, above average temps, minimal precipitation. Made for some glorious kayaking and backcountry adventures. 

welcoming in 2015 on Johnston Ridge

the epitome of "Juneuary"- kayaking Silver Lake


FEBRUARY
A fantastic, week-long, impromptu vacation with my husband/soul mate/best friend. No rhyme or reason, just bouncing around between city, mountain and coastal adventures. 

Seattle skyline

Hug Point sunset


MARCH
The absence of snow leads me to places I shouldn’t be in March, including a backpacking trip at 4000’. New gear tests always make me happy.

No snow at 4000' in the Badger Creek Wilderness


APRIL
Two funerals. Loss. Waterfalls and balsamroot in the desert are therapy for the soul. 

 White River Falls


MAY
An absolutely beautiful month. Revisiting old haunts and finding new ones to love, just before the unbearable heat wave begins. 

Loowit trail above Ape Canyon

mysterious and lovely Bell Creek


JUNE
Selling our house, a moving frenzy. A single, glorious backpacking trip (minus the mozzies) with Andy into Jeff Park. Alpine wonderland.

This is the stuff my dreams are made of


JULY
Not much to say. Honestly, it was just HOT. Missing the mountains. 

AUGUST
The best backpacking trip of the year: introducing lovely trail friends to the Goat Rocks. Even if I did feel like I was going to die of heat exhaustion. 

celebration at Cispus Pass 6400'

Love these ladies


SEPTEMBER
Taking our kayaks into new waters, new skills. Eighteen years with the love of my life. 


contemplating Siletz


OCTOBER & NOVEMBER
Not much to say here, these months were mostly overrun with work and home projects. Although we did manage to sneak a trip in to the elusive Panther Creek Falls. 


(this was actually late September but who cares, it feels very "fall") a snowy solo near Barrett Spur
the incredibly lovely Panther Creek Falls


DECEMBER
So far, quiet. The holiday insanity is finished, but this is a month for recovery (injuries for both our new pup and myself). Focusing on photography, hobbies, and bonding. Yearning for the mountains.

our new, sweet boy



Fall into winter....settling in

fireplace snuggles and puppies


At the beginning of November, we brought home this sweet, giant galumph of a boy for a trial and a few weeks later, decided he was a total keeper. 

love this sweet face


We’ve been looking for a second dog for some time now- in July, we fostered/trialed Chewy for almost a month before heartrendingly deciding we weren’t a good match for his needs (tremendous separation anxiety and dog aggression. We had been through horrifying dog aggressive behavior with our previous boy, Rocky, for over ten years and honestly, just weren’t up for it again). We took a few months off of thinking about a second furry addition to the house, but upon seeing Captain’s face, had to inquire about this boy.

He’s like a cross between a kangaroo and a giraffe and Gumby; funny and clumsy and endearing with way too many transitions in his life. Sadly, between a back injury for me at work and a new health issue/leg injury for him (that cropped up shortly after bringing him home) we’ve done next to no hiking. I’m yearning for snow and he loooooves the outdoors. And playing with Pepper, which he can’t do right now due to the fragility of his leg. 

amazing to see Pepper actually snuggle- bossy little wench that she is

one of our only hikes in November- Gillette Lake

comfortable


So let’s say we are both (all of us, actually) stir crazy. But getting lots of naps and long walks around the neighborhood, dreaming about chasing squirrels and eating snowcones. 

napping with my dogs is a favorite pastime

stretchy leg twins