Just wanted to let you all know I am still around, but have been caught up in work. First we had our big annual fundraiser with over 1,100 people (whew!)....
So fun! And then I was off to Michigan to do some learning and networking at the national conference. I got to go to Grand Rapids, drink some local craft beer, and also see Lake Michigan!
The view of the river from the hotel....
It had recently flooded there, so the river is still very high.
And can you believe this is a lake? Lake Michigan was gorgeous. It felt like I was back at the Oregon coast!
Finally, I have been fully engaged in an election on the coast, in Newport, and I am working hard to get good things done there to help protect the ocean and the environment. But that has taken up evenings and weekends...so come May 21st, I will be all yours again!
It was a wonderful day yesterday to hit the streets in Newport and talk to voters.
Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I am still alive and hoping to get back to the regularly scheduled postings soon!
Whew, indeed! I am super excited that the elections are over, and even more excited that the work we did this year really paid off. It is mucho gratifying when you work that hard to get the results you wanted.
So, with the elections wrapped up, we move into the next thing, which is luckily much slower. I am already plotting all the things that I will make and do as we get closer to the holidays. This Friday, I will get back to Feature Fridays, which I am also excited about.
The weather here has been pretty nice, only recently getting cold and wet. I recently got a cool new bike mount for my phone and had to share some pics from the bike ride to work one of the nice fall days.
Well, today makes one week left until the election. Working 70-80 hours a week gets pretty darn tiring, but it all leads up to what happens next Tuesday.
And after that day passes, I am seriously excited to get back to my crafting, blogging, baking and other fun, non-work related activities!
I know all of us in politics say this every year, but every year is super important. So, please mail in your ballot if you are in a mail-in state like mine, or head on down to the polls and make sure to make your voice heard!
This weekend, work called me back over to the coast....oh, darn! My Lincoln County committee had their retreat at a beautiful house right on the coast, where we could work and watch the waves roll in. After we feasted on yummy potluck food and did our work, I went out to see what I could see while in town on a splendid day!
First, I was excited that I just barely made it to Yaquina Bay Lighthouse before they closed for the day. I just love houses that they show off the past. I like to imagine me living the way they lived in times past.
This cute little lighthouse was only staffed for 3 years, because its location was not ideal for ships to actually see the light. It was staffed in the late 1800's by one family of 9 people (mom, dad, and 7 kids!) for those three years and then they built a new lighthouse 3 miles away. The poor little lighthouse fell into disrepair, and when it was threatened to be torn down later, the community pushed for it to become a historic center.
Just look at the way people used to live! Believe it or not, I learned how to sew on a treadle machine. And I loved it!
Then I headed down to the beach to get my feet into the sand and the lapping waves....
I love the Oregon Coast. Trees, greenery, sand, and salty sea.
Reminds me why I do the work that I do. As did the following things I found on the beach. Kinda snapped me back to reality when I saw the plastics bits that never bio-degrade, the plastic bottles and the single-use plastic bags littering the coast. These are things that I work everyday to help at least make a dent in. As I tell folks....the earth will live on, but whether we are here to see it, well that is our choice!
Had to get a little serious there. But sometimes it is good to remember what it is we are working towards, and that every little thing we do adds up!
Several people asked me what I did over the weekend, and when I said worked, they gave me that 'what? why?' look, and then said sorry. But then I told them it was out at Silver Falls, drinking wine, eating yummy food, staying in adorable little cabins and hiking the falls, they asked me how they could get a job where I worked. I love that!
On Saturday I trekked out to an area in Oregon just east of Salem, up rolling hills to the Silver Falls Conference Center to hold a retreat for my hard-core volunteers that I head up to make plans for what they wanted to work on this year.
In the dining hall we made plans for world domination by the fire in the huge fire place, drinking wine and eating yummy food.
The next day, after sleeping in and having a late breakfast, we took a hike down to the water falls. So full right now because of recent snow, we enjoyed hiking behind one of the falls and feeling the spray hit us.
How awesome (in the true sense of the word) is that?
And, to top it off, I will be visiting the area again next week for another retreat for work. Hard knock life for me.
Oh no! I can't believe that it has been a month since I have posted!
So quick run down of the last month....
1) Got to go to the Capitol to lobby our legislators on important issues in Oregon! It was a ton of fun! (You can see what OLCV has been working on here at www.olcv.org)
2) I got to go to our awesome annual celebration and fundraiser with my hubby! It was nuts! There were over 1,200 people there. You can see photos on our facebook page here. And if you wonder what I do for a living, or why I do the work I do, check out this awesome video that we played at the dinner!
Also, I made my dress for the dinner! What do you think? I love vintage patterns!
(I also love my new program to play with photos...lol.)
3) My family was here! I was happy to see mom and dad and great to have some time (never as much as I want) to just hang out with them!
4) Earth Day and Earth Week! I worked super hard all this month in prep for Earth Week. We tabled in some of my counties, and did other great event. But I am glad that it is done....whew! And it was beautiful outside!
(This is a photo of our a capella band, On the Rocks behind our UO Earth Day table.)
5) Lot's of celebrating of birthdays! There have been several April birthdays, including my hubby's! We got to go to the roller derby over the weekend to celebrate a few b-day's....
And then a whole weekend of parties!
6) Playing with new baby chickens, big girls and my garden. There is a ton of work to do, but it is going well so far. And my new girls are getting big!
Pretty daffodils in our front yard!
This is robot...she is a Jersey Giant, so she will be huge!
Killface...our crazy Wyandotte.
Kiltro (a great movie, btw) our baby Welsummer.
This is Ji Rou....I actually can't remember what she is. She is going to turn black and white, tho!
And, of course I can't leave out my big girls! I thought this was cute.
7) Training for the marathon! This weekend, on May Day, my friend and I are going to run the FULL marathon! I am not sure that we will survive, but we will try!
My lovely organization does fundraisers in order to do the great work that we do! Last weekend RainSong Vineyard let us come over and bottle wine as a fundraiser. It is a great event and a ton of fun, all in a beautiful, Oregon setting.
One of the things we love about Eugene, and Oregon really, is that we can drive about 20-30 minutes out of town and be in the wilderness. Here are a few shots from this weekend - which was definitely memorable!
My friend Shelby and I
A creek by the local pond
The vineyard
Wine bottling assembly line
But then....
A storm hit! There was driving rain and the wind was quite strong. It ended up blowing over trees and power lines and....
then we had to finish our job in the dark.
Bottling in the candlelight
The finished product of our "Swallowtail Rouge" basking in the glow of candlelight. (My hubby did many of these great photos!)
It was beautiful, memorable and makes me happy that I get to be part of this great organization!
And thanks again to RainSong for their great support!
It has been a while since I have posted! Work took me away to more far away lands (or not so far away....hehe). Here are a few pics of where I have been.
One week in Oregon I am in snow at a beautiful place called Silver Falls...
And the following week I am over at the Oregon Coast!
In the time I have been away from you all, I have also been busy with some new crafts and have grown the chicken family! But I will share these in future (near future...I promise) posts.
Last weekend, work took me across the state. I help organize our great volunteers in 4 counties of Oregon, and we are in the midst of doing planning retreats.
I traveled up to Bend, then the next day over to the Oregon Coast to Lincoln City, and then home the next day. Thought I would share a few pics from my drives....
Snow at the Santiam Pass on the way to Bend. (The roads were clear while I was there, but just after I left they got a bunch of snow!)
The drive from Bend to the coast...
I always love the little waterfalls on the side of the roads!
And this is the view from the retreat location on the coast. See the ocean back there?
It was such a great spot for a retreat - 360 view.
And had it been warmer (or had we been a lot more brave, I guess) we could have hit the pool. ;)
This great fireplace is located in the middle of the room.
And the drive home. Even though it ended up being a rainy day, the coast was still beautiful.
