Events and elections time...what can I say?

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!

Ash

Whew! I'm back!

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.

Can't wait to get back to posting!  More soon!

Ash

Beautiful Silver Falls, Oregon

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.

Ash

Whew! My first full weekend off!

The election season is pretty much the busiest time of the year for my work.  But even though I have been working like crazy, I pretty much love my job.  I mean, not a lot of people get to...

hang out with deer in Ashland, Oregon

or

check out roadside waterfalls...

or

see these kinds of views on their drive to Bend, Oregon...

as well as this view

And not a whole lot of people get to say that they work for an organization that gets to save Oregon! :)

The elections were a roller coaster.  We lost some of the races were worked very hard on, but won others.  It just makes the work that we do even more important in the coming years.

But that can wait through the weekend!  I have been having a nice 3 day weekend, getting to see my man who is now home from China (yay!!), buying new fabric for my future projects, and working on the 'new' spare room.

I will get some pics up of my crafting from this weekend in another post.

Have a great rest of the weekend!!

Ash