The Best Laid Plans

 Those of you who really know me, know that I loathe, and I am not sure if loathe is even a strong enough word, the early morning hours. However, lately I have felt something so strong within my soul to get outside into nature for a hike/nature walk and some picture taking. I tried for a week to make a “plan,” to find somebody to go with me, but for whatever reason all my hiking/walking and picture taking friends had other commitments and could not accompany me. I had two choices … I could choose to sit home and feel sorry for myself again OR I could choose to go alone, I chose the later. So, my “plan” began to form. I am smart enough to realize I did not want to go hiking in a real secluded place alone, a girl does have to be safe, and the gorge is SO crowded on the weekends so I decided to stay away from there, so I decided to go to Trillium Lake. I had seen pictures of beautiful reflection of Mt. Hood in the lake so I decided that was what I was going to do...and the “plan” hatched for the perfect picture. Unfortunately, to get that perfect picture on the lake, you have to get up early because once the water gets stirred up, you cannot get a good reflection shot so that meant getting up early. Since it is an almost 2 hour drive to Trillium and sunrise is around 6 a.m., that meant a very early start, yikes. I got up at 4:30 and was out the door at 4:45. The skies were gorgeous as I headed out, at least what I could see of them, but the further east I headed, the cloudier they became, and at one point, I even had mist hitting the windshield. I could see my “plan” deteriorating with the weather. As I pulled into the trail head at Trillium Lake and walked up to the lake, I saw the visions of my perfect picture evaporating as the fog spilled over the lake. After making an almost 2 hour drive though, I decided I would make the best of it and take some shots. As the sun started to break over the mountain, I snapped away. It is difficult to take any decent pictures in the fog so I gave up in a hurry and decided to walk around the lake. I turned back and looked over my shoulder and saw this man casting his line...

As I was lamenting to myself and to God as I walked, I looked out over the marsh and onto the lake and stumbled upon a bird, a heron maybe, (I do not know my birds)?

The combination of the sun coming up and the mystery of the fog added to the beauty of the scene.

As I rounded a corner on my walk, I came across some beautiful sites on the lake, everything from people kayaking to the majesty of the mountain and it got me to thinking...

 

it started to become apparent to me "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD (Isaiah 55:8). I started out the morning so hung up on my own my "plan," that I could have missed His plan for my day.

Had I stuck to my "plan," I would not have gotten any of these other shots.  I would have been content to get the one shot of the reflection of Mt. Hood in Trillium Lake and would not have gotten any of the other shots. While I realized it is okay to have a plan, just make sure you are listening to God's plan...you never know what you might miss, otherwise.

Another Year Comes To An End...With A New Beginning

2015 was an exciting, busy, and challenging year for me. I took a two week vacation to Washington DC, Virginia, and North Carolina with family, I was blessed with another grandchild, a grandson, I barely survived a year of working swing shift, sadly I lost family members and friends to death this year, and I completed my two goals that I set for myself last year; my first 10K and The 365project (you can read about both of these goals a little further down on my blog). This year has left me...weary. I am praying 2016 will bring me further on my journey toward balance in my life.

As the year is ending, it is time to really stop and reflect on the past 12 months. Did I get everything done that I wanted? What am I grateful for in my life? What did I want to do, but really never did accomplish?

As I think about these questions, I also think about my goals for the new year. Am I going to call them my New Year’s Resolutions? Nope. See, to me it seems most people make New Year’s Resolutions at midnight on December 31, then probably go full force with them for say two weeks, and then they start to slip away from our minds.

I am reflecting on 2015 and seeing what I loved, liked and yes disliked throughout the year. I am seeing what I want now, which many call dreams, but I call them my goals!

A new year brings reflection and introspection, and as 2015 is now over and 2016 is in front of me, I have been doing a lot of that. Looking back over the year, deciding what went right and what went not so right, what habits to keep and what to discard, what I need to start fresh and what I need to renew. With each new year comes the litany of resolutions, often times with no plan to get there. “Lose weight”, “quit smoking”, “eat better” are typically among the top resolutions we hear. The downfall to these types of resolutions is that they are vague, and lack a game plan. I want my faith to be evident, I want to try new adventures, and I want to achieve greater strength/fitness. I want to push myself. So I sat down and thought about what challenges I want to accomplish this year. Here are my 16 goals for 2016.

1. I will make and keep a Gratitude Jar – But having gratitude does not just happen! It is a practice we have to foster every day. You would not expect a flower to grow without water, and you would not expect your body to get healthier without nourishing it. So you cannot expect to feel like you have enough and you are enough, without nurturing a gratitude for the life God gave you and an appreciation of yourself.
   
2. I will focus on my spiritual health by doing devotions daily – I want to grow my faith. I like you have a lot on my plate and any little bit can help.
   
3. Pick and memorize a life verse – When I chose one, you will know what it is.
   
4. I will spend more time off the couch than on the couch – There are many ways of achieving this goal. I want to get in better physical shape so that I can do more outdoors. I will continue to improve my fitness by getting back to walking at least two days a week as well as participate in two days of Refit a week and hiking when springtime comes.
   
5. I will set up permanent residence in onederland – I cannot believe I just shared that one out loud on my blog, but there is accountability in that. I do not want to be losing this weight this same time next year. Well, that just got real, real quick.
   
6. I will stretch 5 minutes after most walks – I am SO BAD about this now and I can feel it. My risk of injury is increased, and I know this! Somehow, I still cannot talk myself into stretching after I walk. Realistically, I will not stretch after every walk, but setting a goal to stretch after MOST walks feels productive AND attainable.
   
7. I will participate in the 4T – Trains, trails, trams, and trolleys – oh my! The unique 4T trail is a self-guided urban nature tour that lets you explore the city — and see some of the best views — without a car. All it takes is about four hours, five dollars and a bit of leg power. The route is well marked with signs, and includes about 2.5 miles of walking.
8. I will take my photography habit to the next level – This year I will start charging for my photography. Mind you, it will not be outrageous, but if I do not value my work, will anybody else?
9. I will be doing a photography challenge – I have joined the 52 Week Challenge. Last year, I did the 365 and while this may seem easier, after reading the 'assignment sheets,' I will definitely be challenged.
10. I will have a word a year, and my word for 2016 is – Truth. My next year will be based on honesty and genuineness. This word will guide me through the year of 2016! It will support me in my daily struggles and situations that may appear hopeless. This word will always show me - the silver lining so that I will not ever need to worry. It was chosen specifically for me (by Facebook) so I will embrace it!
11. I will read a minimum of six books this year – As you all know, I am not much of a reader. A couple of years ago one of my goals was to read one book a month – I failed. I only read five, but at least it was five more than I read the year prior.
12. I will finish unfinished projects – As a crafty person, I have started many projects and for various reasons, I did not complete them. This year, I will complete one project a month.
13. I will write my story – Early in 2015, Pastor Jesse challenged the congregation to write their story, I never did it. This will be the year!
14. I will do the 7-day smartphone detox – The average person uses their phone or tablet 158 minutes a day. This daily 2 hours and 38 minutes translates into 3.3 days a month, and 1.35 months a year. Can you go without checking your phone for 20 minutes? If the answer is no, you might want to consider a phone detox.
    
15. I will practice having more balance in my life – Though weight loss is an important goal, I need to remember to focus on other things that I enjoy and try not to get too hung up on the number on the scale. I will spend more time working on my purpose here on earth.
    
16. I will blog about each goal – Blogging helps me reflect and focus on the positive. I am not the most consistent blogger and I would like to fix that. I plan to blog as I complete each of these challenges, to keep myself accountable and to keep you all informed!
    

I accomplished many simple things I thought I would never do in life this past year. Like being more social – stepping out of my shell and going on a date, being more active – went hiking more, accomplished my first 10K, and did one picture a day for 365 days. Again, very simple. Simple to others but a leap for me. When you are an introvert, simple things seems impossible to get done, but with the right people by your side you can literally accomplish anything!

Spend 10 minutes this week and set some goals for yourself! It does not have to be 16, and it does not have to be outlandish. Let me know your number one fitness goal this year. 
 
If we live through all of 2016, we will each have 366 days (leap year) or 527,040 precious minutes, and each of us gets to choose whether we will waste them, or use them to make ourselves and the world we live in a better place. What is your choice?

Happy New Year’s my friends!

365Project

My 365 project was all about picking up my camera every day. It was about discipline. It was about creativity, thinking outside the box, which for me can be a challenge in and of itself. I did not think I would have the discipline to pick up my camera every day, go out and take shots, or stay inside and manufacture shots, but I have surprised myself.

Discipline – This might seem obvious, but did I ever get to work on my discipline skills. Shortly after I took on the 365Project, I was moved to swing shift, working from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. This made taking a picture a day challenging to say the least. I did not let excuses stop me though. 365 days of anything is a marathon of epic proportions, and this was a huge commitment. I made it, and it has given me a certain confidence.

Creativity – Again this one is obvious, but making something for 365 days will force you to get creative. Particularly on days, or in locations, when your materials are limited.

Respect for my family and friends – Oceans of love to my family and friends for their intense support and patience with this project over the last year. None of them complained when I would stop in the middle of some hike or outing and say “wait, give me 10 minutes I need to shoot that!”

Giving myself credit – Wow I am hard on myself. It is in my DNA. This project was good for learning to get okay with a pass/fail grade. I set out in my opening post that the goal of this project was not perfection. If it was a person, place, or thing, it passed, which was good, because some of the objects were pretty lame, but they were objects. Out of 365 days, I posted 362 pictures. Before this project, I would have considered anything less than 365 pictures a failure. That was a tough lesson for me.

Being present, and noticing line and color – Spending every day keeping my eyes open for material to shoot really improved my ability to be present in the moment, and notice my surroundings. I am now so much more open to noticing line, shape and color, and picking up on how those things influence the viewer.

Meeting new people – Here is a great way to meet new people. This story played out many times over the year, from chatting with complete strangers to striking up conversations with others who share my passion.

Why did I do it - Taking a photo a day was a big undertaking with big payoffs. Here are just a few reasons why I did it:

• Imagine being able to look back at any day of your year and recall what you did, who you met, what you learned…Often we find it hard to remember what we did just yesterday or even last night, let alone a whole year ago!
  
• My year-long photo album will be an amazing way to document my travels and accomplishments. Time moves surprisingly fast.
  
• Taking a photo a day did make me a better photographer. Using my camera every day did help me learn its limits. I got better at composing my shots, I did start to care about lighting, and I became more creative with my photography when I was forced to come up with something new every single day.
  
• It become a place to learn for me. I am not documenting my daily life there anymore, but the discussions, challenges and photos have taught me more about the art and techniques of photography than I could have imagined. I tried many things and learned much in the past year. I never would have thought I would love it so much. I started this project to improve my skills in photography - not with the view to becoming a pro/selling shots, just to take better shots and take some time for myself. I have started wanting to take better shots and only uploading shots I think are 'good'. I did this more for myself, just to see if I could do this photo a day thing. The amazing shots I saw on 365project.com were an added bonus! The site really gave me the needed outlet to learn about the art of photography. Sure, I started out with just taking a daily picture but as I learned more about editing and photography I felt this project change me and is still changing me. I have since joined a couple photography clubs and entered pictures into a competition. I do not know where I am headed but I am excited about photography and am more than willing to see where it takes me. I do not expect to ever stop learning and there is so much to learn. That is what keeps things fresh for me. Every day I wonder if today will be the day I do not see something that I can photograph, but I always find something, always. So, I keep taking pictures because I truly enjoy the whole process.
  

I started the project to create a discipline of having my camera in my hand more regularly and to document a photo journal of a year in my life. I have since found this community to be a place of strengths, resolve, friendship, global connections, triumphing over adversity, sharing blessings and sorrows, and ART beyond anything I would have imagined. My eyes have been opened wide in a way I would never have dreamed possible - find myself deeply LOVING this place as I might never have without the "eyes" 365 has opened for me. If my photographs improved in the meantime, I will always feel doubly blessed. This project gave me the ability to create and capture my own version of art, amateurish though it may be.

To date or not to date that is the question...

The death of a spouse presents challenges that the death of a relationship does not, although both have the same result – you are left alone. When you are still in love with your husband or wife, but that person is no longer there, you need to figure out how to eventually move on. You may feel anxiety about starting a new relationship, being intimate again, or losing the memory of your spouse.

Aside from the emotional issues that come with letting go and moving on, I believe it is common to experience some anxiety over dating again after what may be many years of being coupled. It is normal to worry that you will not know how to meet a new partner or that you will not know how to act on a date. This feeling is magnified if it has been years or decades since you have dated.

Dating is defined as a social or romantic appointment or social engagement. I personally have not 'dated' since the 70s, and I am not sure that would even be called dating since I was a teenager and I was married when I was 19. I definitely have never dated as an adult, and I can promise you I have never ever been on a blind date. Well, all that changed last night. I went on my first adult/blind date. Yep, you are reading this right, I went on a blind date.

Remember that very first date? Sweaty palms. Awkward conversation. You probably even had a curfew. Once you hit 50, at least the curfew is gone, but in research I found only 18% of single people in their 50s say they were dating. More than 40% say they are considering it, but not actually doing it. As to the “why” behind the lack of date nights, nearly 60% say they do not need a relationship to be happy. That is true whether you are 16 or 56, but more than 40% do not believe there is anyone “out there” to date. More than 30% do not even know where to begin and nearly 30% say they find it too stressful (think back to those sweaty palms and awkward conversations.) For more than 40%, other priorities are simply more important, and nearly one-quarter say it is just too difficult to date when you are 50-plus. On the positive side, the 50-plus daters seem to be pretty darn smart when choosing a date mate. In fact, nearly 60% say they make better decisions about compatibility now compared to when they were younger.

Most people want to find a friend or a life partner, and to meet the dates who may fulfill this desire, many 50-somethings, about 80%, do it the old-fashioned way – through friends or family. That is how my blind date was born, mutual friends.

I forgot what it was like to be excited and nervous at the same time at the thought of meeting somebody and going on a date. I had a little more than a week to think about meeting a gentleman, dating, how to behave, what to talk about, would he like me, would I like him, etc., things I have not done in my adult life. There did come a point in that week and a half though that I realized that I am a good person, a fun person, an interesting person and if my blind date did not like me, that did not diminish any of who I am nor did it reflect badly on him. I need to remember, even if he is not Mr. I Love You, there is something valuable to learn from this date and any future dating.

Life in my 50s has been complicated. Apparently, everybody aged 18 to 88 is looking for a hookup, but I am just not in a hookup kind of place. I guess I am holding out for the real meal deal — somebody worthwhile, maybe even age appropriate who has got a few battle scars of their own. Somebody who appreciates my age because we would have a common base of things to relate to, talk about, laugh at, or commiserate over. When you date someone your own age, very little gets lost in translation.

I want to be happy. I do not have to be married for that to happen. I am not sure I want to marry again, but I am sure that marriage does not bring happiness unless you wait for the right person and/or the right time. I equate happiness with: my relationship with Jesus, my children, my family, my career/job, fun, and surrounding myself with people I love and enjoy, whether that involves romantic love or not. I do think I am ready to date again though.

I will TRY to have a good attitude, make peace with myself, and let go of fear and grief, any maybe midlife dating will not be so bad after all.

My First 10K!

For a first-time 10Ker, your inner monologue during the race can be a blessing or a curse. Here are 38 totally normal thoughts you have during your first 10K race.

1. I am so ready for this. 
2. But nervous, I am more nervous. 
3. What if I don't finish? 
4. It's not a big deal if I don't finish? Right? 
5. No. I'll finish, even if it's three hours from now. 
6. Are we going to start soon?  I don't want to wait any longer. Let's get this over with. 
7. Why aren't we moving yet?  
8.  Wow, she looks fast. Moving away from her. 
9.  And that little kid. I can't have a little kid beating me.
10. Here we go. Is it too late to back out? 
11. This isn't too bad. I'll be OK. 
12. The herd is thinning out, too. 
13. Dang it, there's that little kid. He's totally passing me. Speed up. 
14. Nope. Too fast. Gonna die. 
15. Is it considered quitting if I stop to walk for a little bit? 
16. Too late. 
17. How much longerrrrrrr? 
18. What does that sign say? Only mile one? MILE ONE?? 
19. I'm gonna need a drink after this.
20. Why did I sign up for this?
21. Thank you, mister volunteer, for cheering me on. I definitely needed someone to tell me that "You Can Do It." I can do it. 
22. Already mile two? Yaaaaasssssss. 
23. Crap, I think I'm getting a blister. I'll own this battle wound proudly. 
24. Gah, what's that pain my side? Is this one of those things they call "stitches?"
25. Ouuuuuuccchhh.   
26.  Hey, I know him. Act like I'm not about to die. Smile through the pain. 
27.  I'm never walking again. 
28.  Wait, is that the finish line? THE GLORIOUS FINISH LINE!  
29.  I don't really know how but I'm speeding up right now. 
30.  Push. Push. Push. Almost there. 
32.  Was that the little kid from the starting line I just passed?  Miracles do happen. 
32.  I feel famous with all of these people cheering me on. I'll take it.  
33.  Haaaaaaa-llelujah. 
34.  Oh. My. Gosh. That was not fun. Legs like jelly. Must sit. 
35.  A medal? For me? I'm so awesome. 
36.  I deserve nachos after that. 
37.  I'm totally Instagramming my medal and my race number.  Picstitch, here I come.  
38.  When's the next one.

  At the end of 2014, I was thinking about the new challenge I would be setting for myself. I had done several 5Ks over the last couple of years, but I had never taken on a 10K so I decided that would be my challenge for 2015. I was very hesitant at first because I have only done 5Ks up to this point, but I guess that is the meaning of a challenge, right? Taking on something you hope you can accomplish but not totally sure you will.   

The organized races have enjoyed a considerable surge in popularity over the last few decades, and every one sees a large number of participants trying it for the first (and often last) time. I find it ironic that this has occurred while on average we are becoming a bunch of couch potatoes. But here is the whole point, when you are actually walking in an organized race, even though there may be thousands there, it is an extremely personal endeavor. You are not racing anyone. It is a battle between yourself and this idiotic notion that formed months ago when you thought this would be a good idea. For many first timers, it is their Mt. Everest.

It was a very bright and sunny day Sunday morning as I headed to Cascade Locks with Kate, Maria, and Rose for the Bridge of the Gods 10K/marathon. Walking is addictive and contagious, admittedly, I fell for it. When the day came I was petrified! I really did not train as much as I would have liked and I was afraid I would not be able to make the whole 6.2 miles, let alone in the time limit I had set for myself.  

For several days before race day, I woke up feeling anxious, kept thinking..."What if I can't make it?" over and over again. I went to bed Saturday night thinking the same thing over and over again..."What if I can't make it?" It's like counting sheep but you are not actually counting the sheep, you are counting the time and hope this nightmare would be over.

Come race day...excitement gushes thru my blood while I get ready. At this point, everything began to move quickly. What I felt would be like an eternity whizzed by and the start of the race began. We were moving, the mats underfoot were beeping, we were moving slowly, then faster.

The route was longer than any other race I had ever done. As the race began and I was walking, Kate and Rose were gone in a shout but Maria stayed with me. I plugged in my earphones and went to that place that walkers go...got into my zone. I met many wonderful walkers on the trail, all there for different reasons but yet, all with the same goal...to finish this race. 

Before this race even began, I had a finish time in mind -- less than two hours. For the longest time I did not want to tell anybody of my time in case I could not meet it, and I did not want to be embarrassed.  I feared that I would not be able to keep the pace needed to finish in two hours.  I know what you all are thinking, that the time does not matter, the fact that I am doing a 10K is what matters. If you haven't noticed, I can be competitive.  I like having a “goal” to work toward and finishing 6.2 miles in less than two hours was my goal. 

I will not lie though, the last mile was killer and I really just wanted to stop, but I just kept hearing that voice telling me that I could do this. I wanted to prove to myself that I am capable, I could do it even after having both of my knees replaced with the last 4-1/2 years. As I was coming into what I felt was the end of the race, I felt as if I was moving so slow, like a crawl (was I crawling?). I finally saw the finish line and hoped that it was as close as it looked. I heard the beep, looked up at the clock and saw 1:50:19.5.  In that moment I was just glad at this point to be standing, but barely, so glad to have finished...but then I was told to keep walking as I was holding up others trying to finish, but let me tell you, the first place I found to collapse, I did. 

Today marks a great day for me, I have completed my first 10k. It all boils down to setting for yourself realistic challenges and telling yourself you CAN do it. Thanks for all of you who have helped.  You led me here and got me through it.  I was befriended, inspired, coached, and supported.  You have helped me set new goals, face new challenges, enjoy new accomplishments, make new friends, and enjoy my racing even more.

Kate, Maria, and I did a 6.25 mile round trip hike today to Opal Creek Wilderness. This trail follows the original road into Jawbone Flats along the Little North Fork of the Santiam River. We passed some of the oldest trees in the Opal Creek Wilderness, 700 year-old trees, peered into abandoned mines, and saw some of the prettiest water ever.

At 2 miles into the hike you reach the historic Merten Mill, built in 1943, a steam-powered sawmill that logged five of the surrounding acres. The operation ended after two of the company’s logging trucks fell off a steep area of the road, proving the logging risky and unprofitable. A steam engine repurposed from the U.S.S. Battleship Oregon still lies in the clearing.

When the road forked 0.2 miles past the mill, we opted to get off the 'main' road and actually crossed Opal Creek and hiked on the other side of the river. It was a gorgeous hike, so much scenery to take in. We hiked into Opal Pool, a scenic gorge.

Eventually, we made our way to the historic mining town of Jawbone Flats, a collection of buildings built between 1929 and 1932. Jawbone Flats was started some time around 1930 as a mining town. The miners arrived in the area near Mill City in 1859 and discovered gold. Other minerals were in greater supply and also found nearby, such as copper, zinc, and lead. Mining continued in the area until 1992, when the Shiny Rock Mining company donated land, valued then at $12.6 million, in the area to the fledgling Friends of Opal Creek. In 1996, the area surrounding the town became part of the Opal Creek Wilderness and Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area. Today the town is run by the same group, now renamed the Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center. The town is being restored as a historic center and outdoor museum of the mining era, and there are cabins there that can be rented. Jawbone Flats gets is electricity from water sent down the pipes from higher elevation into a water turbine.

For more information on Opal Creek Wilderness, check out: www.opalcreek.org/history

June is my birthday month. 

I should be excited. I should be rejoicing for I have been given another year to spend with my family and friends, to achieve my goals, and to make up for all my losses. I have never been a fan of birthday celebrations (just mine not others), but that has changed ... For those of you who do not know, every year for the last few years, I have celebrated my birthday month...

Not the day...

Not the week...

The whole entire month!

Yep, you read that right. I celebrate my birthday the whole month of June. Some may find that egotistical but if you know me, you know I truly dislike being the center of attention. I prefer spending my birthday with close friends and family just hanging out, catching up, having a good meal. The fact is, I am lucky to be alive and healthy enough to enjoy the last 54 years. I am surrounded by people who will celebrate with me. Who care about me. Who see me and who love me. I celebrate my birthday for the whole month of June because I am a lucky woman. God is good and has blessed me with many, many people in my life. I have family and friends who want to celebrate me and my birthday.

As adults I think we get really wrapped up in work, life, and getting by. We have families, kids, illness, and financial pressures among a million other things on our plates. So celebrating our birthday seems, well, a bit much. We are either too tired, not in the mood, do not feel like it, do not want to make it a “big deal”, hate surprises, or we hate getting older so why celebrate at all? Sound familiar?

This year marks my 55th birthday. There is nothing new, just another year added to my resume, but this time I plan to make the most out of it. I am going to blog the entire month's birthday activities. 
 

I started my birthday celebration by treating myself to a pedicure, and if your birthday falls on National Donut Day, you must celebrate with a donut. After that, my friend Kriss took me out for a birthday dinner at a restaurant of my choice. I have to tell you a story about my friend Kriss.  It is scary how much we think alike. I saw this wonderful necklace on Living Social, and I loved it SO much and knew that Kriss would as well so I bought one for her and one for me. Imagine my surprise (as well as Kriss') when I showed up with the necklace on. Come to find out Kriss bought two necklaces as well, one for me and one for her. Now I have three and Kriss has one, soon to have two when her birthday comes.

The very next day, my kids had a birthday brunch for me. What a great way to spend a Saturday morning, celebrating me, with Jimmy, Josh, Sara, Ruby, and Aiden eating breakfast and red velvet cake; spending time with my favorite people. I love my family.

The following week Melissa and Vassa took me to Trapala, a Mexican Restaurant here in town. Spending time with friends is a great way to commerate your birthday. What a great way to celebrate with friends...good food, good friends, good fellowship; let the birthday celebration continue.

The following weekend Karen and Jan took me on a hike to one of the most recognized symbols of the Columbia River Gorge, Beacon Rock. It is an amazing, if short, hiking experience. Beacon Rock ascends nearly 600 feet in less than a mile. It was a tough hike, but the views were oh so worth it. The trail is something of an engineering wonder, beginning with the fact that the builders couldn't scout the route; they had to just built a section, then figure out where to take it next. The finished product is 4500 feet long and 4 feet wide, and includes 52 switchbacks, 100 concrete slabs, and originally, 22 wooden bridges. Some of the original work remains, such as wrought-iron handrails at some switchbacks and steel eyebolts in the rock wall. To get to the top, just persevere and, if heights bother you, don't look down.

After we got done with the hike, they took me to a great restaurant, Island Cafe. It is a fabulous place right on the Columbia River. They offer both inside and outside seating. We were fortunate enough to get an outside side, right on the edge of the dock. We had an up close and personal view of the river and all the comings and goings.

The very next day Melissa took me out for a special time to catch up. Life can be so busy, so crazy, and we must make time to cultivate our friendships. She had a lovely surprise for me. We went for a lovely brunch, a little wine tasting, and some picture taking at Orchard Heights Winery that is located in the picturesque foothills of the Coast Range. They recently were named the #1 Brunch and Family Restaurant in the Mid-Willamette Valley 3 years in a row. The Sunday Brunch has a make to order omelet and pasta bar along with Eggs Benedict, a waffle bar and many more goodies.

And that, my friends, is how I celebrated my birthday for a month. Thanks to all my well-wishers, to those who remembered, and to those, who did not, no hard feelings. People come and go, people will forget, some will remember, some will not.

My birthday is a celebration of my LIFE! I was placed on this earth to do something AMAZING. Somewhere along the line, I realized one day was not enough, I say CELEBRATE your BIRTHDAY for the WHOLE MONTH! I say bake a cake, light a candle, sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY, and CELEBRATE YOU!

I hope this post inspires you to celebrate your own birthday month.

I am now 55, but I still feel young. I found this quote that could not say it better - “Old is old at any age. Old is when you quit asking questions about this, that, and everything. Old is when you forget how to love -or worse, don't care. Old is when you don't want to dance anymore. Old is when you don't want to learn anything new except how to be old. Old is when people tell you that you are old -and you believe them.” ― Carew Papritz