Reblogging our work from the AYF

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Reblogging our work from the AYF

It has been a minute since we've posted and for that we apologize. Mid-may sent us on a month long adventure across the country and through many of our old stomping grounds back to the place where our adventure (arguably) started: Merrowvista.

The constant travel made it difficult to write and now both Paul and I are working 16 hour days, juggling family, youth development, and ongoing remote work. Luckily, part of our job as youth development professional requires that we WRITE BLOGS, but not fun travel adventure posts so much as reassure parents that their children are safe and cared for posts. With the permission of the camp director himself, I repost my contribution from the very first day of camp here:

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Why is there a bear on the California state flag? It should be a cat.

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Why is there a bear on the California state flag? It should be a cat.

Odin and I spend about two hours a day strolling the local streets. Some might be able to get their 10,000 steps in just by doing chores around the house, but we’ll never achieve that level of activity by stomping about our abode. On our walks in California, we commonly encounter upwards of 20 (TWENTY!) cats. It doesn’t matter if we’re on an excursion in the snowy Sierras or wading through the river flood of the Sacramento, there is always a feline infestation.

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Florence, a Retrospective

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Florence, a Retrospective

For those of you taking notes, we actually left Oregon a few months ago. Since then we’ve done a lot of traveling, family seeing, and campground hopping, so we haven’t had a chance to wrap up our beaver state time. Although we did not always love the coastal weather, we did truly enjoy our time in Oregon.

Oregon is full of hidden gems and local wonders. It is a state best experienced on foot, which is to say up close and slowly. We found so much beauty in the microcosm of Florence, a blink town that most tourists drive through without stopping to fill up the gas. We could have expanded this list to include the Oregon scenic byway, which is a gem; Portland, so weird; and Bend, perhaps the worlds most perfect outdoor mini-metro. But—we only spent a day at most in any of these Oregon hot spots. If our time in Florence is any indication, a day is not enough time to know the very best of what those versions of Oregon have to offer. Your time is best spent in Oregon going deep, rather than seeing widely. Read on for our central Oregon coast to do list!

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Some thoughts on Voting

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Some thoughts on Voting

I love voting. I think all NH natives do. We participate in the first primary in the nation (caucuses are a democracy hoax). We can register day of. We can meet all the candidates for state and national offices at town hall q and as. Many Presidential hopefuls strut their stuff in our Fourth of July parades. We may be one of the most homogeneous states in the union, but these libertarian hippies commuting to Boston and paying no sales tax continue to swing elections with their 4 electoral votes in all sorts of directions.  

Even beyond NH’s primary, voting is fun. Voting is an opportunity to reflect on what you think, and why you think it. Reflecting is fun! Also, voting is your voice. If you don’t vote, you really can’t complain about politics. Complaining is super fun, you love complaining—so vote.

Bonus: Can you tell what's wrong with this picture???

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OREGON, ORESTAYIN

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OREGON, ORESTAYIN

Sometimes we meet nurses who were travelers, but they fell in love with a place or a person and decide to stay at that assignment permanently. That is not what happened to us. Oregon is nice, we like Oregon, but we do not love Oregon.

Read more to hear exciting radio, food, and weather updates!

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An Oregon Food Chain

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An Oregon Food Chain

Oregon is an eat or be eaten state. A live off the land state. A nature is a cycle of vicious and unapologetic destruction state. Based on my observations, I’ve created an Oregon specific food chain to help visitors.

Berries, especially Huckleberries<<

Oregon is lush! There are berries everywhere! There are so many berries that they rot on the tree, without people or other woodland creatures bothering to harvest them. Paul and I have made several pies, crisps, and buckles out of Oregon berries.

I had never seen a huckleberry before, so I wasn’t 100% on what I should harvest. 

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Coastal Radio Report

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Coastal Radio Report

The weather report for coastal Oregon this morning? Foggy. Every morning is 48* and the visibility is less than a half mile. Driving over the drawbridge to town is eerie and romantic—maybe the rest of the bridge isn’t even there anymore—it’s impossible to know for sure.

One of the new joys of Oregon living is the regular appearance of Downtown Deb, the DJ for “Dead Air,” which has had a regular spot on Oregon Public Radio for over 20 years. Deb takes over airwaves from 7:00 to 9:00 on Saturday evenings. She cannot believe how great it was to hear that jam, just so great, and she really hopes that you’re feeling it too.

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