Out of Hiding

In an effort to protect my privacy from someone whose intentions toward me are questionable at best, I recently took steps to make my blog much harder to find. I changed the blog URL and removed the link to it from my Blogger profile. I had another blogger remove links from his blog to mine. I even quit blogging for awhile, to stretch out the time she would be unable to search for and actually find it.  I had hoped, for her sake and my own, that she'd finally give up on following my life so closely and move on with her own. Unfortunately, I only temporarily prevented the problem. As of yesterday, my most frequent visitor ever, who I've never met or had any communication with, who has logged onto my blog regularly - indeed sometimes multiple times daily - for months on end, has now found my blog again.  She kept searching till she found it - over a month after I tried to hide it.  I apparently went through the trouble for nothing, because this woman is persistent. 

For many good reasons I won't go into here, I don't feel she will stop nosing about any time soon, so I will no longer try to hide from her. I'll just be smarter about what I post and not thoughtlessly forecast my whereabouts like I regrettably did before.  I have re-established the link to my blog on my Blogger profile and will be writing and posting pictures again.  I'm looking forward to reconnecting with the interesting, well-meaning photographers and writers I met through Blogger before.  I’m tired of stifling myself because this woman is so consumed with knowing what I'm doing.  If she wants to make me the focus of her energies, so be it.  I'll simply continue to take note of things that concern me, keep good records and stay on my guard.  That's the most effective thing I can do anyway, according to both the lawyer and the police officer I've spoken to about this problem.

So - that said, I’m ready to write again and it feels good! 

Goodbye

Within a week and a half of traveling to Louisiana for a vacation and chance to visit my Granny one more time, I got the phone call this morning that I've been dreading.  My brother called me this morning to tell me that our Granny died this morning.  I knew before I pressed the button to answer what he was going to say, but it still felt like a sucker punch to hear it.  I've got a lot of jumbled feelings right now.  I'm glad she isn't suffering anymore, but I'm sad that I couldn't see her one more time.  I also feel guilty that I've not called her enough over the last few months and I've lived so far away at a time when I might have been able to help keep her company in her very old age and through the trials of Alzheimer's disease. I feel...very, very blue.  And a little empty.  She was such a sweet lady.  I wish I could have held her hand and listened to her stories one more time.

Explanation

I've recently had to change my blog settings and other information in order to protect my privacy, so it is harder to find my blog now.  I wanted to make sure you who have come here and commented, could still come, so I've set things up so that you will be notified when I post, and you will be able to read my blog, even though I've changed the URL and some other things, to make it much harder to find.

If you would like me to take you off this list, please let me know. 

Love you all!

Andrea

Springtime Pilgrimage

Well, I made it out to Smith Rock afterall, and I'm so glad I rolled myself out of bed before dawn to get there early.  The drive was perfect, even through the snow on Mt. Hood.  And the light was still pretty when I arrived at Smith Rock.  One of the fun things about this trip was all the wildlife I saw:  lots of geese (must be mating season - they were very vocal!), a coyote, a little cotton tail bunny, which Molly wanted to go after soooo badly.  I also saw some eagles and one falcon.  I'm too tired to write much, but the pictures say it all, anyway.  It's kind of hard to take a bad picture in a place like this...

(click to see larger)

Mt. Jefferson through the gap.  Taken near the bivouac area.

The morning light brought out the reds quite well.

The Crooked River winding around the Rocks

Deep Shadows

Like a cathedral!  I love this place.

This lone goose looked kind of funny playing "King of the Hill" :o)

Prettier from this angle.

Stunning colors - I love the green wash in some areas.

Molly, wet from fetching sticks I threw in the Crooked River.

A coyote!  (severely cropped - my lense couldn't quite reach him.)

Molly heard the climbers talking waaaay up there!

Good ol' Monkey Face!

I'm calling this "Skull Rock" - but it kind of looks like Edvard Munch's "The Scream"

Even prettier with the vapor trail in the sky.

Nature's artwork.

Other side of Monkey Face.

Monkey Face with Mt. Jefferson in background.

Mt. Jefferson from atop Smith Rock.

My heart went into my throat when Molly walked into this shot, so close to the edge!

Dead wood and flowers - two of my favorite things!

The Desert Sage is very pungent and freshly green this time of year.

A big juniper.

On the way back...

Lots of climbers out today.  Wish I'd caught up with Connor, but I just hiked and didn't ring him up to rendevous.

Spider Woman.

UPDATE:  This is Connor's girlfriend, Allysa in the pic above!  Looks like I ran into them afterall - sort of!  She looked like her from a distance, and I wondered if it was her when I shot this. I was too far away to see if Connor was in the party and I considered just asking, but I was on my way out and would have had to hike up to where they were, so I took the photos and moved on.  Turns out they left shortly after, because the winds were really picking up.

Amazing!

Bottom's Up!

Such a lovely place in the late afternoon light, too.

Happy Hiker! (taken with cell phone camera)

Spiritual Getaway

Update:  It's now Saturday afternoon around 2:45.  I got up at 6:45 this morning, ready to get rolling as soon as Ron picked up the kids this morning, but I started doing laundry while listening to music, and that led to cleaning my bathroom and vaccuuming the house and other cleaning.  Now my house feels pretty good, and it occurs to me that I haven't been able to just sit quietly and  read a book or even actually listen to music in my house without bickering and interruptions.  It's wonderful!  I'm going to stay home and enjoy the time alone here.  I may get up really early and spend the day out at Smith Rock tomorrow, instead - or maybe go hiking somewhere else.  I will get a hike in.  In any case, I'm really enjoying the freedom to do whatever I feel like doing!  Since I'm home, I called Scott and he's just finished his ride.   I've invited him over later to spend time with me in my home without kids.  What a treat for us!  Time together in Portland without kids.   :)
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It's Friday evening and none too soon.  I've really been looking forward to this weekend over the last couple of days.  As I sit here after dinner sipping on a bit of tawny port, I am happily anticipating the next 48 hours, because I'm going to do something I've been craving. For the first time in a long while, I'm able to get away sans kids for more than a few hours, and I don't even need to hire a sitter!  Their dad has actually made plans to keep the kids overnight on Saturday.  They are so excited to have some time with him, and I'm thrilled at the prospect of taking Molly out to Smith Rock to hike and enjoy a night out under the stars.  She and I are going camping!

View of the Crooked River from Smith Rock in May, 2009

Scott's going on a 100 mile bike ride with his cycling friends this weekend, and I have no obligations otherwise, so it's the perfect opportunity for me to have some extended time and the joyful companionship of my sweet puppy all to myself!  I've felt a deep longing to get out and hike lately, but with Stella's softball games, Evan's t-ball games and other commitments, I've really not had an opportunity.  When Ron first mentioned that he might be taking the kids for the weekend, I had a glimmer of hope, but didn't want to get too excited.  But when I asked him on Wednesday if he still intended to take them, he said he would.  That's when that wonderful swell of anticipation started to grow.  I love watching my kids play sports, and I enjoy my time with my sweetheart, too, but I have always thrived best with regular doses of "me" time in nature.  It's my version of church, since it fills my spiritual cup.  This will be a delicious, much needed time away for me.

Molly after playing in the Crooked River, May 2009

It should be a really great time to photograph, too.  I spent a beautiful long day at Smith Rock last Spring and took lots of pictures with my phone's camera.  They were fun to post on Facebook for my family, but my camera now is a far superior tool.  I look forward to capturing some beautiful images of one of my very favorite places to share with my family and friends who live elsewhere outside of Oregon.  Also, my friend, Connor will be rock climbing with his girlfriend and some of their friends on both Saturday and Sunday and I plan on stopping by their hang-out to try and shoot that action, too.  Should be so much fun!  Here's a link to his blog post about a climbing trip to Smith Rock last year:  October at Smith Rock

Joy in a Special Place

More than anything, I look forward to sleeping in a tent and waking up to the sunrise in such a place.  I'm all tingly with anticipation!

Just a few pics from Stella's last softball game...* **

At bat, looking aggressive!

On first, looking to steal.

On third, thinking about stealing home...

She's inching closer!  (She does ultimately steal home, but I was cheering too loudly to take pics!)

Waiting patiently for her turn during warm up.  (Notice we accidentally grabbed the wrong jersey...)

I think this was during a warm up between innings.

Same here, but I like her form.

Playing third, her altnerate position.  (She usually plays shortstop this year, which she loves!)

*Click on photos to see larger. 

**They won 12-5!

T-Ball is Wonderful!

Since Stella never played softball until last year, I'd never seen t-ball in action.  I was missing out!  Evan, who is 6, is playing t-ball this year and it is the cutest thing ever!  It is so funny to see all the kids run after a ball hit into the outfield - basemen and pitcher included!

Evan is very excited about the game, which I'm thrilled about, because he wasn't all that keen on soccer.  A slower pace and the opportunity to hit a ball with a bat seems to suit him perfectly.  His team are the Cardinals, and today they played the Mariners.  Here are some shots of today's big game, which almost got rained out! 

(Click on any pictures you'd like to see larger.)

It started to rain just as the game was to start, so there was a delay.

But it blew over eventually and things started. 

This is Evan warming up for his first at bat.

Nice hit!

Notice how while Evan is running to first, the entire opposing team

is chasing the ball into the outfield - so funny!

Evan made a great stop here at third base!

"Play's at first!"  He got to play first base, too.

Even Annie loves to get close to one of the "boys of Summer!"

Pizza at the Lucky Lab after the game.

Evan and his teammate and friend, Adam.