Crater Lake

To continue my theme of wishing I were somewhere other than the heat of Texas, here's Crater Lake in Oregon. It's in the seventies all week there.

Summer is a jolly time

...full of light and staying up late and enjoying the sunshine!

Faraway

As the temperatures are getting hotter here, I'd definitely enjoy being back in Oregon for a bit, although I've heard that the rain has been pretty intense lately.

Solstice

Summer is officially here!

Coastline

(Florence, Oregon)

Luminous

Darlingtonia Park in Florence, Oregon

Prosperity

(Trees at Sahalie Falls, Oregon)

Psalm 1:1-3

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Waterfalls

...are beautiful.

Seas

(Florence, Oregon)

Psalm 69:34
(NIV)

Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them...

Spring!

Apple blossoms at Mount Pisgah, Eugene, Oregon

Spring is just starting out here in Dallas. A few flowers are blooming, and the grass is thinking about greening up.

Deadly flora

We stopped at Darlingtonia Botanical Wayside a few years ago on a trip to the Oregon coast. It is filled with Darlingtonia californica (pitcher plants). They're quite pretty for such bloodthirsty plants.

Montage

I have always thought that if I could have any super power, I would pick montage. Want to become an amazing ninja? Thirty second montage of trying to lift small rocks, running arduously, and being exhorted by a ninja master, and presto! Brilliant ninja skills. Need to find the cure to cancer? Shots of looking concerned, staring at stacks of paper, writing equations, drinking coffee. Add some inspirational music, and forty-five seconds later, success!

Unfortunately, I haven't managed to acquire this skill yet, so instead of montaging our way to Texas, Benjamin and I are in the middle of actually driving the distance. Perhaps a montage of past road trips would help? Let's give it a shot... You'll have to hum your own inspirational music, though.

Great Britain road trip adventure, summer 2007

Benjamin was really nice and drove for this one, so I had lots of time to take silly pictures in the passenger seat!

Bahrain, spring 2008

We road tripped to see the Sheikh Hamad Causeway and various forts around the island when Rebecca came to visit. As you can tell from the photo, we take these things seriously.
Photo: Kate Moore.

Germany, summer 2008
We got to see Germany with Ben's grandpa, who used to live there, which was awesome. This is Benjamin's "Just how many pictures are you going to take, woman?" expression.

Yellowstone/Grand Tetons, fall 2008
Our previous massive road trip of moving from Michigan to Oregon. Somehow I only managed to take pictures when we were in Yellowstone National Park.

Sahalie Falls in Oregon, summer 2009

Oregon coast at Florence, fall 2010

Phew, are we there yet?

Moving day

(Ruins in Turkey)

Today we are starting out on our move to Dallas. This will be our third move since we married. First Bahrain, then Oregon. Now Texas. We are both very much looking forward to moving near family and the prospect of better jobs. At the same time, we're very much going to miss the friends we've made here.

In honor of moving, a poem from some time ago:

Traveler
the path wound on from here
beckoning to all who came after.
there was much behind,
and much more before,
drawing and spurring the traveler on.

once again with broad hat and a sigh,
taking up staff and knapsack,
time to continue on the ever new yet familiar path.
for there is much behind
and much more before…

A future and a hope

Yesterday night was our last time at Street Ministry. Of everything we are leaving in Eugene, we'll miss this the most. We have made amazing friends and been weekly reminded of God's grace and goodness. The people there, both volunteers and street people, have blessed us beyond measure every week. Even though we are saying goodbye for now, the joy of leaving Christian friends is knowing we will see them again!

Spring dandelion

Everywhere and joyous,
Golden humor springing up,
An individual among the masses.
Blooming stubborn-brilliant
Amid the groomed flowers:
Harbinger of summer frolics.

Back in the day

(Mural in downtown Springfield, Oregon)

Downtown Springfield has a lot of murals on the walls of various building to pep things up a bit. I think this one is particularly fun!

Waterfalls

...are beautiful.

(Oregon)

Afternoon walk

(Ferns on tree at Dorris Day Ranch, Eugene, Oregon)

Looking up

Another day with sunlight! Now that I am done with student teaching, I can arrange things more to my own schedule. After my walk to the library, I wandered around our apartment complex for a bit trying out different camera angles.

Woods

(Dorris Day Ranch, Eugene, Oregon)