Gardening for money?!

My friend's yard needs some love. Dave wants a nice yard but doesn't have the time or inclination to work on it -- but he does have money. I have the time and inclination but no money. So it works out pretty well for both of us :)

I spent several hours today weeding and picking out plants to add to his sparse landscape. Here's the front yard before. I'll keep you posted on the progress.

- Liz :)

3-hour tour

Sean, Brad, Karen, Steve, Liz

This week's hike took us to Aldrich Butte above Bonneville Hot Springs in the Gorge (at least that's where we were supposed to end up!). We'd never been there, but the map looked easy enough to follow. We got through the first few directions OK but then it didn't look right. A Mazamas group pointed us up a muddy trail and told us to go right and then stay left. The trail was as muddy as could be, and we were trying to keep our footing as we climbed the hill. We got to a junction and soon realized that our map didn't show the trail we'd been on.... so where were we?? Instead of following his right/left/left instructions, we went Brad's way. We eventually found the PCT (which was on our map) and guessed as to where we were. After another couple hours of watching the sky get darker and hoping we were on the right track, we came to the next anticipated crossing (a good sign that we really had found our way).

We soon passed the side trail to Aldrich Butte, but it was too late to make the trip. So we continued down and, right around the corner, there was that junction - the one where we were supposed to go left instead of right. (So that guy's directions were right after all!)

But instead of going down the steep, muddy slip-and-slide route, we chose to try yet another unknown trail (we assumed it was the one on our map that we were supposed to be on in the first place before that Mazamas guy sent us the wrong way). All looked good until we got to the power lines near the bottom and the trail split in several directions. The map wasn't as helpful as it should have been, and I lost the vote 4-1, sending us down the wrong way. We ended up on a road that hopefully would take us to the car. After walking and walking, we started to doubt. It also started to pour! Steve, armed with a small map from the Web, was sure that we were in the wrong place (duh!) but that the road would get us there (yay!).

We made it! Notice Karen's soaked pants, the mud up Steve's legs, the pouring rain and the standing water in our photo? It's always an adventure with us... always :)

-Liz

Run of the sickies

Today was the Tilikum 10K/5K run to raise money for camp scholarships. Last year, we tackled the longer run. That was my plan again... until I got sick. I've had a horrible head cold for more than a week. It threw off my training, and I knew I wouldn't be ready (even if my illness was to disappear before Race Day). Eryn also has the creepy crud, and our mom was feeling a scratchy throat. Still, we decided to give it a try.

Eryn and I planned to try our best at the 5K run. Mom stuck with the 5K walk. It was a chilly, gray morning at Champoeg State Park.
Tim and Laura opted for the walk (Laura took third place!!!!!)
Aaron (the only real runner in the group) ran the 10K while Irene and Abram walked.
I started strong, struggling only to dodge a kid on a bike who was going the same speed as me but weaving around the little path. I felt good as I neared the turnaround point but wondered why more people weren't already passing me. I kept running and running and finally reached the sign (again dodging that kid on the bike!). A couple minutes later, I started to feel a little yucky. I debated with myself, finally coming to the conclusion that I should walk a bit. After 4 minutes, I decided to pick up the speed and finish it out. I was just under 37 minutes.
Eryn mentioned that she thought the turnaround was in a different spot than last year. YES! I was thinking the same thing. Others around us confirmed. Apparently, last year's course was a bit short. HOWEVER, they seemed to have overcompensated and made it a bit too long this year. So considering my sickness/walking and the long course, I'm pretty happy with my time.

Eryn won free bowling in the raffle and mom took us to lunch at Elmer's. A good day :)

-Liz

Woodland wonders

My woodland garden brings lots of shady challenges but also some awesome rewards... like these:
-Liz :)

??

It's been my understanding that, in this day of widespread pharmaceutical advertising, a tremendous amount of effort goes into choosing the names of new medications. I just saw a commercial for a new acid reflux treatment called AcipHex ("ph" pronounced "f"). How did this make it past all the focus groups?? Bad choice :)

-Liz

Beach snow

Crazy weekend weather in the gorge wasn't enough for me. After my cold Saturday morning hike, Brad and I joined friends at Pacific City for a brief getaway. The almost-April snow in the Coast Range was strange enough, but about 7 a.m. Sunday I awoke to huge flakes falling right outside our sea-level cabin. I put on my glasses and found snow piling up on the deck and picnic table. And the sand dunes across the Nestucca River had turned white!
Fat flakes fell for another 30 minutes or so. I've seen snow at the beach before, but not this late in the season. Right now, I'm looking out my window at bright sunshine and blue skies. It's just plain crazy.

-Liz :)

A snowy rest for angels

Despite the crazy weather (I keep saying that, huh!?), I hit the trail Saturday morning with Christine. I didn't have a lot of time, so we stuck close with Angel's Rest at the Bridal Veil exit off Interstate 84. I knew we were in for a weather treat when it started snowing on us at the 80-foot parking lot. As the trail rose, we found slush on the ground, then some snow and then lots of snow! White stuff covered the exposed summit (about 1,500 feet), and a strong wind made it feel like the middle of winter.

The storm made for really cool views. Northwest toward the city: Northeast:
Southwest:Christine LOVES to take pictures along the way - especially of neat weather stuff:
Can't leave the summit without one of these!
I have to admit that I'm ready to hike without freezing my baguettes off (and by baguettes, I mean fingers!), but this bizarre weather has made for some extra-memorable adventures :)

-Liz