Annual trip to the Desert Southwest

This is my 8th time as a leader on the trip. We had a blast this year in the same haunts: Sedona, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Bryce Canyon, and Zion.

 

Sad

So, I realized today, as I was looking for an old picture, that I accidentally erased all of my photos from before October 2012. Weeks ago, as I was tidying up my laptop and external hard drive, I must have erased the folders of those pictures without properly backing them up. I had an empty feeling in my stomach when I considered the pictures taken in Japan, in graduate school, living in North Cascades National Park.... the irony is that I just took in my old computer (that has those pictures on it as well) to get recycled. I did get the hard drive out before giving away the computer.... so if you or anyone you know knows how to retrieve files from a hard drive (that has been separated from its computer) please let me know :)

No social media for me

I am trying an experiment where I do not look at (social) media for a year, since September 1. :O Wow. It has been 16 days and I think it is all good. What a fun experiment to try.

Exterior trim paint

My wife is incredible. Her vision drives our home! And so, we changed what our home looks like... all the way to the trim. One day we'll get all the grey painted to a cheerful hue of yellow but in the meantime at least the edges and details look great :)

Labor Day 2016: Kevin & Tasha's Wedding Reception

Hoorah- what a great celebration of our friends at Rasar State Park!

Bamfield, Vancouver Island: Place-based Education Course

I took a two-week course on Vancouver Island at the Bamfield Marine Science Center. It was a good experience and a neat place to learn about Place-based Education!

Celebration Weekend- July 15-16!

The First celebration was Michelle's 30th!

 at Nell Thorn !!!

And Michelle was also asked to be an officiant of a wedding! For Matt and Chrissy, the day after she turned 30 :)

 They had the ceremony and reception at Camano Island State Park- where Michelle and I had our reception! They were inspired when they celebrated with us two years ago, so they planned their experience at the same place. What a joyous time.

Summer living :)

Celebratin' 4th of July!

 Cats trying to stay warm during our brief and somewhat cool early summer

 Still gotta mow the lawn though!

 Summer living means lots of garden work, food preserving, and outside time. Whenever we were in town we manically tended the garden and the crops. It was an abundant summer for us and we are super thankful! Not all of the items are pictured but we made: bread and butter pickles, dill pickles, tomaisins (sun gold tomato “raisins”), apple butter, pear-plum-apple jam, pear-plum-apple fruit leather, tomato bisque. Not to mention, our onions are hanging to dry and three different types of potatoes are in storage in the basement, we have boxes of pears still and another pear tree that is ready for being harvested… in addition to ample plums waiting for us. Zucchinis are eaten at every meal, strawberries every morning for breakfast, and green beans once a week or so. We have more zukes and cukes growing up, as well as a plethora of tomatoes of different varieties. The winter squashes are getting stronger and the leeks look great too, as autumn approaches.