More outdoors since I don't know when.

Most of you know Jackson and I lived in that hole in Monte Rio for one year exactly. It was basically a cave and we didn't get out much, a lot of that due to our differing work schedules where the weekends were concerned. It was a little tragic - we LOVE the outdoors even though we could both be accurately described as homebodies. So...it was concluded earlier today that in 4 weeks of Oregon-unemployed living we have spent more time actively outdoors than we did in one whole year in Monte Rio. Pretty funny or crazy or ridic or sad or something. Not sad actually, I'm very happy to be where we are now and I doubt we would have made it here (at least at this point in time) without the difficulties faced in Sonoma County.

Yesterday we went to Whistlers Bend Disc Golf Course in Glide about a 25 minute drive east towards Crater Lake. Jackson greatly enjoys disc golf and really got into it back in his college days at Simpson. He's all pro with like 10 discs and a carrying bag and everything. I had only two prior disc golfing experiences under my belt, neither of which went well. Experience #1: It's 2005 or 2006 and I'm on a horrible blind date and the guy had disced before but doesn't really take the time to teach me so I'm all over the freaking map and it's cold and muddy and windy and quite unpleasant. Needless to say there was no second date. Experience #2: It's 2009 or 2010 and I'm playing with Jackson, Eric, Sarah, and Juloshiani in Petaluma. I still don't know what I'm doing but Jackson is patiently trying to help me along. The grass is tall and it's windy and then I get this allergy attack and I'm sneezing my head off and I want to claw my eyes out they itch so bad. But of course we're on like the 9th hole or whatever way out in the cuts and I don't have my 24 hr. Claratin so I have to power through till the end. I was basically miserable. This time though it was great and we had an awesome time together. The course ran right by the Umpqua River. The weather was perfect - it was just great.



Today we decided to have our own church down by the river. We hiked a few miles on the North Umpqua Trail which (as you might guess) parallels the river. Along the way we had fun going back to our nerdy Naturalist roots (haha!) identifying the trees and undergrowth we spotted. The forest up here is dominated by Douglas Fir but in many ways looks very much like the Redwood forest in SC. So we were big nerds then found our spot along the river to stop. There was NOBODY around anywhere. Here we were hiking this well-known trail on a weekend and we only saw two people in like 3 or 4 hours. So we were practically alone out there observing the created world the good Lord put together Himself. What we saw reflected the majesty and might of our Savior.



Jackson found an awesome spot I'm sure we will revisit that has shade, a nice beach and a few great swimming holes. The water in the river is like glass! It's so clear you can see the riverbed from up on the trail. Pretty great.

We also saw Silver Linings Playbook the other night - an extremely interesting film. I thought Bradley Cooper was outstanding and Jennifer Lawrence was quite good as well. Not sure if hers was a Best Actress at the Oscars-worthy performance but she was really great. It's a need-to-see-again-to-really-absorb-all-there-is-to-absorb type movie. I didn't in the least however appreciate the crack JL's character Tiffany makes about the Eagles beating the 49ers "handily" but I was still able to overlook it. For the record, the Jim Harbaugh 49ers can and will handily beat the Chip Kelly (please) Eagles. Let's all be on the same page about that :)

With a closing comment, today is my Dad's 63rd birthday so Happy Cinco de Miko Dad! We love you very much!