Believe it or not, it has not been a great ski season on the mountain. Yes, back in December, there were buckets of snow and cold temps but temperatures warmed up at the higher elevations and the snow melted off. It has actually been a drier than usual winter and the
mountains have not been receiving all the normal snow fall for this time of year.
So needless to say, we had been itching to get out and ski this year. I got new goggles and a
helmet for Christmas and Russ has a new Fridgieware suit, so we were both anxious to get out and use our new gear.
The past few weeks, it has been wetter in the city and colder in the mountains, which means the ski areas are getting some good snow base building and the lifts were open so we decided we'd head up the mountain to find some decent skiing. We have been skiing Cooper Spur a great deal the past few seasons so we decided to try a new place this year. We were looking for some for some new slopes, still on the easy-not-too-steep side, just longer and different. So we stooped at Ski Bowl a popular skiing area on Mt. Hood and an hour out of Portland. It was a sleet snow mix, on our arrival but it was cold and there was plenty of snow on the ground. So up we went on the chair lift...
Well it sounds that easy, but it isn't in my case. You have to go down a hill then up a little slope to get to the line to get on the ski lift
. It had been a year since I had these long boards strapped to my feet. I got the down hill part okay but I didn't get the momentum to get back up the hill to the line. So I got half way there then stopped and proceeded to go backwards down the hill again. I am sure it looked pretty comical. Luckily, I remembered the fail safe method to stopping when all is going wrong on skis; fall over. So I did. and that stopped me. I decided to take my skis off, walk up the hill to the ski lift line and then put my skis on. It worked out much better.
So after the crash course refresher in skiing, I felt pretty confident about going down the big hill with skis. After all, I can always just fall down if it wasn't going well, right? So up Russ and I went on the lift. This was a higher and longer lift than I had ever been on, it followed the contour of the mountain and the mountain got steep really quick, I had to admit, I was getting pretty nervous, would this be too much slope for me? I can always take my skis off and walk down...
Russ was very helpful though he kept reminding me of all I new and helped me take one step at a time. We got off the lift and I actually made it over to the slopes edge without falling over, so far so good! There was a short slope down to a warming hut and then
another lift to go up to a higher-steeper black diamond run. I looked around for the green circles; the easy runs. There were several to be found. Though they still looked steep to me. But Russ couched me and back and forth I went down the small slope and I realised I remembered I knew more than I thought! So it was down the slope next slope I went and I had completed the run, before I knew it! I started really slow at first, but I figured out I could control my speed pretty well and got more adventures with putting my skis in "french fry" mode and going fast. We made many passes down the hill that day. The temperature dropped and the sleet turned to snow, I had to switch over to my fridgeware suit too, as it was much warmer. Jade and Lucky had some good runs too. It was a fun time on the mountain!
Russ and I have been married one year today!! In celebration of our first year of marriage we took a trip out to the Gorge for a hike and to look at wildflowers. We went to Catherine Creek, a park in Washington, just off HWY 14, out past White Salmon. (about an hour from Vancouver and just east of Mt. Hood and Cascade mountain range) We found beautiful views of the river, the bright purple Camas, in full bloom, a drier ecosystem and a welcomed sunnier- than-western- Washington sky. 
could get a better idea of shining lights. There were a number of followers there with tables full of their best and most intriguing lights to share. Russ brought a case full as well. As the sun went down, more and more lights came out and there was much shining, spotting and flashing going on. Good thing we were in a remote picnic area along a large lake where we wouldn't disturb anyone too badly. There were one or two HD lamps and a laser or two (that ran on car batteries) that had some serious throw to them. Those operators had to be careful to only aim the beam at a solid surface in the water and not up or across the lake as they would indeed attract potentially unwanted attention from across the way.
Last summer, Russ took on a construction/design project for a friend. He added extensions and a roof an existing deck...
it came out so well that the home owners wanted him to come back and build an addition to the other side of the deck. So Russ has been working diligently on building a pergola over the other side of the deck. He managed to find some beautifully lumbered wood from a mill in Oregon and has been designing and joining the wood with groves and notches. It is an impressive structure and it is coming together well. 
mountains have not been receiving all the normal snow fall for this time of year.
helmet for Christmas and Russ has a new Fridgieware suit, so we were both anxious to get out and use our new gear.
Well it sounds that easy, but it isn't in my case. You have to go down a hill then up a little slope to get to the line to get on the ski lift. It had been a year since I had these long boards strapped to my feet. I got the down hill part okay but I didn't get the momentum to get back up the hill to the line. So I got half way there then stopped and proceeded to go backwards down the hill again. I am sure it looked pretty comical. Luckily, I remembered the fail safe method to stopping when all is going wrong on skis; fall over. So I did. and that stopped me. I decided to take my skis off, walk up the hill to the ski lift line and then put my skis on. It worked out much better.
another lift to go up to a higher-steeper black diamond run. I looked around for the green circles; the easy runs. There were several to be found. Though they still looked steep to me. But Russ couched me and back and forth I went down the small slope and I realised I remembered I knew more than I thought! So it was down the slope next slope I went and I had completed the run, before I knew it! I started really slow at first, but I figured out I could control my speed pretty well and got more adventures with putting my skis in "french fry" mode and going fast. We made many passes down the hill that day. The temperature dropped and the sleet turned to snow, I had to switch over to my fridgeware suit too, as it was much warmer. Jade and Lucky had some good runs too. It was a fun time on the mountain!
There was a major deal on airline tickets from Portland to Atlanta right after Christmas so I took advantage of the sale. I wanted to spend some time with the family. I really had no agenda while I was visiting, mostly the plan was to just hang out with the family. However, one thing I did want to do was get Molly, my American Girl Doll, out and play with her. Then I got to thinking more and decided why not just have a tea party with all the dolls and family! Mom and I started prepping a menu, and I sent out invitations and before we knew it, we had a full blown tea party in our sights. Friday, Mom and I made the highly esteemed Raspberry bars and then Danielle and I figured out how to put the frosting on the pound cake for Petties Fours. We had a marvelous time in the kitchen! Saturday morning Danielle made tasty cucumber sandwiches and by that afternoon, we were ready for tea!
time snacking, chatting and sipping tea. 
Kay shared a story about the local swimming hole in her childhood neighborhood and how her poodle would "tattle" on her whereabouts when she was going for a swim. Honey shared a fun story about her disappointment as a youngster when she learned about the arrival of her new baby brother when all she really wanted was a bicycle. The plate of cucumber sandwiches made many trips around the table and soon they were gone. The strawberries, Raspberry bars and fudge were a close second in being cleaned up too. All the food was wonderful and the gathering was quite enjoyable! 
