April 27 - this time last year

http://steppinoutwithdwntwn.blogspot.com/2011/04/on-road-again.html?m=0

This time last year I was on my way home after helping Mike and Aimee move halfway across the country.
I blogged about looking forward to hugging the younger kids and sleeping in my own bed.
Today my feelings are the same...
I look forward to hugging my kids and sleeping in my own bed.
The past nine days of furlough from work have been good. Some of the days were spent at the beach and the past five days have been spent in the mountains at Silver Falls State Park.
I brought a number of projects with me that I had been wanting to finish for quite sometime. 9 days ago I envisioned accomplishing so much; photos to edit,
books to finish reading,
Photo books to begin writing,
quilts to make,
and a prom dress to alter.
Aside from altering the prom dress I didn't do a darn thing except sit by the fire, and take an occasional hike.
Sitting by a campfire, simply stirring the coals, chopping wood, and just keeping the flames going is very cathartic for me.
I have had time to pause,
reflect,
reevaluate,
reconnect,
and re-create.
It's been a wonderful luxury to be able to escape these past five days.

After my volunteer shift at the nature store this afternoon I will head home to a wild and crazy next few days.

I think I'm ready!

April 24, 2012 - Seeing Nature

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order. ~John Burroughs

Today has been a soothing day.

Being Resourceful

Its day's like today that I am ever more grateful for my parents,
Don and Carole.
My folks raised us 7 kids to be resourceful.
We didn't have a lot growing up, but I remember mom saying on more than a few occasions "We'll get by just fine. We have enough."

We learned to make due.
We always figured out how to get by.
There was no running to the store, or buying more stuff, after all gas was 55 cents a gallon and we weren't going to waste the money.
We always figured out how to rig something up when things were broke. My dad could fix just about anything and mom could make a meal with very little.
These skills were passed down to us kids, or at least me.
I shouldn't speak for all my siblings. ;-)
This morning I used skills learned from both mom and dad in preparing breakfast over my campfire.
You see, I forgot all my skillets, and griddles. I can visualize them all stacked neatly in a bag on the kitchen table at home waiting to be loaded into my car. And while its not too terribly far from Silver Falls State Park to my house, gas is now over $4 a gallon, and I can here my dad say, "by Damn Julie, we aren't going to waste the gas money. You're smart. Figure it out."
So I did.
I got by last night by simply making hotdogs. But when this morning arrived, I had my heart set on scrambled eggs, bacon and toast.
A breakfast granola bar just wasn't going to cut it.
So I took stock of my supplies, thought about what I had and what I could use to 'julie-rig' something.
And what I found was that I had enough.
I fashioned a couple of skillets/griddles out of aluminum foil and had a delicious breakfast.
Thanks Mom & Dad!