Tag Archives: Family
Finland: The 17 in ’17 Bit (Part 1)
Welcome to another “17 in ’17” installment! Recently, I offered a Canadian love call to celebrate the 150th birthday of my neighbors to the north. This time, I’m singing the praises of Finland – the land of all my lovely Mum’s grandparents – in this, the 100th anniversary year of its independence! Here, in no […]
A Tidbit: Alaskan Reflections
This week’s WordPress Photo Challenge of Reflecting put me in mind of a charming Alaskan cruise the folks and I took in 2010! As we were making our way back to Vancouver after a week of stunning views of wilderness, waterways and wildlife, a clear day afforded these blurred reflections of the coastlines we were gliding […]
Celilo: The Stilled Waters Bit
I just found this old picture of my Grandpa P! He’s perched above a scene along the Columbia River that I don’t think exists anymore – at a place called Celilo Falls. Maybe a couple decades after the picture was taken, water rose up behind the newly built Dalles Dam, and the cataracts of Celilo […]
The Bit of a Camping Conundrum
Recently, I faced a pretty big decision about continuing a relationship. Not one with a person – but with a place. See, last summer my lovely friend Suszi invited me to spend a week with her and her crew at the Lair of the Bear. It’s a camp for UC Berkeley grads near Pinecrest Lake […]
Canada: The 17 in ’17 Bit (Part 2)
Ohhh, Canadaaa! Picking up where Part 1 of my Canadian sesquicentennial tribute left off, here are reasons 9 through 17 (still in no special order) why this American loves you: 9. The Wild Wild Life While wandering through Canada’s breathtaking natural scenery, I’ve gotten some equally breathtaking reminders that when it comes to the great outdoors, we humans […]
The Memento Motori Bit
Happy Happy New Year! So I watched my old Jetta get towed away for good in 2016 – and it made me sadder than I expected. I mean, I know all cars die eventually. But beyond losing the only cassette deck left in my life, it felt like I’d said goodbye to a longtime friend. […]
The Night Before Christmas Bit
‘Twas the night before Christmas when all through my place (One bedroom apartment – a cute little space), Not a creature was stirring – good thing in my rental; Cuz if I had a mouse? I’d go totally mental! Despite all the quiet, sleep still was in vain, For something annoying kept nagging my brain! […]
The Downtown Dreamin’ Bit
Just a block away from my SoCal home, an intersection is constantly being captured by this intriguing fellow with the keen eye and retro gear. Although all he directs now is traffic, he’s a reminder of the area’s deep filmmaking roots. But monuments in and around Los Angeles also call to mind other dreams and legacies […]
The Finding Lost Lake Bit
Once upon a bygone Oregon time, there stood an old log cabin on the banks of Lost Lake. My dad and his family would spend weeks at a time there when he was a little boy, and this rustic wilderness sanctuary was very special to them. So special I’ve come to find that although time […]
The “Into Each Life” Bit
So Mr. Longfellow pretty much called it – we all get rained on now and then. And when bad weather happens on a sightseeing trip, it can actually add to the atmosphere of a place. It can heighten the romance. Or deepen the drama. Or – who am I kidding? It can also be a total […]
TESSEROLOGY 