Birthday Trip

I know you all must just be dying to know where we went on my big birthday surprise adventure, so I figured it was about time to share some photos and stories with you! Last week we packed up and headed East to the mountains, pines and rivers inland.  All the maples were in full color and the drive was absolutely stunning.  We spent a night camped on a back road and headed out in the morning to the Mckenzie River.  The Mckenzie and the surrounding area is unbelievably beautiful and we spent the afternoon outside, hiking through glowing-green moss-dripping old growth forest, picking white chanterelles and fishing for beautiful leopard spotted cutthroat trout.

That evening we headed on to Breitenbush Hot Springs, one of my absolute favorite places in the world (check out this post for more about Breitenbush).  We spent two days there, soaking in the hot springs, reading endlessly, napping, and generally taking it really easy.  It felt great to just allow ourselves to do nothing and be a little indulgent.  Over all it was a perfect birthday adventure and one I will remember for years to come.  Here are a few more photos from the trip ~ Enjoy!

A Walk in the Woods

We went out this afternoon between rain showers looking for mushrooms.  While we only found a handful of fungi, the forest was beautiful, dripping with rain and streaming light, everything a deep glowing green.  I love trying to catch all of the small moments of beauty that are awaiting us in the world, if only we take the time to look.  Here are a few photos attempting to do just that.  Enjoy!

Fall in California: Big Fish and Even Bigger Trees

There is something immensely liberating about packing the basics into your car (or in this case a super sweet, tricked out van) and heading out on the road.  No planned destination, nowhere to be, music drifting out the open windows and the world whizzing by.  Road trips, they're where it's at.

This particular adventure was hatched for the purpose of attending a dear friends wedding in Northern CA (more on that later), and we figured why not make it an excuse for some coastal wandering.  The wedding weekend was spent with friends and family, cooking and eating copious amounts of amazing food (can you say salmon burgers with homemade aioli, cherry tomatoes and avocado?  Yum!), and generally reveling in each others company.

After the festivities were over, The Photographer and I headed up the coast seeking new sights, waves, and photos.  I've driven this section of coast many times, but rarely have I given myself the luxury of being able to stop frequently and take detours, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

We spent a night camped amidst towering redwoods, followed by a first-thing-in-the-morning dive into a radiantly clear creek.  We surfed, including a perfect near-dark evening session, the water so glassy it appeared oily and pink as the sun sank into the ocean.  We spent a golden late afternoon scampering around on the tidal beds of an exquisite sandstone bay, snapping photos and taking in the sunshine.  We stopped to visit family, took photos, ate more amazing food, stopped to take more photos, enjoyed a few hikes, and generally had a ball.  Overall it was a rejuvenating, inspiring trip, and a perfect way to kick off my self-employed lifestyle.

Enjoy the photos!

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