This moment...

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Gratitude*Sunday

G r a t i t u d e * S u n d a y

 

{Sunday's heartfelt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. A list of gratitudes.}

 

Throughout the week I have felt grateful for...

 

-Lots of huckleberries ready to be picked. We have so many in our yard. I love just eating then right of the branch. They are so pretty too.

 

-More flowers blooming in garden and veggies still producing in our yard. Having plenty for the Rosie the rabbit and the flock of hens.

 

-Watching Spencer drawing in his notebook. Drawing pictures and writing sentences about them. I am so grateful that he takes the time to express himself this way. I love seeing what he draws and writes. The way he gets himself set up with his pencils and how he likes to sit outside or bring the notebook with us on an outdoor adventure.

 

-Spending time with Jake. He is funny and witty. I do love his humor. I cherish the time we have together. I know that at his age (almost 18), spending time with Mom is not always "cool" but he indulges me and well I think he enjoys it too.

 

-Time at the beach is something I am always grateful for. I love being there with my family and even alone. It is a sacred place that I love.

 

-Support from my parents. They have always been supportive to me. Even as an adult I can count on them to support my ideas, ambitions, and goals. I am lucky to have parents like them.

 

-Bike riding, this is an easy and quick activity to do alone or with the kids. Gets my heart racing and feels so good to just ride. Such a stress reliever and allows quality time with the kids. I love being able to just hop on my bike and take a ride.

 

-Time in the hammock. I know that it is getting close to the time of the year when the hammock gets put away for a while. The time I spend just relaxing in hammock, resting, listening, viewing the outdoors, is so precious.

What are you feeling grateful for these days?

Fall in the Water

Getting ready for the run at trail head

Captian Ian and Spinnacker, ready for the challenge.

Activities for everyone!

Siuslaw Water Shed activities.

A sweet boy, proud of his tshirt making

Siuslaw Earth Club participants



Jr. Ranger Presentation

Paddle Event on the lake.

What a way to greet the first day of Fall. This was a great success for Siuslaw Chapter Surfrider Foundation. I had a lot of fun working on this event, especially working with such a great group of people. It really took a lot of team work to have such a fun event run so smoothly and so fun. It was a great way spend a Saturday, the weather was wonderful too! I loved the variety of ages participating and that  people who never paddle had a chance to experience a kayak or SUP. Good times for sure!

Crater Lake...a week ago

Did I mention that Cody flew me over Crater Lake the day we left Prospect. He said...we're so close we shouldn't miss Crater Lake. WOW! an amazing view just breath taking. What a lucky girl I am. Having this friend in high  places...haha yes that was a pun. My pilot friend is a a friend in high places. Having a Crater Lake fly over was just icing on the cake to that really fun 18 hour adventure!

Oregon Dunes Overlook

A mid day hike with my buddy Pancho. I cherish these moments in nature with family and alone. It is a gift to have these places so accessible to me. A short or long hike choice. This day was the short hike, the fog made it quite chilling but still beautiful in an eerie sort of way. I made it home well before the school bus arrived at home and with time to prepare an awesome after school snack...milk and cookies.

more from Sunday....

A moment in time, which looks like many others. We arrive at this mystical beach and scatter...to the waves, to the tide pools, to the creek, to oneself, to sit quietly and meditate. The ocean offers a kind of energy...a kind of positive and negative ion charge that regenerates the family and the individual. I call this the church of the outdoors...only  GOD would make a place  this magnificent.

Perpetua Sitka Spruce Trail

I am so stoked to have a family day on Sundays..."the church of the outdoors" is what Tres calls it. It is our church. I have always felt that my religion/spirituality is too big for the walls of a church. Sunday mornings should be delegated to family and the outdoors. This is the place where I feel that my cup does run over. I walk away from a day like today feeling I am strong enough to face the next week's challenges. This is the Tucker family church of the outdoors...or if  you may thetuckerfamilyrules.

Gratitude * Sunday

G r a t i t u d e * S u n d a y

{Sunday's heartfelt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. A list of gratitudes.}

 

~Having this last week off from work, and using the time to do some fun stuff for myself.

 

~Visiting two friends this week, just sharing and listening with each other.
Being a friend and having a friend is so important to me. I am so grateful for the connections and friendships that I have.

 

~Kayaking in the the lakes. I love to sit on top of the water and just take in the view, sounds, and feeling of floating slowly. I also like to paddle fast and move over the water. It is so great to have such quick and easy access to water and kayaking.

 

~Family time at the beach. We spent a few mornings and evenings at a special beach north of Florence. It is always magical and beautiful there.

 

~The playing, exploring, collecting, and observing of nature is such a passion of our family. We have such ease at going to places that land us right in nature, where we all feel connected, happy, and engaged in our surroundings. Peaceful time in nature.

 

~I am so proud of Melisa right now. She finished Cycle Oregon yesterday, safe and healthy. What an accomplishment. I am so grateful to have a sister who inspires me too.

 

~I felt pretty lucky this week going on the flight with Cody to see Melisa at Prospect. We also flew over Crater Lake! What a treat! It was amazing, the view of the land and seeing the crater as it really is...a huge crater. So beautiful and what a thrill.

 

~Fresh eggs each day from our feathered little ladies. They are such nice looking and tasting eggs. The chickens are not always easy to deal with but it sure is nice getting those eggs each day. It is fun to watch chicken behavior, such curious birds.

 

 

What are you grateful for these days?

 

 

oh so cute

Spencer and Ruben would love to spend their days creating habitats, gathering food for their pets, getting more pets, playing with them, teaching, training, and being their pets best friend. Spencer likes to bring Rosie to the garden. Though I am not quite ready for her to dig and eat my garden, but Spencer had me convinced..."Rosie needs the garden too, Mom, not just us." So there she is, being loved and cuddled in the garden. She didn't eat or dig too much. Spencer is right, she does need the garden too.

{this moment]

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Cycle Oregon in Prospect

Here is the plane we flew in, the Mooney

Airport/Landing strip in Prospect

Melisa at her tent, camping on the playground at Prospect Elementary School

Cody in front of me, much faster walker than I. We walked to the air plane from our camp spot. Lots of cyclists on the road, 2000 riders!

Me walking on the landing strip, carrying my pack for a campout.

Cycle Oregon "tent city" from the air, this is only a some of the tents that were there.



Landing strip from the air, pretty tall trees surrounding!

A fun little adventure with Cody from apexheli, We flew to meet  Melisa on the Cycle Oregon tour, what a fun trip. So great to see Melisa and spend the night camping and hanging out with her for the evening. I feel much more at peace with my decision about withdrawing from CO. My time will come another year.

Fall in the Water

It's going to be a great day come join us in the fun for the first annual  Fall in the Water
This is an event Mark Chandler and I have been working on with Siuslaw Chapter Surfrider Foundation. This is an excellent way to spend a Saturday morning, the first day of Fall.

~Gratitude Sunday~

G r a t i t u d e * S u n d a y

{Sunday's heartfelt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. A list of gratitude's.}

  Throughout the week I've felt grateful for:

 

 

*Sunny days with a cool fall breeze, reminds me summer is still here and fall is just around the corner.

 

*Fresh caught salmon for dinner. My dad caught two silvers from his boat, he gave half a fish to us. We baked it and then used leftovers for pate. So delicious and nourishing.

 

*Tres making meals for the family, it is so nice to eat home cooked meal by someone you love and loves you. It makes to food taste extra good.

 

*A good start to a new school year. We were on time, well rested, fed, lunches packed, and homework finished. Off to a good start indeed!

 

*Jake taking his placement test at the community college, this is a one step at a time process. Yet I am proud of him for taking the first step. Soon he'll be enrolled at the community college taking classes. I am grateful to that he is following through with his plan.

 

*Apples, apples, apples! This year's apple trees at my parents house are full. Last weekend I made apple pie and cider. We did it again this weekend too. So many to process. It is such a treat to use our apple press that we have had in our family for many years. It is like a trip down memory lane using that old but very reliable apple press. What I am even more grateful for is pressing apples with my brother Mike and then the next weekend my brother Aaron. Bonding over apples. Next weekend pressing to make hard cider. Oh boy the apples just keep giving.

 

*I am so grateful for the flexibility in my work schedule. I was able to adjust a few things in my day to be able to meet the kids at home from their first days of school getting off the bus. I feel this is an important piece to supporting the kids in their work at school. knowing  someone will be home when you get there just feels good. I am so grateful to be able to do that for them.

 

*My cousin Avery is home, after a bad accident and several days in hospital, he is finally at his home. Recovering in his own home with his family around him. I am so grateful he is going to be ok even though the road to recovery will be long.