May 21st

Today I'm grateful for good conversations and friends who bike.

I hosted a meeting at my house this evening and was very impressed by everyone's willingness to communicate openly, share concerns, and be respectful of one another. I also noticed that almost everyone came by bike and I had quite the collection in my back yard. 

May 20th

Today I'm grateful for haircuts.

I impulsively got a haircut today since I hadn't had one since November. I went to a place that accepted walk-ins and it felt great to get rid of dead ends. And of course my favorite part is getting my hair washed in one of these fancy contraptions. The lady gave me a nice long shampoo complete with a scalp massage and it was magnificent!

May 19th

Today I'm grateful for my garden.

It's official! I finally planted it! Thanks to all the help and advice I've received from my garden consultants I planted some starts from the Saturday Market and some seeds. From starts I'm growing three different kinds of tomatoes, a tomatillo, kale, lettuce, and strawberries. And from seed I'm growing cucumbers (which I hope to pickle!), beets, carrots, squash, and basil. I hope I did everything right and I can't wait to harvest! I also planted some flower bulbs so we'll see what happen with those too.    

May 18th

Today I'm grateful for the Columbia River Gorge.

I went on a classic gorge hike, Angel's Rest, today with a friend. The weather was threatening rain so there weren't too many other hikers which made the trail and time at the top more secluded. The view from the top was stunning. Over the years, I've done a few hikes in the gorge and I'm never disappointed. And I know there are so many more hikes to do there. My new goal is to do a hike every time I visit Portland.

May 17th

Today I'm grateful for Portland.

I'm in Portland for part of the weekend and they don't call it the city of roses for nothing! I went on a few walks through cute neighborhoods and saw so many beautiful flowers and little urban gardens. The more food I eat and the more exploring I do I like Portland a little more each time I visit.

May 16th

Today I'm grateful for Spencer's Butte. 

I've climbed Spencer's well over a dozen times and I've enjoyed it every single time. It's one of my favorite Eugene activities and today my friend and I hiked the north trail. I'd never done this trail before, so I am grateful to have experienced the hike in a new way. Still need to hike it for sunset, in snow, and during a rain storm!

Photo Credit: Fellow nameless hiker.

May 15th

Today I'm grateful for Lindsey.

I said see you later today to a very special person. Lindsey and I's friendship has been forged through being RAs together, being undergraduates at the UO, half marathon training runs, countless social events, early morning walks and late night talks, and living together. We've shared a lot, especially in the last three years, and while I'm sad to see Lindsey not be in my life in the same way she has been, I'm very excited and happy for the new opportunities and experiences that she'll have. If I could describe Lindsey with one word it would be ebullient. Her personality is full of life, energy, charm, positivity, and grace. Obviously, she'll be missed.