Sun Break

I can think of many words to describe winter in Portland-- dark, dreary, cold, wet, damp, gray, rainy, ominous, infinite. Which is why the Hoybooks plan at least one small trip, every spring, to somewhere sunny. It really doesn't have to be warm, just sun-shiny. Last year, we spent a week in Hawaii and the year before? A long weekend skiing in Bend, followed by sun on the beach in Galveston.

This year, we stepped it up a notch (for us anyway) and headed south to the desert. Three days in Phoenix with B's good friends, followed by three days in his third home, Tucson.

First stop: Tempe Diablo Stadium for spring training with Mike, Jen & Ava.

Then, dinner with the friends at Liberty Market in Gilbert.

Stop two: Scottsdale. For shopping, lunch with more friends and a real quick swing by Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's home.

Then, it was time to head even farther south. Stop three: Tucson. Home to B's alma mater, U of A and constant 85 degree sun-shiny-ness.

Stop four: Sunset in Saguaro National Park.

Stop five: Sabino Canyon. For a little jaunt into the desert. We took the Bear Canyon trail up to Seven Falls, which involved five stream crossings. For it being a desert and all, there sure was a lot of water around...

The trip was delightful and we were welcomed back to Portland on Thursday night with more wet, rainy rain. Ah summer, you cannot come quick enough.

On the offensive

So it was time to really get down to business out at the garden. Linda had put in some seeds about a week ago and with the sunny, balmy weather we've been having, they are about ready to sprout any minute. Which means, of-course, that our friends the deer will be coming back soon to see what's on the menu this summer. It was time to install our fence.

Linda found some deer netting from one of the seed catalogs that was seven feet wide so we ordered a couple of packages and spent Sunday afternoon tacking it up to the ten foot fence posts. It's not real strong, but at least it might make those deer take a look at it and go, "dang". And maybe, just maybe they will think that jumping over it will be too much work and they will move on to another garden down the road. Can you tell I'm the optimist in the group?

Now, because it looks slightly trashy, I should explain the orange tape. First of all, it reminds us that there is a fence. The netting is so tiny, it pretty much disappears against the trees. Secondly, it's all about creating the illusion of height. The netting is only seven feet high so the netting around the top is about two feet higher.

So, deer of Clackamas county, are you listening? Bring it!

Model Release

A couple of shots from my latest modeling endeavor: trail running along the Angel's Rest trail last weekend.

Beacon Rockers

My friend Dacia and I have a similar problem. Well, I guess "problem" is not the right word. We both share an "interesting situation" with our significant others. She is engaged to a triathlete. I'm married to a tennis fanatic.

The "interesting situation" plays out like this: the triathlete spends long hours on the bike, in the pool and on the running course. The tennis fanatic spends long hours on the court. Dacia doesn't train for long hours. I don't spend long hours on the tennis court. So if you do the math. . . Dacia and I have lots of free time on our days off.

We took advantage of one such situation yesterday and spent a freakin' gorgeous morning hiking up Beacon Rock in the Columbia River gorge. Beacon Rock is the remnant core of an ancient volcano after ice age floods carved away the sides. The trail is only about a mile to the top at 848 feet, but the engineering needed to get one up there should definitely be appreciated.

And the top and the trail up offer beautiful views of early springtime weather in the gorge. Happy Spring everyone!

Equinox

I had a friend in college who used to call the first day of spring "Boobie Day" because when the weather got warm and sunny, all the girls would wear their boobie shirts. He liked to then ask them to play frisbee with him in the campus greenspace. He loved the first day of spring.

In Oregon, we don't really measure spring days by what shirts we wear but rather, by our footwear. So in honor of spring, I pronounce today, Chaco Day.

One of those days

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."

Charles Dickens

I have been practicing with PhotoShop more this spring so these are some of my latest attempts from shots I took on our hike up Angel's Rest on Sunday. A chomped up Trillium, a mossy tree and the goofiest self-portrait on record.

Wow, I am really talented.

Crap Snow

Forgive my offensive language, but that is exactly what our snow has been like this year: crap.

We can thank our friend El Nino for this. He has been pushing the jet stream directly into California and then pulling all that warm air and water up the coast so we get really nice weather, warm rain and no snow. (At least I think that's how it works. We watch the weather almost every night and watch the ocean storms swirl around the California coast and then never make it to us.) Which has left us with the worst snowpack in a long time and now there are very real concerns about our summer water supply.

"Well, doesn't all the rain fill up the reservoirs?" Well, yes, it would, if it would just rain. Or snow. Or do anything but be partly cloudy all day. But you know what they say, "It doesn't have to be good snow to ski on it." OK, maybe they don't say that, but the Hoybooks do.

Sophomore Year

Spring is in the air! It really is. Birds are singing, trees are budding out. Spring is here people, just a tad bit early. And, spring means that it is high time I visited the garden and did some winterization... oh dang.

The truth is that I haven't been to the garden since early October. I didn't even pull up my pepper plants or take down the "deer fence." My beds just sat there, neglected all winter. So, imagine our surprise when we showed up on Sunday to see a row of lovely green onions just as happy as can be. Do you think it is a bit strange that the veggies that grew the best in my garden were the veggies I completely ignored?

B and I met my garden mates, Linda and Michelle, at our plot for some spring cleaning. We pulled up the dead peppers, weeded a little, turned over the soil, pulled up grass in the walkways, etc. Linda and her dad finished installing the 10 foot fence posts that will soon become our new deer defense and Michelle was building some raised beds to increase her slug prevention this year. We have a lot going on!

Currently, my sophomore year status is: Planning & Orientation. I'm waiting on a little more fill dirt and then we can put in greens (spinach, arugula, butter lettuce) and, cross your fingers, I'm attempting broccoli this year. Woo hoo! Yes, I know you are excited too.

P.S. The green onions are delicious. Not too many recipes that call for a whole truckload though. We did find one solution--see the recipe to the right.

Save Second Base

A couple of photos from my "hard day" at work yesterday. Spreading REI cheer at the Tubbs Romp to Stomp Snowshoe Series.

The weather forecast for Saturday was 29 degrees and snowing. Hmm....

Homeland Tour, Stop #4

Scribner/Wayne, NE

Feb. 16th-18th

Last, but not least, our final stop was Wayne. On Tuesday night, we made a pit stop at the family farm in Scribner on the way to celebrate some very important birthdays-- my mom turned 60 on Jan. 21st, her dad turned 90 on Jan. 28th and I turned 30 on Feb. 15th.

My aunt Becky cooked up a great meal for us and Kevin even drove in from Lincoln. This might not seem like a major feat, but Nebraska has seen so much snow and wind lately that some of the highways between Omaha and Wayne were still one-way in parts because of huge drifts. Crazy.

The biggest surprise of the whole trip? My dad actually got our snowmobile running. Our 35 year-old, been wrecked by Craig, snowmobile. We had an awesome time tearing it up with my dad.

We also got to see Karen and Tony and Adam and Natalie. When we go home to Nebraska, I get my money's worth.

The Homeland Tour was a great success. I'll admit, it was A LOT of traveling-- six flights and around 14 hours in the car-- but it was just what we needed. We love Portland and all, but when we go home, to both of our homes, we feel right in place like we never left. Homeland, we heart you.

Homeland Tour, Stop #3

Omaha, NE

Feb. 15th-16th

There is a peculiar phenomenon that happens to Wayne High School students. For some reason, and I can't really put my finger on it, we all stay incredibly close with our high school friends. Not just one or two, but all of them. It's fantastic. And, it's what makes Omaha so dang fun to visit. Well, that and the fact that my college friends live there too. You might say it's an all-in-one package. I say that it's just what this newly crowned 30 year-old needed.

Dinner with my best girls and their husbands.

If I'm going to be brutally honest, I was having a pretty difficult time with the whole "30" thing. I suddenly become acutely aware of the march of time. Yeah, yeah, I may be getting older, but everyone else is too. And that is what I am having a hard time with.

Luckily, if one was going to be "down" about anything, the best place to be is in the company of good friends. We met Liz, Tom and adorable Abigail for lunch and then while B spent the afternoon with Tom introducing Abbie to the wonders of Scheels Sporting Goods, I hung out with Mindy and adorable baby Hudson. Then, we all reconvened for dinner and plenty of wine. I ended the first day of my 30th year listening to my friends laugh, tell stories, tease each other and hug. Time may be marching on, but we're all in it together.

Abbie up to no good wandering around Liz's classroom.

Lisa shows off adorable baby Skyler.

Adorable baby Hudson.

Homeland Tour, Stop #2

Tomball, TX

Feb. 11th-14th

Stop #2 on our tour was to visit B's mom Flora and her husband Mark in Tomball, northwest of Houston. B's aunt Linda drove in for the weekend from Dallas with her dog DJ and when we added in Flora and Mark's pups, Randy and Tippy, we had quite the full house.

We did even more relaxing in Houston as the gosh darn thermometer just wasn't working in our favor. The last time we were in Houston? We drove down to Galveston to walk along the sunny, sandy beach. This time, we opted for a much different excursion and headed west to Brenham to meet Mark's niece, Teddy. After lunch, we spent the afternoon strolling about the antique stores, one of our favorite activities. What is it with us and old stuff?

Saturday was more of the same as Flora, B and I scampered about in Houston, strolling through shops, hunting down some tennis rackets and soaking up the sun that finally decided to show its face. We then retired back to the house for a grilled shrimp feast and some rousing games of Wii Tennis. And, if you thought B was obsessed with "real" tennis...

Out and about in Houston.

B and Mark peel a couple of pounds of shrimp. They were promptly wrapped in bacon and devoured.

Randy watches the Wii tennis match with great interest.

We flew out for Omaha on Sunday night, but not without some "real" tennis and a long walk with the dogs. Thanks Flora and Mark, we had such a great time!

Homeland Tour, Stop #1

Murchison, TX.

Feb. 9th-11th

The first stop on our mid-winter Homeland Tour was to see B's dad and his family in Murchison. We drove up from Houston and were greeted with temps in the 30's. The 30's! We bundled up and headed out to the farmhouse to visit Sonny and Granny.

We spent our two days in Murchison chatting, cooking, taking walks, watching the birds, keeping the fire going and more than anything, relaxing. Sonny catches B up on all the family goings-on and Granny oh-so-gently mentions how many people are having babies. (hint, hint.)

Here, B shows Granny some of his handiwork from our trip to the Redwoods.

I also got schooled in the proper way to play dominos from B's uncle Stan and aunt Sarah. B's grandaddy taught him many years ago, but since there was always a lot of "table-talk" going on, he didn't really know exactly how to play. Well, now we do. Sort of.

We ended our time in Murchison with dinner at the local Beans 'n' Burgers restaurant with Stan and Sarah's family-- Sandee, Rusty, BreeAnna, Britton, Scott, Amy, Tucker and Hunter. Of-course, there wasn't a single silent moment and we soaked up every second. Families are so much fun.

Thursday morning, we woke up to an inch of snow on the ground with more on the way. (Again, 30's in Texas? Snow? What?) We hightailed it back to Houston with hope of warmer temps.

The Big 3-0

As I mourn my 20's today, here is a look back. (Big thanks to Dena for the idea.)

During my 20's, I...

graduated from college,

lived in three different states, at 10 addresses with 17 roommates,

was a bridesmaid six times and attended 25+ weddings,

learned to ski, snowboard, rock climb, kayak and cook.

I spent ( ) of the decade ( )...

4% living in a dorm room.

34% living in Lincoln.

5% living in Minnesota.

61% living in Portland.

50-ish% living with girls.

55-ish% living with boys.

60% working at REI.

40% working at seven other jobs.

61% single.

6% engaged.

33% married!

Bring on the 30's! I'm ready. (I think.)

We'll be right back.

Gang's All Here!

B and I did something we haven't done for years yesterday: we went skiing on a Saturday.

And joined a couple thousand of our closest friends for a day on the slopes at Meadows. Skiing on the weekend is an experience all its own, where the people watching spectacles never cease. We saw people drinking PBRs in the parking lot at 9:30am. The slopes were packed with ski schools from little kiddos all the way up to what looked like retired adults. Teenagers on twin tip skis were everywhere. Snowboarders dressed in every color imaginable were sprawled all over the place. I saw a guy pull an opened beer from inside his jacket, pass it to his girlfriend in the lift line who then took a few swigs, passed it back to the boyfriend who then put it back inside his jacket. We saw countless wipe-outs and faceplants from the lift.

But, it was snowing! Everyone had a smile on their face, no one complained about the 10 minute wait in the lift line. People were shouting hellos to each other from lift to slope or from slope to lift. While I will still take my weekday ski trips, where the runs are deserted and the lines non-existent, it was a great atmosphere and so fun to see so many people enjoying our mountain. I don't care what they say, the mountain economy is alive and kicking.

Chef's Corner

Here's a small check-in on the "cooking" resolution. Two more meals under my belt:

I made this chili for friends last week along with a to-die-for avocado salad whose recipe I stole from another friend. The chili was super spicy and instead of serving it over rice, I made jalapeno cornbread. Perfect. Tonight's dinner is this ravioli on the side of sauteed broccoli and roasted chicken.

Success. Full success.

Monday Morning

Proof that sometimes it doesn't rain in Portland.