2010: One Long Road Trip

I went a few places this past year that you may not know about. Like the 2,045 mile road trip from Salem, Oregon, to southern California and back.

I discovered my favorite mission so far: Mission Nuestra Senora de Soledad. Tiny and inconspicuous, it was off the beaten path among farmland outside the community of Soledad.

I stopped in San Luis Obispo for three nights, and promptly fell in love with the area. I visited Cambria, Morro Bay, and drove past those famous, happy California cows grazing the hillsides below Hearst Castle.

From there, I enjoyed a brief stop in Santa Barbara. Of course, it meant another mission tour.

A walk on the beach. Some decent Indian food. And the admiring of a lot of tile in the city courthouse. Make sure you climb to the top of the bell tower for a fantastic panoramic view.

A few months later I found myself on a boat cruising around the Hawaiian islands with my parents. It was my first time to any of the islands, and a great way to get an overview of where I might want to return to.

In July, I was introduced to the Basque culture that surrounds Boise during Jaialdi.

In September, my sister met me in Hermosa Beach for a weekend of tart frozen yogurt, letterpress art, and bicycling along the beach.

There were also half a dozen road trips to eastern Idaho, two weekends in Salt Lake City, and a return visit to Portland after eight months away. A visit during which I never took a single picture. Hard to believe.

It's been a year of tremendous change for me personally and professionally. And I'm looking forward to what 2011 will bring!

...

A Pit Stop

I remember on family car trips we would stop at the Olive Pit when we were passing Corning, California. I haven't been on this stretch of road for (gulp) over 20 years. So when I started seeing the signs along the side of the road, I knew I had to pull over and see what they had to offer.



They've completely remodeled their shop, and now have a small cafe adjacent to their tasting bar and open shelves. You can peruse row after tidy row of glass jars with tantalizing and tasty offerings such as Blue Cheese Stuffed Spicy Olives and Cuban Pitted Olives.

Of course, I couldn't resist picking up a jar or two for myself. I settled on Deep South Cajun Pitted Olives and Lemon Citrus Olives. Mmm!

Summer Retrospective: Part I

For me, summer began at the end of April when I was able to spend an extended weekend in southern California. My sister and I happened upon a great viewing spot for the race from Newport to Ensenada.



I also took a little detour to experience an event known as the "The 1st 7th Grilled Cheese Invitational." I've always been a fan of cheese in just about any form, so it's hard to resist an event dedicated entirely to celebrating its yumminess in a gooey, grilled format.



Summer 2009 is also when my love of tart frozen yogurt started. I tried a few places...maybe 6 to be exact.



In May, I hiked 7.7 miles along the Clackamas River Trail. I'm still sporting a bruised toenail as a result of that trek. It was worth it.



At the end of June, I took advantage of a sunny weekend and made a jaunt to the Summer Kite Festival in Lincoln City. I made it in time to watch the Running of the Bols, which is a fun event -- if you like to run in sand with a giant kite strapped to your back.

In the Shadows of the Mission

Recently, I escaped the dreary Oregon spring for an extended weekend in Orange County. And on a Saturday afternoon with a little time on my hands, I ventured north to the San Gabriel Mission and Pasadena.




The mission turned out to be quite the hub of activity -- hosting both a traditional wedding on one side of the lot, and a car show complete with aging rock band along the main drag.



And while the cars were certainly shiny and bright, I think my favorite part was the display of handpainted tiles set into the sidewalk surrounding the mission.

A Quiet Corner of San Francisco

When I was in San Francisco this past July, I spent a Sunday afternoon in Golden Gate Park. After watching participants in a local race and listening to a free concert for a while, I wandered in the direction of the National AIDS Memorial Grove.



On every December 1st since 1988 recognition has been given to those whose lives have been--and continue to be--impacted by HIV and AIDS.



It's a space for reflection and renewal. In small ways, I've been participating in the HIV prevention community for about 10 years now. So, on this December 1st, it seems appropriate to take a moment to share a quiet corner of San Francisco.

Freshly sharpened pencils

CGU pillar
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

It's that time of year again when I wake up to the sound of car doors slamming outside my window as the local high school students park on the side street adjacent to my house. The time of year when the hint of summer is still in the air, but the school bell beckons.

I have always been one to get a little intoxicated by new books and freshly sharpened pencils. I not only love the process of learning, I love all the little accouterments that come along with it like pencil pouches and gummy erasers and library access to online journals.

Last week found me in southern California at Claremont Graduate University to attend a series of professional development workshops about evaluation. The workshops were excellent: well designed, intellectually challenging, and delivered by faculty from around the country. But you know what aspect really fulfilled me? Stepping onto a university campus and joining a community of scholars and practitioners that are passionate about learning and the work they do.

And fortunately for me, it is an experience I will get to repeat (albeit from a distance) for the next few months as I participate in CGU's certificate program in Advanced Study of Evaluation.

So now when I hear those school bells? It's a reminder that I need to hit the books myself, and do a little reading.

San Francisco Walks: Chinatown

bevy of buddhas
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

I had a great weekend in San Francisco earlier this month, and even took some photos. But I have been lazy about processing and posting them here to share with you. This Thursday, I take off for a week in Idaho with my family. So, here are a few pictures from my walk through Chinatown.






These are the steps leading up to St. Mary's Square:



This was my favorite urban oasis that I found in the city. If you didn't know it was there, you'd never go see what is beyond that set of unassuming stairs.

But when you do...



You'll find benches perfect for a little afternoon newspaper reading...



...and benches perfect for quiet conversation in the midst of a bustling city. As I exited the square, I met Stella and Claudia, to friends from Columbia (though one now lives in Texas and the other in England) searching for directions. I hope I didn't lead them astray!



There were lots of tea shops with numerous varieties of ginseng to buy.



And of course endless shops with housewares and knicknacks. I picked up some wooden chopsticks, a rice paddle, and a bag of chocolate fortune cookies to share when I returned to Oregon.

May Excursions

This morning, as I was mapping out the route I will take from the airport to reach my lodging, the familiar flutter of travel excitement finally settled in.

Tomorrow I am off on another one of my celebratory end-of-training-season-can-finally-leave-Oregon-even- though- I-love-it excursions.

This tradition began three years ago, with two weeks in Sicily:



Okay, so Sicily was a little more than just a break-from-work trip. It was also my I-finally-finished-that-tortuous-thesis-and- completed-graduate-school trip! And it was the trip that inspired the start of this blog, and the purchase of my first digital camera.

In May 2006, I was just looking for a quick and cheap escape. Spokane provided the backdrop:



May of 2007 found me learning how to milk a goat in the California desert with my sister and her family:



And May 2008? Well, there's no particular method to the selection of this year's location: Nashville, Tennessee. I'll be back on Friday night with pictures!

*And for those who played the guessing game in the last post, it wasn't a hint about this trip!

Sunny Escape

For a few days at the end of March, I was lucky enough to escape the rain and the cold to enjoy the sun in southern California.



A friend flew in from Dallas, and we stayed with her brother's family in Oceanside. We walked along the beach in La Jolla, strolled around the Design District in Solana Beach, ate yummy tacos at the Central Market in LA, and visited the Santa Monica pier.

And we consumed all manner of frozen treats. Mmm, perfect. Hurry up, summer!

January: Blue Skies and Blahs

January has always seemed like the loooongest month to me. And when I look back at the events of the past month -- well, it stands to reason.

My Califonia holiday seeped over into the new year with blue skies, sunshine, and the wedding of my oldest niece. I like how the photo above shows a trail of nieces from the base of the stairs up to the top, and of course a sweet moment between bride and mother.

My work travel stretched me from west to east, with trainings in Ontario (ahem...Fruitland,Idaho), Bend, Oregon City, and Philomath. Snowy roads, cloudy skies, and definitely winter blahs.

Air miles: 3,496
Road miles: 1,565

All eight Valentine nieces and a couple of extras thrown in for good measure:



(Mom/grandma is in the left-hand corner)

Six Pic Saturday: A funny sort of tree

On the last Saturday of December, my parents and I headed off to Joshua Tree National Park. They had been before, but this was my first visit.



First, we stopped at the local farmers market near the park entrance for sustenance. We sampled chinese dates, a wrinkly nub of a fruit that I thought was tasty. I think my parents favored the peanut butter cookies and oro blanco grapefruit a bit more.



We were favored with blue skies and ample sunshine, a combination that many rock climbers decided were prime conditions for scaling some of the larger formations.



The park campgrounds were full with climbers, hikers, and bikers. Winter is a good time to be here. I can't imagine the full heat of summer!



Need to find your climbing crew? Check the back of the park sign!



Our last stop in the park took us through the Cholla Garden. These spiny little creatures create quite a surreal environment.

Winter Respite

mauve
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

My 10-day stint in southern California with family was tremendous fun and filled with relaxation. And although I am glad to be back home, I was sad to leave the warmer weather and sunny skies.

Freestyle Bouldering

Directly behind the Valentine Family house is a heap of boulders beckoning to be explored. So, on a couple of occasions last week, I scrambled around and over and through the rocks to reach the top and enjoy the view.



Two of my nieces, Amy and Michelle, joined me one evening and showed me the most direct route through a natural cave formed by the rocks as they settled into position.



Michelle found a good spot for surveying the valley below.



Yep, I was really there. But this is all you get to see.



The reward!