A Full-time Life

Category: Oregon homes

  • ENERGY IN PICTURES

     

     The great-grands defining energy!

    (Last time I did pictures of the boys, a few of you thought they were my grandsons.  That's flattering, but I'm glad it isn't true.  I don't think we have the strength any more.  It's our daughter and son-in-law's turn to be hands on grandparents now! ) 

     

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    That's their mom and their great-grandpa in the background.

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    I was trying to learn to use the sports action setting on my camera.  Got a little bit of an eye-roll when I suggested the swing (swings are for little kids you know)  … but it made for great camera practice.   

     

     

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     Playground equipment has gotten more exciting, yet at the same time safer, over the past four generations!

     

     

    Linking to OUR WORLD  with thanks to the team.

     

     

     

     

  • AUTUMN SUNSHINE

     

     

    Found this little bit of Autumn Sunshine still blooming out at Alvadore (in our daughter's and son-in-law's yard).

     

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    Such a perfect color for the season. So I decided to look through my archives to see what other Halloween-colored flowers I could find.

     

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    I don't think I've posted this one before.  It's from Florida and most certainly wasn't taken this time of year.  But it's a good color for it.

     

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     This one is from Shore Acres State Park in Bandon (on the Oregon Coast) taken in another — less busy — year.    

     

    Happy Halloween and Happy Autumn!  Sharing with TODAY'S FLOWERS (thanks to Denise;  MACRO MONDAY (thank you Gemma and Magical Mystery Teacher) and Monica's DIGITAL ART MEME (thank you!!) .

     

     

     

  • TRAIL THROUGH THE WOODS

     

    A friend and I did a 5K Volkswalk Saturday.   The walk was along the trail through the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park in Eugene.  

     

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     It was a lovely Autumn day and a treat to be outdoors.  I've been mostly City walking lately, so it was fun to get out into this more natural area.

     

     

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    Etched stones along the trail are there to reintroduce words from the Kalapuya language.  The Kalapuya were the first people to live along  the Willamette River.

     

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     There are good trails throughout the park.

     

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    This stone says that 'Gaw-Ni' is the word for "trail through the woods".  I 'm pretty sure that the trails weren't this good when the Kalapuya walked here.

     

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    We saw some beautiful homes and yards across the river as we walked.    It is still between-season, with roses and other late summer flowers still blooming in some yards, but trees showing red leaves in others.

     

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    When we got back to the Willamalane Park and Recreation District (the starting and ending point) the Volkswalk people had Halloween refreshments waiting.    Some even good for you!  

     

    LINKING to: Judith's MOSAIC MONDAY; Michelle's NATURE NOTES;  to OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY (Lady Fi,  Sylvia, Sandy, Gattina, and Arija); to Monica's TREES and BUSHES; and to Gemma's WEDNESDAY WATERS.   Thank you to all of the hosts.

     

  • MEADOWVIEW PARK

     

    One day last week, we went to see our great-grandsons (and the grownups who live with them).

      

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    After dinner the boys led us on a walk to their neighborhood park. 

     

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     It was a perfect Autumn Day.

     

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    There's a great playground and lots of room for kids to run, and as usual I took quite a few pictures of them getting rid of some excess energy.

     

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    But I'm saving those pictures for another post.

     

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     A perfect end to the day — beautiful skies and good company!

    Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY (thanks to Yogi, Sylvia, and Sandy) and to SCENIC WEEKENDS (thank you Gemma).

     

  • Silly SIGN and Funny FENCE

     

    Seen recently in downtown Eugene:

     

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    Perfect sale for anyone with three feet!

     

     

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     In Eugene, this teddy bear gets his very own little fence!

    It's a busy corner, so it's a good thing he's protected from traffic.

     

     

    Thank you to Lesley for hosting SIGNS SIGNS and Theresa for hosting GOOD FENCES.  

  • FREE ENTERTAINMENT

    Our move from RV to downtown apartment has thrown us into a 'shop-til-you-drop' mode.  Because  RVs come with everything built in or made specially to fit into every available space, all the storage and furniture is sold with the unit.  Which means that we have had to shop  for  every piece of furniture needed for our new home.   (This of course was part of the reason why we decided we should make the move now —  in another year or two, we figured we might not have the strength for this mass shopping effort!  I barely do now, but fortunately Bill is an intrepid shopper, so it is all getting done.) 

     So, except to visit with family, we haven't yet ventured very far out of our new downtown area.    But there is a lot to do when we're recovering from furniture shopping and moving.   Here are a few of the things we've found to amuse ourselves.

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     We joined the crowds at Eugene's weekly Saturday Market — lovely produce and crafts.  (I didn't take pictures of the many craft booths, because doing so feels like stealing ideas.  There's not a picture in the world that could help me re-create their wares, but still taking a picture of their creativity feels invasive.)

     

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    We had a drink and dinner at a nearby restaurant/bar and were surprised when a gang of pirates (in full costume) "invaded" the tavern for pitchers of beer and food.  (It was 'Talk Like A Pirate" day — an actual thing.  Yarr!)    You never know what's going to happen downtown!

     

    New collage

     

     

    A week ago Sunday, we went to the Library to hear Dan Piraro, the "Bizarro" author and cartoonist. 

    He's as offbeat and funny in person as he is on paper — the  talk was more like a stand-up comedy routine.    But we did get some background information about how he works.  (Hard!)    

    Piraro's talk kicked off Banned Books Week ( here).  It is too bad in this day and age that some people still feel the need to censor what others read …. but it is rather amusing to read the list of books that people have tried to have banned.  

    (The annual additions always provide a few reading suggestions, but most of them we've  read already.)  

    One of these days, we'll finally be caught up with the move-in chores and be ready for an outing away from city center and shops, but meantime, OUR WORLD has certainly been interesting.

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    Thank you to the OUR WORLD team (Lady Fi,  Sandy, Sylvia, Gattina, Arija, & Jen)  and to Judith for bringing us  MOSAIC MONDAY 

     

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  • ‘TWEEN SEASONS

    The flower baskets on every corner downtown are still lush and pretty …

     

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    But although we've been lucky to have warm weather and blue and cloudless skies for our move,  Autumn is definitely in the air:

     

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    And the season's  bounty is definitely featured at the corner market where we can "shop local.":

     

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    SHARING with SKYWATCH FRIDAY and TODAY'S FLOWERS (now at its new home where our hostess blogs as "An English Girl Rambles").

     

    Thank you to Yogi, Sylvia, and Sandy for SWF and to Denise for TF.

  • GOING LOCAL

    Now that we live in downtown Eugene, (see here) it is easier to live local:

     

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    Within a few blocks of our new home we can eat, drink, shop …  and then there is READ — that one other verb that is almost as necessary to our lives as eating.  And we can do that locally too — without spending a dime.   

     

     

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    Library entrance

     

    P1020088-002We both love to read.   I admit to alternating between Kindle and "real" books; Bill only reads the kind that are made of paper!  

    We are both happy that the beautiful  Eugene Public Library is four blocks from our new apartment.  

    And, just in case we get hungry or thirsty on the way there or back, there are several places where we could stop to  eat or drink.  

    Or shop for that matter.  But I don't care about that … because I'm   so eager to get home and read my new library book!).  

     

     

     

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    Living local but sharing with people all over the world on SIGNS SIGNS (thank you to Lesley for hosting).      

     

     

  • WE’VE MOVED

     

    We've moved.    No — not all the way across the country this time —  more like across Lane County.      We wanted to be closer in to the city — so we could avoid all the time we were spending on the road getting there and back.   

     

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    Evening traffic from Eugene to the Lake

     

    And, for a variety of reasons (not least having something to do with turning 3/4 of a century old),  we decided we really needed a more permanent place on this coast to call home  …  One that required no maintenance and was turn-key ready whenever we decide we want to be here.     And one that we don't have to worry about while we're away.

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    We loved the scenery at the Lake where we rented space for our RV — but we were growing more and more tired of  the 20 mile drive any time we wanted to do something in the city.  

     

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    Our urban 'front-yard'

     

     We thought it would take longer to find the place we wanted — but it happened quickly.

     

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    Street-side gate to the hidden apartments

     

    Our new west-coast home is a terrace apartment in a downtown Eugene gated complex.    Though located above urban shops,  it's quiet enough to forget you are in the middle of the city.  

     

     

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    Our urban 'backyard'

     

     

    There are  nicely landscaped areas — lots of greenery (we've even seen hummingbirds out our window).   We're committed to small-space living and, at this stage of our life, we're happy to have someone else do the heavy maintenance and yard work.       

      

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    Lane Transit District station

     

    But the best part of city living is being able to get to so many places without driving.  We can walk to the Library, parks, theaters, restaurants, music venues,  and some shopping.  If we tire of walking-distance entertainment, we will be able to take the City bus pretty much anywhere.   

    The apartment has covered parking and we'll certainly still use our car.   But hopefully  not every single day — when we do, it will be to explore a bit further afield.  There are so many beautiful places in this area (mountains, coast, lots of nature) that we could never find enough  time to visit  because we were spending too much time on routine driving.

     

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    Selfie with urban wildlife

    I think we're going to enjoy our new adventure!  

     

    Glad to be back  to blogging — and to sharing with OUR WORLD on Tuesday  

     

    Thanks to the OW Team (Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy, Gattina,  Arija, and Jenn)    

     

     

     

     

     

  • THAT KIND OF WEEK

     It's been that kind of week — busy with shopping, appointments and a lot of mostly non-photo-worthy activities.    And because this week is going to be another one just like it,  I'm combining several themes and memes into one post for the week.

     

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    No matter what else is going on, we  eat — and a visit to a Farm Store always provides food for the eyes as well as for the body.    This Farm is on River Road between Eugene and Junction City.  Roses and sunflowers growing along the pretty fence —  summer and fall flowers mixing it up in this between-season month.

     

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    Fall fruits are already in season — crisp apples, pumpkins and the stone fruits (peaches especially) are wonderful.     

     

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    The birds are still hanging around the wetlands.  Here a great egret wades near the Marina boat dock — the boats have all been pulled because this side of the Lake is already too shallow.

     

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    (Fern Ridge Lake is a Reservoir — water levels are lowered in the Fall for flood control purposes.) 

     

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     Well — we do have to eat no matter what — but as mentioned above, "It's been that kind of week!"

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    So much to do, so much busy work — not  a whole lot of subject matter for a photo blog  – but then there is always the sun.  It  rises and sets as it is supposed to do and life is good.

     

    With thanks to the hosts of all of the following wonderful sharing opportunities — and thanks to everyone for putting up with this rather disjointed combination — this post is shared with:

    OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY;  TREES and BUSHES;  

    WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY,WEDNESDAY WATERS;

    GOOD FENCES; SIGNS SIGNS;

    and SKYWATCH FRIDAY.

    (Back to our normal programming next week, with any luck at all.)