reflection

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Country girl signing off

I’m writing this in longhand (does anyone write in longhand anymore?!) from a rocking chair on the porch of a beautiful rustic cabin. Hubby and I are celebrating his birthday and 38 years of marriage here in the Malheur National Forest near Yellowjacket Lake.

The idea was to sleep in, but my inner alarm clock woke me up at 6:30 – all three mornings. And so, dressed in layers and hugging a steaming mug of orange spice tea (Chai tea being the choice of early morning beverage, but no Starbux within 150 miles of here), I greeted the morning sun. Ah, pure pleasure.

Greeting the morning sun

We’ve kept the camera handy all weekend, just in case a big elk or deer roamed through the clearing below the cabin. But other than the small squirrel who kept us entertained storing up his winter supply …

Industrious neighbor

… the only other wildlife that nosed near us were a couple of cows.

Yellowjacket Lake is down a curving gravel road, over a cattle guard and across a field where an old cabin and outhouse still stand.

Yellowjacket Lake sparkling in a late September sun

Yesterday we checked out Sugarloaf Look Out, climbing the stairs as far as we were allowed. Even from that vantage point, you can see forever in all directions.

Sugarloaf Look Out

And tonight, an unbelievably be-jeweled sky. No light pollution here. Hubby tried snapping a few photos, but you can imagine how those turned out without a Hubble space telescope.

As far as I can tell, there’s only been one drawback: My tea is growing cold and there’s no microwave. Actually, there’s no electricity for a microwave. (What did those settlers do in situations like this?!)

I can hear hubby clanking around in the kitchen, making his specialty *from scratch* hash brown potatoes. Who cares that your tea has grown cold when there’s a husband of 38 years cooking breakfast?

Country girl signing off.

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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Off the grid

We’ll be off the grid this weekend celebrating hubby’s birthday and our anniversary (same day, don’t ask).

A colleague has provided us with use of his family’s cabin out in the middle of nowhere, which just so happens to be one of my favorite places.

No electricity, but propane lights and propane fridge and propane stove. And an indoor flush toilet – important detail.

Off the grid on Yellowjacket Lake

For those of you who thought the town of Burns in eastern Oregon was out in the middle of nowhere, this cabin is on Yellowjacket Lake about 45 minutes north of Burns. We’re talking out in the middle of nowhere times ten.

It will be interesting to see how well Gary survives without his electronic gadgets since there are no plug-ins to charge cell phones, iPad or laptop.

“I sure hope the name of the lake doesn’t mean anything,” says hubby.

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Sunday, September 18, 2011

What are sisters for?!

Cheryl and I first met in our junior year at boarding high school. Over Thanksgiving break, she invited me home with her to the remote hills of Northern California. Her dad picked us up in his small airplane – my first ride in a Cessna 182.

I fell in love with Cheryl’s entire family before I knew there was a fourth brother in Denver (but that’s another story!). Cheryl and I have been friends for longer than we’ve been sisters-in-law.

Hubby and I had a speaking opportunity at a cancer center in Northern California this week so we stayed a couple nights with Gary’s sister, Cheryl, and her husband, Steve. The Whites.

Cheryl may look brunette in this photo, but she is very much blonde at heart.

After a lovely brunch one morning with sis-in-law Cheryl, bro-in-law Steve, 3 nieces and a nephew

I remember years ago when she was taking the hunter safety course and missed a question about what weight bow was best for hunting deer. “I chose the 10-lb bow,” she reasoned, “because who wants to carry a 40-lb bow around with them?” Well, duh!

We were showing Steve and Cheryl photos from some of our travels when she blurted out, “I want cancer!” Then she thought about what she just said and corrected it: “Actually, I want Steve to have cancer.”

While we were there, Cheryl took a couple of photos of Gary - one before her special secret diet plan ...

Before hubby’s sister’s special secret diet plan

... and one after.  See what you think.

After the special secret diet plan

I’ll say this for sure: Never a dull moment at the White House!

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Saturday, September 10, 2011

Try something new for 30 days

Confession: I started a 50,000-word novel on Sept 1. The plan is to complete it by Sept 30, which equates to 1,667 words a day. For 30 days.

I’ve never written a novel (well, if you don’t count the one I started in fourth grade that I kept hidden between my mattresses). I’ve never even had a desire to write fiction (see comment on fourth grade). And I certainly don’t expect that a novel written in 30 days will be any good, although hubby has promised to read it: “I have to see if I’m in it,” he says.

But I love writing and this has been a fun project. And I’m on track. Ten days into the exercise and I have 17,156 words under my belt. For those of you doing the math, I’m ahead of schedule.

So where in the world did this crazy idea come from? It was actually inspired by Gretchen Rubin’s book The Happiness Project. Rubin introduced me to No Plot? No Problem! A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty. And here I am. Ahead of schedule.

For further inspiration, daughter Summer posted a TED Talks link back in July featuring Matt Cutts.

Cutts suggests that if there’s something you’ve always wanted to do (or something you want to un-do), try it for 30 days.

Cutts challenged himself to take a picture every day for a month. He also gave up sugar for a month, and went from desk-dwelling computer nerd (his words) to hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa.

Cutts: “If you really want something badly enough, you can do anything for 30 days.” The premise is that small changes are sustainable. And so I’m pushing myself to write … and I’m thoroughly enjoying the challenge.

Note to hubby: If you’re looking for you in my novel, you’re the handsome stranger that sweeps the heroine off her feet and together you ride off into the sunset. No wait, there are no horses or sunsets in this novel.

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Monday, September 05, 2011

For a limited time only

We may be a little biased, but it seems that people who don’t hike in the Cascades are missing out on a whole lot of life.

Where else but along a central Oregon trail can you find fields of snow and fields of wildflowers side by side?

Or skiers who have hiked up to the top of the hill before shushing down …

... and skiers with just hiking boots and poles? Woot!

Where else but in the Cascades will you find sea foam green lakes …

… and where else can you get your photo taken with some famous Sisters?

Where else does flower power compete with hydro power in a daily beauty contest?

So if you need Cascade Mountain hiking guides – that would be us – book now because the 2011-12 winter season will be dropping by real soon.

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Friday, September 02, 2011

On the NCI web site

Back in 2009, hubby and I had the privilege to present our survivorship message to seven people from various offices within the National Cancer Institute (NCI). One of them was Louise Cunningham, Public Health Advisor in the Office of Communication and Education.

Lou and I chatted via e-mail in the following months. She had the idea to highlight survivor stories from our book at the NCI web site with the intent to inspire and encourage others dealing with cancer.

That was 2½ years ago.

A committee was formed to choose which survivors to feature; updates were requested; stories were edited; committees of people reviewed for content; consent forms were collected; and the legal counselor and privacy officers had to have their say.

As Lou explained, sometimes things move slowwwly in government.

At any rate, it’s official as of today. The stories of eleven cancer heroes (love these people, BTW) featured in our book are now posted to the NCI web site. Be sure to notice the good-looking guy who heads up the list.

And at the bottom of each page (you’re gonna need a magnifying glass for this) are these words:

The story on this page was first featured in the book Cancer Adventures, by Marlys Johnson (Copyright © 2008 by Marlys Johnson). Both the story and the photograph are owned by the author and the survivor and are used with permission.

Thanks, Lou! You did an amazing job leading the charge with this rather large project, and Gary and I feel so honored.

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August 2011

I don’t make this stuff up

Brothers

Addictions

A lifetime

Club membership

Detours

Date night can’t get much better

July 2010

Beauty in the high desert

Another shot at life

Happy Hour

Almost perfect

Enjoying the journey

Birthday week kick-off

I’ve become my mother

Bobby McFerrin + OBF

50 things to do – Part II

June 2010

Like what you do

Colorado wildlife

“Life is good” wisdom

Sad day

Rocky Mountain high

Cowboy sing-along

My kind of town

Please don’t feed the bears

Naming buildings

Low expectations

Heaven Can Wait

Because nice matters

May 2010

Don’t get to pick your family

It’s in the bag

Only in Hawaii

Japanese-Hawaiian wedding

Meeting Yoshi

Happy campers

Gearing up for Hawaii

Hitting a rock wall

Love story

Oversized check

Extraordinary ordinary life

April 2010

Technology and pedicures

Idaho ranch hands

Blonde moments

Being in community

Live strong

Cutting edge

Florida in April

Easter blessings

March 2010

Heading east

March Madness

Welcome to spring

Half birthdays

Destinations

Most romantic bridge

Stellar team

Talent

Upgrading into the 21st Century

February 2010

Uncles and nieces

Blue skies in Portland

The subject of heroes

Caliber of our friends

Courage walking

Only in Southern California

Well trained

Diversity

Cream of the crop

January 2010

End of the tunnel

Disturbing the snow

Good things come to an end

American mobile family

Get moving

Any excuse for a date

Much more than a sports flick

December 2009

All the facts are true

No-el, No-whale

Mountain snob

Going to Hawaii

Finding our own way

It's just a number

Seasons of Christmas

Civil War in the CTC

My life in France

November 2009

Empty cafeteria trays

A few of my favorite things

Counting eagles

America’s best and brightest

Thinking about

Large amounts of hope

Memories, milestones

Married to a very patient man

October 2009

Healing reins

Trail to nowhere

Above the fray

Knitting connections

Touching everything

Modern technology

Hot date spot

Red sock day

I got all my sisters with me

September 2009

Tenacious like a bulldog

Best years of my life

Now we should live

Across the high desert

50 things to do before you die

Anticipation

Summer past and random thoughts

Running to win

August 2009

Far cry from canned chili & peas

Knight in shining armor

Berry-Peach Cobbler

Roller coaster rides

Celebrating life

Dan in Real Life

Ridiculous

Gift of life

Grant-writing retreat

July 2009

Heartsore

In the moment

Extended birthday present

River traffic

Munch & Music

Dealing with the paparazzi

Midnight cruise

Behind red doors

June 2009

Happy kind of exhausted

4:30am blog

Fat checkmarks

One of the benefits of cancer

Calm before the storm

Big picture thinking

May 2009

Back to the real world

Quick trip to the EC

Audacious living

Connecticut adventure

April 2009

Flat Stanley in Ory-gun

Baby steps

Four-day weekend

Soaring on wings

Sunbathing C.O. style

Real men wear pink

Fun in the CTC

March 2009

Live like you were dying

Day jobs

Connected

CAN Cancer

The power of one

February 2009

It's official

Fun with the medical professionals

To my valentine

Moments in Jersey

January 2009

Leaving on a jet plane

Scans ordered

Welcome to life

Insane residents

Back in high school

Engaged crowd

Out of the mouths of babes

Divine intervention

December 2008

Christmas via webcam

A merry little Christmas

Somewhere on purpose

Adventure and romance

Celebrate life

Imagine

Men and menopause

November 2008

My Thanksgiving list

Thanksgiving Eve

Roundabouts

How Starbucks saved my life

Training for Switzerland

Radio interview

Super colon

Thoughts on being invisible

The speed of a turtle

October 2008

Obligation of the cured

Cancer Adventures – the book

Blue and orange town

Hope Couture

First snow

Simple pleasures are the best

128 quilts

September 2008

Whale watching and kite flying

The new and relaxed Gary

The scenic route
Packing the essentials

One step at a time

PSA count celebration

August 2008

Frost in August

Reading list

Soaring Spirits

Checking in

9:30am rock band

Lingering

July 2008

Grand for a reason

Mickey Mouse pancakes

Survivorship is all the rage

Follow your dreams

Birthday weekend

Only in America

Unrelated goose incident

June 2008

Geese

Road trip

Friday night date

Tough day on the job

Best dad

Confession

Light bulb moment

Homesick

Amazing volunteers

May 2008

Countdown

Extended family

Testing the limits

Trailblazers

The last lecture

Mother’s Day thoughts

Welcome to our world, Lydia

Personal touch

April 2008

Dispensing goodness

Cancer community – Part II

Cancer community

Barn door analogies

Homemade soup day

Mice and tumors

Waiting room magazines

Weekend date

First entry