A Few More Pictures

Live has been moving at increasing speed these days. Work, family, friends, have all been pulling on me.  I have lead my facility through another successful survey, watched a few friends get married, waved as my three youngest all went off to college at George Fox, and am spending occasional weekends bacheloring it as Darla begins her doctorate.

In the midst of it all I try to keep my sanity by slowing down to look at what is going on around me, to see what I so easily miss. Taking a few pictures around Portland, at home, or were ever I find myself is the easiest way to do that. I’ve been playing with light, shadows, and color.  Using a tripod at times and trying to play with longer shutter speeds.  Let me know what you think by leaving a comment

 

End of Summer Road Trip

Summer has raced quickly by once again.  Way back, I promised Gray I would take him to visit a few colleges.  I told him to wait until after my State Inspections came through our facility.  As luck would have it, they waited until the end of summer to come and visit.  So in typical Samuelson fashion, Gray and I made a last minute dash down to San Francisco. We thought we would hit UC Berkley, UC Santa Cruz, UofO and maybe OSU.  We would definitely hit In-n-Out as many times as possible, find a skate park or two, and hit the beach.  And if we had time to ride a carnival ride, the kind that makes you laugh and cry until you think you might lose your Denny’s Grand Slam breakfast, then so be it. To be honest visiting schools was just an excuse for me to spend some time hanging out with Gray.  It has been awhile, and there is nothing like sharing a Blazer for four days to force a little father/son connection. So Wednesday night we packed our bags and headed south.  We discovered that after having been to San Fran a few times, there isn’t much new to do.  Drive to the Warf, head through China town, sit in a bunch of traffic, and you have basically done it.  We loved Berkley, I loved Santa Cruz, we drove around one of my childhood places, San Jose.  It was lots of fun, and Gray got to skate.  Here are a few pics and videos from the time.  I had a blast, you’ll have to ask Gray what he thought.

 

Taste of Soccer – Portland Style

He told us he was going to be playing soccer.  I don’t think we thought much of it.  He was going to be playing in a 3 on 3 tournament downtown Portland.  We had watched him play in these a hundred times before (no exaggeration). Evan along with Brian, Jarad, and Granite.  Only one of them was playing on a team anymore.  I know two of the four were out of shape. No way were they going to play that well.  The real intrigue to me was that they were going to be playing in Pioneer Square, on brick. Not your best soccer surface.  So I was surprised when Evan started calling saying they were winning, than another call saying they were advancing. Finally the call that they might make the semi finals.  So we decided to end the family dinner early and make a mad dash for downtown.  We got there just as the semi finals started and watched the team win.  While all the other teams had uniforms, Evan and buddies had tie=dye shirts.  They looked like a bunch of good friends getting together for a pick up game, but some how they made it to the semi’s and then the finals.  We watched and

cheered, but they came up a game short.  At the end, after catching their breath, they were all smiles, I don’t think they really thought they would get that far.  Made for a great night.

 

 

 

After 27 years are we there yet?

It wasn’t that far of a drive, only from San Clemente to Garden Grove.  Back in those days probably not more than a 1/2 hour or 45 minutes.  It was the road between our house and Grandma and Grandpa’s.  But back than it seemed to take forever.  In unison my brother and I would yell from the back seat, “Are we there yet?”  I am sure to my mom and dad it seemed like we would keep saying it repeatedly from the moment we got into the car until we finally hit the driveway of Gram and Gramps.  As time has marched on, trips to Colorado, drives to Seattle, flights to Japan, all found my kids asking, chanting, yelling, crying, the same phrase, over and over and over again.  “Are we there yet?”

Last night Darla and I went out to celebrate our 27th anniversary.  Twenty Seven years of living with, changing with, growing with, learning with, , loving with,  fighting with, working with, each other.  As we talked about the past, and we talked about today, and we talked about the things we wished for and wanted to work towards, I found myself saying, “Are we there yet?”  After 27 years, you would think that we should have arrived.  Darla gave me a card last night that in a funny way poked fun at how much work our marriage has taken (and I am sure every marriage as well).  You would think with all the work we have put in we would have perfected the art of marriage by now.  But it appears we may have at least 27 more years of work ahead of us.

I have to say that on this trip called Darla and Rick, there have been many amazing stops along the way.  There have been a few detours and flat tires.  We have changed the route more than once, but not the destination.  It has definitely been an adventure.  As we talked over dinner I asked if Darla wanted to sign up for 27 more years, neither of us were sure we could commit that long, but we did both sign up for another year with an option for more after that, if we still like each other.

Guess I’ll keep yelling from the back seat as we go along, “Are we there yet?”  Here is to hoping we all arrive someday. Love you Darla  

An Attempt at Art from the Beach

Last week found be at one of my favorite places, Cape Kiwanda on the Northern Oregon Coast.  These are a few of the captures I was able to come home with.Yoga high above the water

Raging OceanNot the sandy shoreBackside of the DuneThe lifting of the fogLow Tide at DawnEvening Kite Fly

Morning at the Beach- and a few pictures

Coffee pot creating an awesome aroma across the  room, water running in the bathroom as teeth get brushed, groggy hoarse voices complaining about the noise waking them up, the kite flyers heading to the beach, and the runners planning which direction to head out.  These are the sounds of morning.  As I woke up this morning the fog was thick outside the window, seagulls were flying  somewhere near by, and a cool breeze was coming through the window. As a smile slowly crossed my face I found myself thinking, I’m not in Portland.  I’m not very far from Portland, maybe only 90 miles or so, still within cell phone range, but I might as well be on another continent. I am away, I am on vacation, I am not doing the normal routine.  I will not be mowing the lawn today, or cleaning the bathroom, or going grocery shopping.  I will be lazy, maybe go take a few pictures, probably drink a beer or two or ……., and definitely laugh, smile and enjoy.  This is the beach. And the first thought crossing my mind is why am I spending time on this computer blogging/ Good question, enjoy your day.     

Lincoln City Skate Park

So what do you do on a SamFam vacation?  That depends on who you are and what you like doing.  If your one half of the crowd you head to the Outlet Mall.  If your the other half you head to the Lincoln Skate Park.  Evan and Gray spent there time skating while Greg and I just sat and remembered what it was like to be a little less afraid of bumps and bruises.  I decided to put the camera down for a bit, and try catching some video from my blackberry.  Not to bad.  Here are a few clips from the outing.

A New Way to Vacation

This week we are trying something new.  Darla and I wanted to take a few days off to relax and rejuvenate.  Seems we can get moving so fast we forget to breathe, and that is really no way to live.  A few months back Darla decided to rent a beach house.  She also decided to invite a few people to come along.  To us, it didn’t matter if they came or not.  We were going on a vacation of sorts, and if others wanted to join us they were welcome to.  If they decided not to come we were still going.  Goal of the time, sleep, relax, connect, enjoy, get sunburned, maybe surf, maybe take pictures, maybe do things that we want to do.

Today, the beach house had Me and Darla, our three boys, one dtr in law, two grandma’s, two grandpas, a brother and his family and a sister and her family.  And at the moment, we are all out doing our own thing.  Some are flying kites, some are climbing sand dunes, a few are visiting shops, and Dar and I are sitting in a coffee shop, doing some work, looking at the ocean, and enjoying doing nothing but what we want to be doing.

Yesterday Darla and Rachel took a run, while Derek and I hit the Pelican Pub.  Scottish Ale was flowing (probably a good idea to stand up every once and a while to see if you can still balance).  We sat outside watching the waves, talking about life, and enjoying good beer. I decided I enjoy having a married son and it’s fun to hear how his life is going and what he thinks about.

I like this new way of doing vacation.  I don’t feel like I have to entertain or make sure people are having a good time.  After all, I am providing the location and my goal was to sleep, relax, connect, enjoy, get sunburned, maybe surf, maybe take pictures, maybe do things that we want to do, and that is exactly what I am doing.  And before I take to much credit, it was really all Darla’s idea.  She is so smart some times.

Pics and a Video from Downtown Portland

Spent a little time Downtown Portland today.  Among other stops I went by the Saturday Market. Took a quick video of Hula Hoop Girl.  Also took a few pictures while I was walking around.  Let me know what you think? One of those rare sunny weekend days.

Not What They Expected

For the last few days things have been a bit crazy around our house.  Helicopters have been buzzing overhead, the entrance to our housing area has been blocked off and rerouted, strange people have been parking in front of our home, and in the background a loud PA system is going.  I think I am understanding what it must be like to be a celebrity, to have paparazzi all around.  However, the only reason all this is happening is that we to live a few blocks away from Cook Park and the Annual Tigard Balloon Festival.  Our house is under the flight pattern for the helicopter rides, we can hear the concerts without leaving our backyard, and we can watch the hot air balloons float lazily into the sky while sipping coffee. 

Last night we joined the crowds, paid our seven dollars to go to our park, which on any other day we can walk through for free, and had our bags searched. We sat amongst those who ventured into the Rouge Brewery Tent enjoying  Double Dead Guy at $4 a dixie cup and listened to a band play bad renditions of old favorites. Conversation in the beer tent was lively as more micro cups ere consumed, people who didn’t know each other shared tables, and we all waited in anticipation of the evening Balloon Glow.

For those of us who have attended more than once, we know what to expect during the evening Balloon Glow, but for those who had never been before, had paid their seven dollars to get in, and were now drinking many small sipper cups of Rouge beer at $4 a pop, the anticipation was unbearable.  The hot air balloons slowly filled with air, seven in all.  As the air was heated inside the balloon, the entire balloon would glow from the flame.  A local radio station interviewed the balloon pilots.  We joked with our table mates, a foul mouthed hair dresser from California who couldn’t wait to move to Oregon and her boy friend, and another couple who informed us that proper table sharing educate involved the buying of the whole table beer anytime you got one yourself, and our friends who asked if we would join them for the event.  I received a leg hair removal demonstration from my new hair dresser friend via a bumper sticker she affixed to my leg, the table discussed housing prices, Darla again discovered that hoppy beer does not make her happy, and as we turned back to watch the balloons, one by one they deflated.  Our new friends and first time festival goers asked, “Is that it?????  The Balloons don’t go up in the air???”  One stated, “I paid $7 for that, I’m going to get his money back (and pointed to her husband or boyfriend, we never did find out which).”  All around us was disappointment, having been before I remembered how I too had been disappointed years earlier by the same realization.  I was sure the reason for the beer tent was to get us to the point where it really didn’t matter if the balloons took off or not.  As we all left feeling a bit taken advantage of, we ran into a guy selling cigars.  He had no permit, was not in one of the booths, but having enjoyed his night he gave me and my buddy a little bandito, which was only appropriate after drinking little beers, and we walked back to our house to smoke our banditos and finish a bottle of beer before ending our night.

This morning I hear no helicopters, the PA is quite, and I am assuming the end of the festival is near.  You have to get up early to watch the balloons float into the air, but at that time you can’t get any dixie cup beer, so you decide what is more important to you.  I’ll be going back again next year.  After all it is almost in my backyard.

Birthday Song – Listen at your own Risk

Some traditions just shouldn’t be.  Here is one of the Sam Fams.  Each year sing the birthday song the worse than the year before.  Listen in and tell us if you think we are being true to that tradition.