Daffodil Time

Sibling Assignment #123: Spring Break at Steamboat Rock

I gave the sibling assignment this week. Think of a destination you have traveled to that brought you happiness. Describe the place/trip and why this particular place brought you happiness. I will link my siblings' posts when they post theirs.
Eight years ago during my spring break JEJ and I decided to get away and go camping. We had never camped that early in the year, but the adventurous spirit moved us! We had begun a quest of visiting a variety of campgrounds in eastern Washington. We packed up our gear, ourselves, and the dogs and traveled in our old Coachman RV to Steamboat Rock State Park. The park is located between Electric City and Coulee City on Banks Lake which was created by Grand Coulee Dam. We had made a perfect choice!
 That year the weather was perfect for camping. The grass had begun to green, the trees were blooming, and the days were warm. We love to camp off-season because the campgrounds aren't as busy. Actually there were quite a few people camping, but this campground is spread out enough it doesn't feel crowded. We were close to the water and the park had lots of places to hike.

Steamboat Rock itself jutts out of the land to form a plateau that provides panoramic views of the whole area. Hiking trails are everywhere. We never made it all the way to the top, but with the dogs explored the trails, the lakeshore, and the area around the park.

I felt much happiness during this trip. For me happiness is when you arrive at a destination with all that you need so you can just do what you want when you want.  It was a much needed break. We weren't on a schedule, had really nowhere else to go,and read, rested, hiked, ate great food, and enjoyed the company of the dogs. That trip was before my digital camera days so I had to borrow a few pictures to give an idea of what it looks like. We returned to Steamboat Rock a few years later in the early fall and had another enjoyable camping experience. I wish I could load up and head there right now!

Postcards From Lake Roosevelt

It was a beautiful day to be out on the lake today with a camera, the dogs, and JEJ.

Away

Tonight I am staying away from home for a training in Seattle. This is what I miss when I am away from home.

The greenhouse,

 a warm fire,

a sunrise,

and JEJ.

I Did It!

I posted every day in February!

Sibling Assignment #122: Tuesdays With Morrie

This is our last sibling assignment of the month given by Silver Valley Girl using the theme "tied." 

 "Write about reading a book, and how you were tied to that book by a certain character, a certain plot line, etc."

"It's not to late to change... ask yourself if you really are the person you want to be, and if not, who you do want to be.  "   - Morrie Schwartz

This is one of many quotes I treasure spoken by Morris Schwartz in the book Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. In this book I was tied to the character of Morrie.  Mitch had been a student of Morrie's in college, but they lost touch. He got a second chance as Morrie was dying to learn more lessons from his teacher.  It was Morrie's idea to put the conversations into a book. "The final thesis" he called it.

"The best way to deal with that is to live in a fully conscious, compassionate, loving way. Don't wait until you're on your deathbed to recognize that this is the only way to live."- Morrie Schwartz 

After reading and rereading this book this is one quote I work hard at trying to act on. It is difficult when stuff in life gets in the way of being fully conscious, compassionate, and loving. Revisiting this book was a good reminder for me today. 

"Weren't you ever afraid of growing old" , Mitch asked.

" Mitch, I embrace it!"

Morrie went on to explain that as you grow old you do learn more. It is not decay, but growth. It is more than the negative that you're going to die. It's also the positive that you understand you're going to die. This helps you live a better life. He made me realize how important it is for a person to look back and see a life well-lived, a life with meaning, a life full of satisfaction. It gives me  goals to work on!

Many more lessons fill this small volume. I love the part when he picked out what he wanted on his tombstone. He chose:

A Teacher to the Last. 

He kept teaching and learning up to his last breath and his influence has remained with us.