SOHO's Best Ever...Sullivan's Pizza

Oregon Coast Outing #2

Zoe and me at the Rakestraw's (it has been a couple years since we've taken a photo together) and more photos of the Oregon Coast. My favorite is the one of Zoe and I on the beach and the drift wood...you can see us at specs in this photo if you take a close look. I'm on the far right and she's on the far left...

Oregon Coast Outing

February 8, 2009

This is one of the biggest influences of my life, my dear friend Zoe....attempting to befriend Charlie...Kate, Marsha and me at the trailhead, me, me and me~!


Memorable conversations of the day included to shave or not and why, to thrift or purchase new and why, and extramarital affairs (not having them but our thoughts of them).

Middle-of-the-Day Staff Retreats

January 16, 2009

When I realized just how much of my time would be spent behind a computer screen, I started to crave the outdoors even more. So much of the impact of the work we do to protect our precious planet at the NW Earth Institute is so very far removed from the work we do on a daily basis...indoors, in concrete buildings, in an urban setting, behind computer screens. It can all feel so artificial and inconsistent. I have to make a conscious effort to remember what it is I'm doing and for what. Otherwise, it can seem indistinguishable from any other 9-5 job.

Thank goodness for an incredible understanding and open Executive Director. I ran an idea by him that he quickly responded to. I asked him if I could organize quarterly outings, some of which could happen in the middle of the day.

here is our staff at Forest Park, Lower Macleay Trail...a lovely walk in the middle of a work day! Top photo from Left to Right: Monica, our sweet bookkeeper, Sarah, our latest staffer and bright light, Me, Kerry, our fun Development Director and Chris, our contemplative and generous spirit Jesuit Volunteer Corp. member.

Second photo: picnic - Nina, our quirky intern in the background!

Third photo: Kate, our dedicated, and bright Volunteer and Community Coordinator Sarah and Deb, our beloved kindred spirit who we all miss terribly (she moved back to Colorado and will be giving birth to her first baby this summer).