The peach pit

We were packed and ready for a camping weekend when a curve ball was thrown at us. The plan was Mike would pick me up at 4pm and we’d leave town. Mike called a little before 4pm saying I needed to take a Lyft and meet him at the vet ASAP. That morning Wiley was throwing up for a few hours and by the afternoon it had not slowed down. While at the vet he was given an injection to…

Spring please

This winter has been the most challenging since moving to Portland. The weather has been contributing to our slow start to this years adventuring. We were greeted with an ice storm early December which was followed a month later with a snow storm that dumped ten inches of snow in Portland. The city shut down for a week with temperatures hovering between 20 - 32 degrees. It’s rare to find a shoveled sidewalk since most people don't own a shovel for…

Follow your heart

During my college years I was fascinated with the Pacific Northwest and accumulated way too many books about the area. Even though I had never been, I felt this calling that I belonged there. In 2003 I graduated from college and I had a job prospect in the Seattle area but unfortunately I needed to wait two months before I could be hired. I decided instead to stay in my comfortable world of familiar surroundings and found a job in…

DMV why do you hate me?

Any day you have to go to the DMV it's inevitable that something frustrating will happen. I had a good feeling today was going to be my day that would change that stereotype, but no. My trip there was pleasant. I had all the necessary documents including passport, MN licenses and a mailed document showing my new address. I even studied for the knowledge test by using the OR Driver app which was fabulous. The trip began with a 15…

How Wiley became a Woods

Mike and I were active volunteers at Safe Hands Animal Rescue (SHAR) when we decided it was time for our family to get a dog. We agreed to foster a male, 20 pound corgi mix, estimated at about a year old. SHAR works closely with a high kill shelter in Harlan, KY ever since they were called upon for help after Hurricane Katrina. This particular week in early March 2007, the shelter had 60 dogs scheduled to be euthanized Monday morning.

Project Wiley

Project Wiley is a personal challenge where I post a daily photo of Wiley for 365 days. Wednesdays are Wiley Wednesday where I post a blast from Wiley’s past. My inspiration for this challenge was a combination of my love for This Wild Idea and how much I missed Wiley during our 6 month separation while traveling internationally. The idea for the challenge began in March 2014 when we were reunited with Wiley in Minneapolis, MN. We visited friends and…

Wisconsin Saying Hello

Today we made the drive 2.5hrs from Richmond to Greymouth. Half the drive hugging the coast and the other half following beautiful rivers. We found a cute place to stay called Noah’s Ark backpackers. Our themed room ‘Cow’s. Decorated to fit it’s name with 6 nicknack cow figures on the mantel, cow patterns sheets and lamp shade. It was a clean and comfortable with a great kitchen for morning bacon and eggs.