Happy birthday, America!

Hope your Fourth of July was great! Here's what we did...
We here at the South North South house, or as my son likes to refer to it, "The Thicket," blew up the neighborhood with fountains. The Mr. had July 5 off so I wanted to make it a day where we spent some time together at home, doing nothing. We did just that and we all were in need of some down time. It seems the last few weeks we have been running and going and we all, even today, are wanting to take long naps. Maybe by this weekend we will have caught up on some much needed rest.

With our Fourth though, here in Oregon you can't have anything that leaves the ground and nothing that explodes. Boring right? When we lived in Arkansas we were blowing things sky high and the best part, you could even shoot fireworks off throughout the year. But then again, it wasn't as dry in the south as it is here in the north. Oregon, however, if snakes and sparklers are your favorite things then this is the place to live! The Mr. ended up buying the packaged fireworks that are always way over-priced, but he thought, it's the Fourth and we never do this, so let's mix it up a bit. So he brings home this...

...and he is going to light them with his "homemade" blow torch. See I told you, blowing up the neighborhood.

Before the fireworks went off, PITA was sitting with us all calm and collected, but once the bangs happened, he wanted to go hide in his blanket. I really do hate this time of year for our doggies (and other animals) they just don't understand what's happening. We let PITA get all snug in his blankets before starting and Baz-the older one-went deaf a few years back and it was the best thing to happen to him when it comes to this holiday.

Before we shot off some fireworks, I ran to the store to pick up a few things for dinner and this view of the sun setting was kind of magical. I couldn't help but snap a few shots from the car.

The Bean made our sidewalk all festive for the day and I couldn't help but share his creativity. I just love what comes into his head sometimes.

Almost is a shame that it will disappear over the next few days.

Hope your Fourth of July was amazing!
Happy Birthday, America!

A visit to the Willamette National Cemetery

The Mr., The Bean, and I took a drive through the Willamette National Cemetery this past week. We always wondered how the view of the Cascades was in this area and boy, were we in for quite a delight. The grounds of the cemetery are maintained by the government and only military personnel and spouses are buried here. The grass, bushes, flowers, and even the view is spectacular. It really is a nice place to show honor to the men and women that gave their all to give us what we have today. The Mr. and I were so pleased to be able to show The Bean this area before Fourth of July. It really put the entire holiday into a different light for all three of us.

Views of downtown Portland from the west side of the grounds.

View of Mount Hood from the south end of the grounds.

View of Mount St. Helens from the north end of the grounds. 

There is an area near the entrance that you can look up a grave. There are so many men and women buried here that the areas are marked off in sections. And this view is just one of the sections. It's really heartbreaking how many people have lost their lives due to war, but at least this place gives them the respect they truly deserve.

Oregon Korean War Memorial Wall

Honoring the men and women (nurses) from Oregon that served in the Korean War.

It's a beautiful area. If you have a bucket list, you might consider adding this one to it.

Out of respect, I did not take pictures of the graves-any that show up in the background was purely accidental.

Friday things

Things that made this week a bit of alright.

1. Afternoon golf

The Mr., The Bean, and I went to the driving range this week to practice our drives. The Bean is hitting harder and harder these days and pretty much has better form than The Mr. and I put together. We are really proud of him for a lot of things recently and his golf is one.

2. Nighttime badminton.

The Mr. and The Bean have been having afternoon badminton challenges lately. We lit the net up to be able to see the game better in the evening, and the games have continued long into the night.

3. Our garden.

 What a delight it is

  When, of a morning,

  I get up and go out

  To find in full bloom a flower

  That yesterday was not there. 

TACHIBANA AKEMI

(1812-68)

We have always had some sort of garden each year, but this year I am so thrilled. We have been reading a lot about Monsanto issues and decided to clean up our habits from the ground up. We purchased all USDA Organic seeds, or starts, and pulled out anything that wasn't organic. We literally started over from scratch and made changes that will last. The Mr. and I have included our habits into what foods we buy and what goes into our bodies. We have decided to purchase only foods that are USDA Organic, including drinks. Call us conspiracy theorist, but The Mr. has lost 40 pounds and I have lost 30. We feel good, have more energy, and also our moods are more positive. If you haven't read about Monsanto/Bayer, you might want to take a minute to read. My most recent tweet on Twitter is how we feel about the company completely.

What's the best way to control a population of people? Answer: @MonsantoCo and @BayerPharma #donotbetricked

— South North South (@sh3lly) June 30, 2017

If you're concerned about Monsanto/Bayer the first thing you can do is stop using any Roundup products in your lawn, or garden. You can read more about it here, right off the Monsanto site.

4. These packages.

The first one was this month's Mighty Nest packages. The glass lunch container with the orange lid was their monthly gift, but the other was a lunch container The Mr. wanted to replace his regular lunch container. We have completely cut out regular plastics in our home. BPA-free plastic lids are the only exception right now. We eventually want to become waste-free in our home and these changes are getting us in the right direction. You can sign up for Mighty Nest here and get a monthly item that will help you change your habits one item at a time.

This package was given to The Mr. for his service to the community for being a fire fighter. The package was given to him from Operation Gratitude. The Mr. was really grateful for the gift and felt humbled by the fact that Operation Gratitude thought of him in such a way. We are extremely proud of The Mr. for the years he has put in with the fire department and putting his life on the line to save others. Thank you, Operation Gratitude.

5. This telephone

The Bean finally got his 1950s hotel rotary phone back from the Old Phone Shop. The wires for the wall outlet had come loose in the mail and the repair man is shipping a new cord out to us. We can't wait to plug it in and use it for day-to-day calls on our landline. It will be such a neat treat to hear it ring and make calls on it. I'll update once we get the new cord.

Have a great weekend!

Friday things

Another Friday things, so here it is. Things that made this week great.

1. These strawberries.

2. The Mr.

A week after being hit by a car while riding his bike and he is still nursing some battle scars. He only complains once in a great while about the sourness, but overall he is healing up quite well. And our Facebook group page for advocacy in the town we live in is coming along well. Join us here.

3. These boxes.

Yogi Surprise is one of my absolute favorite things to receive in the mail each month. This month's boxes were mind-blowing. The Lifestyle box came with some great things, but my favorite thing was the herbs from High Mowing Seeds. Perfect timing for them too, as we were in the process of planting our herb garden that weekend. (You can pick up a Yogi Surprise box here; You'll love it!)

4. This view.

I couldn't help but love this picture. The Bean and I snapped this one, while on a walk. We weren't headed to the chocolate company here, but we "had" to have some hand-dipped chocolates. The chocolate company is called Victorian Chocolate Company.

5. This thought.

We are still working toward a minimal household. I feel like we get rid of a car-load of stuff each week. It's amazing how much stuff you can accumulate over the years. Random stuff that really shouldn't have been purchased in the first place. But this is a start and we are staying on track toward a better life. Looking forward to being where we need to be. You can follow along with me each Monday on my Instagram here and see what the focus is for that week on going minimal. 

Have a great weekend!

Friday things

We have had quite a week here at the SNS House, which is now been renamed "the thicket" by our son-The Bean-that goes by The Deer sometimes. His imagination is amazing! So here at "the thicket" we have been up to some fun and interesting things since summer is coming in slowly here in the valley. The Bean broke out his telescope a few nights ago and we took a look at the night sky for a few hours. Even though we live here around city lights we were able to see a few things, one major sight was Jupiter to the south of us. The Bean was naming constellations left and right to us and we were all just amazed at how clear some stars, moons, and planets were coming in. We had a few other adventures under our belts this week and so glad to see the sun making an appearance. Here are the things that made this week great!

1. This View.

As stated above, we viewed the night sky through the telescope and saw Jupiter and a lot of great constellations around us. Just a side note: There is an app you can get for your smart device (phone, tablet, etc.) that will allow you to view the sky and help pinpoint what's out there. It's called Skyview and it's free to download on iTunes and Google Play.

The images it gives are pretty detailed.

Jupiter and the Virgo.

2. This Trip.

We took a little side trip this week to do a little fishing once the lake was opened and restocked with trout. We didn't get a bite, but there were a lot of people that seemed to have the same idea we did. We did find us a hidden fishing location on the lake, but we all agreed that we would much rather fish the river in the future. Nonetheless, we had a good time enjoying the sunshine and getting out of town for a bit.

3. Summer Road Trips.

We have been kicking around the idea on whether to take a road trip down to San Francisco for birthdays this year, but when it comes right down to it, all three of us just don't really want to go. We are still trying to figure out where to take our big birthday trip, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, check out our hashtag #snsroadtrips to see where we've been and where we go in the future.

4. This Bike.

The Bean has had this for a few weeks and I have been neglecting to mention it. He finally got him a Raleigh bike and he is loving it. He leaves The Mr. and I in the dust when he flies by us. We are so glad he was able to get a new one before summer official hit. Can't wait to break this baby in on some trails soon. Just a heads up, too: The Mr. was struck by a car while we were riding a few days ago. He is healing fine, and after a quick hospital visit we found out that he has no broken bones (thank goodness). I wanted to share this just to bring attention to how dangerous it is for bicyclers on any type of roadway. The Mr. and I have decided to start a bike advocacy group in our town so we can bring awareness to the bicycling community about how important it is to always ride defensively. The Mr. has some bumps and bruises and is otherwise alright, but it could have been a lot worse. If you are an avid bicycler, like us, please always be on your guard no matter where you are. The car that hit The Mr. drove away and left him on the roadway. I think that part hurts us the most. So please be careful out there. If you are interested in joining our group, please check out the Facebook page here.

5. This Old Doggie. 

The old man of the fur family will be getting himself a wagon soon so he can still come on long walks with us. The poor guy is 16-years-old and is starting to show signs of arthritis in his hips. He is so eager to go on walks, but about halfway he starts getting tired and needs to be carried. We think a wagon will be just what he needs. I will share soon.

Have a great weekend!

Friday things

This Friday finally gave us some much-needed sunshine. The Mr. came home early from work on Wednesday and stayed home on Thursday, but today he is right back to it. Allergies have been a big issue here in the Willamette Valley of Oregon and we thought the rain we were getting back-to-back would help clear things out, but it stirred a lot of things up in the process and actually made them worse. If you missed my allergy post, check it out here. The cottonwood trees have be a bit of a nuisance too, with their little puffs of cotton floating in the breeze. It's all pretty until you get one in your mouth, or up your nose. Today we have sunny weather and things are starting to dry out a bit. We are ready for the summer here, believe it or not. We had such a hard winter that the summer season is more than wanted here. We are going into strawberry season here and this little town we live in has a huge celebration for the red beauties. The celebration is the first week in June, but for now, here are the things that made this week great.

1. Free items.

Recently we placed the shelves above and the chest below out on the curb and they were gone in less than 20 minutes. We are still slowly downsizing our possessions to things that serve a purpose in our home. I love how open the front area of the house has become. There is only small AM/FM radio/turn table in there and no distractions from TV. It's a great place for us to gather in the evenings and actually just enjoy each other's company. Electronic devices are a no-no during this time too.

2. These friends.

We tried our best to do a photo shoot with the dogs, but things didn't go as planned. PITA sat for a few good ones, but the older dog, Baz, wasn't having it. Out of the 30+, or so we took, these were the best. They are frame-able, but I guess the saying is true, we can' teach an old dog, or a hyperactive dog to sit still long. -I don't know if that's a saying, but it should be. Ha!

3. These cards.

In the last Yogi Surpise box came these Mindful Mandala Cards that you color by hand. I have been loving them lately and coloring they ever chance I get. The Bean and The Mr. have been coloring a few too, and we have really enjoyed the messages on the back of the cards as well. You never know when a saying like, "You may have a million desires to be in other places, doing other things, but you are not there, you are here" will come in handy throughout a tough week. You can get Yogi Surprise here and a set of the Mindful Mandala Cards here.

4. This dill.

The Bean received a Garden-in-a-Can for Easter and we are just now seeing the dill growing strong. We've been clipping a few sprigs here and there to use with various dishes. It's nice to have it sitting on the window sill to use anytime we need some. 

5. These poses.

The Mr. and I have really been on a mission to live better. Not just staying fit, but better all the way around-including mentally. So many negative things can rob your self esteem and positivity on the world. Stay fit helps keep your mind active, but also staying around positive people and positive siutations really does help keep you healthy and on the right track. The last few weeks The Mr. and I have been working on keeping our muscles in shape to be able to ride our bikes for more than five miles, and also help get us moving more. The above poses we've been doing lately and they have really helped keep us going. Try them out for a month and tell me how they work for you.

One last thing:

Have a great weekend!