Life at a "Swell's" pace

Fish Lake Interpretive Site

We recently toured the Fish Lake Interpretive Site. It's located in the Cascade Mountain range and was once a refuge for travelers with livestock, pack animals, and even those bringing freight that came west for a better life. It was opened for provisions in the mid-1800s and was used for fire crew housing and fire lookout for the Santiam National Forest up until the end of 1960. Fish Lake has been a site where many travelers and visitors have come and gone. Indian tribes used the area to hunt, fish, and even stay for a day or two before moving across the Cascade Mountains. It was said to have no less than 100 wagons lined up along the lake side between July and September. There's gravesites, wagon ruts, and old signs of times gone by still to this day. The most recent history with Fish Lake is the use of the site for the Forest Service as a remounting site until 2005 and the buildings and still provide some housing and lodging, as well was workspaces for personnel. It's a wonderful place to learn history, preservation, as well as appreciate the landscape and the many people that have passed through the area over the last 150 years. Definitely a site to add to your Oregon bucket list. There's no fee and it's open May-September with an interpreter onsite.

Five Simple Things (August 12)

Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. These Views.

We took a quick trip to Bend this past week to check out some land offers. Still looking for that just perfect piece for us. Bend has a lot of great areas and we just can't decide which area we love best. We are in no hurry, though, because our current focus is coastal land for permanent roots. But, fingers are crossed that a good piece finds us at the same time we find it.

2. These Sunflowers.

Jeff brought them to me to brighten up an otherwise hard week for me. I really appreciate his kindness to me still after all these years. I am definitely blessed with more than I deserve.

3. This Box.

Misfits Market this week was definitely a huge haul. We get most of our organic groceries from them and we couldn't be more pleased with finding a great grocery delivery that aligns with our diet and eating habits. You can sign up for this grocery box here and get $10 off your first order.

4. This Items.

It's been hot as blazes here lately, so we are doing everything we can to keep it cool. We found the cutest water sprinkler that is tall enough for all of us to fit under and it's been a blast. And, we're quite partial to rainbows in this house. We also picked up these blackout curtains to help contain some cool air inside our house, and these curtains work. They also come in a wide variety of colors, but the one pictures is a slate gray. Lastly, this gallon-sized water cooler. I've been already drinking about a gallon of water a day, so these will be helpful in keeping up with it all better.

5. This Run.

Getting better at running without stopping. Looking for progress not perfection, so I am pleased.

Positive affirmations this week:

Definitely a great mix of three important factors to consider at any age: Eating clean and healthy, cardio for all over body fat burn, and targeted moves to keep strength. Core workouts are key right now, especially at my age, which is 40+. Would also add in self-care for your face, body, and hair, as well. And, your routine may change as you age, but this regimen has been working for me. Hopefully, it can work for you, too. You can do this!

"Austin" is referring to Denise Austin and you can read the full article here.

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (August 5)

Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Seed.

Sometimes when plants come to the end of their life, they are still so fascinating to me. The skeleton of a leaf, or this skeleton of a spent dandelion.

2. These Items.

This month's Mighty Fix from Mighty Nest was something we definitely have been putting to use this month. Stainless steal lunch containers are kind of our thing lately. We have been using them pretty much every day for snacks, lunch items, and I recently started using one for a first aid kit for when we go surfing. You can get Might Fix here.

Also, in my recent Might Nest order I added on these compostable sandwich bags and these D3 vitamins. With Might Nest you can add on as many items as you want in your shipment each month. We love how convenient it is and how great the selection of organic, earth-friendly, and natural products are. Check out Might Nest here.

3. These Glasses.

Had an eye doctor's appointment this week and found out my near sightedness is getting worse. My eye doctor said eventually they will level out and stay that way, but it's still upsetting to hear age taking its toll. The glasses on the left are my old ones and the ones on the right are the new. I clearly have a style I stick with.

4. This Cat.

Eleven is the silliest cat I have ever had. She has such a great personality and she's very curious of everything. I picked her up some cat grass this week, too and she loves it.

5. These Ducks.

Quappy is growing up so big, so fast, and this week I picked her up a little friend at our local Wilco. I made sure to get one with natural ingredients for when she nibbles on it. She took a liking to it right away. It's completely made of eco-friendly materials. You can get the exact same little friend here.

Positive affirmations this week:

Anything you're striving for always do it for you and not other people. Living as a people please always stills your joy. I was a people pleaser for so long and not anymore. I still catch myself going back on comfortable old habits, and remember that's not who I am. It takes practice, but setting those boundaries on what you allow and what you don't helps a great deal. You can start by writing things down that have crossed your boundaries in the past and right a solution to why you won't allow that anymore. And, stick to it. You can do this!