Day 374

With today's temps being in the 60 degree range it made it the first day of the year that I worked outside.

As I was deadheading the wildflower/perennial garden (how did I miss doing that last fall?) my mind was wandering. Will this summer be better? Will I be able to work more outside this year than last year? Then it got me thinking about why I'm moving onto a year two on the blog. I want this year to be better than last year. I want my life to be more active, more positive, and less pain filled than last year.

It was nice being outside. Nice getting fresh air and doing a bit of work. Hubby even got into action, fertilizing the lawn.

But check out what he's wearing. Pajamas and slippers. Maybe I need to add "getting Pajama Boy dressed" on my list of wants for the year.

Day 373: The Shoe Tree

Tennis shoes. Cowboy boots. Ballet slippers. Heels. Flats. Hiking boots. What do all these things have in common?

They grow on trees. On one tree, to be more exact.

I've biked 80 miles down the road from Homedale and have arrived 17 miles east of Juntura, Oregon. There, right along side the road on Highway 20 stands a lone tree. In a somewhat boring section of a drive, in a somewhat boring section of the state (apologies to anyone who lives there), resides a shoe tree. Hundreds of pairs of shoes cover the tree.

Every year when we would head out to the Oregon Coast for spring break, we'd pass by the shoe tree. But since we always left home in the wee dark hours of the morning, it was still dark when we passed by the shoe tree. Then when we headed home from the coast, we were always dog tired by the time we got to the shoe tree and never stopped. But one year we did.

And we're glad we did. Because since these pictures were taken, vandals have burned the tree and the shoe tree is no more. We have yet to come across another shoe tree in our travels, but I'm sure there are others out there, just waiting to have their picture taken. I hope you're lucky enough to see one first hand.

Next stop - a long jaunt to one of my favorite places, some 226 miles away from the shoe tree - Sisters, Oregon.