Our roots in Oregon

I guess I should first start by showing the beauty of the place I grew up. Here are some I took in Eugene.

Blue River Reservoir is one of our favorite places to go camping.

The Oregon Coast is one of the most popular Oregon destinations. Each beach is unique and fun. Tide-pooling is a blast, and though it's not the place to go sunbathing or swimming, it's great to go beach combing, walking, sunset-viewing, and even horse back riding! This is Jeremy and I in Florence, OR the day after we got engaged.

 This is the classic view of the Florence Lighthouse.

The above three pictures were taken at Driftwood Shores Resort in Florence, OR.

Birdwatching is also common in Oregon. What better place to do that than in Eugene's Alton Baker Park:

But that's not the only place you can find birds; and there's a vast array of feathered creatures big and small:

Among the birds, we have other great wildlife found in our back yards! Sure, we have cougars and elk and other big game, but those are uncommon to see unless you go looking. The rest of these animals are common in Eugene and closely surrounding areas' seasonal visitors. 

The next two pictures I find quite intriguing. One day on a bike ride, I stopped for a water break along the Amazon creek, I noticed some beaver-like creatures swimming around. I watched as one came out of the water and waddled right up to a bench that a guy was sitting at with a sandwich. The creature - a Nutria - went right up to the guy's feet. He looked as surprised as I did! See for yourself...

So this is the place I grew up. Then I got married and moved. Where, you ask? Our first duty station as a newly married couple was Honolulu, Hawaii. Stay tuned for pictures of the tropical paradise.