Falling into November

Posted on by Annie

Here in the US, it’s that time of year when the clocks go back and hour and sunset starts coming way too early (It will be just after 5PM here in Oregon). So to make everyone feel a little bit better about Fall and the inevitable slide into Winter, here’s a few images from recent days. Yes, it really was that pretty on a walk at Champoeg (pronounced “Sham-POO-ee) State Park. Which was pretty much the only thing about the park that didn’t drive me nuts. It set a new personal record for number and variety of leaf blowers (five,…

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Followup: Finding My Voice Again

Posted on by Annie

I’ve appreciated all the support I’ve gotten since I published “Finding My Voice Again” earlier this month. I want to answer a few questions and make a few clarifications, continuing the dialog about mental health since the whole of October is designated Mental Health Awareness Month. The depression I wrote about happened in 2012. For me, depression is not a “one and done” thing. It is something that I deal at irregular intervals as things go out of balance, for whatever reasons. I’ve spent the last few months dealing with another round of depression and am just coming out the…

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Elk Falls Adventure

Posted on by Annie

I spent three nights up by Campbell River, at Elk Falls Provincial Park. For a campground literally five minutes from a Walmart, Canadian Tire, and other outposts of civilization, it was actually very quiet and peaceful. The hiking trail from the campground to Elk Falls was partially closed, so the only way to get to the Falls was drive to the Day Use area, park and get to the other end of the trail. As I started the hike, I could hear the faint sound of water, which grew louder with each turn of the switchbacks heading downward. Then, a…

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