TRAVELS WITH MATTIE

Friends and family,  Here we are three (!) years later, happily writing from somewhere magical on Sherwin Summit in the Eastern Sierra. While Greg, Teddy and I have been relatively lucky during the pandemic, the past few years have been a real struggle - one in the making since before Covid started, that has gone through big losses and weird changes, and that whirlpooled me right into a remote teaching tailspin that I never quite crawled out of. After not feeling like myself for the past several years, I've recently decided to make some big changes. I'll be sharing those here fully once things are finalized, but for now I'm excited thinking about how mixing things up will keep me more active, adventurous, and challenged by new stuff  - important things that had slipped away.   One piece of fun and admittedly ridiculous news is that we got a camper van in June! Here it is, looking happy and right at home somewhere far above Burcham Flat. After barely careful considera...

OK lots of updates (bathroom remodel is going great, it's beautiful, Teddy is awesome, blah blah blah) but CHECK OUT WHO STOPPED BY THIS MORNING! A lurking mountain lion! That's all, back to your normally scheduled programming :) Love, Teddy

It's already August, and there are so many updates! First, here are a few pictures from the last couple of months:  Hanging out a beautiful little cold spring with the kiddos.   A great time at the Fish-Off!   After the Fish-Off, the family came to Aspendell for a few days!  Teddy was so happy to see so many of his good friends, and make some new ones. Like Aidan!   And Emme!  He still thinks Anni is his nemesis, so they probably won't be meeting for a while.  But he did great with his two youngest friends yet!   We played games on the deck. And a lot of Jenga. And Spoons - which Sidney has greatly improved at.       In July we went to Ray and Katie's wedding and had an awesome time dancing and hanging out with family below Mount Si. And of course watched the Women's National Team absolutely own the World Cup, including watching the final at a tiny old theatre in North Bend, W...

It's finally spring in Aspendell, and we've been enjoying the warming weather and growing things. The aspens are full with giant quaking leaves, and even our little brave front yard plants are (mostly) alive and thriving. A few winter casualties - sorry lavender, a russian sage - but for the most part they've recovered from a big snow year and are happily returning. I yell at them "grow, groooooow" like they're little Frankensteins every morning. Greg is sure that it helps. We've otherwise been busy with Women's World Cup, fishing, art, adventure, and the Fish-Off at Convict Lake last weekend. Today, Scott & Laura and kids, and Yet & Dad, are coming to Aspendell for a post-family-reunion family reunion. The creeks are all raging with melting run-off, which makes fishing harder and the entire Owens Valley brighter with wildflowers and green. Teddy loves the cabin and makes himself right at home curled up on the leather chairs, or the couch, ...

Loyal family and friends, we are AWFUL! It has been just about a year since our last post. I mean to post more, and this year just really got away from me. So this is going to be the world's fastest one year recap, and a commitment to actually get back to sharing our lives more frequently. Since our last post, here's what life has looked like: June + July 2018: Cabin construction. We built a deck & painted the place (mostly...). It felt like a lot more work that what that summary suggests. But I guess that was really about it. Also, there was some adventuring. Here are some pictures! Putting up the ledger (?)! We got extra help from Yeti and Dad :)  Yeti also took care of the flowers and transplanted some from the neighbors! We actually had some fun.  And enjoyed the half deck.   Teddy supervised (not a bad working view).   And were even rewarded with See's Candy when it was built!  We also fished... ...