One Month An Oregonian

I have officially been an Oregonian for one month now and it has been amazing.  I love Portland so much more than I thought I would.  It has been wonderful to explore and discover all the cool things that make this city special.  So far I've only ventured out a bit in my own neighborhood, North Tabor, downtown, the Pearl District and a little bit of the Hollywood District.  There are many more neighborhoods on my list though and in time, I will get to them all.  Here are a few things I've discovered so far. 

There is no self serve gas in Oregon.  Since I don't drive much here, I mostly think this is a cool thing.  If you ask some other folks, you might get a different opinion.  Some say the service is too slow. Others might warn you that having someone else pump your gas may lead to easier drive offs with the nozzle still attached to your car.  When I asked around as to why this rule existed, I discovered it was initiated to create jobs but also cited was for safety and a host of other possible reasons.  There is a $500 fine for pumping your own gas so I guess it is best to let the professionals do it. 

Plastic bags have been banned in the city of Portland.  Due to their lightweight consistency, they can act like balloons blowing out of garbage trucks and landfills. These flyaway bags litter parks and trees, enter storm drains and might eventually end up in rivers and oceans where they break into small, toxic pieces.  Plastics are one of the most common types of litter found in Portland’s rivers and on Oregon’s beaches. Sea animals often mistake plastic particles for food, causing harm to the animals. 

One of my first "that's cool" observations about Portland were the composting containers provided to everyone in the city. Portland is ranked as one of the most green cities in the U.S. 

It ain't called "City of Roses" for nothing.  A quick Google Image search will show you what I mean.  You can find these beautiful flowers growing everywhere. 

Public transportation will get you just about anywhere in the city.  Buses, light rail, commuter rail and street cars connect the metro area while also easing traffic congestion and reducing air pollution.  In addition to the TriMet system, there are also community car programs such as ZipCar and Car2Go.  Portland was also rated one of the most bike friendly cities in the U.S.  And of course you can also safely walk just about anywhere here too. 

Portland is very dog friendly with lots of dog parks, dog friendly restaurants and pubs like the Tin Shed and Lucky Lab.  Also, many retail shops allow you to bring your dogs in with you.  Sometimes you can only do that if you carry them at all times but nonetheless, it's a step up from what I'm used to in Wisconsin.   

Parks, park and more parks!  Portland has parks everywhere.  There are at least 279 parks (that's over 10,000 acres) throughout the city of Portland.  At 5,157 acres, Portland's Forest Park is the largest urban forest in the United States. With more than 80 miles of trails, fire lanes and forest roads, Forest Park stretches for more than seven miles along the eastern slope of the Tualatin Mountains, overlooking Northwest Portland and the convergence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.

"Keep Portland Weird" is the motto here.  It is common to see some strange things everywhere and it definitely keeps things interesting.  I think this description I found online sums it up pretty well:

"Portland is like that kid you know, the one that most people don’t get, and therefor probably gets made fun of a lot. It’s that kid with the goofy rolling laugh who is probably wearing floral pajamas and hospital slippers in public. This kid is the absolute best, because no matter what, he is not trying to be anyone else but him (or her), and you gotta love that. Portland is that kid. Portland is genuine. And we’ve all got a little Portland inside, embrace the weird." - Samuel McLaughlin

I saw my first art car while walking downtown on my lunch break the other week.  It was similar to this bus pictured above.  It was most unexpected and passed by as quickly as it came.  It was just one more of the oddities in this city. 

There is so much to do both in (and just outside) of Portland.  Head 90 minutes west and you will hit the coast.  Head east and within an hour or two you will hit the Columbia River Gorge and Mt Hood.  A few hours north and you're in Seattle.  Within the city, there are a plethora of festivals, breweries, parks, shops, theaters and so, so, so much more.  Check out Visit Portland to see what I'm talking about. 

Apparently my Wisconsin accent is strong because several people have pointed it out to me here.  It might be argued that Oregonians do not have an accent but I would like to note that they definitely have some strange pronunciations.  Case in point, Couch Street is pronounced "cooch" and the Willamette River is pronounced "will-am-it".  Freeway signs direct to this place call The Dalles (which is a city in case you were wondering) and it's pronounced "dales".  Aloha is another city here and it's pronounced "ah-lo-ah".  And of course, Oregon is pronounced "Or-a-gen" not "Or-a-gon". 

Portland loves pugs!  This is becoming more and more apparent as I venture out into the city with my pug, Cole.  My first inkling to this fact was at the Tin Shed the other weekend while waiting for a table.  Several dozen people walked by at one point or the other and I would say at least half of them stopped to gush about how much they loved pugs while they showered Cole with attention.  This weekend, in the Pearl District, it was almost comical how many people not only stopped to gush over him but also from a distance, you could feel the love as people smiled, pointed and watched intently as we made our way from shop to shop.  

The majority of the year, Portland has very moderate temperatures (and yes, lots of rain and gray skies) but in the summer, the faucet in the sky turns off and the sun comes out.  High temperatures average in the low 80's so not a lot of people have air conditioning in their homes.  Supposedly, Portland only gets a handful of 90+ degree weather, usually in August but so far, since I've been here, there have been weeks of high 80s+ weather.  The high temps peak between 3 and 7 pm so needless to say, it's a little uncomfortable feeling at times.  I know I shouldn't complain and perhaps after I get through my first rainy winter, I'll truly appreciate the summer here. 

So the saying here goes that "only tourists use umbrellas". God forbid I be considered a "tourist" but you know what?  When it's pouring rain, I'm going to opt for an umbrella. I can handle some drizzle and if I have nowhere to be, the soaked rat look is probably fine but that's not the look I'm going for at work or at a nice restaurant. 

I'm discovering that Portland is pretty lax on rules.  For instance, they throw a huge sign up at the Saturday market that says "no dogs allowed" but clearly, there are lots of people walking around with dogs.  The TriMet website states that pets (other than guide dogs) must be in a fully enclosed carrier while on the train or bus but regularly, you will see people bringing their dogs on the train.  It's a little strange to navigate but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it soon. 

Portland has some fairly unique establishments and activities throughout the city,  For instance, Velo Cult is part bike shop/part bar.  There is an annual adult soap box derby coming up where 5,000 - 8,000 people will gather at Mt Tabor to watch teams coast down the course.  Winners receive awards for speed, engineering, art, crowd pleasure and several other categories. There's also the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, World Naked Bike Ride, the Zombie Walk and more. 

I did not know that one could actually live on a freeway on-ramp until I moved to Portland.  If you can get past the noise, it's rather convenient to get to just about anywhere in the city especially since the 60th Avenue Max station is just one block away from me. 

The breaking news text alerts are certainly more interesting here in Portland:

• June 30th:  A Vancouver police officer has been shot near 162nd Ave/NE 34th St.  1 detained, 2nd suspect still at large. 
• July 3rd:  Washington County sheriff's deputies responding to helicopter down near Hagg Lake.
• July 7th:  SWAT situation, evacuations after shots fired in a home near Webster Rd & Springhill  Place in Gladstone
• July 8th:  Bomb threat sends Salem Hospital into lockdown
• July 8th:  I-84 closed at 125th Avenue after a truck pulled down utility lines across all lanes of the freeway
• July 17th:  Sheriff's Office issues Level 3 evacuation notice for Marks Creek area near Waterman Complex fire. Evacuate immediately to SW.  
• July 18th:  Clark County deputies:  White supremacist who shot Vancouver cop dies one day after jail cell suicide attempt

Portland has 8 markets to choose from around the city that provide such an amazing assortment of fresh produce, flowers, bakery and so, so much more!  So far, I have only visited he Hollywood Market but I can say with great confidence that no one should be buying produce anywhere in the city but from one of these markets.  You can check out the vendors here. 

Portland has a proliferation of Food Carts and they seem to be growing in numbers and locations. Also known as lunch wagons, taco trucks or even snack shacks, they are truly a phenomenon in Portland. They set up in parking lots, sidewalks, and even parks.  Some in large groups and some solo.  In one day you could enjoy a bowl of traditional goulash, have a coffee and pastry for a snack, and then take home a giant Indian combo box for dinner.

Oregon does not have a sales tax and just over the Columbia River, Washington does not have an income tax so those who live just over the border enjoy the best of both worlds quite easily.  Well, not so easy since the interstate system that connects the two is known to be quite congested. 

Portland has an amazing number of breweries, distilleries and wineries to choose from.  For those who can handle all that goodness, it's a paradise!  For those that can't, there are over 500 AA meetings each week to choose from. 

Portland is the 5th most tattooed city in America and it is apparent everywhere you go.  In just about every part of town you will see folks with not just one, but usually upwards of several tattoos.  It's good for my tattoo-sporting skin to blend in so well with this city. 

The photos in this post are all borrowed, to see my original photos, please visit my Flickr page here.

This Is Meant To Be

After deciding the job I had lined up before moving here was not a good fit for me last week, I spent the next three days sending out resumes to every job I felt qualified for within my desired areas of office management, bookkeeping and/or event planning.  By the end of the week, I had two interviews lined up, one for Monday and the other for Tuesday this week.  On Tuesday, I received offers from both of them.  What a great feeling that was! Between everything coming together in Madison with lining up a place to live here in Portland with a fellow pug parent and finding a well-qualified sub-letter to take over my lease in Madison, I'm fairly certain with the first two jobs I interview at both offering me a position, this endeavor was destined to be.

I got this tattoo in April 2013 in honor of my love for Oregon and my quest to someday call it home.  It was inspired part by the Oregon state motto "Alis Volat Propriis" which is Latin for "she flies with her own wings".  This represents the way in which I wanted to get here, meaning on my own terms.  The feather is from one of my favorite movies, Forest Gump and represents the balance of destiny vs chance.  "I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I think maybe it's both. Maybe both are happening at the same time."

 
I met up with a staff person at Oregon Wild earlier this week to discuss some ideas I had for planning their annual fundraising event, Call of the Wild.  They seem to really like my ideas for their event and I am thrilled that they are doing great things in Oregon.  I also signed up to volunteer with the Portland Film Festival but have yet to receive a lot of additional information on how I will be useful to them besides doing event photography.  

Carl G Washburn State Park

Humbug Mountain State Park

I rented a car and headed out to the coast on Thursday for a couple days of exploration, photography and fireworks.  My destination was the Samuel H Boardman State Scenic Corridor but along the way, I stopped at Carl G Washburne Memorial and Humbug Mountain State Parks before spending the night in Gold Beach.  In the morning, I had breakfast at Double D's Cafe, stopped at the beach in town for a bit with Cole and then drove south toward the scenic corridor.  Unfortunately, the fog had not yet lifted for the day so I killed some time by driving further south to Crescent City, California where I checked out a flea market and grabbed a snack before heading back to Oregon.  Once over the boarder, I stopped at Crissey Field State Recreation Area whose name should really be Driftwood City because it was everywhere.  For the first time I saw a couple of kids ride boards down a creek that flowed into the ocean.  It looked fun, but somewhat dangerous if they didn't de-board prior to reaching the ocean.

Gold Beach

Crissey Field State Recreation Area

After I left Crissey Field State Recreation Area, I went to the first viewpoint/beach of the 13 mile stretch in the Samuel H Boardman State Scenic Corridor.  As I started to take photos, the fog finally lifted and the sun and blue skies stretched as far as I could see.  I spent the next six hours or so exploring every part of the corridor that was accessible by car and foot.  There were some really beautiful scenic overlooks in addition to a few beaches that were surprisingly, not especially busy.  I climbed out on a bridge to get some video and photos of a spectacular view of the ocean and beach far below.  Once I reached the end of the corridor, I set off for Bandon to grab some food and capture some sunset photos before the fireworks started around 10pm  Surprised again, there were not a ton of people.  Cole and I ended up watching the fireworks from a high coastal cliff with a small group of about twenty or so others.  There were no crowds to contend with or traffic to fight afterward but there was a 5 1/2 hour drive home to Portland to contend with which required much caffeine, loud music and sing-alongs.

Samuel H Boardman State Scenic Corridor

Sunset in Bandon

I slept in a bit on Saturday but once up, showered and fed, I met up with a Madison friends aunt and uncle who coincidentally live very close to me.  We drank iced tea in their beautiful backyard while Cole explored the gardens and we got acquainted.  Lucky for me, in addition to their hospitality and standing invitation to join them and their friends for coffee on the weekends, offered me a free air conditioner which couldn't have come at a better time since it is supposed to be in the upper 80's to upper 90's every day this week.

To escape the heat, I'm headed to the coast tomorrow for a couple days of beach camping with a friend who is passing through town.  I'm hoping we can hike Saddle Mountain before camping at Nehalem Bay State Park and hopefully exploring Neahkahnie Mountain and Cape Falcon, both reputed to have some spectacular views and not to mention a good workout.  I'm hoping the sores on my feet from this past trip will be in a bit better condition by tomorrow.   

To see video of Cole running around and more photos from the trip, visit my Facebook page (since I haven't uploaded them to my Flickr account yet). 

Week One As An Oregonian

Cole at Indian Beach

I have officially been an Oregonian for one week now and what a week it has been!!  As you know, I spent my first full day here on the northern coast exploring Indian Beach (at Ecola State Park), Seaside, Astoria and even a bit of southern Washington.


Since then, I ran a bunch of errands while I still had the rental car and learned that you cannot trust a GPS to not send you down the wrong way of a one way street.   Luckily, navigating the light rail system has proven to be a bit easier.

View of Willamette River from the train

I have found many exciting jobs online and have two interviews already scheduled for next week.  I have also found a couple of volunteer opportunities that I am pursuing as well.  I contacted Oregon Wild and have a meeting scheduled next week to discuss how I will help plan their annual fundraiser.  I also am meeting with the folks at the Portland Film Festival to help plan their kick-off and closing parties as well as do some photography at the festival later this summer.

I have joined several Meetup groups that either focus on hiking, photography, dogs or general socializing and am looking forward to several upcoming events next week: hiking at Mount Tabor on Wednesday morning and then wine tasting that night, a pug specific event at the dog park in Tigard on Saturday and hiking Washington Park to Pittock Mansion with a tour of the Japanese Garden on Sunday.

I met up with a friend in Hillsboro on Saturday for a drive in the country through some small towns.  This led us to Carlton where we checked out the festival that was happening, had lunch at Barrel 47 and then stopped for some wine and dessert on The Horse Radish Cheese and Wine Bar's outdoor patio before heading back to Portland.

Renae and I in Carlton

I have visited the dog park several times this week and Cole is loving that.  The Normandale Park has a small-dog-specific area that attracts a great variety of smaller dogs.  Everything from Chihuahua's to Silkie's to Scottie's to Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and everything in between.   There seems to be little drama among the dogs so it is quite fun to watch them run and play together. 

Cole making dog friends at Normandale Park

The bed I ordered earlier this week arrived yesterday and I am happy to report it is so comfortable, I decided to sneak in a nap this afternoon just to enjoy it a little more.  Unfortunately that cut into the time I had set aside to explore Laurelhurst Park but I am sure I will find time another day to do that.   

This coming Friday is the 4th of July so I will be heading to the coast, hopefully with a friend, to Manzanita for the parade and fireworks.  This is something I've wanted to do for several years now so it is pretty cool that it will finally be happening in just a few days.

Stay tuned as I continue to explore this amazing city and the beautiful areas that surround it!!

My Green Heaven

After much anticipation, I have finally made it to Oregon and not just to visit but to live!  The journey was long but worth every mile.  After wrapping things up with both of my jobs in Madison, packing up and cleaning my apartment and saying farewell to friends and family, Cole and I hit the road for a 2,133 mile drive through 7 states over the course of 3 days.  We headed west through Iowa and stopped 12 hours later in North Platte, Nebraska where I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I could get sushi delivered to my hotel room.  Shortly before arriving at our hotel, I was lucky enough to witness a thunderstorm rolling through off in the distance and even luckier to have my very own storm roll through right overhead.

Thunderstorm in Nebraska

Early the next morning, Cole and I continued west toward Wyoming with the goal of reaching South Jordan, Utah by early evening.  Entering eastern Utah via Highway 80 proved to be nothing short of spectacular with mountains and steep, winding roads.  We arrived at the hotel earlier than anticipated which was fortuitous since our hotel was located within minutes of the Wasatch Mountains which was quite the site to see.   Unfortunately, this is where I discovered my laptop was having serious issues and knew I would have to tend to them once I arrived in Portland.

Wasatch Mountains in Utah

Knowing Oregon was a mere 775 miles away, we got going extra early on the final day.  We headed northwest through Idaho and entered Ontario, Oregon on Highway 84 surrounded by mountains.  Everything we drove through from that point on toward Portland was amazing.  We drove over several mountains and enjoyed the breathtaking scenery in the Columbia River Gorge.  We arrived in Portland around 5:30 pm and after unloading the car and meeting my new rooommate and her dogs, was left with the house to myself for the night to unpack and unwind.

Columbia River Gorge

I awoke the next morning to a dead laptop but headed to the coast with Cole anyway to explore the northern section which was the only part left I had not yet seen.  We started at Indian Beach in Cannon Beach and then headed north toward Seaside through Gearhart and then to Astoria.  I figured why stop there and continued over the Astoria - Megler Bridge into Washington where I stopped to take in the view of Cape Disappointment which was not disappointing at all.  On the way back to Portland I picked up a new laptop which is working well to help acquaint me with the city and learn the public transportation system that I successfully used to get back from dropping off the rental car at the airport the other day.

Cole at Indian Beach

There is so much to look forward to here but I don't think it has totally sunk in that I have really arrived.  Today while walking back from the dog park with Cole, I took time to really observe the neighborhood.  The flowers, plants and trees that are so much unlike what I am used to in Wisconsin.  Each house has unique little features, architecture and landscaping.  The diversity in all the people walking down the streets.  The little differences like how you are not allowed to pump your own gas and the composting containers that you get in addition to the normal recycling and trash containers.  I'm looking forward to exploring more starting this weekend when I will meet up with a friend to check out Jones Creek in the Tillamook State Forest and next week when I head to the coast for 4th of July fireworks.  Stay tuned, there are many adventures (and photographs) waiting to happen!!

To see all of my candid, one-handed, cell phone pictures along the way from Madison to Oregon, click here. 

Daring to Imagine

After three years of hoping, wishing and dreaming of moving to Oregon it is finally happening.  And quickly I might add.  Once I got the news that a job awaited me in Portland, I devoted all of my energy to the logistical tasks of relocating cross country:  finding a place to live, hiring movers, changing addresses, cancelling utility services, etc.  With just eight days left in Wisconsin and finally having a minute alone where I am not inundated with a slew of tasks to do, a bit of the whole thing hit me:  my entire life is about to change!  This realization is both terrifying and exhilarating. 

My furniture is going into storage.  I will no longer be living alone.  I will be foregoing access to a vehicle and will be learning to use a new public transportation system.  I will be spending most of my work day outside, walking around Portland instead of in an office.  I will know very few people.  I will have no favorite restaurants, music venues, coffee shops or parks.  I have no idea where my veterinarian, grocery store, post office or library will be.  I have no idea what the next chapter of my life will look like.  And you know what?  That's completely OK.  I am daring to imagine I can have a different life.

For those of you who have always been mostly content with how your life is, part of me envies you and the other part of me feels sad for you.  I have never felt settled or content.  I have always been looking toward something new.  The next big thing.  It's probably part of the reason I have a bucket list a mile long and take great joy in planning trips and making goal lists.  I have no idea what it would feel like to not want for something.  Someone once asked me if I suddenly accomplished everything I had dreamed of right now, would I be content?   The answer was clear, I hope not!  What would life be like if I never hoped or dreamed for something in the future?  I'm not talking about things.  I'm talking about adventures, people and learning.  For better or worse, I thrive on the experiences that come with taking risks.  Of not standing still.  Of going after the things I want.  Or think I might want.  Changing my mind.  Making mistakes.  Sometimes that works out and sometimes it doesn't.  Either way it goes, the experience of that adventure helps me discover a little more of who I am and who I want to be.  How sad it is to me to think that there are people who will never know the feeling of stepping into the unknown.  Of risking what is easy for what might be great.  When you take a chance on your dreams, they might just come true. 

Thank you to all those who have genuinely shared in my excitement for this new adventure I am about to embark upon.  Your support means more than I can convey.  I am embracing the possibilities of what could be and I have confidence that no matter what the future holds for me, this all will be meaningful.  For the few of you know don't understand or think I am making a mistake, thank you for lighting a fire in my soul to live the best life I can and to enjoy every moment of the journey just a little bit more. 

For a glimpse into some of the things I love, and to see a bit of Oregon through my eyes, check out my photography here.  

Louie Schwartzberg

I first learned of Louie Schwartzberg when he gave a TED Talk a few years ago.  About six months ago, I discovered a few of his short films, on Netflix that completely blew me away.  Then a couple months after that, I came across an interview he did with Oprah.  If you have not heard of this person, and you love nature and photography like me, you need to know who he is.

He is on a short list of people who inspire me and one of two major contributing factors that prompted me to finally make the move to Oregon and get involved with conservation work.  His feelings on photography and how important it can be are thought provoking.  His Moving Art:  Oceans film is probably the single most beautiful piece of cinematography I have ever seen.  It perfectly portrays what I love so much about the west coast.

“I hope my films inspire and open people’s hearts.  Beauty is nature’s tool for survival – you protect what you love.  If I can move enough people on an emotional level, I hope we can achieve the shift in consciousness we need to sustain and celebrate life.” - Louie Schwartzberg

I hope you take some time to learn more about his work, his message and take away a little something like I did that can change your world too.

My photography is a work in progress but I hope one day to be half as good as Schwartzberg.  To see my nature journey in photos, visit my Flickr page here.  

June Bugs: Zombie/Vampires of the Bug World

With the Memorial Day weekend comes an extra day for outdoor fun and this past weekend's weather was perfect for all sorts of activities in the Madison area. I spent the weekend enjoying backyard patio lounging, bike riding at the UW Arboretum, live music at Wurst Times and the Memorial Union Terrace, hiking at Indian Lake Park, BBQ's and even some mini-pontoon lake-cruising on Windsor Lake. 

Lilacs at UW Arboretum

Hiking at Indian Lake Park

"Boating" on Windsor Lake

Unfortunately, with the warmer weather comes the bugs and inevitably the season's first June bug sighting.  For those unaware, I have a terrible phobia of these not-so-small bugs.  I know they are harmless to humans but their size, sound, looks and propensity for aimless flight patterns puts them in my self-created category of super-scary-things.  Growing up a tom-boy, I had a hand in many things most girls would have avoided:  worms, fishing, snakes, tooling around on my bike and subsequently wiping out from pushing the speed limits.  Spiders and ticks aren't my favorite things but they don't stop me from doing anything I love.  So why does this beetle paralyze me with such fear?

June Bug

I can recall a number of terrifying experiences starting as far back as I can remember with my mom telling me about catching and putting them in jars when she was a kid.  Apparently they used to put sticks in there to watch them grab onto.  My mom decided to put her finger in one time and apparently the bug had enough taunting and decided to latch on.  Her screaminng and violent hand shaking wasn't enough to rid the creature from her hand and she flailed helplessly until eventually getting the bug off.  I think the image I created in my head of her experience scarred me for life.

I remember one crawling across the kitchen floor one night as a kid, slowly toward me as I screamed for help that never came.  I remember them hanging onto our screens, buzzing their wings trying to get in toward the light.  I remember seeing their eyes, which seemed to glow slightly and certain they were coming for me.  Ridiculous, you say, right?

Flash to a few years later, being at my grandpa's cabin in Winter, Wisconsin with my cousins and other family.  They were everywhere that one night and me and my one cousin sought refuge inside the cabin but couldn't contain our screams which set my youngest cousin to crying.  My grandpa kicked open the door from outside and it hit my cousin hard, sending him even further into a tailspin and garnered us a harsh scolding from all adults involved all the while still in panic mode.

One night my old beagle Max, who was outside on his tether, got tangled around a tree.  He began to bark to alert me to his need for assistance and before I could open the door, I saw that they were swarming the light on the patio, standing between me and Max.  I hoped my husband at the time would be coming home from work soon but in time I realized he must be working late.  Not wanting the barking to aggravate the upstairs neighbors, I had to deal with the situation myself.  I put on long sweatpants that cinched tight at the bottom, a hooded sweatshirt that I could cinch the hood closed over most of my head and face.  I tucked my hands into my sleeves and made a mad dash out the door, grabbed Max under one arm and ran back into the house as fast as I could.  Once inside, I frantically ripped off the garments, fearful that one of the bugs had attached itself to my clothes.  I then proceeded to have my first panic attack complete with hyperventilating, tears and almost passing out. 

Fast forward a year or so later, I find myself taking out some garbage to the dumpster of my apartment.  I'm not sure how I managed to come out the door and not notice them but in the dark of the dumpster, I could hear them flying around.  I ran back as quickly as I could to get back into the building and saw the door covered in them, swarming the light.  I started to panic because not only were they by the light, but apparently they were in the parking lot too.  In a moment of desperation, I ran into the building hoping none would fly into me.  Once inside, I proceeded to have my second panic attack.

One night out at my favorite watering hole, Topp's Hideaway in Windsor, I was talking to a friend in the ladies room.  She was in the stall, I was by the sink washing my hands.  All of the sudden, she screams a bone chilling shriek.  Apparently one had crawled up her leg and into her pants.  She wasn't sure what it was and when she reached down to pull it out, saw it was a huge june bug, threw it, stomped it and ran out of the stall.   Once she filled me in, we both screamed and ran from the bathroom in panic. 

Just a couple of years ago, my home in Deforest had it's own infestation of these awful bugs.  They were no where to be seen and then it would get dark and once the screen porch door was opened and the motion light came on, you could see tons of them fly in from the pine tree and head toward the light.  One night when I had plans to go into Madison late at night, I had to make another mad dash out the door and to the car.  I waited for the light to be off for a long time.  When I didn't hear them anymore, I ran out as fast as I could and got into my car.  Aha!  I thought.  I made it!  Then I was surprised to hear one in the car very near my head.  It must have hitched a ride with me.  I jumped out of the car and began to panic, once again.  I called my boyfriend, who I was supposed to go see, to tell him the debacle I was in.  I couldn't go in the car and I couldn't go back into the house.  I cried.  I screamed.  I felt so incredibly helpless and scared.  I managed to track down the bug in my car and half stun it with my shoe and kicked it out.   I quick jumped in and drove away.

That same season, at a friend's wedding at the East Side Club, I was having a fun night with friends, enjoying the celebration.  Leisurely minding my own business by the bar with wine in hand, I felt something hit me in the head.  I jumped, batted at it with my hand, not sure what it was, and much to my surprise, see one hit the ground.  The realization that it was in my hair and touched my hand was more than I could stand.  Shortly thereafter, I said goodbye to everyone and left.

Most recently, a couple of nights ago, the June bugs barricaded me in my apartment building by overrunning each entrance door of the building. Poor Cole is on a daylight only walking schedule now until they run their course which hopefully won't take more than a week or two.   

I did a little research on these bugs which are all over North America.  They grow from one half to one and a half inches in length.  They burrow into the ground, when they aren't making my life hell, are nocturnal and have an overwhelming attraction to light.  Oddly, too much light exposure can kill them.  They eat plants but as far as I can see, not other bugs (which is why I tolerate spiders fairly well, knowing the good they do).  So, as far as I can tell, June bugs are like zombie/vampires of the bug world.  They only come out at night, the light can kill them but they slumber most of the time in the ground until the temperature is right and then they emerge, ready to terrorize.  Ok, maybe this is a little over-dramatic but can you really blame me knowing the history I have with them?  

For more of my nature photography (where you won't see any June bugs) visit my Flickr page.