Blessings in Disguise

IslandWood, Bainbridge Island, Washington 2007

Do you have a moment in time when you can pinpoint the single most significant change in your life? I can, and it happened in August of 2007. I had been in my new position as the Finance and Administration Assistant for the National Credit Union Foundation in Madison, Wisconsin for less than a month and was sent on my first business trip (ever in my life) for ten days. I spent those ten days on Bainbridge Island, Washington with a group of fifty strangers from all corners of the United States as well as several other countries.  There were no modern day conveniences I had thought to expect while traveling such as television, vending machines, or even caffeinated beverages.  We were located at a place called IslandWood in the middle of 250 acres of forest. This was long before I discovered my love for the outdoors and camping and amidst a hefty caffeine dependency.  Needless to say, I was extremely uncomfortable, lonely and feeling far from home. I almost resigned and hopped a plane back to Wisconsin right then and there on my first night. Luckily, I stayed and spent twelve hours or more on each of those days in close proximity to this group of strangers, helping to facilitate experiences for the group to work together, learn from each other and discover the true spirit of cooperative principles, credit union philosophy and international development issues. I was intrigued with all the stories and experiences these people shared. These people, who had traveled the world, living for extended periods of time in exotic places, making lifelong friends along the way all while making a real difference for real people and their families, were inspiring.  I never knew that life could be lived with that kind of purpose and passion.

I started to reflect on my own life: Who was I? What was I doing with my life? Where was I going? What sort of legacy would I be leaving behind? It did not take me long to realize that I was not living my life, I was just merely existing. I wasn't truly applying myself to anything.  I was in a co-dependent marriage, settling for less than I needed with no real goals or vision for my future. I made a conscious decision that I needed to change my life and in a big way, although I knew I would have to start small and work my way up to the bigger things. I used that one experience at IslandWood, that one week in time, to make the single biggest and most important change in my life thus far.

Keep purpose constant ~ A favorite saying of Edward Filene, father of the U.S. credit union movement

From that point on, I began a deliberate shift in how I would do things.  I started small, with trying new foods.  Then, I started to look at opportunities with my "yes" goggles on.  I wanted to seize every opportunity that made sense, regardless of my fear, or the possibility of failure. Realizing the difficulty that exists in making true friends, I founded the Madison Women's Social Meetup group as a platform for women of diverse backgrounds to gather for the sole purpose of developing meaningful and lifelong friendships.  Most of my closest friendships today are due to the women I met in that group and better yet, there have been many similar success stories for other women in the group. This was my first taste of what it could mean to do something that was bigger than me, that could have longterm effects for the world around me. After several years of success and growing the group to over 800 members, I decided it was time to move on to other endeavors, so I handed over the leadership to someone new and the group continues to be successful for the women in Madison, Wisconsin.

The very first meeting of the Madison Women's Social Meetup Group

The confidence I gained from seeing the success of that group gave me the courage to do more.  I went back to school and also began volunteering for Alliance for Animals, to support causes that I was passionate about: animal and environmental rights.  Then, I got divorced, again.  At the time, it felt like my biggest failure  -- getting divorced not once but twice before I was even thirty years old. Thank goodness for a great therapist who talked me through some very dark days. It didn't take much time at all to realize that my divorce was exactly what I needed to happen to really succeed in my pursuit of a meaningful life.  I started to travel more.  First to Orlando for my 29th birthday to visit a coworker and then a few months later to New York City with a friend.  I took a series of solo trips, first to Mexico then to Las Vegas and then a road trip, based solely on seeing an artists work on the internet that moved me so much that I simply had to see it in person -- Ohio being the closest place I could do that at the time. Solo traveling is an experience that I think everyone, especially women, should have.  There is a lot to be learned about yourself when you have no one to rely on and need to make your own way in the world.

The connections I made through volunteering at Alliance for Animals led to a job opportunity managing an animal shelter in Neenah, Wisconsin. The idea of helping animals while in a leadership role was alluring. I knew it would be challenging, involve a huge time commitment and would mean leaving behind everything I had built in Madison.  I decided to go for it and packed my bags and moved a couple hours away to Oshkosh for the opportunity. It was challenging, as I knew it would be, but also rewarding.  I learned a lot along the way, everything from managing people to the politics of the nonprofit world. The best part of the experience though was making a sudden and unplanned decision to adopt a little black pug name Coleman -- named after the city in which he was born.  He was surrendered by a recently divorced woman whose long work hours didn't afford her the time to give him the love and care he needed. Enter Cole -- the number one best decision in my life!

Hiking with Cole at Pewitt's Nest, Wisconsin

When the shelter job no longer aligned with my values, I resigned and moved back to the Madison area, this time to Verona, and then shortly thereafter back to the west side of Madison.  Seven or so months later, I decided to sell everything I owned and relocate to Seattle, Washington in pursuit of something new, something bigger -- although I wasn't sure exactly what that would be.  After an amazing cross country road trip with Cole and my two cats, I was saddened when I quickly discovered that permanent work was harder to come by than I expected and the temporary work that I was promised ahead of time wasn't panning out.  I quickly went through what little money I had in savings, and reluctantly decided to move back to Wisconsin. From the outside looking in, it was seen as yet another failed endeavor -- on top of taking a chance on a job that didn't work out and two failed marriages. I got a tattoo the day before I moved back to Wisconsin. Despite feeling defeated, lost and not sure what I was going to do next, I wanted to commemorate the circumstances that had gotten me to that point and count my blessings for all the opportunities for growth and change that had come into my life after making that one big decision at IslandWood because of the people I met through DE training.

CUDE tattoo, Seattle, Washington 2010

Once back in Wisconsin, I went back to school, yet again. I worked temporary gigs through employment agencies and got politically involved when the Scott Walker protests started in Madison after watching a co-worker at a temp job essentially being silenced by her ultra-conservative husband. I applied and was accepted into Organizing For America as a community organizer and I even participated in a conference call with President Obama.  Then another connection from my volunteer days at Alliance for Animals approached me about volunteering for her newly formed non-profit organization, Heartland Farm Sanctuary. Through a series of events in which I said "yes" instead of the more realistic "no", I landed a paid gig. With other passionate and kind people, I helped bring one visionaries goal of building an organization from scratch that not only helped animals but also people suffering from trauma, to fruition.

Cannon Beach, Oregon 2011

Meanwhile, a plane voucher, gained from purchasing a flight back to Wisconsin from Seattle in anticipation for my sisters wedding, sat unused. Unbeknownst to me, the decision to use that voucher for an Oregon vacation with a good friend would yet again change my life in a big way that I had no way of seeing was coming.  Once I took that first footstep onto the Oregon coast, I was hooked.  I had found the home that I never knew was missing but had always felt it's absence.  I vowed one day to call Oregon home -- but this moment was not the time.

After my divorce, I focused on pursuing a life of purpose and after three years of solitude, I ventured into my first relationship.  During that relationship, I discovered my true love of hiking, nature and photography that, together with my Oregon vacation, sparked an appetite for nature adventures. After a year and a half, the relationship had run it's course and it became clear that I needed to move on. With a heavy heart, I made the difficult decision to end the relationship but I started writing again -- something I hadn't done in years -- and thinking more seriously about Oregon. Within four months, I met someone else who seemed pretty great and we dated for the next six months but alas, it didn't work out either. Shortly thereafter, my grandfather lost his battle with Alzheimer's and passed. After his funeral, I reflected yet again on my own life, as so many people do in these types of situations. What was I doing with my life?  What would I be remembered for?  Was I really happy with where I was at in life?

I decided it was the right time to make my move to Oregon. I worked hard to gain some extra income by picking up a contract job coordinating the Verona Hometown Days festival and, together with my gala bonus from Heartland, invested it in a nice camera and then a cross country move to Oregon. Since the move to Oregon, I've had many adventures in nature which I used the photos from to start my photography website.  I've also had two relationships, neither of which worked out but both contributed to me growing and learning a lot more about myself and what I needed in a relationship to be happy.

So what has changed in the last eight years since that one experience sparked the new direction in my life?  A lot.  In ways I could never have imagined.  From events that could easily be seen as failures to anyone looking in from the outside. I, myself, felt like a failure many times over but all of these experiences have helped me gain a strong sense of independence and confidence that I can pursue anything I put my mind to.  I learned how to connect with people better.  I learned how to go after what I want. I learned how to not settle for less than what I deserved. I developed a desire for spontaneity and adventure.  I live a life of compassion for people, animals and the environment.  I believe in karma and following the golden rule to do unto others as you'd like done to you -- even when it would be easier to wish ill upon someone who hurts you. I continually make time for introspective self-reflection through writing and solitude in nature. I allow myself to dream big but still live a simple life that values experiences over things.

We're all in a constant state of change.  Of growing.  Of improving. Of experiencing setbacks.  Often, what seems like a failure at any given time may just be a jumping off point to something so much better.  Although difficult to do, it's important to have faith that where we are is exactly where we are supposed to be and what is happening to us is exactly what's meant to be happening. There is no telling what we'll take away from those experiences and and how we'll apply that to our decisions going forward.  Life really is a mix of destiny and simply floating like a feather on the breeze. But what really makes up a persons life? Is it the things we leave behind?  Or the people we've touched? Perhaps it's the memories we've built?  Or the art we create?  I'm fairly certain that these questions can be answered simply by being open to what life puts in front of us and listening to our instincts when deciding what next step to take, in whatever direction we're meant to go.

To view more of my photography from my nature-adventures, visit:

Kristin Roosmalen Photography on Zenfolio

or

Kristin Roosmalen Photography on Flickr

So Many Adventures!

Fall has arrived in Portland.  The leaves are beginning to change from their myriad greens to beautiful reds, yellows and orange. The days are getting shorter and the nights a little cooler.  The rain is beginning to come back here and there.  Perhaps most appreciated is the disappearance of the unusual amount of ninety degree days. Besides the natural beauty that blankets the area, the moderate weather is one of the things I looked forward to most when moving here.  Mother nature sure does seem to have a sense of humor, I've found.

The second half of summer has been filled with much exploring: waterfalls, the coast, parks, hiking, camping, road tripping, concerts, mountains and more. I've been so busy exploring, that I've done a poor job of reporting back here to give you the stories behind the photos.  If you've been following along on Facebook, you've seen the pictures but here are some of the stories behind my recent Pacific Northwest adventures.

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls is a 120 foot waterfall located in Corbett, about 40 minutes east of Portland in the Columbia River Gorge.  Here I experimented with my first (of what will probably be many) long exposure shots.  Afterward, I stopped at the Crown Point overlook to watch the sunset over the Gorge. On the way home, coming around a bend, the moon was looking spectacular behind some light fog and high cliffs so I stopped to snap some photos from the roadside.

Indian Beach

Indian Beach is one of my favorite spots to visit on the Northern Oregon coast -- I go back often, it never gets old. It's located within the Ecola State Park grounds, about 90 minutes west of Portland.  On this particular visit I had the pleasure of observing lots of crabs hanging out in between the rocks that cover the southern end of the beach.






Mt. Tabor

When I first moved to Portland from Madison, Wisconsin, I lived in Northeast Portland near 60th & Glisan.  Mount Tabor Park is very close and Cole and I walked there once on a hot summer day but unfortunately we did not get to explore the park much at all that day.  I finally went back this summer and enjoyed the views. To the west is a birds eye view of Portland and Mount Hood can be seen to the east.  On this visit, all the views were taken in among the beautiful golden glow of the evenings slow setting, summer sun.

Fret Creek & Oval Lake 

A secluded 5 mile trail in the Mount Hood National Forest, Fret Creek and Oval Lake were challenging but rewarding experiences.  The trail started with a steep incline which eventually leveled out for a long while but toward the end, turned very steep for quite some time.  The serenity of the forest trees made up for the effort though.  After reaching the end of the trail and sitting by Oval Lake for some time, the weather had cooled dramatically and the wind picked up. On the way home to Portland, I enjoyed a delightful dinner at Timberline Lodge and finally was able to get a table by a window with a view that seemed to look out into forever.

Providence Bridge Pedal 2015

For twenty years, Providence Health and Services has hosted an annual Bridge Pedal fundraiser where, this year, 20,000 participants rode their bikes over the many bridges over the Willamette River that connect the east and west sides of Portland.  Taking photos of the riders is not something that would ever have occurred to me to do on my own, since I normally stick to nature and landscapes, but I'm happy I accepted the invitation to try my hand on a new subject. Shooting from the St. John's Bridge, I was delightfully surprised to see how so many of the riders came alive and hammed it up for the photographs.  It was one of those rare moments that somewhat restored my hope in the good of human kind.

Seattle & Mt. Rainier

I had another work trip to my firm's Seattle office and since this time I was healthy and cold virus-free, I took the opportunity to walk around the city a bit and explore, something I hadn't done since I lived there in 2010.  I finally made a visit to Pike's Place Market.  A band was performing which drew a decent crowd.  I also explored a bit more around the Space Needle and discovered a lovely art museum and sculpture garden called Chihuly Garden and Glass where I could easily spend a years salary if I was so inclined. After two days in Seattle, I drove back to Portland but stopped for another visit at Mt. Rainier National Park.  Along the way, I stopped at several points to take photos of the mountain, surrounding scenery and especially enjoyed my time at Reflection Lake.  As you may be able to guess, the lake serves as a perfect mirror to capture the reflection of Mt. Rainier.


Labor Day Weekend Road Trip

Painted Hills

Blue Pool

My Labor Day weekend consisted of a 1,872 mile road trip through Washington, Oregon and California and yielded over 1,300 pictures. From Portland, I drove east through the Gorge and then north to Leavenworth, Washington, a Bavarian style town nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountain range, where I encountered a strangely aggressive man preaching "the word of God". Next I enjoyed my first Dave Matthews Band concert at the Gorge Amphitheater. The view of the Gorge from high up on the hillside was definitely a spectacular backdrop to the stage and music that emanated from it.

The next day I stopped at Palouse Falls before driving through Starbuck on the way back to Oregon to see the Painted Hills.  I camped at 5,000 feet elevation in the Ochoco National Forest where I may or may not have had a close encounter with Bigfoot.

The next morning I watched the sun rise at Smith Rock State Park before driving the McKenzie Pass Scenic Byway west, stopping at Dee Wright Observatory and enjoying the view of the Three Sisters (mountain) and a huge lava field. Continuing west, I stumbled upon the Smith Reservoir before hiking the Tamolitch section of the McKenzie river trail to the Blue Pool which held water bluer than what I had seen at Crater Lake several years before. Not quite ready to head home yet, I drove toward the coast and stopped to walk the beach and watch the sunset in Bandon, my favorite city on the southern Oregon coast.

Giant Redwood Tree

After an unsettling night at a shady hotel in Brookings, Oregon, I drove south on Highway 101, stopping for a bit in Crescent City, where I found a neat pier shrouded in fog.  I continued south to visit the magnificent coastal Redwood trees and then, before turning north to head back home to Portland, I took the scenic Highway 299 east through the Shasta-Trinity National Forest to pay a visit to the mystical Mt. Shasta but not before stopping for a quick visit at Castle Crags State Park for a sneak peak of the mountain from a distance.


Camping at Spruce Run

Located about an hour west of Portland, not too far off Highway 26 on Lower Nehalem Road is the Henry Rierson Spruce Run campground in the Tillamook State Forest.  Here, I camped at a beautiful, secluded site along the Nehalem River among friends and after exploring the rivers edge and campground a bit, enjoyed a lovely night of interesting conversation around the soft glow of a warm camp fire with the comforting sounds of the Nehalem River rushing by in the background.



Cannon Beach

Although Cannon Beach is the birth place of my love affair with the Oregon coast in 2011, it is not my most favorite of places to visit as a now resident of this great state of Oregon. It tends to be overcrowded with visitors and parking is frequently hard to come by. There are a lot of great art galleries and shops to explore though and of course the magnificent 235 foot Haystack Rock provides for a spectacular backdrop. On this particular trip, I began to see the more charming qualities of this little town and enjoyed eating some of Mo's famous food at a picnic table alongside the beach.  The seagulls made for great entertainment, one of which sadly had a fishing hook stuck in his beak, but seeing as he was bigger than most of the other seagulls, he seemed to be getting by quite well.

As the winter approaches, my nature-adventures may slow down a bit but I'm looking forward to using the time to work on processing and perfecting some of my shots from this summer and sharing them with area publications and social media outlets that may be of interest.  This also means there will be more prints available for purchase on my website, if you're so inclined, so check back there frequently.

To view more of my photography from my nature-adventures, visit:

Kristin Roosmalen Photography on Zenfolio

Kristin Roosmalen Photography on Flickr

Happiness is....

"How many of us, I wonder, can recall that childhood moment when we experienced happiness as a state of being, that single moment of untarnished joy that moment when everything in our world, inside and out, was alright, everything was alright." - Hector and the Search for Happiness

Recently, Netflix recommended that I watch a movie called Hector and the Search for Happiness. I never heard of it before but Netflix suggested if I watched it, I would rate it five stars.  Since I rarely rate movies that highly, I decided to give it a try.   Essentially, the  movie is about a psychiatrist named Hector who travels the globe searching for what makes people happy.  Throughout the movie, he creates a list of the ideas he comes up with.  Below is Hector's list.  

1.   Making comparisons can spoil your happiness.

2.   A lot of people think happiness means being richer or more important.
3.   Many people only see happiness in their future.
4.   Happiness could be the freedom to love more than one woman at the same time.
5.   Sometimes happiness is not knowing the whole story.
6.   Avoiding unhappiness is not the road to happiness.
7.   Does this person bring you predominantly A. up B. down?
8.   Happiness is answering your calling.
9.   Happiness is being loved for who you are.
10. Sweet Potato Stew!
11. Fear is an impediment to happiness.
12. Happiness is feeling completely alive.
13. Happiness is knowing how to celebrate.
14. Listening is loving.
15. Nostalgia is not what it used to be.

This movie and this list got me wondering what would make it onto my "list"?  I have to agree with a lot from the list above, particularly the ideas of being loved for who we are and not avoiding unhappiness.  

For me, waking up each morning with Cole curled up next to me and snuggling him makes me feel happy.  

After a nature adventure, looking through my photos and finding one especially good shot in the bunch makes me happy. 

Having one life-long friend who knows more about me than anyone else in the world makes me happy.  

Having the freedom to pursue my dreams and make my own decisions makes me happy.  

No matter what happens, my family will always love me and knowing that makes me feel happy (and secure). 

Living life as my authentic self makes me happy (although it seems one of the hardest things to actually do). 

With all the things I know make me feel happy for moments, I'm still not sure what it means to actually "be happy". I know it can't be something we are every moment of every day.  I also know that without knowing unhappiness, we would have no barometer for what happiness is. The filmakers of Hector and the Search for Happiness have their own idea of what "happiness is".  Watch it and let me know what you think.  

Travel Buddies

Picking the right travel buddy can mean the difference between night and day while on an adventure. Choose the right person and the trip is great.  You have good conversations, explore more and time flies with little to no drama.  Pick the wrong person and you can find yourself turning back before the adventure even begins.  Or even find yourself in a whole new realm of adventure filled with frustrations and hurt feelings. I've had my share of both over the years but mostly I've been fortunate to have good experiences when I choose to bring someone along with me and Cole on an adventure.

Jessie Honeyman Memorial State Park

Recently, I experienced polar opposite sides of that spectrum.  A few weeks ago, I took two different trips to the coast.  The first was a planned two night camping trip in Florence with a friend.  I was eagerly looking forward to cooler temps, exploring sand dunes and enjoying some beers by a campfire.  A couple days before the trip, the drama began and didn't stop until I found myself driving home early in 3 hours of silence because there was nothing left to say to each other. Shortly after that trip, I went on a day trip to the coast, this time in Northern Oregon/Southern Washington.  The trip was easy, fun and time just flew.  Before we knew it, our one day trip turned into a two day adventure with an over night stay in Port Angeles near the Olympic National Park.  It was completely unplanned for and completely fun, regardless.

These two experiences got me to thinking about past travel buddies.  Immediately I thought of Jim, an old boyfriend that was always up for an adventure.  Together we explored all sorts of things: trails, rivers, parks, camping spots, caves and so much more.  This is when I discovered my love of hiking which prompted me to make my photography hobby a high priority in my life.  He was also interested in photography and together we would spend hours snapping hundreds of shots that would probably bore the pants off any of my non-photographer friends.  After each trip, we would compare shots.  It inspired us to try new angles, and experiment more with our cameras.  I like to think it made us both better photographers.

Kalaloch Beach

One of our more memorable adventures is one in which everything went wrong.  We rented tubes and floated down the Sugar River in Wisconsin.  The river was low which made reaching our end point take a lot longer than planned.  The lower water level also meant that our butts scraped along about a hundred different rocks that hid under the surface of the water.  Each time it happened to me, I'd scream out in surprise -- terrifying anyone within earshot of us which made Jim laugh.  My waterproof sunblock didn't hold out for the length of our float and I ended up with a pretty good sunburn.  Somewhere along the river Jim lost his keys, leaving us with no way to get home, so we had to call friends to come out and help.  We handled it all with laughter though and we looked back upon that day fondly.  Sometimes when everything goes wrong is when you realize how right it is.

After everything went "wrong"

Sometimes I think preparing for a trip is less about things like gear, toothbrushes and maps and more about who you are with and the jokes and stories you tell and how resourceful you are along the way when faced with a difficult situation. I'm sure we all have people in our lives who either encourage us to laugh through the turmoil or who make even the best of circumstances the worst of situations. The next time you find yourself packing for your next adventure, my advice is to leave the Debbie or Doug-Downer behind and bring the Positive-Patricia or Paul.

For more photography from my nature-adventures, visit:

Kristin Roosmalen Photography on Zenfolio

Kristin Roosmalen Photography on Flickr

One Year an Oregonian!

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Five years ago I first came across this quote and it instantly resonated with me.  There was no way to know that I would very soon be falling in love with the state of Oregon and thus begin my quest of calling it home.  It took hard work, a little luck and 2,082 miles of driving but it happened, I realized my dream, and have now been an Oregonian for an entire year. Oregon and the surrounding areas of the Pacific Northwest are truly magical. Most of my weekends are spent exploring and there seems to be a never-ending supply of places to go. I have explored mountains, rivers, coastal beaches, waterfalls, all kinds of parks, wilderness and so much more.

Throughout my adventures this past year, my favorites may have been on the Oregon coast. No matter how you choose to get there from Portland, the drive is remarkable. I’ve developed a specific playlist for the drive via Highway 26 that I begin to play as I ascend the Oregon Coast Mountain Range.  The songs narrate the twists, turns, ups and downs through the towering trees of the Tillamook State Forest perfectly. If no stops are made and you continue south onto Highway 101, Twin Rocks, Oregon will begin to play as you arrive in Rockaway Beach – home of the infamous Twin Rocks that were the icon of my Oregon dream for the years leading up to my move. Watching the sea grass sway in unison with the wind at sunset while the ocean waves crashed upon the Twin Rocks as an official Oregonian was a special moment for me. Sometimes I like to just sit on the beach and watch the world go by:  young and old couples walking side by side holding hands, women walking solo enjoying the solitude of the ocean, men playing with their dogs, families building sand castles and flying kites, kids running into the ocean waves and quickly running back out again as the cool water gets a little too high on their bodies for comfort, and surfers paddling out to find the perfect wave.

Surfer at Indian Beach, Ecola State Park, Oregon

I've watched perfectly blue skies slowly transition to a brilliant rainbow of ever-changing hues during sunset in Bandon before fireworks exploded, shaking the cliff I stood upon, high above the ocean on the 4th of July. I’ve climbed steep coastal cliffs barefoot in Cannon Beach as mud squished between each toe. I’ve gazed in awe while eagles swooped down over the ocean on Indian Beach and elk slowly munched plants in Ecola State Park, seeming to pay no mind as I watched.  I have to admit it was the best nature show I’ve ever seen. The fog seems to have a mysterious personality all its own in the Pacific Northwest.  The way it creates laser beam-like rays through the forest trees at Ecola State Park is unforgettable. I've visited an abandoned shipwreck that enjoys a second life on land as curious visitors pose alongside for photos at Fort Stevens State Park. I've seen Thor's Well suck in the cool, Pacific waters and Spouting Horn push it right back out in Cape Perpetua. I've seen the way lighthouses send out a beacon of light in the night, momentarily illuminating the way before passing on by only to come back around, again and again. I've stood high upon the towering edges of Cape Disappointment while deer bound through the grassy edge as if the possibility of falling hundreds of feet below to crashing waves were nothing to fear. I've watched clouds circle around the eye of a storm as it approached land in Oceanside before heading up to visit a tree shaped like an octopus at Cape Meares State Park on my 35th birthday. I've seen water glisten off sparkling sand while wind-rippled dunes stood nearby at Neahkahnie Beach. I've heard mussels snap their threads as I walked on by at Neskowin Beach. I've watched seagulls ride the wind like kites, sometimes gliding while other times they appear to float completely still in the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor. Perhaps my favorite coastal adventure so far, I've fallen asleep to the sounds of the ocean after watching the sunset while beach camping on the central Oregon coast.

Paradise, Mount Rainier, Washington

The mountains and forests in the Pacific Northwest are truly enchanting. I've seen the most beautiful shades of moss, from velvety, emerald to shaggy, sea foam green, grow on everything that doesn't move, and even some things that do. I've stood on a fallen tree bridge over the Old Salmon River while crystal clear water rushed below over brown, orange, white and black stones before wading through the cool, mountain fed water while a family of ducks rode the rapids downstream. I was overwhelmed with child-like joy when a newt swam into my hand at Lost Lake, high upon Mount Hood. I've peered out from behind a waterfall at Silver Falls State Park and seen mist continuously swirl in the air through a meadow, like smoke rolling off a fire, at Tamanawas Falls. I’ve walked through the abrupt change of dry, hot summer air to cool, mountain air that hugs the river at Little Zig Zag Falls. I've seen the setting sun's rays as they cast shadows on canyon walls at Cottonwood Canyon and tumbleweeds roll over desolate roads that double as cattle trails near the Painted Hills. I've seen hundreds of caterpillars covering leaves, bridges and trails on a warm summer day in the Tillamook State Forest. I've seen a sea of green blanket the rolling hillsides of the Mount Hood Territory while driving up to Timberline Lodge as the peak of Mount Hood appeared, disappeared and then appeared again, over and over as I drove through the winding mountain roads. I’ve driven inside tunnels through cliffs that stretch to the sky and tower above in the Gorge as the Columbia River flowed by. I've stood on the perimeter of the devastation caused when Mount Saint Helens blew the year I was born.  Perhaps most brilliant of all my mountainous adventures was standing at Paradise upon Mount Rainier and feeling a connection with everything that has ever lived before, during, and after my time, all at the same time, as an unexpected rush of emotion overtook me.  I wonder if the same thing happened when John Muir stood in that very spot?

Washington Park, Portland, Oregon

Living in the epicenter of all this surrounding beauty, Portland, I’ve gazed over the entire city while Mount Hood stood watch from high above at Pittock Mansion. On clear days, I've seen multiple mountain tops in all directions while I simply just ran errands. I've seen sunlight break through the trees and shine a spotlight down to the forest floor as if to say, “this is your time to shine, little patch of earth” in Washington Park. Roses of every color line roadsides, parks, houses year-round.  For this mid-western girl, there is nothing quite like walking past a blooming rose bush in December while thinking of all my family and friends back home hunkered down for the winter to escape the snow and cold. I've watched moody fog creep through the West Hills in Portland during my early morning commutes to work, slowly obscuring everything it touches. I've taken in deep breaths of wood scented air after a light rain; even in the middle of the city, it smells like a forest. I've seen forest trees illuminated by the sun, highlighting every vein and outline of their leaves, gently move from side to side, creating a symphony of sounds in Forest Park.

The Pacific Northwest regularly overwhelms me with it’s beauty, mystery and wonder and I find myself thinking, how can this place be real? All my life, places like this only existed in movies and in books or in travel shows I used to watch.  Sometimes the beauty here is just too much to handle and literally takes my breath away.  I then groan with a sort of wonderful pain that starts in my chest and goes up to my throat because it’s just too much to handle.  At the same time, I just can’t get enough -- I  have found my home, my paradise.  The home that I never knew was missing, but always felt its absence.  The home that I, until stepping foot on the coast for the first time four years ago, never knew was waiting for me.  With so much happening in just my first year here, I eagerly look forward to the adventures awaiting me and Cole as we continue our journey, exploring and photographing the wild places of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.  I hope you'll continue to follow along!

In honor of my my first year as an Oregonian, I prepared the video below to highlight some of the most spectacular places I've been fortunate to photograph on my adventures.

More of my photography at 
Kristin Roosmalen Photography

Change of Plans

Several weeks ago, an old, out-of-town friend said she would be in Portland in early June and hoped we could spend some time together catching up.  That idea morphed into a 5-day road trip vacation, the would-be third of our Oregon adventures together.  We had planned to start our trip with a hike at Eagle Creek in the Gorge and visit to Bridge of the Gods before stopping at Cottonwood Canyon and then spending the night near Hell's Canyon.  The second day would be devoted to exploring the Wallowas in far eastern Oregon before moving on to the Painted Hills and Smith Rock on the third day.  We would explore the Central Cascade mountain range including driving through the McKenzie Pass and hiking to the Blue Pool on the fourth day and then end the trip on the fifth day at Silver Falls State Park.  It was the perfect road trip adventure!!  What actually happened though was something very, very different.  

Chanticleer Point

Day 1 - Wednesday:  While loading a weeks worth of supplies and camping gear into my car, I managed to pull a muscle in my back.  I loaded up on Ibuprofen and hoped that it wouldn't turn into anything debilitating.  We proceeded to stop in at the Toyota dealership for a quick fluid and tire pressure check before heading out of town.  We made a short stop at Chanticleer Point to take in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge and Vista Point view before proceeding to Cascade Locks to see the Bridge of the Gods.  We decided to pass on the Eagle Creek hike after reading that the parking area was known to have frequent car break-ins.  We kept going east on I-84 toward Cottonwood Canyon and decided due to the time, to just camp at their site for the night.  We set up our tent and enjoyed some food before our hike.  It was shaping up to be a glorious afternoon and evening for hiking and photography but before we could actually depart on our hike, my back started to tense up so much so that even standing or sitting was causing me extreme discomfort.  Realizing that I couldn't hike and that a night of sleeping on the ground probably wouldn't be the best thing for my recovery, we decided to head back to Portland for a good rest and we would come up with a new plan in the morning.  On the way home, we made a pit stop at Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood for a cocktail and snack. We got a great table but unfortunately, the clouds decided that we would not get to enjoy the view.  

Cottonwood Canyon

Day 2 - Thursday:  I awoke with my back not much better than when I had gone to sleep the night before.  We decided to take it easy in the morning and just watch a movie.  After resting more, I realized that even though I was in no condition to hike, I was probably up for some lounging on the beach so we decided to drive to coast and try out an unofficial beach camping spot I had heard about.  We carefully followed the directions I was given and were delighted that we were able to find the spot.  Finally, a victory for our road trip adventure!  We set up our tent at the base of a tall cliff and enjoyed the wind protection that the tent gave us while laying on our sleeping bags and watching and listening to the ocean waves.  As the sun began to set, we decided that before bed, we would move our tent up on top of a bluff to avoid any high-tide problems at 2:00 AM.  Even with the relaxing sound of the ocean and the mild weather, sleeping was difficult.  I may have managed to dose off a little here and there but mostly, I did not sleep.  

Beach camping on the coast

Day 3 - Friday:  At first light, shortly after 5:00 AM, we decided to pack up our gear and head into town to use a restroom and grab some hot coffee and warm food.  After getting our fill of both, we decided we would head north along the coast and stop and set up our tent at the first sunny beach spot we could find which turned out to be in Lincoln City. Our sunny spot didn't stay sunny long though.  A heavy fog rolled in and made itself comfortable for most of the day, taking our view down to just about twenty feet or so in front of our tent.  We tried to make the most of it and catch up on the sleep we were lacking but each time I began to doze off, Cole decided that he had something to say about absolutely nothing happening outside.  About six hours of that later, I decided I couldn't lay there any more and we packed up and headed back to Portland.  Once home, my friend realized that she was getting sick. Great.

Cole loves the coast!

Day 4 - Saturday:  We woke up Saturday morning and unfortunately, my friend was not feeling any better.  We decided to run to the Saturday Market so she could pick up some kombucha and then to Sauvie Island to pick up a boat load of fruits and veggies.  Unfortunately, none of these items were helping with her sickness so she opted to hang at home on my couch and rest. Since my back was feeling pretty good, I headed out with a friend to see a movie in Vancouver.  We never made it to the movie but did stop into several places for drinks and food before coming back to Portland to grab some sushi and drinks on NW 23rd.  

Neskowin Beach, home of Proposal Rock (not pictured)

Day 5 - Sunday: With my friend still sick and not up for any adventures and another hot day in the forecast for Portland, I decided to escape the heat and head back out to the coast with my friend from the night before.  We drove west on Hwy 6 and then south along Hwy 101, stopping at Proposal Rock to explore the beach and let our dogs run.  The little creek that normally is higher than I'd like to cross was low this day so we were able to easily cross and explore the other side of Proposal Rock for the very first time.  As usual, the dogs ran around like crazy and made friends with other dogs and people alike.  After a few hours, we decided to head out and continue south along the coast.  We made a food stop in Lincoln City and a coffee stop in Waldport before attempting to explore Driftwood Beach in Seal Rock.  In the rush to escape the heat in Portland, we didn't consider bringing sweatshirts and found the lack of sun, wind and 60 degree temperature to be prohibitive for beach enjoyment. We sat in the car in the parking lot and watched the ocean for a bit before deciding to fight the traffic and head back home to Portland.   

The view from behind North Falls

Day 6 - Monday:  This was originally set aside to be my recoup and prep for going back to work day but alas, my

visiting friend was finally feeling up for some hiking!!  I called up another friend to join us and we traveled along some winding, back-country roads to Silver Falls State Park, located a little over an hour south of Portland. Sadly, due to the 95 degree weather prediction, Cole had to sit this hike out. That did allow us the opportunity to hike a trail that would have been off limits had we had him with us so that was the only upside to leaving him behind. The park and waterfalls were as beautiful as their reputation boasted but the temperature quickly rose to an uncomfortable level and a little over two hours into the hike, we decided to cut it short and head back to the air conditioned car.  

Tuesday morning, I saw my friend off to the Greyhound station to continue her adventure to Seattle and I hopped on the Max to head back to a small mountain of work that awaited me there.  It was sad to miss out on all the fun things that were planned but I did enjoy the time away from work, the opportunity to spend some quality time with my friend and Cole, and even get a couple of decent photos along the way so it wasn't a complete fail.  I'm hoping my trip to Kansas early next month will go a little smoother than this one though.  

To see more of my nature photography, please visit my website here.

Catching Up

Times are busy for Cole and me in the land of Portland!  Here's some quick highlights of my adventures and happenings since my last post.  

TOUR GUIDE, EXTRAORDINAIRE! 

I hosted my third visitor from Wisconsin in the beginning of April.  True to form, I created an action packed itinerary for the occasion to highlight what I think are some of the coolest features of Portland and the surrounding areas.  

Day One

• Food Carts - What better first food in Portland experience than to hit the food carts?  We went to the giant pod near 10th and Alder.  I had a delicious kimchi quesadilla from the Korean cart and my friend had some steamed dumplings from another cart.  Both were generous in portion size and delicious.  
• Powell's - Any book lover must stop at Powell's while in Portland.  It's not too often that you get to go into a multi-level book store the size of a city block and then some.
• NW 23rd - Some great shops and cafes to walk to and explore line this street, all condensed within a few blocks.  I found the largest collection of bitters I've ever seen at The Meadow and picked out a nice bottle for my old-fashions and enjoyed some coffee and cute animal-shaped chocolates at Moonstruck Chocolate Cafe. 
• Portland City Grill - This restaurant is located on the 30th floor of a building downtown and has spectacular views of the city, Willamette River, Mount Hood and the Cascade Mountain range.  We enjoyed a glass of wine while sitting piano-side.
• le Bistro Montage - This restaurant came highly recommended by a friend and after learning that they send your leftovers home in foil-art, I figured we had to give it a try. The communal tables were not my favorite part but the food more than made up for it.
• Rontoms - After dinner, we enjoyed a couple of cocktails not too far away at Rontoms.  The open space, eclectic furniture, fireplace and music all made for a nice atmosphere to end the night.  

View of the Columbia River and Vista House from Chanticleer Point

Day Two

• Gorge - After reheating our cat and mouse shaped foil containers of food for breakfast, our first stop in the gorge was at Latourell Falls where after we did the short hike to the waterfall, we headed to Chanticleer Point for a spectacular view of the Columbia River valley and Vista House.  This is where I learned a had lost my cell phone.  Luckily, a good Samaritan found it and I was able to retrieve it at the Multnomah Falls visitor desk where they were so kind to leave it for me.
• Timberline Lodge - After my panic attack subsided from nearly losing my phone, we drove to the top of Mount Hood for lunch at Timberline Lodge.  As always, the food and rich wooden atmosphere was spectacular.
• Badgers Game - After sufficiently stuffing ourselves with food, we drove back to Portland and met up with the Badgers Meetup/UW Alumni Association at the Station on Alberta Street to watch the Wisconsin Badgers beat the Kentucky Wildcats and advance to the final game which called for victory donuts at Tonalli's and tacos at Sana Fe Taqueria.  

View of Cannon Beach from Ecola State Park

Day Three

• Ecola State Park - After a quick BK breakfast and grabbing a drive through coffee on Hwy 26, we went to Indian Beach at Ecola State Park where we were greeted by some elk on the side of the road.  After walking the beach a bit, we went over to the viewpoint to take in the spectacular view of Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock.
• Hug Point - After winding our way back through the beautiful coastal forest, we stopped at Hug Point where we explored the caves a bit and walked the beach.  
• Manzanita - We stopped in Manzinta for lunch at Left Coast Siesta and then did some shopping at a few stores including picking up some salt water taffy and a treat for Cole.
• Proposal Rock - We continued south and stopped to stretch our legs at Proposal Rock.  The tide was high so we couldn't do too much exploring of he rock since it was surrounded by water but it was a beautiful view nonetheless.
• Depoe Bay - We made it as far south as Depoe Bay before we decided it was time to head back to Portland due to the heavy rain. Once home, we ordered pizza for delivery and watched a move to unwind from the weekend.  My friend headed back to Wisconsin the next morning and I headed back to work.  

SIERRA CLUB PROJECT

Through a Meetup group, I learned the Sierra Club in Portland was looking for volunteer help on a project. They were putting together a team to help revise and publish a new edition of the 50 Hikes in the Tillamook State Forest book.  They are also going to include  the Clatsop State Forest in the revised edition.  My involvement in the project will consist of hiking the trails, taking photos for the book and possibly doing some writing to update the trail descriptions.  

WILLIAM SULLIVAN PRESENTATION

I was fortunate to be able to attend a presentation by William Sullivan at the Mazamas Center.  The topic was new hikes in Eastern Oregon and my-oh-my was it exciting to listen to him talk about his adventures and learning some of the history of the places he's gone to.  I was pleasantly surprised to learn he had more books that I wasn't aware of so my Amazon wish list has grown considerably since that night. The presentation came at a good time since I will be embarking upon another epic road trip adventure with a friend the first week in June. After seeing Bill's presentation, we will be heading east!  Stay tuned.....

PACIFIC PUG RESCUE

After running into two different people on two different days at the dog park who were fosters for the Pacific Pug Rescue, I decided the time had come for me and Cole to take that same step in our lives.  I completed an application and after my references and vet were called, a volunteer came over to do a home visit.  I'm happy to report that I have officially been approved to be a pug foster.  My first foster will come after attending their Fostering 101 class later this month.  So much puginess to look forward to!

MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK

View from Paradise, Mount Rainier National Park

I had another opportunity to travel to Seattle for work so on the way up, I made a stop at Mount Rainier.  This time, there was a lot more snow that my visit in fall.  I drove up to Paradise and then stopped at view points along the way as I descended the mountain.  It was National Parks Week and since the weather was beautiful and the entrance fee waived, there were a lot of other people to content with.  I'm happy to see so many people getting out and enjoying the National Park system but I think I prefer my park experiences with a little less humans.  





BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL

On opening day of ticket sales, I purchased one ticket for each of the three nights of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour at Cinema 21.  After having attended the festival in Madison last year, I knew what to expect: beauty and inspiration!!  All of the films focus on outdoor sports adventures, mountains, conservation and other naturey-things that speak to my heart and soul. The films this year were all spectacular.  I decided that if my budget will allow, I would like to make the trek to Banff, Alberta, Canada this fall for the annual nine day film and book festival.  Stay tuned....

Mount Hood and Portland as seen from Pittock Mansion

FOREST PARK

I did my first hike at Forest Park the other week.  The park stretches for seven miles in Northwest Portland and just a few hundred feet in on the trail you have no idea you are still in the city.  It's a wonderful place with many, many trails to choose from.  The other day I hiked one of the trails to Pittock Mansion which offers an amazing view of Portland from high up above the city.  



TIMBERS GAME

Another first, I attended a Timbers game.  Knowing nothing of soccer, but hearing good things about how fun the games are, I hoped my friend that I went with would be able to fill me in.  Unfortunately, it was his first game as well so we spent a lot of the game guessing at why some things were the way they were.  For instance, the group of guys in the corner of the field, off the game area, were doing synchronized movements together.  They sort of looked like a version of cheerleaders but I was informed later that they were probably just warming up.  The crowd was definitely a bit rowdier than I expected.  If the opposing team tripped up one of our players, the fans stood, yelled and booed in unison very loudly.  All during the game, songs were sung in unison as well.  I sense a theme here.

NEHALEM RIVER/OSWALD WEST STATE PARK

Surfer at Short Sand Beach

I attempted to hike my first trail in the Tillamook State Forest the other weekend. A beautiful drive, I was excited to hike the trail that ran for seven miles along the Nehalem River.  Sadly, once arriving at the parking area, my friend and I realized there was no trail head and that the gravel road was the trail.  The same exact road that cars drive down.  How can a road be considered a hiking trail?!? With our dogs in tow, we decided it wasn't our cup of tea.  To make the most of the day and drive, we decided to go to the coast instead.  We ended up at Oswald West State Park and hiked down to Short Sand Beach.  Once there, we let the dogs off-leash to tear up the sand while we explored.  There were lots of surfers, other dogs and even a waterfall.  All in all, it was a good turn of events.  

LOST LAKE

This weekend some friends joined me in a trip to Lost Lake in the Mount Hood National Forest.  After a two hour drive, half of which was spent on beautiful, winding country roads, we arrived at the lake.  The trail had spectacular views of Mt. Hood. The cool mountain lake water was crystal clear and filled with lots of little newts, one of which swam right into my hand.  Along the trail there was lots of trillium flowers and skunk cabbage to take pictures of.  On the way home, we drove through the magnificent Lolo Pass with an even more beautiful view of Mt. Hood's peak and the surrounding mountainside. 

View of Mount Hood and Lost Lake

Check out my photography website where you can see some of my favorite shots from my adventures!