http://www.oldunknown.com/blog Learning anew what others have known, and loving it Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:38:55 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Rowan knows: of course you play in waterfalls! My sister-in-law says this blog makes it look like we got lost in Hells Canyon and never returned. That's not the case. For our final road trip adventure, we rode the mail boat through Hells Canyon for two days, along with 40 other mostly-retired ... http://www.oldunknown.com/blog/?p=16 On the way to hidden lake You were all right. We did love Glacier National Park, especially after our depressing trek through eastern Montana. I'm now trying to figure out how to get back for a week next summer, because Glacier is clearly a place meant to be hiked and floated ... http://www.oldunknown.com/blog/?p=15 Badlands: beautiful, but not tasty I've been following the posts on Our PDX Network, many of which are about local eating, bicycling, public transport, and other gifts of living in a city nestled in a fertile valley. Abundance. I've driven nearly 2000 miles from Portland. We've gone to the geographic center ... http://www.oldunknown.com/blog/?p=14 Since Craters of the Moon, we've been through Yellowstone, Cody & Casper, Wind Cave, Custer, and Mt. Rushmore National Parks, and through the unexpectedly awesome Norbeck Scenic Byway. We've seen deer, elk, moose, bear, eagle, osprey, pelican, red-winged black birds, bison, pronghorn, mountain goat, swifts, trout, chipmunk, squirrels, prairie dogs, ... http://www.oldunknown.com/blog/?p=12 Craters of the Moon National Park rocks. Milestones First junior ranger badges, earned by learning about different types of lava flows. We're particularly fond of the Aa. The boys are now introducing themselves as "Moon Rangers". First detour, as we veered around Idaho Falls to avoid wildfires. From here out, none ... http://www.oldunknown.com/blog/?p=11 It begins with adversity, as adventure tales must. A hopeful start for storytelling, but perhaps less so for the main characters. Obstacle 1: We were planning a visit to John Day for Tuesday, but it's booked with BMX racers. A change of course was needed, so we rerouted through Boise. The ... http://www.oldunknown.com/blog/?p=10 Hazel Hazel the demon cat is moving out. I selected her from the other kittens 11 years ago because she batted at my fingers "playfully". This first moment perfectly illustrates how easy it is to see only what you want to see when searching for love. Since that time, Hazel has ... http://www.oldunknown.com/blog/?p=9 I am thrilled by Choose Your Own Adventure books. The indulgent camp of them, the daring of a purposefully unwise choice, the reward for being oh so very clever when you choose your way to a glorious end. The best ever are the Heartquest books, a pee-wee harlequin fantasy ... http://www.oldunknown.com/blog/?p=5 Single parenthood has changed my life in so many ways, not the least of which is an incessant humbling. There are so very many things which I had always believed could be mastered by any right-thinking, able-bodied person with the will. Now for the unwelcome humility: there is an irrefutable ... http://www.oldunknown.com/blog/?p=4 Turns out that making cheese is a lot easier than I thought it would be. At least so it appears now. My learning adventure is now about to trip over to the trying-it-for-myself stage. Here's what I've done so far: Lurked on the Portland Urbanhomesteaders yahoo list. Some take classes at Foster ... http://www.oldunknown.com/blog/?p=1