Our Journey Through Fall and Our New Favorite Park

Exploring is kind of what I do. I love driving or walking around and finding places. Which is why it surprises me that I am just now discovering these fun places here in my new home-base. It is much harder to get the boys to want to go for fun hikes and drives to the unknown destinations, now that they are older and busier.

Still, there are small moments when they still find exploring fun. When they will still pick up sticks and sword fight. I love these moments!
The drive home from Portland this weekend offered just one of those opportunities. As we make this three hour trek a couple times a month, we pass a lot of neat looking places. I often wonder why we haven't stopped to check more of them out...probably because we are always rushing home from a tiring weekend? Either way the Santiam pass is gorgeous.

Fall being one of my favorite times of year helps me feel revitalized. Although the summer sun can send me swooning, it really is the fall that brings my soul to that zen place. Living in the desert is wonderful, except one thing...no fall colors. Not really. There is the random aspen glowing yellow among the sage and grass, but they are few and far between. However, on the trek I make over the mountain to get to Portland I get to see an amazing assortment of deep yellow to bright red. My eyes can crawl up the green mountain side and find an explosion of color. Almost like a floral bouquet placed in the middle of a green table. Just for fun we tried to take some photos...

Mitch was getting used to the camera driving shotgun...

 We drive past the Detroit State park and the series of dams. This time we actually took the time to stop at the Detroit Dam. There were several people there fishing.

 It has been interesting the last couple years watching the water levels of Detroit lake. This time of year it gets very low and you can see the tree stumps dotting the shore line. Mitch tried very hard to get a good shot...but it is a moving car

speckled hillside

This town is always funny, the kids always try to pronounce it right

getting higher in elevation the trees are getting bigger and more green

for a long while we drive by the river. It is one of my favorite parts. I love watching a river flow over rocks, of course I only get to really observe this when Brent is driving

We stopped here to eat. A cute place off of the highway in the middle of the woods, right next to the river

August and four straws

Bray went outside and took pictures off of the deck

Mounted to the walls were deer, antelope, elk, fish, and a moose head

the boys played magic while we waited for our food

Bray ordered seafood chowder

Mitch the BLT

out on the pourch

I'm obviously too excited to be driving right now

This part of the pass is always super cool. The trees are so grey and burnt. It reminds me of a white forest

and of course the giants! we are surrounded by beautiful mountains here. Already dusted with snow

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We stopped and looked down at Suttle lake, and decided to drive down there and take a closer look. Maybe we could even skip some rocks?!

 Brent and I rented a cabin here for our ten year anniversary. It is a cute little lodge with great hiking and water craft rentals...

 The water was so still, and it was extremely quiet...except for the boys.

 The woods get thicker and more red bark can be seen. A little cluster of yellow and then welcome to the desert scenery...

 Ahh the desert...against a grey sky you can see there is a lack of "fall" feeling

In Redmond we got stopped by a train

Then more desert scenery!

That's Prineville! We always like dropping into the city. It feels like its a hidden place. A secret kept in the crevasses of these hills that surround us.

The boys asked if we could check out this park Grandma told me about...I was like, "sure it's 4pm  we can play for an hour"...Little did I know this park was pretty epic (as parks go). I mean it was huge. The kids had a blast! (and a late dinner)

I hope somehow the urge to explore lives on in the boys. The ability to be spontaneous and just thrive in the moment. To stand on the shore of a lake and soak it all in. From vibrant colors of leaves, to quiet lapping waters it is all a gift to be able to experience.