Moving When You Are "Older"

More on the move of Karen, 66 years old, and Ruth, 99 years old. We moved from Ashland, Oregon to Portland, Oregon and I for one (Karen) learned lots about myself, about the logistics of moving and much more. I want to share with you some of the ways that I was able to make the actual process of packing and moving a little easier.

First rule; get rid of everything you possible can. I really mean that from bottom of my toes! Have a yard sale, donate to shelters, churches, organizations like Goodwill, and my personal favorite, the "FREE" sign in front of my house. My discards were like a treasure to many people and the smiles and gratitude were really worth so much. Often times I would put a listing on Craig's List for the free things I had in front of the house and not long after it hit the Internet, people would appear to take the things with them.

Another helpful reminder is to accept the offer to help pack your things. Many friends will step up and say, "what can I do to help?" so let them know, don't be shy. My rowing club friends came over one afternoon, brought some take out food, and a bottle of wine( well, a couple of bottles) and we packed my entire kitchen! We had so much fun, and it was such a huge help to me. By the way, if you are a rower, and ever find yourself in Ashland Oregon, look up the club and they will be happy to have you join them for a row. www.ashlandrowingclub.org

Then hire some pros to help you pack your truck, van, POD or whatever mode of transportation you are using. Save your back! They also know how to do it perfectly so that your possessions are safe, and you can use much less space that by trying to do it yourself, no matter how good you think you are. I know this can get to be a little expensive, but if you can possibly do it, it is money well spent. Siskiyou Movers in Ashland are brilliant, and can pack like putting together a puzzle. 2 Brothers Moving in Portland unpacked us, and they are fast, efficient and went the extra mile by setting up beds for us.

You have choices depending on your moving situation as to what kind of transportation you will use. I chose to use PODS, because I was not sure if I would have to store things before my new house would be available. This is a great feature, as you can store the container as long as you need and don't have to rush to get it unloaded and back before another day's charge is added on. PODS was pretty efficient, not perfect, but all in all they were the right choice. I would just suggest keeping in touch with the main call center to confirm the arrival, pick up, etc.
And if you have pets, ( have a dog and two cats) remember this is a stressful time for them as well. I moved my sweeties in my car on the day I left Ashland. Several days before our take off, I had placed their crates in the house with comfy blankets and kept the door open. The cats especially loved to wander in and out and finally started sleeping in them. So, by the time I was ready to travel the 5 hours up the freeway, they were used to their traveling crates. Keep in mind if it is at all warm outside, even 68 to 70, you cant leave them in the car for more than a couple of minutes when you stop to get something to eat or use the restroom. I had packed some lunch for myself and so when I stopped to get gas mid way, I gave Max, my dog, a potty break and some water and off we went to our new home.

Planning, accepting the help offered, taking care of your back,all will help you have a positive experience moving.

Hoarding and Seniors

I have mentioned that when it was time for my 99 year old aunt Ruth to face moving to Portland, well, just let me say the hoarding personality came out loud and strong! I admit that it was a challenging process to let go of things that had been in my life for many years. And so when I got so much resistance from my auntie, I tried to be sensitive about it and let her stay in charge as much as possible.

Of course if you are one of those people who get to live to this ripe old age of 99, you can imagine the the amount of "collectibles" you would accumulate. One of my aunts hobbies is photography and creating albums and scrapbooks. A very honorable hobby, and one that all of her family has benefited from. But, she will tell you that she started taking photos when she was thirteen years old and had a little Brownie box camera. Well, she has saved every single photo, and negative from that day on! Plus, she has created many albums of her travels and the family, enough for a room of their own.

She is also a very sentimental person and if you gave her a plant from the florist in 1963, you can be sure she has saved the vase it came in.............because "you" gave it to her. so, when it was time to pack, we talked about priorities and our goal in moving and the great benefit of getting to live closer to all the people we love. So, I will say she got very brave and gave away her couch (a huge thing) and she felt very proud of that. She realized that going to an assisted living facility, she wouldn't be needing many kitchen things so she gave those to my cousin who could use them. But, really that is where it stopped and all I could say to her is "we will get what we can in the POD (more about PODS later) and when it is full, then that will be that. We cant afford another POD." Well fortunately, our movers were brilliant and able to get everything in the POD. If you are moving to or from Ashland, Oregon , Siskiyou Movers are fantastic!

I have read about the hoarding personality and I do know that it is more prevalent with seniors, but there is help available. Two organizations that can assist you are; National Association of Professional Organizers www.napo.net and Nation Association of Senior Move Managers www.nasmm.org One thing I believe has helped my family keep my aunt's hoarding in control is that we hired a very competent house keeper to come in weekly to clean and clear her house.

I have many more tales of moving in retirement years, so tune in later.

Karen

The Art of Letting Go

When my 99 year old aunt and I decided to move from Ashland, Oregon to Portland, Oregon, I had no idea I would learn so much about myself. I learned the value of letting go. Letting go of material stuff is what I mean. I have always loved garage sales, and old things that I knew I could do something with at some time. I have subscribed to sentimental reasons for hanging on to something pretty useless, like a rock or a thread bare skirt. But faced with packing and moving (not to mention the cost involved) all these prize possessions, I started to ask myself why? I learned that it is truly a process, not something that one can come to overnight. When i put my house on the market, I went through my house and "de-cluttered", as requested by my real estate broker. I rented a storage unit, and thought I was doing a great job by stashing things that I really liked and/or needed, while giving away loads and loads of other things.

I started to put a "free" pile in front of my house, and made my way to Goodwill many times. I really was proud of myself. Well, as I have whined about several times in this blog, it took 14 long months for my house to sell. When it did, the buyer wanted a 30 day closing and so I had to hustle to get myself packed up. So, I went to the storage unit to retrieve those "necessities" I had stored all those months. When I started to unpack it all, I was amazed that most of the things I had felt unwilling to let go of, suddenly didn't mean anything to me. Something had definitely shifted and I will tell you that about 85% of the contents in the storage unit found new homes.

I had been paying $45 a month for 14 months rent, that is $630! And I really did not have to do that. But, during those long months, I had been searching my soul for more understanding of myself and what my priorities in life are, and I think that had more to do with the letting go than anything. the material items were simply a symbol of my unresolved "life questions". So, in retrospect, I guess you could say that the $630 was spent on my own therapy.

I believe that Seniors, and retired people are more vulnerable to hanging on to things,and there is research to back that up. I will share more with you on this issue later. And wait till you hear about the "Queen of Keeping Everything"..............my Aunt Ruth!

Finding the Right Assisted Living Facility

After finding out that we could afford an assisted living facility for my aunt (thanks to the veterans widow benefits) I faced the problem of how to find and select one. Since we were moving from Ashland, Oregon to Portland, Oregon, I was not familiar with our new destination. The wonderful women at Care Options Resources (who did the paper work for our veterans application) suggested I call Golden Placements. They explained that they are two women who have a business that specializes in helping families find an appropriate placement for their loved one. They offer their services free of charge to the family and receive a payment from the facility that the family chooses. A real win, win for everyone. Well, these two delightful people are really angels dressed up like ordinary women. Cherie became our go to person and she started the process by interviewing me thoroughly about my aunt. Asking what things she like, disliked, her body size, her personality traits, her interests, and on and on. It was so impressive to me that they were really interested in a good match. So, I traveled to Portland when they had lined up 4 facilities for me and my daughter to look at. As Cherie accompanied us through the apartments, dining rooms, beauty shops and all the various services that were offered, she asked very good questions of the staff, and pointed out things to us that we may have overlooked. After a long day, we finally chose a place for Aunt Ruth, and made the deposit. You will have to wait until tomorrow to find out where Auntie is living now, but I want to emphasize the fantastic service we received from Golden Placements. Go to www.goldenplacement.com to learn more about this respectful, helpful, nearly life saving business.

Moving During Retirement Years

One year ago, I wrote that I had my house for sale and I was planning to move out of town. that was sometime ago, so I will refresh your memory. I am retired, and realized that I really wanted to spend this last third of my life closer to my daughter and my family. I have lived in beautiful Ashland Oregon for nearly 40 years now, so it was a big decision. Well, now I am living in Portland, Oregon and am so happy that I decided to go ahead with it.

In the 14 months that my home was on the market, (yep, 14 long months) I learned so many things about moving as an older person, (not ancient, older.............) and in the next few weeks I would like to share those things with you. The emotional, physical, and spiritual sides of us will be effected by this huge change. Oh, in case you forgot, I also moved my 99 year old aunt. I asked her of course if she was interested and she, like me, wanted to be closer to loved ones for whatever time she has left. So, along with all my personal growth, pain, joy and new understandings, I got to look into the world of Senior Assisted Living, and all that goes along with that.

So, stay tuned my friends, more on the move of Karen and Ruth to the Rose City!

Dogs and Their Retired People

One of the things I have enjoyed since retiring, is observing what goes on in my neighborhood during the week days. In the past 5 delicious years of retirement, I have watched people walking on my street with their dogs. I live in a neighborhood that has wonderful hiking trails, and quiet streets that makes it feel rural, even though it is 3 minutes to the Ashland Plaza. Consequently, this makes my Strawberry Lane neighborhood a favorite for dog walkers. What I have noticed is that over this 5 year period, some of the older dogs have passed on to pooch heaven and then for a time, the grieving person has walked alone. But, not much time passed before a new dog is on the walk. As I thought about this, I realized the importance of having a dog in ones life, and how these "walkers" were mostly retired people and they must feel the same way.

I am not the only one who believes in the benefit of canine companionship. A study in the Journal of The American Geriatrics Society (May 1999) says that seniors that have a pet have better physical health and mental well being than those who don't. They are more active, (dogs need a walk), and they cope with stress better (physical contact with a dog lowers blood pressure). There are many other benefits as well.

Some people may prefer another pet to a dog, but for me, there is nothing like the love and companionship of a pooch. So, I will close now, as my buddy Max, who is a combo of Corgi, Jack Russel, Beagle, and who knows what else, is reminding me that it is time to go for a walk!

Later I will give you some good ideas about adopting dogs, or having contact with them if adoption is not timely for you.

Selling My Home of 40 Years

Talk about change! Well let me tell you that getting into the whole huge process of selling a home that you have had for nearly 40 years is no small thing! It has required many different steps that I have started and have many steps to go as it has not sold yet. As I have mentioned previously, my retirement plans changed over night. I really thought I would live the rest of my life in this wonderful house, nurturing the gardens every year to become more and more fruitful. But change is upon me, so I got on the real estate bandwagon to move onward. First thing I realized is that I wanted to list my home with a real estate agent. In years past it has been easy to buy and sell as an owner for investment or other needs. However, I think the role of agents has become more important in that they really protect us as the laws seem to expand and change and become more and more complicated. So, if you are in this place of buying or selling, it is a good idea to interview some agents until you find the one that you are in sync with. I talked to three different brokers, all very qualified and people I actually had known for years. but I finally chose one of the owner/principle brokers of Ashland Homes. Their website is www.ashland_homes.com and if you go to our site www.oregonretirement.info there are many other real estate companies listed in Ashland Oregon, my home town.

This is just the beginning of this experience, and believe me when I say that the emotions that come up, the frustration, financial concerns, and physical exhaustion are all part of the pie. I will explore more of these things with you in days to come, but right now I need to mop my kitchen floor, because when your house is listed, it must be ready to show it's best at any given moment! Not what I thought I would be doing as a retiree!

Dealing With Change Continued

Yesterday I told the beginning of my story about how retirement plans can change in a heart beat. As you saw in yesterday's blog, my daughter had a near death accident. This made look my priorities square in the face and see clearly what I wanted to do. What I wanted, needed in fact, was to spend this last one third of my life living much closer to my daughter and the rest of my family. When this was decided, I realized there was just one barrier that I would have to figure out. You see, I have a 98 year old aunt who lives here in Ashland, Oregon too. She lives independently, and for the most part does really well. However, she still needs my assistance in many ways. So, I realized I could not move to Portland, Oregon where my daughter lives, without taking my aunt with me. So, that is what I decided to do. I was not sure how she would take my invitation to pull up stakes here and move North, however, in her usual positive, enthusiastic way, she said "I think that is a wonderful idea!". Now here is a senior, who even at her advanced age, is full of life and adventure and willing to change. I have to admit, that her willingness to do this, helped me see how change is not so difficult after all. I stepped back from myself and saw how easy it had been in the 4 years I had been retired, to become very complacent and so comfortable that I was not challenging myself in many ways. Leave it to my 98 year old Aunt Ruth to show me the error of my ways.
So the next step was to list my house for sale. I also wanted to see what was available in Portland. I have gone to www.oregonretirement.info to get information on real estate and many other things that I need to research for my big adventure. There is a lot more to share with you as this whole process unfolds. Every day a new feeling, worry, question, or doubt shows up. It is not just a slam dunk and all is well. But, I am learning and I will share my lessons with you as the days go on.

Retirement Plans Can Change

I have been retired for 4 years now, and when that final day of my career ended, I thought I had a plan set in stone! Well, things change, and how we deal with those changes can make or break us. I had what I considered a perfect retirement set up. I own a sweet little farm house on a half acre and I couldn't wait to be more than a weekend gardener. I had built a green house, had raised beds full of compost thanks to my chickens, flower beds full of perennials, and all setting in the idyllic town of Ashland, Oregon. I saw myself doing all those things in my community and home that I never had time for when I worked as a social worker at a large hospital. I wanted to join a committee that was working on water issues in our town, become more involved with the local food bank, maybe even teach a few classes as I sharpened my gardening skills. Some of this plan was just getting under way, when this retiree had a real wake up call. I saw my priorities change nearly over night. The defining incident happened this last Christmas holiday. My adult daughter, her boy friend and their two dogs were visiting me from Portland, Oregon where they make their home. After a few days here in Ashland, snowshoeing, eating, enjoying all the beauty of the mountains and lakes, they took off to visit friends in Bend, Oregon. On the way there, they hit black ice and lost control of the car. It was a terrible accident, but gratefully they all survived which was a true miracle. So, what you ask does this have to do with my retirement plans changing? Well log in later this week and I will tell you more about the changes that come in life and how we, who are of a certain age, deal with unexpected change.

Be fit in retirement

One benefit of escaping the 40-hour-per-week grind is having more time to attend to physical fitness. Haven't you often looked at those trim, sprightly people streaming in and out of the gym and wistfully said to yourself, "If only I had more time to work out..." Well, now that you're enjoying retirement, you do have the time!

That's the good news. The bad news is, you're feeling guilty that you are wasting these "golden years" of retirement. Those lengthy aerobic workouts and the washboard abs are not spontaneously just happening.

How do you develop a fitness program that becomes part of your daily routine, like brushing your teeth? For most folks, it means joining some kind of health club or spa, like Gold's Gym (www.GoldsGym.com), 24-Hour Fitness (www.24hourfitness.com), or Curves (www.curves.com).

Two very popular clubs who specialize in programs for Ashland, Oregon retirees are Baxter's and the YMCA. Of course, before embarking upon a new exercise program, you should probably check with your physician or physical therapist to screen for any medical conditions that would make an exercise program contraindicated. You might also want to hire a personal trainer to help you set up your program and give your workout a structure.

One advantage of "The Y" is the great variety of programs and classes that cater to seniors. To To name a few: Best-Bones (to help guard against osteoporosis), water exercise, Tai Chi for Better Balance, and Senior Circuit as well as Low Impact Aerobics, spinning (and I don't mean something you do with wool!), and Yoga which can be wonderful for older adults.

In addition to the many benefits a regular exercise program bestows upon our physical bodies, it can also be a social outlet, and a fertile source of new friends. Retirement can mean a new type of social isolation when we no longer have our daily work contacts, so joining an exercise class can meet that need as well. Plus, it's just a lot more fun to work out with other people.

In short, find something that you can do every day, and above all - Have Fun!

Let me know your favorite technique for keeping your exercise routine fresh and fun.

Choosing the Retirement Location

Retirement communities can also mean the geographical location that one wants to live in. And, then the question;how do I choose where I want to retire? One way to search out that retirement location is to do what a retired couple from South Dakota is doing. They told me that they were considering retiring in Ashland, but wanted to really "feel" the town. So, what they did is to find a small, furnished place to rent for a couple of months to see it this community fits all their retirement needs. They found a cottage on www.ashlandextendedstay.com I know that www.vrbo.com is also a good site to find temporary houseing. I think the exploration of the perfect retirement location can be an adventure in its self. Happy hunting, fellow retirees.

Karen

The Leftovers Party

As I mentioned yesterday, I was going to a dinner party at my neighbors Paul and Carol. They invited friends to come share their leftover Thanksgiving dinner as well as leftover guests. So, as I expected, I chatted with many folks who are Ashland transplants. One couple came here from Washington DC to retire, and as many of us "retired" people do, they started a business. They created a B&B called Ann Hathaway's Cottage. They mentioned to me that our friend Vicki was their mentor in the venture. (see how generous Oregonians are?) Vicki and her husband Greg own The Iris Inn B&B, which is one of the oldest in Ashland. Both of the Bed and Breakfast's that I just mentioned are on our website www.oregonretirement.info I met others who had moved here from various parts of California and Washington as well as the East Coast of the US. All agreed that they were in love with Oregon and Ashland in particular. One young couple I talked with said they had heard such wonderful things about Portland, Oregon.
As I walked home last night, with my empty salad bowl, and the light of the full moon to show my way, I felt extra thankful for wonderful neighbors and new friends.

Karen

Thankful

OK, I know that yesterday was Thanksgiving, but I was busy cooking turkey and didn't get to our blog. Thanksgiving is always a reminder to me of something that Marty and I talk about a great deal........being thankful, feeling gratitude. We realize there are so many things to be grateful for. Certainly for me family and friends are on the top of the list, along with being retired and living in Ashland, Oregon. but this acknowledgement of gratitude should not be reserved for just Thanksgiving. I think we benefit tremendously when we remind ourselves daily. So, I would encourage you to do a little exercise that I have enjoyed. Every day, write down one thing that you are grateful for. There is power in the written word, and I think you will be amazed how this simple act can lift your spirits.

Well, now I need to organize my turkey dinner leftovers. My neighbors Carol and Paul are hosting a "leftovers" dinner at their house this evening. Neighbors are bringing not only their leftover food, but their leftover house guests! It should be a fun evening, and you know I will be telling out of state folks all about www.oregonretirement.info and bragging (humbly of course) about my beautiful home state of Oregon.

In Gratitude,
Karen

The Geezers and Excercise

No, this is not a lecture about "you must exercise!".........well, maybe a little. However, there have been enough studies done on the physical and mental value of exercise that is it something we all need to consider, and especially if you are retired. I say that, because when we have freedom over our daily schedule, it is so easy to put off, wait, and then totally dismiss the practice of exercise. Now, what I find is that one must discover the way or ways to exercise that agree with the individual. You have heard that Marty loves cycling, Mark is an avid golfer (he walks, no cart!) and I have my favorite too, and that is rowing. So here in Southern Oregon we all get to satisfy those "athletic" passions. One of the greatest days of my life is when I read that The Ashland Rowing Club was formed. Yes, here in little Ashland, Oregon, we have a rowing club! We row in Immigrant Lake, which is south of Ashland. We have around 150 members, we own shells of all sizes, now have a great boat barn and coaches! Many of our members race competitively and have done very well. Some have brought home gold medals on international races. Many prefer recreational rowing without the discipline and pressure of racing. One of the things I love about the Ashland Rowing Club is there are people of all ages, many retired and one woman who is 80 years young! She is such an inspiration to all of us. The men have a racing crew that they have labeled "The Geezers". All men over 60 years old. They too are role models! You can learn more about our rowing club at our website www.oregonretirement.info My real point in telling you about rowing is to remind you that your body and mind need exercise. Find what gives you pleasure and it will keep you off the couch and out of your doctors office and reading my blogs when you are in your 90's!
I would love to hear what kind of exercise you have found in retirement.

Time to go to the lake!
Karen

Off to

Bargain dining in Ashland

Retirees on a budget are frequently clipping coupons and looking for special offers in order to find affordable ways to experience Ashland's fine dining. One reason people from larger cities love to retire in Ashland is that they don't have to sacrifice this enjoyable aspect of life when they move to a small town. We believe that Ashland has at least 30 restaurants that rival any in San Francisco, Portland, or Seattle, with another 30 casual dining cafes, pubs and wine bars. Last night Mark and I took a bottle of our favorite wine to Omar's, where corkage is free on Monday and Tuesday evenings.
Check out their web site http://www.omarsrestaurant.com/ for directions, hours, and a sample of their menus. Additionally, they always feature an extensive list of daily specials with some of the finest fresh seafood and steaks around. Also on their web site you can sign up for their newsletter which included a $10 coupon last month. So we were very pleased to have a fantastic dining experience and not have to take out a second mortgage on our house!
For listings of many other of Ashland's great restaurants, visit our web site www.oregonretirement.info
Stay tuned for more tips from the Frugal Fork Wielder.
Marty

For the Love of Cinema in Ashland

Mark, Marty and I along with our friend Kathie went to the movies this weekend. Kathie is retired, and used to do some work in the film industry. She has a much more sophisticated way of looking at film that we do, so we especially love for her to join us. The conversation after is much more interesting. Actually, there are many people living in Southern Oregon who are actively working in movies. I could drop names, but one of the reasons they live here is to have some anonymity. They also love the environment of culture that they find in Ashland particularly, as well as the many out door pleasures. Clark Gable used to come to fish the Rogue River. He was one of my mothers favorites. And, I am not getting to the point of what I wanted to mention this morning. We are so fortunate to have The Ashland Independent Film Festival here each Spring. The next one is April 3-7, 2008. It is the seventh year for them and they are rapidly becoming one of the most notable in the United States. You can find more about them on our website www.oregonretirement.info Just look under Art, Music and Theatre. This is the kind of thing I can do now in my retirement. I can attend the festival and watch movies all day! Besides this wonderful event, we are blessed with two cinemas in Ashland, and I believe 10 screens in all! OK, now I am going to check the Ashland Daily Tidings for the weeks line up of movies! And just wait until I tell you about Mark's annual Oscar Party in February!
Cheers, Karen

Another yarn from Ashland, Oregon

Stitchin' and bitchin' - retirement provides time for both pursuits! Fortunately for my husband, I am not completely retired, so only have time for the former instead of the latter. (Mark might disagree with this analysis, but then he's not writing this blog!)
I was knitting at my friend Candace's house the other night, and was privileged to be allowed access to view her "stash". For those of you who are not familiar with this term, it refers to the yarn one has collected and theoretically intends to knit at some point in one's life. Suffice it to say, Candace has hired a building contractor to remodel part of her house to accommodate her yarn. No kidding! She loves to quote an acronym by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (The Knitting Harlot) in describing the magnitude of this: SABLE = Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. (BTW, I suspect quilters are guilty of this excessive behavior as well.)
As if purchasing yarn is not enough, Candace also buys wool right off the sheep and spins her own yarn! In honor of this special skill, she has composed a haiku:
"Lifetime stash supply.
Now I spin, and have made more.
I must never dye."
Stay tuned, and more secrets from my "charmingly eccentric" (Candace's words!) knitting friends will be revealed.
Knottily yours,
Marty

Retirement USA

This morning I am thinking about community service. This is one of the very best parts of retirement! One has time to volunteer! Marty and I are both eager volunteers, especially around feeding the hungry. Yesterday we had a shift together at Uncle Foods Diner, which is the local "soup kitchen". It is such a simple concept that is set up in the Methodist church kitchen, here in Ashland. We receive food donations from Southern Oregon University, the Growers Market, Market of Choice, and others who can give food. We chop, peel, clean, and get more inventive than you can imagine. The talented chef from one of our local resturants , Larks in the Ashland Springs Hotel, can make a meal out of anything! We feed 60 to 80 folks on Tuesday afternoon. I get so much out of helping on this project, and am so grateful that now I am retired I can do this sort of thing. Many retirees say that they don't want to have another schedule and are reticent about stepping into the volunteer world, but there are many ways to do it. Marty and I are a team in this particular effort, and if one of us is out of town, the other can fill in.

We believe that volunteering in our communities is so important, not only for those who receive, but also the ones giving (good for your mental health, my friends) that we have included volunteer opportunities on our website www.oregonretirement.info

I would love to hear from some of you who will share your volunteer stories with us.

Bye for now, Karen

Retirement USA

My daughter and I returned from our week holiday. We visited another beautiful state..Hawaii. Or, Kauai to be specific. I love that island and will continue to spend time there, but I do have to admit that I am always happy to return to Oregon. As I drove into Ashland from the Medford International Airport, I sent up a thank you for returning me safely and especially to this beautiful area of Southern Oregon. As you see I mentioned the airport, which is only 15 miles North of Ashland. It is such a bonus to living in Southern Oregon, as we who are retired tend to travel a bit, and getting to an International airport easily can be so important. You can check out our website www.oregonretirement.info and read more about the airport in Medford.

It is a sunny, bright morning and I am eager to get out in my garden and see what needs to be done for winter. Surely raking leaves, but in this Oregon air and sun, what could be better?

Until tomorrow, bye for now.

Karen