While Payton & Papa at work.... we head to Trillium Lake

Only fifteen miles from our home lies this gorgeous trout-stocked lake . . . with magestic Mt Hood in the backdrop. I still insist we live in one of the most gorgeous areas. Oregon has it all: beaches, rolling farmlands & wineries, rich fertile valleys, mountains, forests, lakes, rivers, hoppin' cities, & deserts for people who like those types of things.

I am not used to this "new to us" camera.

A professional photographer actually asked to borrow our little spot to take up close photos of this family of ducks that were completely unphased by my busy kids playing alongside them. It grew a little annoying because my kids were waiting to resume playing. But patiently we waited & then he left us to our spot again.

So once we shooo-ed the duckies away I grabbed the only fishing pole we brought & cast out into the beautiful lake waters for Elijah . . . only to discover the reel/handle was broke. I had to manually wind the fishing line bobbin thing to retrieve the line. It took a while. I stood their puzzled about how it became dismantled & then Darla & Nolan ended the mystery. They both explained "What?! It wasnt broken. Before we left we were practicing fishing with it in the living room." Ah-hah...another item to join the pile on papa's work bench "to be repaired." Elijah was very bummed & had no interest in swimming in the lake like the other two kids. I promised to take him back soon, with a fully functioning fishing pole this time.