Carl came to Portland...

This post is for my nephew Benjamin. He is one of the best boys on the planet...his brother Gabe being the other. Nope, I'm not biased at ALL. They really are.

When their mom sent me a text saying Benny had a project for school and could I help out, I said how high!?

What I got in the mail a week later was Carl. Carl is a hermit crab. A flat paper hermit crab that is traveling the globe to take back stories and pictures to Benjamin's class. They get to learn about other cities, countries, how other people live, geography...fun stuff! Can they mail me next time?

Carl flies home tomorrow. I'll miss that little scamp. But I have my memories to keep me warm.

Here is a bit of his story. {a very abbreviated bit...I don't want to give away too much before he gets back to class}

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CARL GOES TO PORTLAND OREGON

{pronounced.. or-gun}


PHEWWWW what a trip to travel via USPS! Well I arrived in Portland, OR on a gorgeous Fall day, the sun was shinning, the birds were calling, the coffee was brewin’. Perfect!

I immediately met my housemates, Oliver + Synnie and got a good snuggle + a nap. Oliver said I could use his belly as a bed since, well...it’s big enough. Although he told me he has been working on exercising more. Been doing his little kitty crunches. He is down 4 lbs to a svelte 20 lbs! {Oh MY!!.. but I said that under my breath. I didn’t want to offend him}





On my second day in Portland we went with my hostess to her friend Annie's house. Annie lives on the Washington Side of the Columbia River Gorge & was having a Birthday party/pumpkin carving/cider press out at her sheep farm! Whoot! So we jumped in the car and drove up I 84 to the tiny town of Stevenson, WA.

Along the way we made a stop at Multnomah Falls.






When we got to Annie’s they were already diggin’ into the pumpkins so we had to make up for lost time and get to carvin’ I selected the pumpkin.



I couldn’t resist hopping inside just to see if I would fit. I do!



This is Ruppa the 8-month-old border collie that lives on the farm. We unfortunately didn't see any sheep though. Bahhhh..



Here I am putting the finishing touches on the Skeleton Jack – Jack-o-lantern!



On my third day, I got to hang out at Dogstar in the Play-yard with about 30 dogs!! I was a little nervous, but the Play-yard handler Ben was there to hold onto me and we even got into a great game of tug-o-war! It was 6 dogs to the two of us. We didn’t win. Then Ben let me toss the ball around...so much fun!





My time here in Portland is up, but I will for sure want to come back and bring Benny and the whole family!

just because...

One of the best reasons to have a photo shoot is for no 'reason' at all.

.Just because.

Because photos are our history. Because they are how we know/remember who we were last year...last decade. They celebrate transition, re-birth, new year & a new life. Our photographic history is how our children and family will know that wild and crazy side of our youth.

The best reason to have a photo shoot...just because it's FUN!! {ok, I'm a little biased, but...}

Omar and I celebrated his 30th year on earth exploring Portland, yoga poses, Sauvie Island, and even met a greater swiss mountain dog (my favorite!) to exchange a high five.

Life is too short to not live to the fullest, smile to the mostest, laugh to the deepest, and play to the highest. Omar does this all with a childlike wonder and awe.

Happy 30th year Omar...here's to 31!

hugs.

Take me home...please.

If you have room in your heart + home, if you have been wanting to add to your family and just weren't sure how....here are the sweet baby furrs that you have been waiting for!

Please message me here on the blog or facebook or email {greenchairstudio@gmail.com}..or pigeon if you are interested and I will hook you up with details.

All of these kittens were taken in by the amazing owner of Dogstar. Theresa just can't say no to a cat in need. But as such there is a FULL house and in order to rescue more, this crew needs to find homes. I have worked with them all for months and can honestly say they are some of the sweetest, most delightful kitties around.(besides my perfect angels, of course!)

PLEASE forward around the link so that we can find these nuggets of love a family.

beyond measure

have you seen you recently thru my eyes? if you had you would know. You would know how just the breath of you can fill me up to overflowing. If you had you would know what a light you are to the world. If you could but see yourself thru the eyes of the beloved...you would never again doubt, fear or distrust that everything is conspiring for your good...

That you are beautiful beyond measure for doing nothing more than just being fully you.

like my father

Twenty years ago that statement would have gotten you an eye roll + an exasperated teen agery type sigh...today I just smile & nod knowingly. It's not just that we look a alike (A LOT alike), but it's our sensibilities and childlike wonder for the world that reminds me genetics is much more than appearances.

This past week I spent a few days in Carmel Valley with my father/stepmother and their two GIANT dogs. When on the 2nd day I was asked, what would you like to do...I think you might have actually been able to hear the ocean if you put your head close to mine.

So on a picture perfect blue sky day ... the McArthur's headed to the strip of blue and sand.

I will save the juicy bits of that trip for another time...but today I want to pay homage to my father and my father's father. My Grandpa was a great man. Larger than life in so many ways. I knew him well, but not well enough. When I shared how much our day at the ocean meant to me, my father sent me this email. (he will likely be dismayed I have shared, but...)

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Dear Gretch,

From one child of the sea to another your words were most wonderful; your writing is absolutely amazing. I'm so glad I we had that day at the beach together. Watching you frolic in the waves was like watching you reborn, your joy was like watching a new sea creature come to life, innately knowing an environment unknown to most.

Being a sea lover as well I spent yesterday at Asilomar out in the waves. When I read your letter I thought how, growing up in the LA suburban inland empire, my brother and I would live for the summer weekends when my dad would drive the forty miles to the beach.

We watched intently out the front windshield until the blue line of the sea would appear vaguely in front of us. We would stare at that blue band as if to draw it to ourselves by mind power.

Those moments were the dearest memories of my childhood. When I was five or six my dad would throw us into the waves to 'teach' us to body-surf. I would stay in that water until, blue and chattering, we would emerge and say "I'm not cold. Can we stay just a little longer?"

We moved to P.G. to be near the ocean. After forty some years I'm still here. When the wind is right I can still smell the brine in the air. I always carry a surfboard and wetsuit in my van. I still feel those feelings I had as a fearless five year old when my toes are drawn into the chaos of the tides. It makes me so happy to know that you share those feelings.

I wish you could have seen your grandfather at the beach. We all share those feelings - we three generations of sea creatures. I wish he could have been there too.

Love always,
Your Dad
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yes, I am 'like my father' and my father's father too...no higher compliment could be made. And yes, I wish he could have been there too.

Love you Grandpa.

Love always,
Your Grandaughter