First third

Can you believe we're about to be one third of the way through 2014? There are lots of little things that have been going on since the first of the year that I've neglected to blog. So to catch you up, here's a summary of various events with some pictures that never made their way here. Many were not taken or sized with blogging in mind, and so this post won't look as neat and even as some do. I'm sure you were concerned! I just know that if I try to make everything look perfect (ha), I'll never get caught up.

(Above is a little collage I made awhile back but never posted here for whatever reason.)

In January I got a new cell phone! I went from the Motorola Atrix to the Moto X. I've had pretty good luck with Motorola over the years, so I decided to stick with them. I love my new phone--the screen is larger, it works faster, and the camera is so much better. I've been much more active on Instagram now that I can take un-fuzzy pictures and use filters without it crashing. (If you have Intagram and want to follow me there, I am Greengatephoto.)

In February I decided to send out Valentines to many of my friends. It was a big project, but I was really happy with it and the process of putting all of them together gave me a lot of unexpected joy instead of being tedious. Also, I looooved the look of the black envelopes. Enough that I had to take pictures. :)

BEFORE: In late February and early March, I made some changes to my living and dining areas now that I have a more neutral couch to work with. This is how my livingroom looked in 2010.

AFTER: And here it is now.

Do you like my pillows?

BEFORE: This picture shows a bit of my dining room.

AFTER: Here it is now. Just a few adjustments here--added curtains and pictures on the wall.

In mid-March, my friend Shannon visited from New Zealand. He was in the US for work, and made a stop here since we hadn't hung out since 2006 in Tahoe. And to clarify, because I've been asked several times now: he's just a friend.

It wasn't the very peak of cherry blossom wondrousness at the capitol, but close.

We went inside the capitol, and I hadn't ever been! This is looking up into the dome.

We also went to Silver Falls.

NOT PICTURED: At the end of his visit, we met up with my friend Dan in Portland to see the Veronica Mars movie on its opening night! It was really fun--I loved that show, and was super excited when they were able to go forward with a movie (funded on Kickstarter).

I've been getting a little more into crafts lately, and my friend Mariel (aka Crafty Crafterson) has lots of fun supplies. She has come over a couple of times to make stuff with me, and on this particular visit I made several things with scrapbook paper. A cell phone "cover" (just an insert that goes in my existing clear case), paper lanterns (with battery candles)...

...and some greeting cards. Also, not pictured, I got to use her new embosser.

I've been to Deepwood a time or two since spring began.

I had a spring get-together with some friends in mid-April.

I made this orange buttermilk cake, but it came out a bit dry.


We drank Shirley Temples and had nachos for dinner.

We played a couple of games of Bingo on these print-out cards I found online.

And I had the girls make marble magnets. They are concentrating.

On April 14, my dad notified me that there was going to be a lunar eclipse that night, so I decided to stay up and take pictures. Well, it ended up being cloudy off and on and so I never saw the final red moon, but here are a few of the photos I took leading up to that.

The best part of the night was that I met a neighbor (and her friend) when she saw me out with my tripod. It was so nice to have company instead of being alone outside at midnight. Thanks again, Sandra, if you see this!

Then, as you know, I went to California to visit my parents for Easter. More photos from that to come.

And finally: geese babies! Last night, Mariel and her husband Jon came over for crafts and games, and one of the highlights was seeing 8 goslings swimming across the lake and walking around below my deck. They were there again this morning, so it looks like I may get to watch another set of goslings grow up like last year! We'll see how many survive.

Today the weather has been going back and forth from sunny to steady rain and wind. I have been relaxing and working on photos, and now I can't believe it's already after 4! I'm sad the weekend is almost over, but at least it was a good one with a nice balance of friends and some down time. Have a great week!