Peace & Quiet, Plus Family, Food, and D & D

Just got back from a few lovely days of vacation, in one of the most restful places I’ve been. We traveled North to Oregon and stopped about an hour from Bend, outside the little town of Sisters. We picked up our son on the way and met up with my siblings and their families, plus my parents, and distributes ourselves into a few different rental houses. And then, for three days, we each did a bit of this and a bit of that, some things together, something apart.

Basically, each to his own, whatever felt good. And it was lovely.

We ate a lot. Gumbo, bbq, and fajitas–with each sib and sib’s family taking charge one night. An amazing blackberry jam, brie, and bacon sandwich at Spoons in Sisters. Marion berry pies from Sisters Bakery.

We shopped a little. I bought myself my own copy of The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld at Paulina Springs Books, and found some gorgeous yarn at The Stitchin’ Post that will become a baby blanket.

I knitted and read. I got in some revision…not where I want it to be, but a good start. I had quiet one-on-one talks with family members and small-group conversations that, by default, got louder. I played my first group D&D campaign with my son, nephews, sister, and brother-in-law. (I unlocked the cage of monsters before the other adventurers were ready, but I made up for it later by realizing I had a torch and flint in my pack that might be more effective than all the spells and sharp objects flying around.)

The area in which we stayed was possibly the most quiet place I have ever been. Not a lot of people around–every now and then I’d think I heard a car, then realize it was just the wind. We saw a baby deer so small it had us arguing between deer and rabbit. I did a lot of just sitting and letting my mind drift.

And looking out at this view.