User Profile

I learned to read the cards as a teenager but have not touched them in years. Feeling a sense of re-emerging interest, I'm looking for a refresher course, new ideas, and a sense of community. It was this, specifically, that brought me the the livejournal community, but I have a wide variety of other interests as well, and hope to also make connections in other directions, particularly with others involved in, and particularly parenting in, poly relationships, and perhaps other crafters as well.

I am married to my two beloveds, Michael and Ellen, and we have been a family since 1982; I am mother of three; other-mother to three more; two-legged guardian of a four-legged menagerie. We live a simple but happy life in the beautiful mountains of northeastern Oregon, after seeking refuge from a much busier city life several years ago. It is easy to see why Chief Joseph fought for this incredible wilderness paradise!

Our "cabin" (all the houses up here on the mountain are referred to as "cabins," despite their actual style) nestles in the woods near the tiny hamlet of Tollgate, where apparently 175 years ago the pioneers had to pay to cross over the mountain when traveling the Oregon trail. Nearby are the "cities" (small towns, really) of Pendleton, Athena, Milton-Freewater, Stateline (on the stateline of Oregon and Washington), and Walla Walla. I enjoy knitting and crocheting and sell some of my goods out of a small store in Athena (a city named after the goddess, isn't that lovely?), but most of our goods and services come from the slightly larger cities of Pendleton and Walla Walla. They are little towns rich in history and are interesting to explore, but occasionally we will spend a weekend in Portland to get a taste of bigger city life (although Portland itself still really feels much like a large town, when compared with Los Angeles and the Bay area where we lived before!).

I am blessed to mostly stay at home, where I homeschool our children. In our "city life" I was a teacher. Michael is a master carpenter and travels daily into the nearby communities, where his skills are much in demand. He has made our home a beautiful and comfortable sanctuary. Ellen is a geologist, a Taurus well rooted to the ground, and works for the state. When home, she is my right hand and helpmate in caring for children, home, and our menagerie. She is blessed with an abundance of energy, for which I am very thankful!

Our children range in age from 6-26; our oldest son, David, is married to a lovely girl, Janesa, and works in Seattle, and our next-oldest, Trina, is away on full-scholarship at a wonderful university, which is also my alma mater (yes, we're proud!). At home we have the four younger ones; Adam in high school, Chelsea in middle high, and Alisha and Emily in grade school. They are our pride and joy!

I am new to online journaling, but my dearest friend promises I'll love it! Will try to post at least my daily draw here, and hopefully more. Our internet connection can be cranky here, coming some distance across the mountains, so there may be some gaps here and there.

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