tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67086306091973725822024-03-12T18:02:08.588-07:00ug-uncensoredAdminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comBlogger791125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-22213440874298648062013-09-21T18:39:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.454-07:00Yahoo! The sun returned.There was fog when I woke up this morning, but the power of the sun with no clouds in the sky soon burned it off.  Hot dog!  I hung out a load of laundry, and then got ready to greet my morning visitors. Bridget and John of Travels of John and Bridget….and Fred, finished their camp host volunteer assignment in North Dakota and stopped by for a visit while spending some time in Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-10126777823026691722013-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.444-07:00Puerto Galera Paradise-DeecodedRight now we're saying goodbye to Tokyo and Jeremy's family and getting ready to head back to Korea. It's been such a great trip with his family seeing as how Jeremy and I dated long distance until our wedding and then moved across the world four months after that. So it's safe to say it's been nice to spend some time and actually get to know my extended family a little bit better. Today I Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-57079289169332493602013-09-20T17:58:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.495-07:00Are you ready for a little contest?I had my scissors ready for cutting this morning as I headed for work.  Last Monday, during the rain, I spent the morning finding good pictures on the internet of 10 different bird species.  The Tamarac Fall Festival will be happening about a week after I leave here, but one of the activities for visitors will be to learn to identify these ten species.  After Janice, the volunteer Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-76154727692204152522013-09-19T18:23:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.511-07:00This and thatI was off early this morning to get the new tires on the toad.  I only had to wait about an hour or so, and I was back in business. One of the forecasts I read said it would be bright and sunny today.  So much for the weather guessers.  This is Balsam Lake that is a pretty good size, and you can normally see the treed far shore.  I took care of several other chores in town,Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-39061599052840518742013-09-19T17:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.477-07:00Letters/68Dear Seoul, I'm such a sap but every time we leave you, I well up a little bit. Seriously. I'm not sure what it is but I've grown attached to the city and I can't wait to call you home this spring (more on that announcement later, I promise). Dear Spring, hurry up. Dear Shoe Shopping, I don't think I've ever hated you so much as when I have to go with my husband. But I think Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-46993763829131604512013-09-18T17:49:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.487-07:00It’s been a dreary five daysSome rain, some brisk winds, and overcast skies have prevailed for the last five days.  Makes for pretty boring days here.  I worked on the computer for the refuge on Monday, and then spent the last two days doing not much of anything.  It’s a string of days like this that makes me wonder why I write this blog.  There’s really nothing interesting or exciting to report. In Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-31559415553595674912013-09-18T17:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.465-07:00Transitioning to a New Home-Our Lives Are An Open BlogHello! Right about now we're probably eating some fresh sushi, indulging in some Okonomiyaki drinking some Asahi and enjoying Japan with Jeremy's family...I can't complain. This is Jeremy and I's second time to Japan and we've loved this opportunity to explore the country a little more!So filling in for me today is the sweet Alex from Our Lives Are An Open Blog. I love hearing from Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-63653255845135709332013-09-17T17:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.504-07:00This Man of MineI have to take a moment and give credit where credit is due. Because this man of mine does a whole lot more than I could ever ask or give him credit for. So in celebration of what he calls his 'funeral' of turning 30 (even though we all know he'll forever act like he's in his 20's) I am making this post an ode to the birthday boy. The man behind the blog who doesn't get the spotlight nearly Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-32946957538705635942013-09-16T17:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.467-07:00Travel Tuesdays-NepalJust a little something to spark your wanderlust for the week.via <!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-45610792906241916312013-09-15T17:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.485-07:00Lessons Learned From Traveling With Your Man"I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them." - Mark TwainThankfully through traveling to three continents and eleven different countries together, my husband and I have fallen more in love with each other (and traveling) than the dreaded latter of the quote above. But through our world galavanting, we've not Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-81960978539230746932013-09-15T16:56:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.513-07:00A good weekend for growing grassIt was a dreary and overcast day when I woke up yesterday with temps in the 40’s, so I waited a while for things to warm up a bit before heading over to the Visitors Center and offices to take care of my watering chores. This building has been closed for about a year, totally gutted, and retrofitted for energy efficiency.  This is most of the sod that was laid on Friday.  There’s a Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-62318732230932152642013-09-14T09:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.501-07:00Overseas PackingWhen packing up to live overseas, there is a weird balance of what to pack. You never know exactly what you'll need and you never know if you'll be able to find certain things where you're moving. We were allowed two 50 pound bags each but when you think of the clothes and housing items that you need to bring with, those 50 pounds might as well been 10. Also, we were told that the washers are notAdminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-10148314211702431472013-09-13T18:34:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.446-07:00A matter of prioritiesWell I was off this morning to Fargo to take care of several items on my list.  First up was the Breadsmith store where I purchased three loaves as planned.  This time I got the French Peasant Bread (cracked wheat), the regular Rustic Rye (as opposed to the sweeter and darker molasses rye), and another loaf of Patriotic Bread (white bread with blueberries and cranberries).  Making Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-54488421336279572892013-09-12T18:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.491-07:0014 days and countingThat’s right.  I’ve only got two more weeks at Tamarac NWR before I hit the road for more southern climes.  This is about the time I start making lists of things I need to accomplish before heading out.  After mowing the weeds all around headquarters and the volunteer rig sites today (the grass is just beginning to green up after such a dry August), I headed to town to take care ofAdminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-28098653298665332712013-09-12T17:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.461-07:00Letters/67Dear Korean Wedding, my husband officially survived his first wedding as a couple. I can't believe that it took almost three years to even attend a wedding together. You were so fun to go to even though I couldn't wrap my head around certain aspects of the ceremony like the smoke machine and bubbles while they said their vows. Dear Apartment, I'm grateful for the amount of room that we Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-6095640021679969152013-09-11T18:41:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.499-07:00I took your adviceI was out this morning to paint another 20 or so posts, but I didn’t use my right arm at all.  I’ll be giving it a rest from painting.  Of course, using my left arm only had its own results.  Using your not dominate arm and hand to do things can be a little awkward.  At one point, vigorously slathering on the paint with my left hand resulted in a huge blob of paint flying Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-91814479264343360122013-09-10T17:42:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.519-07:00Catching upThe last couple of days haven’t been very exciting, so I’ve taken a little break from blogging.  Didn’t do much of anything besides laundry on Sunday because of the rain, it rained a good share of the day an Monday, and today it was back to painting posts.  Notched 21 more posts on my paintbrush this foggy overcast morning, which brought me up to a total of 180 posts so far.  Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-35148456627883038192013-09-10T17:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.471-07:00The Lost Temples of Cambodia-Beng Malea & Phnom BokPhnom Bok TempleIf you've been following along for awhile, you know that Jeremy and I love to experience out of the ordinary destinations while on vacation. Whether it's swimming with whale sharks, road tripping across the country, or zip lining through the jungle, one of our favorite parts of traveling is finding places or activities not commonly stumbled upon. That's why we knew that once Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-42127503980982187572013-09-10T01:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.481-07:00Snail Mail Collective Partners + Everyday Happy Giveaway!First things first. We have the next Snail Mail Collective Pairings up and ready to go! We had over 155 people sign up this month! Each month I love reading about your partners, seeing your tweets and the general excitement over meeting someone new. After all, I believe that's what blogging is all about. Not the numbers, not the hope of blogger fame, but the inevitable friendships that are made Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-69174563403674538412013-09-09T17:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.507-07:00Travel Tuesdays-NepalJust a little something to spark your wanderlust for the week.via<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-56974838049490759242013-09-08T16:59:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.492-07:00Philippine Budget-How to Keep Track of a Budget on Trips+A GiveawayThere are so many different types of travelers and traveling styles. There are people who go all out on vacation and do not spare any expense. There are the budget travelers that try to get the most bang for their buck. And there are the backpackers who try to stretch their dollar as far as it will possibly go. There's absolutely no wrong way to travel, it's all simply based on preference and Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-59095384165004693892013-09-07T19:06:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.498-07:00Someone showed up!What a surprise.  Someone came for the bird tour at 8:30.  Only one person, but that’s better than nothing considering the time of year.  So what did we see?  Not a whole lot, but the young eagles cooperated and were perched nearby to start the foggy morning.                    Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-31550302525244058392013-09-06T20:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.463-07:00Lindsey Letters Giveaway!it is the first friday of the month and that means it is time for my crush of the month giveaway! i have been so blessed by you and all my readers that it is time to give back! each month i giveaway one of my favorite things. today i am co-hosting with Chelsea of Lost in Travels to bring you two of my favorite Lindsay Letters prints - Whatever is Lovely&Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-39132266213207782922013-09-06T18:15:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.478-07:00Temps are still soaringThis has been a rather interesting week.  Monday was a holiday, Tuesday I was back to painting posts, and Wednesday I ran errands and visited Mr. Smith.  Then yesterday I was expecting some visitors.  A fellow Fish and Wildlife volunteer, and blogger, that I worked with a couple of years ago at Anahuac NWR, was making her way from the National Bison Range NWR to the Boundary WatersAdminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708630609197372582.post-105225468873460372013-09-05T19:00:00.000-07:002013-09-24T10:54:43.447-07:00Letters/66 + GUEST POST ON LOST IN TRAVELSDear Patbingsu, I don't know how I've survived in Korea for so long without you. I finally caved and tried this traditional Korean summer treat the other day and I must say, I'm in love. The traditional one includes shaved ice on the bottom with red bean, sweetened condensed milk, jelly bits, rice cake, ice cream and fruit on top. Ok, I admit, after typing it up, it sounds disgusting. Just trust Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098591499227545188noreply@blogger.com