I have a tendency to over-do the sight-seeing and the getting-out when we vacation, but I made a conscious effort to lay a little lower during our week in La Pine. Our mornings were always leisurely, with coffee and puzzles and maybe a short stroll around the block. The espresso pickin’s are slim in my parents’ little town, but my mom and I did our darnedest to track down the best latte within a few-mile radius. After discovering that the favorite neighborhood diner got rid of their espresso machine, we found ourselves at the coffee cart in the parking lot next to the gas station. Desperate times, people, desperate times.
…And a post-latte morning walk (Jules hearts Bernie 4-ever).
Jules can lay low for only so long, so around lunchtime we drove up to Bend to check out the pool at the Juniper Swim Center, aka Juliette’s New Happy Place.
This place was magical, with pools and a splash pad and slides of all sizes.
After seeing that look of alarm on Juliette’s face as she blipped down the tiny slide, I was surprised to hear her say she wanted to do the BIG slide with Daddy. I watched her excitedly wait in line, knowing this would end in either laughter or tears.
Loved it!
“Again, Daddy, AGAIN!”
The third time around she asked to go by herself – I waited near the bottom, a little anxious, but my worry was all for naught. She shot out the end of that thing into the water, bobbed right up, and zipped back to the stairs for another round.
Getting Juliette out of the pool took no small amount of coaxing, but with the promise of french fries and a lollipop, we lured her out and headed over to Worthy Brewing for dinner.
We spent the evening chasing Juliette around the neighborhood on her bike – a couple of small wobbles, and then this girl was solidly off to the races.
I was trailing 50 feet behind her and Shane with the giddiest, proudest grin on my face when a neighbor called from their front yard, “You sure look happy! Did you win the lottery or somethin’?”
I mean, she is one in a million…
On Wednesday we opted for an easy walk along the Deschutes River up to Benham Falls.
This river is so serene in places, so mighty in others.
Hiking with Jules can be the best of times or the hardest of times. She can be an amazing little trooper or she can be whiny and stubborn and slow. Usually she’s some of each within the same mile. We’ve learned to roll with it.
We picnicked in a shady grove of pines and then Shane strung up the hammock as a makeshift swing for Juliette.
I was jonesing to get out on the paddle board that afternoon, so we went over to Crane Prairie for a quick row – it turned out to be super, super-smoky over there, but goodness, it was quiet.
My dad said there’s usually a beautiful view of the mountains from here. I’m afraid I just had to take his word for it…
While Shane got out for his turn, Jules and my dad played a rousing game of “guess which hand”. Three year olds can be so easily amused.
Almost apocalyptic, isn’t it?
Dip those toes while you can, darlin’. Summer is waning!
Up next: more rivers, more lakes, more mountain zen.