Vatertag Wandern

I'm back in Oregon and it wouldn't be quite right if we didn't go hiking! Father's Day was yesterday, so my parents and I headed out to Mary's Peak, the highest mountain in Oregon's part of the Cascade Range. It felt great to pop my boots back on and hike the saddle between mountain and sea. 

Reunited in time for a father-daughter Kodak Moment!

It's been both exciting and strange returning to the homeland. I feel like my life in Oregon is a big puzzle and I'm the piece right in the middle, bordered by four others. Many of the outer pieces have shifted, left or simply changed-- some of my friends have moved, the downtown in Salem looks different, etc. Those middle pieces, however, my family and core experiences in Salem, have held fast. I hopped right back into the Oregon Puzzle without feeling any discomfort.

Frolicking through daisies and butterflies.

And my German ties will never be far away-- as I realized at the top of Mary's Peak. My parents and I were taking a break, enjoying the view and chatting about the food I'd eaten in Germany. We were in the middle of a lively discussion about quark when the lady sitting on the bench next to us started laughing in our direction. My mom asked if she was German and turns out-- Bavarian born and raised! She was there with her American husband, who she'd met while he was working in southern Germany. They now live in Eugene, where I'll be starting college in the fall, and they gave me their contact information because they're very active in Eugene's German speaking community. It's exciting to already have one, more personal way to keep my language abilities up while down at University of Oregon. 

The summery view we were all enjoying on top of the peak.

All in all my dad had a nice Father's Day. He enjoyed not only the hike, but also the yummy chocolate I got him from across the pond. It feels like summer, what with the warm weather to come, hiking through the Cascades and the flexible tempo of my days. And right around the corner is the quintessential summer staple-- summer camp!