Deschutes and Ladders

I am scared of heights sometimes.  And while I enjoy bouldering and climbing rocks, hiking up Bachelor or Horse Butte by moonlight or Misery Ridge on a hot day, I also REALLY have to practice not panicking.  I was born on the Great Plains after all.

spirit animal

Last week, however, I spent a lot of hours hovering above the ground on the tallest ladder I have ever used.  I got pretty comfortable up there.

I was commissioned by Visit Bend to chalk up their two giant cement pillars with art.  They gave me only two parameters, that it be "bend-ish" and that I start at shoulder height so patrons wouldn't get messy when they walked by.  I had so much fun.  I made such a mess.  I was covered in chalk all week.  I got to chime in on my opinion about the best things to do in Bend with only a few days to spend.  Forty hours, four packs of pastels, and eight sides. The drawings are going to stay up for some time, enough time for all you out of towners to book a flight and come Visit.

oh, deer

detail of deer

Do you recognize some of these places?  

An Open Love Letter (to Bend, Oregon, Cascadia)

Dear Bend,

Ten years ago today,  I turned to Al Townsend as we drove a red truck with all our belongings, a one year old Husky-Pom, and a grumpy old tabby cat up Highway 97 from California, and I said, "I'm thinkin' Bend."

I don't know why.  Maybe because an old friend of Al's had lived in Bend for a few years and said good things about it.  Maybe because when we pulled in to town Bela Fleck and the Flecktones were playing at the Athletic Club and it reminded us of Nashville and we translated it as a sign.  Maybe cause it seemed smaller and less intimidating than Portland, which was gonna be the last stop.  Maybe because of the smell of the ponderosas.  Maybe the view of the Cascades.  Maybe I just heard you calling to me, Bend.   If that is the case, none of this is a surprise to you.

If I know anything in this world, anything at all, is that I love you.  I could never have imagined all the adventures you would hold for me, or the people that you would help position in my life.  I don't want to embarrass you or anything, but I wanted you to know.  Who knows if I will ever leave you, for good, I don't want to predict the future.  But right now, I wanted to thank you.  Thank you for being a safe place, a beautiful place, a challenging frustrating invigorating freezing scorching beguiling boring magical heartbreaking and life-building place.

Thanks, and Love, and Gratitude.
Kaycee

Spin, Spin, Spin

My head has been spinning lately with all the capital-T Things that are happening in Bend, and in my little circle of world, and I am overwhelmed.

I could make a long list.  In doing that, though, would it would cheapen the context? The context of conversations, Kelty-walks, changing leaves, short films, exquisite pickled watermelon rinds, road-trip plans, expansion and contraction of autumn, which is the most amazing backdrop for all these Things?  It would make the individual Things on the list seem separate from the momentum they are involved with.  And the momentum is what is so magical, encouraging, exhilarating  bizarre, and perfectly-abnormally-normal.

Oh, well.
Here's the list anyway:

Bend Film
Continued Jubel Times, which was kicked off by the mighty Anseth clan visiting from Tennessee and Montana, and allowed me to get to hug friends in Portland I had not seen in ages.
Watching friends Projects come to life: a film about Cascadia, Silvero coming home from an Alaskan Tour, Hey Lover's hilariously fun new video, not to mention all the inspiring fall music that is coming out right now- both from friends I know, and friends I haven't met yet.  
An ongoing convo with the Lovely Shanan about life, creativity, yoga, and lovingly calling out BullShit (sorry for the language, sortof).
Winning an online give away of some beautiful earrings made by my friend Michael (seriously, I've only ever won concert tickets and a home-made pie).
Wildwood by Colin Meloy and Carsen Ellis.
An upcoming visit from CYR!

And most importantly:
Planning a pretty epic roadtrip Eastward in oh, about nine days.

Spin on, World.