April Already

Well our updates have been few are far between lately. We have stayed pretty busy during our first month in Oregon. Marshall has picked up some side jobs that have kept him working all but one day so far (other than having Sundays off). I believe he will have most of this weekend off, so I think he is looking forward to some rest. I am still looking for work, but I started an internship at the Ranch this week, so right now I go in at 12:30 and work till 6:00 Monday-Thursday. I am getting acquainted with how they do things there, and really enjoyed my first official day on Monday...I spent a lot of time scooping poop from one of the padocks (and nearly froze), but it was fun to work and get to have conversations with some of the other staff and volunteers.
We are still enjoying our time in Bend. Last night Mike Shaw and his fiance and another friend spent the night at our house on their trip back east (they've been living and working in Washington state for the past year). It was fun to see faces from familiar settings and to be able to share stories. It has been snowing off and on the past five days or so. The warm streak we were having has quickly faded away. I am very much missing a southern Spring!!! Daffodils have come up here, but I miss the pear trees and newly green grass this time of year (I don't miss the pollen so much though). Fortunately, the cold is not quite as penetrating here (I think because it is so dry...), but my hands and feet are still going numb...and Marshall wears his new coveralls frequently to work...the wind is what seems to get you.
The best thing we've stumbled upon is the Bluegrass community here in Bend. We went to the "jam" that occurs every other Thursday, and it was incredible! About forty or so people of all ages (mostly 50-80's...we were some of the youngest of the crowd) congregate just to pick and have fun. There were banjos, guitars, harmonicas, fiddles, mandolins, and a dobro (I have no idea how to spell that...). It was so fun to listen as they went around the room and everyone got to choose and lead a song. It made me homesick in a very good way. Marshall was unsure if he could keep up at first, but really liked it...and I think given a few more weeks will pick-up more and more. This jam session is created for people of all abilities--there three rule being 1)your intrument must be acoustic 2) it must be tuned and 3) you must be encouraging to everyone. The couple who heads it up (being orginally from TN) even invited us to go out with a group of them who have a tradition of getting dinner and drinks afterwards. It was fun to make new friends, as well as learn new stories and a ton about bluegrass. There is a local festival put on here in August by this group--ya'll should make your way here for it if you're interested :-)