The month of March, 2014 organizing Photographs and the perception of time.

I used to keep my photographs organized in files labeled by subject.  This worked well for me for years, but now that I have  45,000 photos of projects, family holidays, design build projects.

Yessi trying on wedding dresses at 'Brides for a Cause'

Since my year of hiking in New Zealand, The PCT, and Nepal, I've changed my organizational hierarchy.  I found that after a year of such amazing adventure, it was hard to find a place for simple pictures of my town, dog, family and home.  Pictures that will never make the blog, that don't have an event associated with them, but that I want to keep.

Yessi cutting fern fonds at FrEdLey

So I changed to filing by date.  I have a folder for the year, and another for each month.  Then, as time goes on, I separate out some photos associated with events.

A quick sketch of where Yessi is from, where I'm from and where we met.

Such is the month of March, 2014.  I'm looking at photos, deleting some, moving some, remembering the month.  And what a month.  So much has happened, I had to check dates on my photos to make sure they weren't from February or January.  It feels like several months have gone by in the span of only 30 days.

Yessi on a huge Cedar stump on a piece of property on Maxwelton we wanted to buy.

When I was hiking the PCT, I had the opportunity to hike with Mark, a very generous, interesting and educated man.  His wife was a Neurologist and he explained to me why time seemed to move so fast when we as hikers were moving so slow.

Container awning finished at Clinton Property

Here's his explanation: People remember the passage of time by events.  Most people with jobs and routines only have a few events a month that aren't' part of a routine.  Thus when they remember the month, there are only a couple of items that stand out, that are new or different from the routine.  As long distance hikers, we have events every day.  A new town, a new mountain, getting lost, swimming in a special lake.  Were making several memory entries per day, rather than per month.  So when looking back and remembering, there is lots to remember and it feels like longer ago that it really was.

Power hooked up at Clinton Property

Such is the month of March, 2014 for dbBrad and Yessi Ye.  We are getting married in just 3 weeks and this month has gone by so fast, it's hard to believe we were just trying on wedding dresses 4 weeks ago.

Container moved to Clinton property with lots of cleaning up work by Yessi

Yessi carefully removes invasive plants around our beloved skunk cabbage

Moore Garden space was needed and here it is!

Yessi begins packing for our move.  After almost 2 years at our cabin on the Moore estate, we will be moving.

Fran and Ed pruning fruit trees and grapes while Benton watches along.

Giant Rhododendrons from Bill Skipe in Greenbank

BAPOW, Giant fir Beams for an Arbor project

A lovely piece of land on Saratoga we hope will soon be ours.

This is the month of March for Yessi and Brad.   Hard to believe this all happened in one month, but the dates on the photos don't lie, even if my brain doesn't want to believe it!

How to make a town more Pedestrian Friendly

Step 1 Tear up the Road.

Step 2 Park lots of machinery everywhere.

Step 3 Allow people to keep driving thru, but make them wait for flagers and machinery.  This is an important step, as you are training the public to use other streets for driving and parking

Langley Wa, now Pedestrian Friendly.  Notice not a car on the street at mid day.

Step 4 Begin to repair road, then go back to step one.

Step 5  After several weeks, totally block vehicular access to primary shops like Groceries store and Post office.

Step 6  Go back to step one.

Now, enjoy your new pedestrian friendly town.  Notice that even on nice spring days, there are no cars on this road.  The community is trained to drive elsewhere and you know have a pedestrian friendly and vehicle free street!!

A temporary building in Langley at the Star Store which has been here for years, recently redone by John Alsip.  Now the only permanent part of Second street since everything else has been torn out!!

Step 7, Optional for small historic towns like Langley WA.  Remove every piece of the street that is considered permanent, side walks, drive ways, sewer and drain pipes, even store fronts, but leave the one thing in the town that is totally not permanent, but has been there for ever.  Makes people feel at home during the transition!!

OMG I'm so excited. 12x12 BAPOWs 24 feet long!!

It's been a while since I've had's the pleasure of such large wood at my disposal.