SISTERS' WEEKEND - 2020

Beep and I made reservations for a weekend together in a cabin at Prineville Reservoir State Park nine months ago, but COVID-19 upended those plans since all the state park cabins and yurts have been closed the last several months. So we came up with another idea. The sisters went to Sisters over the weekend!

We had perfect weather as we strolled through town, browsed lots of shops, enjoyed outdoor dining at Sisters Saloon & Ranch Grill and Sisters Meat and Smokehouse, spent part of our mornings and evenings relaxing outside our rental, and spontaneously hiked Black Butte. Our hike is the main thing I took pictures of, but here are a few random shots.

Some businesses use security cameras, but this antique store in Sisters has smiling furniture watch their customers instead. Do you ever notice unintentional faces in strange places?

Some signs are a little unnecessary. Like ones saying the sidewalk is closed when the sidewalk actually ceases to exist. In related news, there's no such warning where the sidewalk ends on the other side of all that dirt and the intersection in the background has a bizarre sidewalk configuration. 

Sometimes you're just strolling through town and are startled to realize there are five deer just relaxing about fifteen feet away. I grew up with deer in my yard all the time, so it's not super exciting for me to see them, but this was weird because they must be super domesticated. They weren't phased at all by us walking by so close and one of them wandered by our rental several blocks away later that night.

Here's a peek at our hike. This shot is looking down on Black Butte Ranch, which just happens to be where Tim and I spent part of our honeymoon.

Squinting into the sun and catching our breath.

Nearing the summit.

Finally reached the fire lookout, which meant we'd made it to the top. 

There weren't very many flowers on this hike, but we saw a few of these.

I'd like to do the hike again someday when the skies are clear, but the potentially amazing 360 degree views were still good. 

An important job takes place up all those stairs. In fact, there are two spots near the summit that mark wildfires from 1991 and 2009. 

I'm pretty sure I see these on every hike I go on.

Just trying to show some of the elevation change.

Beep's hidden in the scenery ...

... and so am I.

I love the colors of the mountain I'm on, as well as the shades of mountain silhouettes in the background.

The moss was so bright! 

Fall leaves and pine needles. 

It was nice to clock out of regular life for a bit and to spend some time with my sister. I'm thankful it worked out!

(Photo credit: Beep took the ones of she and I together and the one of me hidden in the scenery.)