My plans to go to the Pine Mountain Observatory to camp and have a look through their telescopes this weekend got rained on. I was really hoping to get in some good viewing especially since it was a dark moon weekend. It was really overcast all weekend so astronomy was out for sure. I feel pretty disappointed. I am itching to use my telescope too but since I got it in January there has barely been any clear nights that I have been off from work. Right now my telescope is collecting dust in the family room. I am really looking forward to some clear nights soon hopefully.
We did end up going to the Newberry National Volcanic Monument near Bend, Oregon. It was really interesting. The landscape looked really similar to the Craters of the Moon Monument in Idaho. Standing there among the jagged rocks in that harsh environment I really tried to imagine what it must have looked like all those years ago when the volcano was erupting. It is hard to fathom.
I wish we could have spent more time there but we kinda overslept. Must go back some day and fully explore that area.

Since it is Father's Day I gave my dad a call this afternoon. It was pretty awkward as usual. I feel like he doesn't even know who I am. I feel bad because the only reason I called was because I knew he would expect it and I didn't want to hurt his feelings. He kinda made my childhood miserable.

I feel really sad for my boyfriend. This is the first Father's Day for him since his dad passed away. A part of me feels guilty for not getting along with my dad because here he is having to deal with not even having a dad around at all. I wish there was some way I could comfort him but I know the wound is so fresh right now there probably isn't much I can say that would help. I only met his dad once but I really liked him which is unusual for me for the first meeting. Usually it takes a bit for someone to grow on me but I liked him immediately. I wish so badly he was still around-for my boyfriend and for me. I wish I could have known him better.

It has been a long weekend and I am so tired. I wish I had more energy to have a fire outside tonight to celebrate Midsummer. Maybe later tonight after I have had a rest.
One last note-Tonight right at dusk I went into the backyard to toss out some old apples and I saw a coyote and five deer hanging out in the orchard. The coyote I have nicknamed Cherry because I have seen her out there before eating cherries from the ground. The deer didn't seem to mind her being around much. I guess since she was alone they didn't feel threatened.
We did get a picture of her last week that I will try to post when I get a chance.