My favorite spots

Most memorable activity of the past week: Watching 21 sled dog teams take off in the dark for 100-mile and 200-mile runs in the 2nd annual Eagle Cap Sled Dog Race near Joseph.

I write an every other column for my weekly paper -- it was my boss' idea, not mine -- and I always have trouble thinking of ideas about to write about. It's usually more personal than I would like. For example my most recent one was about approaching old age and how my defination of that stage of life had changed since I was 18. My column is aptly titled "It's All Relative."

The funny thing is that after 20-plus years of working on my newspaper (www.wallowacountychieftain.info) I get more positive comments from more people about that silly little column than all the news stories and features in all these years. Probably the one I got the most comment on was one about the trials and tribulations of trying to keep my lawn mowed.

My daughter suggested I start putting my columns on my blog (which I have neglected since starting in November) and maybe I'll start doing that.

Anyway, I'm in the process of thinking of a new topic, and one idea is writing about my 10 favorite spots in the world. Let me see if I can come up with a list:

1. Wallowa County, Oregon; my home
2. The Blanchet Ranch near Pendleton, Ore.; where I grew up and my father grew up and is still in our family.
3. The Oregon Coast; I love the rugged landscape, beachcombing, the ocean.
4. London, England; the only place I've ever traveled that I need a passport.
5. Charleston, S.C.; a lovely, lovely historical city in the South.
6. Portland, Oregon; the city I visit most often (my kids live here) and enjoy exploring.
7. Las Vegas, Nevada; perhaps I should put this up higher on the list, after all it is my favorite fantasy world and is second only to Portland and the coast as a travel destination.
8. New York, N.Y.; I've loved my two trips to this big city, what an exciting place to visit.
9. Utah -- I love the beauty of those sandstone formations.
10. San Francisco, Calif. -- I lived here for a year or two, many, many years ago, and plan to return for a visit one of these days.

I'm taking a week off work at the end of February, and am planning a trip to Portland area (to see my granddaughter!) and the Oregon Coast.

I'll writer more about some of these places. I'm going to start writing here at least once or twice a week, though I know no one but me reads here, at least so far.