One more time

Before the craziness of moving is upon me...

One more walk around the neighborhood.

One more head pat for Zelda the bassett hound.

One more slice of chocolate buttermilk cake.

One more afternoon at Powell's.

One more drive to the coast.

I feel like this move is halfway between where I've been and where I'm going.

Poetry in Motion

Every winter the Oregon coast is host to a unique event: Fisher Poets on the Edge. In the past, my work schedule hasn't allowed me to attend. But this year? I made a plan and escaped to Newport to see and hear what the fuss was about.



I had a little time before the main even on Saturday night, so I grabbed my camera and walked along the docks on Yaquina Bay.



This guy wanted his own space apart from the clan on the neighboring rocks:



That night it was standing room only at the Oregon Coast Aquarium as a lineup of fishermen (and one woman) recited tales and songs of their lives on the sea.



In measured meter and rhyming couplets, they had the crowd spellbound with their words. And in between sets, we were welcome to stroll through the exhibits.



I don't think one could ever tire of watching jellyfish.

By the river

I always feel a bit more at home along the river. I grew up by it. I saw it every day. Crossed it to work, to play, and to worship. And now, when I have the chance to return, it continues to impart a sense of continuity and calm.



I've struggled to define a Thanksgiving tradition since returning to Oregon five years ago. I have childhood memories of watching stormy seas and walking deserted beaches. This year, I decided to spend some time in Astoria, a small town not too far from where I grew up.



I decided to try out a small cabin in a newly renovated hotel, and to explore downtown on foot with my camera.



My trip coincided with the beginning of the St. Lucia Festival of Lights, where the opening ceremony was being held at the local high school.



Naturally, I visited some old favorites, too: the Astor Column, the Astoria-Megler bridge, the Home Bakery.



I think, perhaps, I've found my new Thanksgiving tradition.

Oregon Outback: Where the... goats roam

I took a little trip the other day for work and got to see the vastness of Lake County in a new way. We stayed overnight at the Lodge at Summer Lake, a simple bank of rooms popular with hunters and other travelers passing through.

In the morning we continued on to Paisley, where our meeting was being held. Paisley is apparently know for their annual mosquito festival, but I think they should be better known for the superb made-from-scratch cinnamon rolls that the Homestead Restaurant rolls out.

Before we left, I couldn't resist snapping a photo of the psychedelic butterfly wallpaper in the women's restroom at the restaurant. Where can I get some?

It's Harvest Time

There are certain activities that just seem to evoke the right mood for the season. Today, that meant a drive through the autumn foliage in the Columbia River Gorge and a pit stop at the Hood River Harvest Fest.

My first stop was Vista House, which sits atop a windy bluff overlooking the Columbia River.



They've been busy renovating the exterior of the building, but it's the view of the windows from the interior that I like:



After a windy walk around the point, I meandered east along Highway 30 enjoying the easy pace and the brightly-hued leaves. At the bottom of the hill, I made a quick trip to the base of Multnomah Falls. It's a beautiful sight any time of year.



Further east along the old highway, I came across another destination point that I've been wanting to check out: the newly reopened Oneonta tunnel.



Originally opened in 1914, the tunnel was filled in with rock in 1948. In 2006, the excavation work began, and daylight was once again seen through the tunnel for the first time in 58 years. The tunnel officially reopened to pedestrian traffic in March 2009.



My final stop for the day was the Hood River Harvest Fest. Want to taste a Tokyo Rose apple or Shinseiki pear? This is the place to do it.



There's a nice array of food booths and northwest artisans showcasing their talents. I even managed to complete a fair amount of my holiday shopping as I browsed (and bought).



There's no question that I live in a beautiful state, and autumn is one of the best times of the year to enjoy it.

An Oregon Scenic Byway

Earlier this week I drove a 52-mile stretch of road along Highway 7 between Baker City and Bates that I had never travelled before. That opportunity doesn't happen very often, so I had to take a photo to document it. East of the Cascade Mountains we had enjoyed blue skies and warm temps all weekend. It was perfect bicycling and rock climbing weather. As I descended from the summit of Santiam Pass, I was once again greeted by the wind and grey skies of the Willamette Valley below.

Summer Retrospective: Part I

For me, summer began at the end of April when I was able to spend an extended weekend in southern California. My sister and I happened upon a great viewing spot for the race from Newport to Ensenada.



I also took a little detour to experience an event known as the "The 1st 7th Grilled Cheese Invitational." I've always been a fan of cheese in just about any form, so it's hard to resist an event dedicated entirely to celebrating its yumminess in a gooey, grilled format.



Summer 2009 is also when my love of tart frozen yogurt started. I tried a few places...maybe 6 to be exact.



In May, I hiked 7.7 miles along the Clackamas River Trail. I'm still sporting a bruised toenail as a result of that trek. It was worth it.



At the end of June, I took advantage of a sunny weekend and made a jaunt to the Summer Kite Festival in Lincoln City. I made it in time to watch the Running of the Bols, which is a fun event -- if you like to run in sand with a giant kite strapped to your back.

Six Pic Saturday: Mississippi Street Fair

How do you know you've arrived at a Portland street festival?



Mass bike parking.

Also, the requisite hula hoop dancer:



In case you were in doubt, this van is green:



And this one is orange:



A Radio Flyer shrine-to-go:



And for all those hot hoopers and pavement pounders, a little icicle tricycle to whet your palate:

Six Pic Saturday: Over the river and through the woods

An article in the newspaper piqued my interest in exploring the Clackamas River Trail today. So, just before 8 am I set my sights on Estacada and hit the road with a goal in mind: hike to Pup Creek Falls.

A sign at the beginning of the trail warned about debris from winter storms, and there was plenty of it. Fortunately, most of it had been cleared by a diligent soul.



Still, there was a lot of rock hopping and log shimmying in some places in order to keep moving forward. I was just about to turn back when I saw the tiny turnoff sign almost 4 miles into the hike:



I was beyond ready for a snack at this point, and upon reaching the falls threw myself onto the log bench hewn into the mountainside for a much needed break.



I had the falls to myself, and tried to capture what I saw with my inadequate camera lens. At least the picture will spark the memory of the actual beauty.



On the (long) hike back to the car, I was accompanied by the occasional flotilla of rafters passing by:



7.7 miles later, I was parched, but happy. This is not an easy trail for the casual hiker. You definitely need plenty of water, sturdy shoes, and some protein-based snacks in your backpack. And don't forget to purchase a National Forest day pass ($5) at the ranger station on your way into town!

Blue Sky in Bend

postcards
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

Work took me to central Oregon this weekend, just in time to catch a bit of blue sky and sunshine. Every time I visit the area, there is a secret thought in the back of my mind that maybe one of these days I could live here...

I love discovering new things about places I already have an affinity for.

An afternoon walk downtown to a favorite paper shop introduced me to the work of Anahata Katkin. She is based out of Ashland. Who knew?

I selected two lovely postcards to send to lucky postcrossers. However, I may have a hard time parting with these. They may take up residence in my permanent collection.

From my hotel room I had a panoramic view of Pilot Butte, an extinct volcano within the city limits. It was a little too brisk and breezy this morning to hike to the top, so instead I went in search of this little bakery:



I had stumbled across some promising reviews of The Sparrow Bakery online, so I went to try out the ocean roll for myself.



I was not disappointed! It mixed the goodness of a sticky bun with a kick of cardamom -- sweet and spice all rolled into one.

The Sparrow Bakery is tucked into an odd industrial corner of downtown Bend.



So naturally, I took out my camera.



Before leaving today, I stopped by Mother's Juice Cafe on the westside of town. The fruit & veggie blend (apple, carrot, orange, cucumber, beet and lemon) was the perfect treat to quench my thirst.



To live here full time though? First, I'd need a Subaru and a road bike!

Easy Friday Night

Quiet studio space
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

I took Friday off. I'll be working this weekend--and most of next week--on the road. I wanted movement. I wanted a creative spark. And I wanted it to be thrifty, too.

A quick search on the internet revealed the beginning of the Blue Sky Choreographers Series in a quiet space in downtown Portland. Enjoying contemporary dance is something I don't get to do very often anymore, so this was a nice renewal of that appreciation.



Afterward, I decided to check out the Belgian fries that are gaining an appreciative audience over at Potato Champion.

Sitting in a corner parking lot at Hawthorne and 12th Street SE, this festive cart is only open Wednesday-Saturday, from 8 pm - 3 am. Perfect for late-night snacking. And they only serve one thing: fries. Order a cone full, sprinkle on some salt, and nosh away!

When All You Do Is Drive

Sometimes I work on the weekend.

And when I do, my schedule might look something like this:

Saturday...

7 am Leave Salem

Drive 23 miles

Pick up student

Drive 35 miles

Pick up student

Drive 29 miles

Participate in 4 hour meeting

Top off gas tank

Drive 231 miles

Stop in Pendleton for gas and dinner

Drive 185 miles

Drop off student

Drive 14 miles

10:46 pm

Check in at hotel

Realize that it is really 11:46 pm

I've crossed over into Mountain Standard Time

Further realization that Daylight Savings begins tonight

...it is now 12:46 am and I don't have any

proof of where the last 2 hours went

Sleep

Sunday...

Wake

Fill the gas tank

Drive 172 miles

Stop in Pendleton to stretch

Drive 192 miles

Pray that the car will make it to Troutdale on gas fumes

Drive 66 miles

Return vehicle to the Motor Pool lot

Arrive home after 36 hours and 949 miles

I like what I do

And that's a good thing.

The Love Show

The Love Show
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

So tonight I found myself walking across train tracks and ducking beneath beams to view the opening of the 4th Annual Love Show at the Olympic Mills Commerce Center. And what I found was a very cool, converted warehouse space perfect for exhibiting the eclectic mix of art depicting the theme of "love."