Portland - Eagle Creek

Once again I have managed not to plummet to my doom, not that I didn't have plenty of opportunity. The hiking trails I've been on lately often skirt the edge of steep ledges with no rails or protection; I need to keep my wits about me, watch my footing, and rely on my trusty hiking pole. This day trip outside of Portland was to Eagle Creek, and the trail started out innocently, and beautifully, enough.

I saw a variety of small fern new to me, above, which sprouted on a single stem then split into individual fronds. The stems were a dark blue, and the fronds a pale, silvery green. If anyone knows the name of this treasure, please let me know. We seemed to have timed our trip perfectly, as the weather has been outstanding, and the wildflowers are at their peak. Below is a shot of the larkspur that was plentiful in the sunnier sports on the trail.

The trail was rife with waterfalls, some of them large, and some of them little sprinklers that dripped and sparkled on us as we walked under them. Below you can see the cable handrail that helped us negotiate a very slippery spot under a small fall:

Below is a shot of Melatku falls glimpsed through the trees:

And here I am carefully not falling into the creek as I forded it about halfway up the trail:

Here's a shot of the Lower Punch Bowl falls. Some one near and dear to me heroically waded into very cold water to get this picture:

A view from one of the high spots on the trail:

Portland - Japanese Garden

As a contrast to the wilderness areas I've been hiking in, I made a visit to the Portland Japanese Garden. It's very intricately laid out and meticulously maintained, and a real pleasure to stroll about in. I have only a casual knowledge about the principles of Japanese garden design, but it was easy to enjoy the experience without specialized knowledge. Above is part of a moss garden, and below is a small fountain, one of many water features.

Below is a perfect white camellia:

A raked gravel and rock garden:

A landscape view with an elegantly pruned tree:

Another landscape view:

The rhododendrons were at their peak of bloom:

A rhododendron close-up:

A conifer being supported and shaped by a bamboo framework:

Portland - Philomath

I've known Gerrie Congdon and Terry Grant online for years; I've admired their work and thought they would be lovely people to know in person. Yesterday they proved me right by picking me up and taking me along to see Karen Miller's solo show of her beautiful katazome work at the Historical Society Museum in Philomath, followed by a meeting of their 'High Fiber Diet' quilt group, where I was treated to images from their new 'Line Dancing' exhibit.

Above is Terry on the left, and Karen on the right, sharing a happy moment.

Above is Karen on the left, and Gerrie on the right, discussing a fine point of technique. Below is a partial view of the display space.

I also got to see Gerrie's charming home and studio, meet her new puppy Scooter, and see some of her work up close and personal--a real pleasure. Thanks a lot, Terry and Gerrie, for showing me some of the back roads of rural Oregon and treating me to splendid day out, I really appreciated your hospitality!

Portland - Ecola closeups

Some closeup photos from the hike at Ecola-- a flower I didn't recognize gone to seed: A plant I did recognize--skunk cabbage, growing in low lying swampy areas:

The spathe from the skunk cabbage:

Barnacles growing on boulders of volcanic rock on the beach:

An unidentified flower, no less beautiful for going unnamed:

Cones growing:

Portland - Ecola State Park

We got to Ecola State Park on the Oregon Coast just as the fog was starting to roll in, which made for some fabulous pictures. Above is a view of Cannon beach with just the tip of Haystack Rock visible ; in the lower left you can see two people in the surf for a sense of scale. Below is the same beach from a higher perspective. The fog ebbed and flowed all afternoon, but never blanketed the whole area.

We hiked along a trail leading to Indian beach, which veered between the deeper woods and the edges of the cliffs, offering spectacular glimpses of our destination:

A slightly tricky bit of the trail, where it was important to pay attention:

Every turn and twist of the way provided another stunning view and photo op:

An open spot on the interior of the trail:

A fallen giant with ferns sprouting from ruins. Everything was incredibly verdant and lush:

Portland--Multnomah Falls, Mt. Hood

Many years ago, when the world was young, I had a friend named Donna who came down with a serious case of the wanderlust one spring. She hooked a homemade trailer to her VW Beetle, loaded up her 3 goats and 2 dogs, and set off with her toddler to drive to Oregon, her personal Promised Land. Her journey became a personal metaphor for me whenever I had an unfulfilled wanderlust--"someday I'll pack up my goats and drive to Oregon". I've finally made it, by airplane, and sans goats, but delighted to be here just the same. My first foray into the natural wonders of the Portland was a visit to Multnomah Falls, above. Below is a view from the trail to the top of the falls, looking out over the Columbia River Gorge.

Here is the waterway that feed the falls. I love the way the trees are coated with moss:

Here I am at the mouth of the falls, trying not to plummet to my doom:

The view looking from the top of the falls down over the mountain:

A side hike took us to Weisendanger Falls, easily one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. The pictures don't begin to do it justice, but here's one anyhow:

Next up was a drive to Mt. Hood. The weather was exceptionally fine, clear and warm and sunny, giving us fantastic views all the way there. Here I am in 74 degree weather, standing on a deep snowpack, while crazy snowboarders prepared to leap off the precipice:

A view from Mt. Hood, with Mt. Jefferson off to the right:

I'm living life too fast to fully document it right now, which is a good thing. More San Francisco pictures will surface at some point when I catch up with myself.

San Francisco Vacation

I'm recently back from a fabulous week's vacation in the San Francisco area. A highlight of the trip was meeting in person the lovely and talented Franki Kohler, who I have known online for years. Franki is an author, an accomplished art quilter, and does a excellent job of running the mail art group Postmark'd Art, so we've corresponded by both email and snail mail. She and her husband David graciously invited us to their beautiful home for lunch, so I can now add "great cook" to my list of Franki's talents! Thanks, Franki, we really enjoyed our visit and getting to know you better.

I also got out to see a lot of scenery. These shots are from Ocean Beach just outside of the city, a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. I like this shot above with all the little blue flags; they were markers for a native plant restoration project. Below is a view looking back from the cliffs and up the hill:

And below are the cliffs and the bay:

This is also the site of the historic Sutro Baths, where Victorians could take the waters in a splendid fashion. They're a splendid set of ruins now:

I was able to photographically indulge my love of portals:

Lots more pictures to come as I get them edited--stay tuned!

Watt & Shand #2 at The Arts Hotel

I'm very pleased to report that Watt & Shand #2 has been sold.

I returned home from a wonderful vacation in the wee hours on Friday morning, got a bit of rest and started unpacking, then hied downtown to the Lancaster Arts Hotel for the Artist's Reception for the PA Arts Experience Members Exhibit. I had a great time meeting and greeting and talking to people. Almost everyone I spoke with had a story or a remembrance about shopping or working at the store; it's obviously a integral part of the shared history of Lancaster, and the construction project is starting a new chapter.

I've added a new gallery to my website called "The Structures" where you can see Watt & Shand #1 and #2, and watch for #3 to be added soon. And if you are new here, you can track back the evolution of my series chronicling the transformation of the former department store into a hotel and convention center by clicking on "Watt & Shand" under Labels in the right sidebar.

The exhibit runs until June 17th; I'm so privileged to be in the company of this amazing group of artists. Go if you get the chance!