Happy Halloween!

The tree with the sign on it which inspired my altering the photo for Halloween! Picnik is so much fun! The tree is in the backyard at the Zimmerman House Museum in Gresham, Oregon.

Happy birthday to my younger son, Leland!

Part 6, our last fun day together, Sunday, August 28, 2011

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at 3 Doors Down Café, SE 37th and Hawthorne--a family dinner for the seven of us, plus Lamont manned the kitchen as sous chef.

We were all pretty hungry, so I didn't take many photos--we just got down to it.


Fresh fettucini with heirloom tomatoes, sent to our table by Lamont. We shared like the grown ups that we are, enjoying every bite. Lamont got to come out and talk with us for a few minutes. Sweet.


Spaghetti and meatballs. Vanessa, Kay and I ordered this Sunday night special. I can't remember what anyone else ate, and I didn't write it down either. Having too much fun with my own dinner.


Kay and I got this for dessert, the banana cream pie. It is so fabulous, just looking at the photo floods me with fond memories of the taste and texture. One of the things that makes it even better is the consistent cool temperature that it is when served.

Dinner over, I took Howard and Vanessa to their hotel. They had to be at the airport about 5 a.m. Then I dropped off Milton and Kay at my apartment and headed for where the SUV lives. That's what you do with a Zipcar. You take it back where it lives when your reservation is over. Leland and Kailey met me there and brought me home.

Milton, Kay and I called it a night pretty early. We were to be picked up by Lamont the next day for brunch at the Bijou Cafe and then to Union Station so that they could board the train for the long ride home.

What a splendid time everyone had. I can't thank all of them enough for coming up here to visit us, to enjoy Portland and Oregon with us. Blessed, truly blessed. All of us.

Part 5, our last fun day together, Sunday, August 28, 2011

With the help of both the Garmin and the iPhone, we made our way from Gaston to Portland and our destination, 3 Doors Down Café, SE 37th and Hawthorne. While we waited in the bar for Kailey and Leland to meet us, we noticed a sight I've seen before. I took these through a window. I think they're best friends. What do you think?

Part 4, our last fun day together, Sunday, August 28, 2011

Elk Cove Winery, Gaston, Oregon turned out to be a very nice vineyard to visit. Once we found it.

We followed the Garmin on what turned out to be a wild goose chase to a dead end. Then we used my iPhone and made it there before they closed! About the wild goose chase, let me say that I've never had so much fun driving forward, then backing up, turning around, all on a hard-packed gray gravel road out in the Oregon countryside, well after we'd left the paved highway.


We'd genuinely enjoyed being together on the entire ride--dust and all--'cause the dust stayed outside the SUV!


Once we were inside the tasting room at Elk Cove, still talking and chuckling about how we finally found the place, one of their employees piped up, "Oh, that happens to people all the time when they use Garmin. The road stops on one side of the ridge and starts again on the other side." We looked at each other and laughed some more. And it was not the wines being tasted that led to the laughter. By the way, Milton's holding Kay's glass--he didn't drink out of two all by himself. Really. And I had sips of two different wine--one doesn't drink and drive, especially with a Zipcar full of family and friends.


Weddings take place at Elk Cove. In fact, one would happen not too long after we left for Portland. Several people worked hither and yon, getting ready. And then two vehicles filled with the wedding party (no bride or groom yet) and folks who looked like wedding guests parked near the SUV.




I enjoyed walking around, taking a few more photos.

Part 3, our last fun day together, Sunday, August 28, 2011

On the drive to find somewhere to eat lunch, probably in Depoe Bay, Oregon, south of Lincoln City on Highway 101, we came to this scenic outlook. I just had to stop, which was OK with my passengers. Hooray for the view!


A good-looking rig drove through the parking lot.


And a beauty parked facing the ocean. A red 1960s Chevy El Camino. I don't know the year, but I know it's close to whatever year the one was the my dearly departed husband had when we married. Now, 28 years later, I can't remember the year, but I can remember vividly that he taught me to drive a stick shift in it. What a trip that was! Me, uncoordinated to say the least, and a heavy duty clutch he'd decided to install. I did learn, though, and when they came of age, I taught both of our sons to drive a stick shift Honda. Thanks, LeRoy, honey. I love you and miss you, still.


Looks like everyone found a perfect spot for watching.


We stopped at Tidal Raves in Depoe Bay for lunch. Here's part of the view from the parking lot.


And here's part of the view from the restaurant itself.


Fish and "Chips," as it is printed on the Menu at Tidal Raves Seafood Grill consists of mahi mahi in crisp beer batter served with housemade slaw. I don't know why they don't go into detail about the "chips," cause they beat the you-know-what outta that slaw. The fish was flaky and tasty, just right. I enjoyed a glass of sweet ice tea, too. Seems like Milton got a cup of clam chowder and a cup of spinach oyster bisque, an order which sort of shocked our waiter. He understood, though, when Milton said he wanted to taste both of them, so why not. Kay got the spinach oyster bisque, I think. Howard and Vanessa split an oyster po'boy, I think, and maybe some spinach oyster bisque.

Where we were seated, on a raised level above the tables at the windows, provided a splendid view of the ocean while we enjoyed our light lunch. Then we set the GPS for the Elk Cove Winery in Gaston, Oregon.

Part 2, our last fun day together, Sunday, August 28, 2011

Our second stop, the beach at Lincoln City. We had to wait quite a while for a parking space, but I was bound and determined to get one so that we could all get out of the car, go to the bathroom, and walk on the beach if we were of a mind to do so.



Somebody's about to get a mouthful of tennis ball and sand!


Had some difficulty getting whoaed up, as they say in NASCAR. Where is it? Where IS it? I see it! Now, if I can just get my right back leg out of this sand! Yes! Here I come, tennis ball! Ready! Set! Go! Full tilt boogie. That's how I roll.



Lincoln City doesn't actually do things backwards. These kites flew above the beach through which runs the "World's Shortest River," the D River. It runs a total of 120 feet from Devils Lake to the Pacific Ocean. Twice a year the city hosts a kite festival here which are known as two of the largest kite festivals in the world, so Lincoln City is known as the Kite Capital of the World. I know for a fact that the wind's always been blowing when I've been at this particular part of the Oregon coast. That's the D River you can see there, dissecting the beach. And, of course, this is not a photo during a kite festival, just an amazingly sunny Sunday around noon.


Sand in my shoes! OK with me. I knocked it out, put them back on, and we all got back into the SUV. Each of us enjoyed our short stop at the beach. Then we went looking for somewhere to eat lunch. Come see all about that soon.

Fall Foliage, 2011. I found some! In my old neighborhood!

After spying a photo on Flickr taken at the intersection of NW 23rd and West Burnside, I knew I had to get over there soon, before the leaves got rained or blown off the trees.


So Friday after work I took the 15 bus and traced my old route home, thinking of Mama and how much I miss her. How much I miss that part of Portland. Not that I don't adore where I am now because I do. I just miss the Alphabet District. These trees lining the sidewalk at a shopping center parking lot go a long way to explaining one of the reasons I miss my old neighborhood. I'm standing on Westover Road looking south towards West Burnside.


I took this from the upstairs balcony at the shopping center.


From 2006, through 2010, these beauties trumpeted the arrival of autumn for Mama and me. We never got tired of seeing them. They're in the parking lot in front of Zupan's. The red car is on SW Vista at its intersection with West Burnside. It was someone else's photo of them that got me on the bus.


You see, the trees where I now live have not changed much, yet. At least I'm hoping for yet because there are a lot of trees in my neighborhood. These trees are very near my apartment. I took these photos last Sunday afternoon as a way to gauge the arrival of what I hope will become glorious color.