February 2025…

March 13, 2025 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

The shortest month seemed very long. I went from skiing the neighborhood snow to admiring the early spring blooms. I knit, quilted, and read as productive activities to counter the political upheaval. We honored the boycots. I made progress on the recycle/repair/upcycle four-year home improvement project. And we went on two hikes.

Crafting/Home Improvement:

I started sewing these quilt blocks together

Back hall carpet installed, almost the last step in that project.

Reading – I read nine books last month, many by or about women: writers, artists, a river guide, a Supreme Court Justice. After watching the Bob Dylan movie last month (A Complete Unknown), I was very interested to read Suze Rotolo’s side of the story. She was a politically active artist. She made a lasting impression on Dylan and his music, but she wanted to pursue her own artistic and life goals, not be just another string on his guitar, his ‘chick’, who would wait for him while he did whatever, wherever in the world. I really admire her for that. There are many great, less celebrated women out there, and I plan to read more of their stories. Meanwhile, I have been listening to the early Bob Dylan music – it fits the mood of this time in the world.

The neighborhood:

February 14th – I always love a chance to get out my 35 year old cross country skis, and kick-glide for a couple of miles down the quiet, flat streets of Irvington. The snow was perfect this day! And almost completely gone the next day.

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, our son and his fiancee were attending the Super Bowl Victory Parade! Wearing hats that I knit for them last year.

Around town – flowers and rainbows…

Rainbow seen while driving north on I-5 in Portland

Hiking –

We hiked out in the eastern Columbia River Gorge twice in February –

February 20th – Crawford Oaks, WA – We hiked about 5 miles on the Lower Vista Loop, past the full Eight Mile Creek Falls, and around the lower plateau. We saw very few early flowers and just a bit too much wind that day.

Salt and Pepper parsley, Dalles Mountain Ranch

February 27th – Memaloose Hills, OR – A beautiful, perfectly calm day. We could see the blue heron rookery on yonder cliff top and a few flowers. It was an easy, enjoyable 3.5 mile hike with dear friends.

Eastward view from the Memaloose Overlook

View to the north, with a peek at Mt Adams

Westward view, heron rookery circled in red

Trail up the south approach to Chatfield Hill

Lunch at the top, and a view to Mt Hood (photo credit to my husband).

Meanwhile, the news is worse every day – we are doing what we can, and trying to hold on to the glimmers and small victories. The daily reports of the shredding of the constitution by anti-empathic billionaires is trying every nerve, but I try to stay positive…

Bandon, Oregon January 5-9, 2025

February 13, 2025 / margaretquilts / 2 Comments

We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary with a trip to the southern Oregon Coast. We stayed just south of Bandon, in a room with a view.

We had easy access to the wide sand beach south of Face Rock, and took several long walks north and south over the next few days. We also drove south to Cape Blanco, and north to Cape Arago. Other than a bit of rain the day we arrived, we had fabulous weather – sunny and calm.

Locations of hikes and beach walks on the southern Oregon Coast near Bandon.

1/6 – Bandon Beach and Cape Blanco

We walked north to Face Rock in the morning.

Looking south from the Face Rock overlook

Looking north from the Face Rock overlook

After lunch, we drove south to Cape Blanco. We walked down to the beach, then along the strand line to the north, at approximately low tide.

Looking west toward the Cape Blanco Lighthouse,

and northward from the bluff above the beach.

And another view of the beach on the north side of Cape Blanco.

Later that evening I watched the sun set from our room…

1/7 – Beaches to the north – Sunset Bay, Yoakam Point, Blastendorff Beach, Seven Devils Beach

We drove north to Cape Arago, but a recent washout closed the road, so we could only go as far as Sunset Bay. We started with a short walk there, then explored a few locations to the north.

We walked about a mile around Yoakam Point, looking at the view from various cliff overlooks:

We ate lunch and then took a walk at Blastendorff Beach.

Blastendorff Beach, and jetty to the Coos Bay inlet

Driving back south, we took a side trip to the Seven Devils Wayside, and walked on the beach there. We even saw someone panning for gold.

Back in Brandon, we took a walk along the pier. It was mostly deserted, with most shops closed. I was fascinated by the mosaic installation on the boardwalk.

So many great little details – I looked at it for a long time!

Later, we walked out onto Coquille Point again, to watch the sunset. We met a large puffin sculpture there.

1/8 – Low tide near Bandon – Face Rock and Coquille Point

With low tide in the afternoon, this was a perfect day to walk north toward Face Rock and then beyond Coquille Point and look at tide pools, water, sky, and all the reflected permutations.

Looking south – reflections – water – sky

Later, we enjoyed another sunset from the Coquille Point Overlook…

The flotsam Puffin glowing in the sunset.

We enjoyed our few days of calm weather and beach walks, a break from the ‘real’ world, and what was to come next in January.

Looking back:

2024 in review

January 4, 2025 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

I can’t say I completed all my goals for last year, I mostly never do – but I always make progress. New shiny things, or sometimes difficult or challenging things, divert my course – well, that’s life…and luckily I have the freedom to respond in the moment, change my mind in the moment, and be hopeful that good things will happen. I am only a small cog in the wheel of the world, so what I do doesn’t matter much outside of my home, but I try to live a meaningful life to me – always curious and learning.

Knitting – I finished 18 projects last year, including a few gift socks and hats; more hats and a cowl for donation to a women’s shelter; and a couple of scarves, a cowl, a blanket, and vest for me. I love knitting because it keeps my hands busy when I am feeling anxiety or boredom, and I create clothing. There are so many ways to intertwine yarn into infinite shapes, pattern, colors, and textures – I am always learning new techniques. The uninitiated who write off knitting as an ‘old lady’ occupation are completely ignorant of the science and creativity of the art. And I am getting to know a lot of ‘old ladies’. Knitters or not, we are some of the smartest people I know!

Ravelry projects page

Quilting – I added another quilt top to my collection of unfinished quilts. I have the means, but travels and home improvement prevented me from setting up the space and time as required to finish them – so that will be a goal for next year. I did piece some potholders, and have a simmering list of new projects that I have been working on mentally. We shall see.

For California people, fronts,

For east coast family,

This set for us.

Transparency Quilt top

Reading – Lots of listening, and reading physical books and ebooks – more than 100 last year! a new record for me.

103 books in 2024

The library Libby App keeps me in words wherever I am in the world. I find myself less motivated to pack a few extra books when traveling, ‘just in case’, as I do with knitting yarn. I love my physical books, though – and am loathe to part with the ones I love. I will even seek out a used copy of a recently read library book at Powells so I can own a copy to reread. I did weed out a lot of books from our shelves this year during some home renovation work. But I do treasure my ‘physical copies’…

Jane Austen shelf

Hiking – Given my wonky bursitis hip, I am pleased to have completed 84 hikes/adventures this year, walking over 600 miles, and 32000 feet elevation gained. Hopefully, the PT I have been doing will keep me going into the future. My goals are less lofty now – I know my limitations, and push them sometimes. I really can’t keep up with my husband anymore, but he has friends who will accompany him on the longer endeavors and goals, or he will go with a group, as he did on the Mont Blanc tour last summer. Meanwhile, he will drive any day of the week that we have decent weather to do a shorter hike with me. In 2024, we spent three glorious days hiking at Mt. Rainier in the fall, and took many day hikes in the Cascade Mountains, Columbia River Gorge, and ocean beaches that are easily reached from our home.

Turning the “corner”, Mt Rainier in all her glory – the perfect lunch stop.

Going down past the ridgeline oak tree

Closer view, lady slipper

Dalles Mountain Ranch

One tree to rule them all

Travels – Our travel highlight for the year was a three week drive around the Ring Road in Iceland, in June and July, where we hiked and walked in volcanic and glacial landscapes, seeing every sort of waterfall one can imagine, and plenty of puffins, wildflowers and rainbows.

Vestdalfossar, Seydisfjordur

Ice Cave, Mýrdalsjökull⁩, Vik

Atlantic puffins, Borgarfjordur

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, Vatnajokull National Park

We also went to the east coast in March, to North Carolina, Baltimore, and Pennsylvania.

The fort sits in a recessed area.

Duke Garden, NC

Love Plaza, horse brigade was having a photo session that morning

We had two California road trips – to my husband’s 40th Medical School reunion in San Francisco in April, with a visit to Carmel/Point Lobos before, and then north through the Redwoods on the way home. We drove back to the Bay Area in November for Thanksgiving.

Flowers at the beach

Looking down Market Street

The Golden Gate

Founders tree

In 2025, we plan to visit family on the east coast again in the spring, and then visit the Alps and Paris in the fall.

Etc…Welcome 2025?

Wearing rose colored glasses didn’t help at all last year. Despite my inherent belief in the kindness and goodness and fairness in people’s souls, the bad thing happened anyway. I in my blue bubble neighborhood have been allowed to continue on without much confrontation.

I stay informed, but am not obsessive about following all the daily dramas – thus I have read a lot of books this year, knitted a lot of yarn, and hiked a lot of trails.

The underlying tension is palpable – will the players consume each other, as did the Calico Cat and the Gingham Dog? and what wreckage will they leave in their wake?…

From the poem ‘The Duel” by Eugene Field, 1892.

My last book of the year was the BBC Radio 4 audio dramatization of a children’s adventure fantasy novel called The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. It is the story of a boy who finds he has an inborn destiny to help other magical beings in driving the Dark back as it rises to consume the world. He gains success for the moment; the concluding line:

“And now when the Dark is rising, who will turn it back?”

is a good question as we look toward 2025 …

With optimism, we will be able to resist some of the chaos, and stitch the rest back together in the future. I hope.

December 2024

January 3, 2025 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

We returned from our California/Thanksgiving road trip on the first of December, with the Winter Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah and home repair to look forward to. In the neighborhood, some folks went all in on their decor – a few of my favorites:

Rudolph and friends

Giant ornaments

All the snow people

We had a stretch of cold, clear days, one of which was an appointment at OHSU for me – all well, for the moment, and I got a great 7th floor view of Portland.

Tram, Downtown Portland

Willamette River, Mt St Helens

And, during that clear weather stretch, the roofing crew we hired put a new roof on our very steep roof.

New plywood

Tar paper

Shingles

Hiking

I went on two hikes – one out to Catherine Creek, WA, on a foggy day, and one to Powell Butte, in Portland.

December 10th – Catherine Creek, WA –

We stopped at the Starvation Creek Rest Area on our drive. The sun was out, and we could see the frosted trees at the top of Wind Mountain.

Wind Mountain from Starvation Creek

Clouds were sitting on the hills at Catherine Creek. We walked up Sunflower Hill through the recent controlled burn zone, then back down along Rowland Wall. The sun never came out here…

Walking up Sunflower Hill toward the burn zone.

Green coming up through the blackened soil.

Springtime view of that same slope – 2023

Walking down Rowland wall

The leaning tree and Rowland Lake

Fields of Mosier beyond

Golden grass of winter

December 19th – Powell Butte – We could see Mt Hood, Mt St Helens, and a few deer.

We watched the lenticular cloud forming over Mt Hood

Mt Hood

Mt St Helens had already donned her own cloud cloak

A few deer in the forest

And a sentiment from the Bard…

Knitting

I finished my Christmas gift knitting, and then made a new cowl after Christmas.

Socks, mitts, hat

More socks

Lancelot Cowl

Winter Solstice

The sun was out. I walked through the neighborhood looking at shadows and puddle mirrors in the low bright light.

Christmas

Christmas arrived, a little quieter this year, with no out of town company. We celebrated with local family and our usual trappings – tree, gifts, cookies, tamales…

Cookie baking

Cookies and grapefruits

Tamales

Gifts from the Paris Olympics and Dollywood

Gifts from Dollywood

Iceland ornament, with puffins!

Cozy fireplace

2024 Christmas Tree

Hanukkah

The first night was Christmas evening this year. The next day, we went with friends to the old Hollywood Theatre, not too far from us in Portland, to see the new Bob Dylan biopic – which we thoroughly enjoyed. I grew up listening to that music as a child, because my older sister played it non stop on the record player in our shared room.

First night

Hollywood Theater, Sandy Boulevard

New Years’ Eve

Another sunny day. I walked through the neighborhood, thinking about choices for next year as I passed some of my favorite shadows and cracks, and found some new shadows and reflections…

We lit the seventh night candles at sunset, than enjoyed a phone call with our son, who had just gotten engaged to his partner – a splendid, cheerful moment to end the year!

Seventh night

New Year’s Eve in Philadelphia

Thanksgiving roadtrip to California, 2024

December 26, 2024 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

November 23 to Dec 1 – For the first time in many years we did not host Thanksgiving at our home. Instead, we drove to California to share the holiday with our daughter, graciously hosted by her partner’s family. We stayed in a nearby hotel, and hiked outside four of the days of our visit.

Southbound – We drove as far as Red Bluff, CA on Saturday, Nov. 23. There had been road-closing snowfall earlier in the week, but we made it over the Siskiyous with no problems, and had beautiful views of Mt Shasta.

Mount Shasta

The cone just visible,

and the glaciers and moraines.

The next day, we continued south in the Sacramento Valley, through the Tule fog. We turned west near Williams, and as soon as we left the valley, the blue skies shone through.

Tule fog along I-5.

Williams, CA

Blue sky, oak woodlands along Cache Creek and Hwy 20.

Watching ourselves reflected in the slow milk tanker truck.

We drove to Forestville, Ca, to meet some friends for lunch and a rainy walk through Armstrong Grove, then continued south to Corte Madera by dinnertime.

Armstrong Grove in the drizzle

Colonel Armstrong tree

Oxalis on the forest floor

Overflowing stream

Monday, November 25th – The next day, my good husband tested positive for rebound Covid….drat! We quickly arranged separate hotel rooms, and he had to stay quarantined most of the visit. Fortunately, it was a mild case, but we did not want to spread it around! He was able to join the family in their outdoor spaces – they had a good array of Covid-era heat lamps. And he could join in outdoor hikes and walks, so all was not lost, and no one else there became ill, so in that respect it was a successful visit. I tested negative every day, so was able to join the family for a lovely Thanksgiving dinner, and several walks and hikes.

Thanksgiving table

Walks and hikes near Corte Madera

Dawn Falls – This was a completely rainy walk up to the falls, through redwoods and forest – quite beautiful and authentic!

Dawn Falls, Baltimore Canyon

The Corte Madera Bike Path was close to our hotel, and a good place to walk to see birds.

Canal reflections

Wetlands with egrets

Egret

Skunks

Bird of Paradise

The Shore Marsh Wildlife Area was also nearby – flat, and with scenic views across the North Bay wetlands.

Egret, San Quentin

We hiked around Phoenix Lake on Black Friday – just one of the many trails around Mt Tamalpais on the Marin Peninsula.

Mt Tamalpais above as we walk down toward Phoenix Lake

Stream channel

Phoenix Lake

Reflections

Hiking back up

Oak tree with galls

Mistletoe that has fallen by the path

Northbound – November 30

We drove across the north end of the San Francisco Bay on a clear day. I took photos from the car as we drove – so the framing may be a bit blurry. We transitioned from flat watery views, through the foothills and into the central valley, from which we could see the Sutter Buttes and the snow-covered peaks around Mt Lassen.

San Pablo Bay

Looking south

and northward

Sutter Buttes

Mount Lassen

We stopped for lunch in Redding at the Sundial Bridge across the Sacramento River, a good place to stretch out our legs.

Sundial Bridge from our picnic table

Crossing to the north

Eastward view to Mt Lassen

Shadows and lines

Side view from the north viewing area

Underside, looking south

West view toward the Trinity Alps

After lunch, we continued north to Medford, Oregon, over frosty passes.

Frosty landscape over the passes

Blue sky and frosted trees

Mt Shasta

Crossing into Oregon

Hotel room art in Medford

Home to Portland, December 1st – We drove north from Medford, once again over frosty passes, reaching our familiar Mt Hood scenery by midday.

Frosty pass near Medford

Mt Hood from the Marquam Bridge, Portland

We had a lovely visit with our daughter, and with her partner and family. I enjoyed revisiting some of our old stomping grounds in northern California. I didn’t realize there were so many great trails around Mt Tam – I hope to visit again and hike more of them.

November 2024 in Portland…

December 5, 2024 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Everything so tense before the election, then a blurred time of surreal disbelief afterward…meanwhile, we had a late, very colorful fall, with Mother Nature screaming, “Look at me!”, which I did on neighborhood walks and one hike. At the end of the month we took a road trip to California for Thanksgiving – see next post.

Knitting and Home Improvement

I attended the Sacred Sheep Fiber Festival on November 2nd, with my knitting friends. We saw the sheep, and I bought some vintage buttons for my Icelandic vest, and a mini skein for a future project. I have several gift knitting projects on the go – more about that next month.

One of the sheep

New buttons and mini skein

Finished Iceland vest – Calidez by Jenjoyce, made with Allafosslopi yarn

We are still in home repair/declutter mode. I reorganized some of my bookshelves, and I am particularly happy with this shelf dedicated to Jane Austen.

Jane Austen shelf

November 7, Catherine Creek Arch Loop, WA

Once again walking this oft repeated hike, visiting familiar views.

Mt Hood to the west

Eastern view along the Columbia River to Oregon

Passing our ent friend

Ent

Rock spires, fall colors

The arch

The road

Big leaf maple

From the trailhead, we could see the controlled burn swath on Sunflower Hill – and that it is already greening up. Hopefully, native species recovery is occurring there!

View from the trailhead up Sunflower Hill

Closer view

Zooming closer to see the green

Neighborhood color

Our transplanted blueberry bush

The day after the election, this invasive, poisonous pokeweed bush, and lingering demonwraith caught my eye.

But fall colors were late and glorious this year, all through the neighborhood, saying, “Look now! We will be gone tomorrow!”

I felt punched in the gut by the election outcome, that we did not finally elect our first woman president, and now have to face a term of inanity. However, I have my own survival/resistance plan, which includes inspiring my children, who were also gutted by the outcome. I saw the the “Ozymandias” poem shared around on the internet, one of many examples of past overtopping failures, and eventual recoveries and progress. History repeats, but it is painful to be living through the regression, when we could be doing so much better for the people and the planet. I appreciate the lingering yard signs in my neighborhood even more. We are in this together.

Not really, but sort of.

Same.

October 2024 chronology…

November 14, 2024 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

In the interest of keeping up, I’m posting a brief chronology of what I did in October after our visit to Mt Rainier during the first week.

Hikes and other adventures:

Portland Art Museum – Our son visited from Philadelphia, and we visited the Beatles photography exhibit during his stay…

I got my first glimpse of the extensive remodel of the Portland Airport.

Portland Art Museum – we all like the Beatles, and my husband and I are just old enough to remember the early 60’s.

Most of the photographs were taken by the Beatles during their early 60’s American tours.

Beatlemania from the inside of the car…

October 10 – Our son joined us on a hike from the East Crater Trailhead, Indian Heaven Wilderness, WA.

East Crater

Junction Lake

Small lake along the Old Cascade Crest trail

Frozen bog

October 16 – We went up to the Hoyt Arboretum in Forest Park to see the Japanese Maple, but it was still mostly green.

Vine maples changing

Japanese maple still green

October 18 – We hiked with friends in the eastern gorge, Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail, and could see over to the Catherine Creek area, where a controlled burn had spread to nearby forest.

Convict Road viewpoint

Lyle overlook, smoke from the Top of the World fire

Closer view of the fire

Wide view looking west

October 24 – Back in the eastern Washington gorge the next week, for one of those perfect fall hikes at the Labyrinth trail – colors blazing, views forever.

Rowland Lake, near the trailhead. A late bunch of poppies; destination ponderosa on the skyline.

Mt Hood on view

Hello to the trail guardian oak tree

Creek almost dry, but a few ponds in the stream bed

Oak leaves

Oak grove

Lunch view

Ponderosa near our destination…

From which we can see over to the controlled-burn area above Catherine Creek.

Going down past the ridgeline oak tree

A glorious day!

October 29 – We went back up to the Hoyt Arboretum, to see the maple tree now in nearly full color.

Meanwhile – Neighborhood walks…

Sunflower

Sumac

Shadow

Joan of Arc

GrantPark

Sumac and tupelo

Neighborhood Halloween –

Ghosts

Witches

Spider

Peanuts

Bushes with eyes

Neighborhood Hope – I am writing this in November, but we did have hope in October…all through the neighborhood.

Crafting – was mostly knitting, but also, near daily prep and painting over numerous patches in the walls from plumbing repairs.

Icelandic vest – just needs buttons

New gift hat started

Gift socks finished

Donation hat finished

Painting in progress

And I carved my Halloween pumpkin with inspiration from my kitchen sock monkey.

Three views of Mount Rainier, October 1-3, 2024

November 12, 2024 / margaretquilts / 2 Comments

We stayed in Packwood, WA, and approached the mountain from three different trails over three days. When we were here at the same time of year in 2020, wildfire smoke limited our hiking choices. This time, we had beautiful weather, and clear views of the mountain every day.

Three hikes on Mt Rainier

10/1 – Paradise/Panorama Point via Golden Gate and Skyline Trails

My favorite hike in Paradise – up through the meadows along the Golden Gate Trail, along the skyline ridge toward the mountain; and then circling back down along the Nisqually Glacier Valley, and through the flaming huckleberry foliage on Alta Vista. Today was quite windy at the top. We had a clear view of the mountain most of the way, then watched a lenticular cloud form as we descended (5 miles, 1600 feet).

We began at the John Muir steps near the Visitor Center in Paradise.

Huckleberry bushes and aster seed heads were glowing in the autumn sun.

Alta Vista on the left as we walked toward the Golden Gate trail.

Edith Falls

The most photographed cascade just above Edith Falls, near the bridge.

The Tatoosh Range to the south

A bear grazing in the meadow

Looking back at the Paradise Valley and Alta Vista as we continued up the trail.

I prefer the gently graded switchbacks on the Golden Gate trail to the granite steps on the Skyline trail.

My husband found a personal lenticular cloud when he reached the Skyline ridge.

Mt Rainier was still cloudless, as we approached.

Sparse vegetation along the glaciated slopes. Views unfurling to the south. We found a slightly sheltered spot near here to pause for a lunch break.

Walking along a favorite craggy section along the upper cirque, approaching the ridge.

We stopped for views at the high point on the ridge, but didn’t linger long because of the strong wind.

View south from our high point – Mt Adams and Mt St Helens beyond the Tatoosh Range. And Mt Hood is right in the middle, if you squint.

A lenticular cloud was just starting to accumulate around the peak.

Closer views – toward the Nisqually Glacier to the west,

The top of Mt Rainier,

and the eastern arm, again, with waterfall.

Another wide view as we began our descent, hoping to get out of the wind.

Long view down the Nisqually Valley, as we continued south. Someone pointed out two mountain goats down on the lip of the moraine.

Zoom view of the mountain goats

And another look back at the edge of the Nisqually Valley – a much bigger cloud has accumulated

Much lower now, we walked through the glowing huckleberry bushes on the east side of Alta Vista

Looking back at the 8000 feet of relief to the top of the mountain

And a slightly wider view.

After we finished our hike, we made a short stop at Reflection Lakes.

Reflection Lakes – but no reflection today – too much wind.

Reflection Lake close up.

The last wildflowers – paintbrush and fireweed, on the edge of Relection Lake.

Aggressive jays flew around me as I rested by the lake.

And one last stop on the drive back to Packwood, at the Bench Lake hairpin turn on Stevens Canyon road.

10/2 – Chinook Pass/Naches Peak Loop

We first hiked this loop in 2020, with smoke-obscured views. Today was absolutely gorgeous in every way, and an easier hike compared to yesterday (5 miles, 600 feet).

We began by hiking the short loop around the lake, looking toward Yakima Peak.

Clouds wafting, huckleberries glowing

Up the trail, through the huckleberries and asters…

The trail crosses Hwy 410, and joins the PCT south trail.

Looking up at Naches Peak

Small trailside lake – a good rest stop,

with company – chipmunks,

and ground squirrels; Naches Peak beyond.

Continuing up the trail, looking back at the lake.

Pasque flower seed head

Farther along the eastern extent of the trail – view eastward down to Dewey Lake

We “turned the corner”, heading westward again, to see Mt Rainier in all her glory – the perfect lunch stop!

Close up of the top of the mountain

We walked along huckleberry-lined trails all the way back,

With plenty of views of the mountain, and the Cowlitz chimneys…

Upper Tipsoo Lake, near the trailhead.

This was a fabulous hike!

10/3 – Sunrise/Fremont Lookout

The mountain was out, as were all the mountains north all the way to Canada, along with some bonus mountain goats in the valley below (6 miles, 1000 feet).

We started at the Sunrise Trailhead, and up Sourdough Ridge, with Mt Rainier towering above us.

The top.

Glaciers.

I saw a pica in one of the scree slopes along the trail.

The trail passes Frozen Lake

And then turns northward toward Fremont Lookout

Fremont Lookout – we stopped on the nearby rocky outcrop for a lunch break, admiring the views.

Clear view of Mt Rainier to the south

All the mountains north to the Canadian border and beyond. We could just see the white peak of Mt Baker.

Looking through the lookout cabin to Mt Rainier

Berkeley Park

Eventually we returned down the trail, walking toward Mt Rainier. Another hiker pointed out a herd of mountain goats below us in Berkeley Park

There were at least a dozen.

We watched them for a while, as they grazed their way down stream,

And we eventually made our way back to the Sunrise trailhead… It was another fabulous hike at Mt Rainier!

Friday, 10/4 – We drove back to Portland in the rain, grateful for our three beautiful days around Mt Rainier.

September 2024 Hiking – two views of Hamilton Mountain, WA

October 5, 2024September 29, 2024 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

We like to look at where we’ve been, we like to look at where we’re going…

And we could do that from both trails this month – we looked up at Hamilton Mountain, first from the Columbia River level, then from half way up the mountain.

September 16th – Strawberry (or Hamilton) Island, North Bonneville, WA

We have been out here before once, on a foggy day when a herd of elk emerged from the mist. Today, it is a good place for a flat walk with no danger of falling (hand healing protocol). We saw some birds, crossed a dry channel to an island in the Columbia River, and had a good view of the mountains on both sides of the river (2.5 miles, 100 feet).

Totem at the Trailhead

Trailhead map

Our Gaia track for the day

View of Hamilton Mountain from the west end of Strawberry Island

A selection of fall foliage, flowers and berries:

Hawthorne

Blackberries

Wild Carrot

Tansy

Blackberry leaves

We circled around the to the south and saw that the channel between Strawberry Island and Ives Island had mostly dried up, with a pond in the middle. As we walked down to investigate, we noticed two egrets along the shore.

South side of Strawberry Island, two egrets in the channel

Egrets

They flew up, and then to the west side of the channel slough,

and joined two Great Blue herons there.

Herons and egret

Heron and egret

It was a beautiful view down to Beacon Rock.

We then walked eastward, crossing the dry river channel over to Ives Island.

East end of the slough

View back to Beacon Rock

And a wide panorama view from Beacon Rock to Hamilton Mountain.

Micro-mudcracks on the rocks at the bottom of the channel.

Our return took us over the high point of Strawberry Island, where conveniently placed benches provide a nice place to admire the views in all directions.

Up to the high point

South – Columbia River and Oregon

East – Bonneville Dam

North – noting the shoulder of Hamilton Mountain (Little Hamilton Mountain), where our next hike would take us.

September 23rd – Little Hamilton Mountain, Beacon Rock State Park, WA

My husband’s hand is sufficiently healed, and he has the surgeon’s okay to hold a hiking pole. We need to get some elevation in our legs, so we will see how far up Hamilton Mountain we can go. I think about half way, and I am right. Without the hanging cliff gardens of spring wild flowers, I lost my “up” legs about half way. It is a steep trail and a good work out. Also, the views from Little Hamilton Mountain are better than the tree-obstructed views at the top, though we won’t see Mt Adams from here. It was a good day, a little warm, so I appreciated the tree cover on the way down (4.2 miles, 1355 feet).

View to the top of Hamilton Mountain from the power line cut on the trail.

Rodney Falls and Pool of the Winds, about a mile up the trail.

Downstream from the falls.

The next section is shady and steep!

No flowers, just reddening poison oak…

Looking up at the cliffs we must climb…

We made it to the viewpoint at Little Hamilton Mountain, in time for lunch and a good look around.

Western view

Mt Hood to the south

Looking down on Strawberry Island, where we hiked last week.

Zooming in on the benches at the top of Strawberry Island.

Eastward view toward Bonneville Dam

And Hamilton Mountain looming behind us – another 1000 feet up, but not today.

We rested in the shade for a bit at the falls on the way down.

Hardy Creek and falls

We have plans for more adventures next month, and hope to finish the year strong, after this time off for my husband’s hand surgery.

September 2024 at home

October 4, 2024September 29, 2024 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

We spent a lot of time working on home projects this month while following doctor’s orders to stay off trails while my husband’s Dupuytren hand surgery healed. The good news is that his hand is much more functional, and we are back on the trail – see the next post. Meanwhile, at home in Portland, it has mostly been a beautiful month – not too hot or smoky, and we’ve had a few local adventures…

September skies-

Art in the Pearl, September 2nd – I like to walk through the exhibits, and be thoroughly inspired by the many thousands of hours of artistic creativity on view – a few of my favorites:

YanFang Inlow

Michael Mckee

Lindsay Fox

Lyn Sedlak-Ford

HONG RUBINSTEIN

Backdrop of new and old buildings…

And a comparison – last year I took a photo of the graffiti on the side of an old building near a vacant lot – this year there is a whole new building in the space…

2023

2024

Bookgroup views from Suavie Island on a beautiful evening-

North Portland

Mt St Helens

Neighborhood gardens-

Picnic lunch at Laurelhurst Park- on a day when we were running errands around town. We haven’t been here for years, though we visited often when our children were young.

Laurelhurst Park Lake

The dance studio

Charlie Brown van we passed near the park

Neighborhood whimsey- I noticed several new fairy gardens, and a new resident bear while on walks this month.

Lael Wilcox finished her Ride Around the World! – I followed this endurance athlete all summer as she circled the globe on her bicycle. I listened to her brief daily podcasts, and cheered her on from afar! (photos from Instagram)