Rocky Butte

April 23, 2020 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Another week of Pandemic, another urban volcano hike, new spring blooms, a bit of crafting, and some good advice from George Washington.

April 16, 2020 – Hike of the Week

Rocky Butte is another Boring Volcanic Field volcano in Portland. We walked there from the Rose City Golf course, and had a great view of the High Cascades Peaks, with a coyote sighting along the way.

After walking flat city streets, we began the uphill climb on Rocky Butte Road.

A coyote, crossing the road ahead.

The coyote continued up into the forest.

Meanwhile, we walked up the road and through the tunnel.

The road, tunnel, and stone walls were built in the 1930’s as part of a WPA post-depression infrastructure project.

Eventually, we reached the park on the summit.

Views in all directions:

East to Mt Hood

North to Mt St Helens

Columbia River, Mt St Helens

Mt St Helens

Northwest, down the Columbia River

West to the Fremont Bridge, Portland

West to downtown Portland

Southeast to Mt Jefferson

Mt Jefferson

Mt Hood again

And a last look at Mt St Helens before heading down.

I always love a Peak Finder!

Hike#36, 6.5 miles, 420 feet.

New blooms in the neighborhood and garden this week:

dogwood

apple

peonies leafing out

camus

fothergilla

California poppy

Crafting:

I made forward and reverse progress on my Meris sweater. While playing yarn chicken, I made the sleeves too short. I have knit just about every part of this sweater three times, so now I will reknit the lower sleeves. I sewed more masks, started sewing a new bathrobe to replace the one I left behind in Queenstown, and continued knitting Emily’s shawl, and the purple socks.

Meanwhile in Portland:

Physical distancing demonstrated by our founding father!

Mask sewing, knitting, neighborhood walks, and hiking a local volcano…

April 13, 2020 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

I’m not exactly sure – I think it is the second week of April…

We are lucky to be just sheltering in place, only venturing out for walks, weekly grocery replenishing, and the occasional medical appointment. So far we are healthy and doing our part by staying home.

I made masks for family and friends.

I am enjoying meeting my knitting group via the internet, and making progress on a shawl for my daughter.

Which Came First shawl, pattern by Cheri Clark, Malabrigo Mechita, Piedras colorway.

We are busy with home projects, both inside and out.

We made a nice dinner for the first night of passover, which we shared virtually with one of our sons.

I continue my usual neighborhood walks. We have had some amazingly beautiful spring days. Trees are blooming, leafing out, glowing in the sunshine!

Easter spirit!

Tulips and euphorbia

New growth

Acute angles

Sidewalk variations…

Alameda Ridge stairs

Polygons

Our crabapple tree has come into full bloom this week.

Earliest blooms

Looking out from the upstairs window

Queen Catherine has come out of retirement to show solidarity with the neighborhood!

We walked to a farther distant park in town to make up for not being able to take our usual hike of the week in wilder surroundings just now.

Mt Tabor Park, Portland, 4/9/2020

Mt Tabor is a relict 300,000 year old cinder cone, over 600 feet high, that is a popular park on the east side of Portland. It is about 3.5 miles from our house, so by the time we walked up and around the reservoirs and to the top of the hill we had covered over 8 miles for the day, with a little bit of hill climbing.

Our route was through residential neighborhoods.

Laurelhurst entry arch.

Acute sidewalk angles again.

Ivied building

Another salmon carved from a cedar stump

Native wildflowers, which I am so missing from our hikes, are blooming in front yards.

Shooting stars!

Oregon grape

Bleeding hearts

Sandwort

Trillium

When we reached Mt Tabor Park, we continued uphill, past the reservoirs and through the woods to the top. No cars are allowed on the roads, and trails are wide, so we were easily able to keep our distance from other people.

View toward downtown beyond the reservoir

Flowering trees and fields

Pear blooms

Woods near the top

We found a bench to eat lunch with a westward view toward downtown Portland.

After lunch, we walked down past the amphitheater where the excavated hillside reveals the volcanic structure of Mt Tabor.

On our walk to and from Mt Tabor we saw encouraging signs of pandemic solidarity throughout the neighborhoods…

We saw lots of bears, hearts, rainbows in windows!

We saw a tribute to John Prine – sadly, one of the coronavirus victims this week.

More words of encouragement! One of my knit group members shared a photo of this plaque from the FDR Monument in Washington DC…a message of hope and guidance that applies to our times as well.

Yellow bells at Tom McCall Point, knitting progress, and neighborhood sights

March 24, 2020March 23, 2020 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Tom McCall Point, March 18, 2020

Tom McCall Point, seen from near the trailhead.

We got to see the mid-March wildflower suite. Yellow Bells were sprinkled through the meadows at every elevation. I have never seen so many anywhere!

Yellow bells on the lower plateau, Mt Adams beyond.

More yellow bells, midway to the top.

Yellow bells and an early balsam root near the summit.

Compact early blooms of the purple Columbia desert parsley line my favorite trail segment that I call Parsley Alley.

Columbia desert parsley

There is a new geology sign at the summit!

Gold stars were sprinkled in some of the sunny spots.

More flowers along the trail:

grass widows

glacier lilies

toothwort

yellow bells

gold stars

Looking eastward toward Rowena as we return to the trailhead.

Hike # 33, 4.3 miles, 1300 feet. We had no trouble keeping our distance from the few other hikers on the trail, and so far, we are still encouraged to get outside as long as we can keep our distance.

Knitting progress:

I finished the Geology Shawl.

Geology shawl, pattern by Very Busy Monkey, Malabrigo Mechita, Ninfas colorway.

I have been knitting the sleeves on my Meris sweater, put away since before our New Zealand trip.

I cast on 390 stitches for the Which Came First shawl, using the Malabrigo Mechita Piedras that my daughter picked out.

Noticed while walking in my neighborhood:

New blooms:

tulips

anemone

A camelia left in a hedge

New growth:

Tree trunk

A secret message, and interesting sidewalk cracks and patches:

First Trilliums of spring

March 15, 2020March 15, 2020 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

March 2020

On two hikes last week we saw the first trilliums of spring. I also went on the Rose City Yarn Crawl with knitting friends, and to the Portland Art Museum to see the exhibition in honor of the 40th anniversary of the eruption of Mt St Helens.

Tryon Creek State Park, March 4, 2020

Hike #30 of 2020, 3 miles, 400 feet.

Early trillium blooms scattered on the forest floor.

Trillium

Trillium buds unfurling

Other early flowers in the forest:

Indian plum

Skunk cabbage

Oregon grape

Salmon berry

Poetry in the park.

Angel’s Rest, March 9, 2020

Hike #31, 5 miles, 1500 feet.

Trillium and oak’s toothwort on the Angel’s Rest trail.

Trillium blooms on the forest floor.

We were treated to the usual stunning views from the top of Angel’s Rest on this sunny, calm day:

West toward Portland.

North to Silver Star Mountain.

East up the Columbia River.

Knitting

Buttons from Twisted and Close Knit in Portland, and Blizzard in Vancouver.

Portland Art Museum: Volcano! Mount St. Helens in Art

This exhibit marking the 40th anniversary of the Mt St Helen’s eruption is multifaceted – videos, photography, and paintings, depicting the mountain before and after the eruption. We did not live in the area at the time, but have hiked around the mountain often in the past ten years. My favorite paintings were these two vibrant depictions of the eruption:

Meanwhile, in Portland…

March 7, 2020 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Back in Portland after our trip to New Zealand, we were greeted by blooming daffodils, hyacinths and wind flowers.

wind flowers

last crocuses

hyacinths

daffodils

Catherine Creek hike, February 27, 2020

We went to Catherine Creek in the eastern Columbia River Gorge to see what early blooming spring flowers were still on view. We lucked upon a windless, blue sky day, with Mt Hood reflected in the Columbia River. Grass widows were waning, desert parsleys, gold stars, yellow bells and buttercups were emerging.

grass widows and gold stars

yellow bells

spring whitlow grass

Saxifrege, grass widows, and prairie stars

Salt and pepper and grass widow

buttercup

Columbia desert parsley

desert parsley

We hiked the lower paved loop, then the upper Bitterroot Trail above the fairy ponds all the way up Sunflower Hill to Atwood Road. We walked down the connector trail to Rowland Wall, for the first time.

Trail connection to Rowland Wall

Going down Rowland Wall.

We still want to try the inside out switchback on the upper Shoestring Trail that we missed last time. I love that there are so many trails to follow in this area, and that each visit during the next couple of months will present a different wildflower suite.

Hike #29, 5.5 miles, 1300 feet.

Knitting

I knit a small amount while in New Zealand.

Geology shawl, and my current traveling socks.

Hamilton Mountain, WA, and first knit socks of 2020

January 16, 2020January 9, 2020 / margaretquilts / 1 Comment

January 3, 2020 – Our first hike of the New Year was to Hamilton Mountain in Beacon Rock State Park on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. We’ve been many times, usually to see the cliffs become hanging gardens in the spring. Today we had perfect winter hiking conditions – not too cold, a bit muddy, full waterfalls, clear views from the top.

The first summit of Hamilton Mountain, as seen from the power line cut on the lower trail.

Approaching the upper cliffs, eastern gorge beyond.

Bonneville Dam, with Mt Hood appearing to the south.

First view from the summit- Mt Adams glowing in winter white beyond Table Mountain.

Wide view from the summit.

Mt Hood to the south, in low winter light.

After lunch at the summit we continued the trail to the northern saddle/plateau –

A last look back at Mt Hood.

Western gorge, filling with mist and a painterly sky.

Columbian lewisia foliage in the saddle.

Crossing over a very full Rodney Falls on the return hike.

Hike #1 for 2020, 8.2 miles, 2250 feet.

Knitting

First knit finish in 2020 – traveling socks that I started last May.

2019 review/2020 preview

January 9, 2020January 9, 2020 / margaretquilts / 1 Comment

High points for 2019 were two weddings, a reunion, and a graduation that gave us multiple opportunities for connecting with family and friends. We travelled to San Francisco, southern Connecticut, Brooklyn, Baltimore, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Colorado,and twice to Los Angeles.

I look at my intentions set for 2019, and I completed about half of them. I have kept up with this blog (58 posts), though I know it is occupying time I might have previously spent quilting during late night inspiration sessions.

Hiking – 58 hikes, 289 miles, 51180 feet in elevation. Snowshoeing at Crater Lake, and hiking through the lush wildflower meadows of Mt Rainier were among our amazing experiences last year.

Knitting- According to Ravelry I knit 3353 yards in 17 projects. I made a spectrum of items – hats, a headband, a shawl, a cowl, socks, slippers, fingerless mitts, washcloths, a bib, a cup cozy, a peach and an acorn. I have found a weekly knit group, and I am so enjoying getting to know the other knitters.

Reading- According to Goodreads I read 75 books.

Quilting/sewing- Quilting is mostly in hibernation mode. I mended a lot of hiking pants and altered clothing that were no longer fitting well.

Health update- My health is good. My body has adapted to the acromegaly medications, and I have managed to beat back some of the metabolic issues that the excess growth hormone was amplifying before my diagnosis and surgery. I am maintaining a healthy weight, and hope to keep up with my husband as he heads into retirement.

2020 Plans- Retirement will bring more travel – I am pre-exhausted with the planning, but also looking forward to our upcoming adventures! We have New Zealand, Washington DC, and Italy on our calendar for next year.

I plan to keep up with this blog, though it may have gaps during travel times.

Crafting- I hope to finish some of those languishing quilts, sew some clothing, set up my embroidery frame, and finish some scrap books that are done but for the writing. And I have new yarn for three different knitting projects:

Lows – I like to celebrate high points and the beauty in the world on my blog. There have been private losses this year as well. The low I feel it important to acknowledge is the dementor-like gloom of the political climate, the constantly ratcheted upward incivility and threats to democracy, my fear of impulsive ignorance and that someone wants to be the one to start world war three or some facsimile thereof. I return to this poem, found on a neighborhood poetry post last year, that expresses the optimism I try to feel going forward.

Colorful holidays, and a visit to Eugene

January 4, 2020January 4, 2020 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Christmas week, 2019

Various Christmas trees, lights, candles and sweets:

Proper trifle

Pointsettia

Candles

Tall tree

Short tree

Viburnum

My favorite scene

Light

Santas

Sweets

Wide tree

We drove to Eugene for a day to visit family and walk along the Willamette River.

Leaving Portland via the Macadam Bridge.

Dense fog in the Willamette Valley.

Sunny skies and lunch at the Public Market in Eugene.

View upriver from the Peter DeFazio Bridge.

Downstream view- a heron, and the Ferry Street Bridge.

Four of the twenty four American Nobel Peace Prize Laureates that are honored in the Peace Plaza at Alton Baker Park.

Downstream view from the Ferry Street Bridge.

Knitting

I finished the Rafa’s Hat for my son after he tried it on – thankfully it fit and he wore it for the rest of the day.

I unsuccessfully searched my button collection for buttons for the Meris cardigan.

Christmas Eve at Dry Creek Falls, and knitted ornaments

December 31, 2019December 31, 2019 / margaretquilts / 3 Comments

December 24, 2019, Cascade Locks, Oregon

A foggy day – a good time to head into the forest. The trailhead park at the Bridge of the Gods was decorated for the holidays. We hiked in the other direction, south on the Pacific Crest Trail, and up hill away from the Columbia River. It is about 2.5 miles to this lovely waterfall that pours over a columnar basalt cliff. We had it to ourselves for lunch and a photo session. Then back down the trail, back to town, to finish up some elf work.

Bridge of the Gods trailhead

Into the foggy forest that is scarred by the 2017 fire.

Dry Creek just below the waterfall.

Dry Creek Falls

Closer views:

Still foggy on the cliffs as we drive home.

Hike #58, 5.5 miles, 1050 feet

Back home, I baked a few cookies, wrapped a few presents, and constantly rechecked the airline website as our daughter’s flight from DC was on a long delay. She eventually arrived about 1 am. Her visit for the week is the best present!

Knitted ornaments

I made a little acorn for my friend’s tree – a last minute project. I collected the acorn caps last year after seeing some knitted acorns on Ravelry. It was a very quick project, using a bit of scrap yarn.