In May we enjoyed a visit from our son and his fiancee, went on five hikes (next post), and attended a live concert, while the spring flower season rolled on…
Walking the neighborhood
Blooming this month in Portland:
RhododendronsIrisPoppiesRosesDogwoodColorful tile stepsSidewalk of the monthNeighborly advice
Knitting
I finished a dishcloth for donation, and I have three active works in progress.
DishclothSocks, a scarf, a cardigan, in progress
Books
I finished eight books in May. The one I enjoyed the most was Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner, set in Post-Civil War Boston, and Portsmouth, England. It is an imagining of Americans who appreciate Jane Austen’s novels, and interact with her last surviving sibling. Ms Austen’s themes of women’s restricted access to their own money and life choices are compared between the two countries. Spoiler – neither was great, and we still have a ways to go. The judicial aspect was interesting. I love the opportunity to think deeper about Ms Austen’s work.
May books
Events
We spent a lovely afternoon in a garden in Eugene, Oregon. Pegasus pizza, toy airplanes, and lots of conversation.
Eugene garden
I passed on this beautiful dress, handmade in about 1982 by my sister for her daughters. My daughter wore it in about 1998; and my little grandniece is the next eligible little girl in the family.
The red dress, made in 1982
We attended the James Taylor concert at the Ridgefield Amphitheater with one of our sons. The music was lovely!
James Taylor concert
An upcoming event I will not attend because I will be in Utah, helping a family member with some health issues. But you should go if you have an event near you!
The first part of April was slower paced and focused on healing. We had to cancel plans to visit family on the east coast, and instead my husband had a surgical procedure to his neck to relieve stenosis. All went well, he is nearly back to normal, and his neurological symptoms are receding. I took on most of his chores, all the lifting and even cooking (he has done most of the cooking and shopping since he retired five years ago). I am glad to have him back to most of his regular activities, although our son is still mowing the lawn, and the weeds have gone crazy. We went on several slower paced hikes to see the wildflowers (see next post). And I saw many beautiful flowers in neighborhood gardens on my near-daily walks.
Neighborhood Gardens
Early cherries lost their blossoms.Late cherries in bloom at Grant Park.Apple, crabapple, and Chinese fringe flowers in the front yard.Horse chestnuts in the neighborhood.Forget-me-nots and a fading tulip out front.
Dogwoods in bloom all through the neighborhood…
Bunchberry in the front yard.Dogwood trees in many colors: salmon pink,Pink, andWhite – these are newly planted, just across the street.
April 15th, Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in southeast Portland –
It was early for the rhododendrons to be in full bloom, but we saw a few…
RhododendronNorthern lakeGoose eggTrilliumNutriaAzaleaGeeseFawn lilies and anemonesCherriesShadowsJapanese maplesJapanese maples
April 20th, Easter
A feral bunny stopped by, but didn’t leave any eggs.I dyed a few brown eggs with muted results.
Arts and Crafts
We saw a lot of beautiful pottery at the Oregon Ceramics Showcase, and bought three small trinket dishes (made by Truly Sarah).I finished knitting a shawl (“May I Borrow This Please” by Larraine Waitman, Juniper Moon Cumulus yarn), and a pair of socks (Laines du Nord Summer Sock yarn).
Books and Reading in Portland
Signs of Literature in the neighborhood:
The selection of books in this little Free Library has a dark theme.This telephone pole art has a more positive message,And I always enjoy a visit with Ramona, Henry and Ribsy in Grant Park.I read six books in April. I especially enjoyed the biography of Barbara Pym, an author I have been rereading since the eighties; and the memoir of Liese Greensfelder, a young woman from California who worked on a primitive sheep farm in Norway in the 1970’s.
Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, our daughter, our son, and his fiancee met up anyway, even though we had to cancel our trip. Looks like they had a good time. I look forward to seeing them all during the summer!
We made our way to the spring equinox with a lunar eclipse, a St Patrick’s Day parade in the neighborhood; more knitting, quilting, home improvement, and reading; blooming plants in the neighborhood; three wildflower hikes in the Columbia River Gorge (next post), and a lot of rain…
Lunar Eclipse, March 13th
My photo, with camera set to fireworks…The sky is light because of the time delay, but the stars are out.My husband’s photo, with fancy zoom lens on tripod.
March 16th – Neighborhood St Patricks Day annual parade…
Knitting:
Hats for the Guild Service ProjectSock progressAnd a new scarf
Quilting –
I sewed together these quilt blocks. They may become pillows – I’m still trying to decide.
Home Improvement –
New dining room blinds and patched wallpaper
Reading –
I read six books in March.Nancy Russell and John Yeon, Columbia River Gorge
I learned so much in the two books about Nancy Russell and John Yeon, two conservationists who worked indefatigably for many years to create the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and then to implement the plan. It was a huge political and fundraising challenge to cobble together all the different government and formerly private lands, preserving the ecosystems and creating many of the trail systems we hike regularly. I think grateful thoughts every time we drive through or hike in the gorge!
Neighborhood blooms –
Flowering plumHyacinthDaffodilsCamilliaRain, in puddlesCherry treesTulipsSidewalk of the monthYard sign of the month
A change of plans…
At the end of the month we cancelled our planned trip to the east coast to visit family in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, so that my husband could get surgery on his neck, where a bone spur on the C3 vertebra was causing neurological symptoms and weakness. The procedure will be during the first week of April. More on the outcome next month… ( Update – it went well, he is recovering as expected.)
Two final notes –
1) I still have not gotten the hang of blog editing in the block mode on this site, so it is taking me a long time to create posts.
2) We are trying our best to stay positive in a constantly chaotic, hateful regime, so I am posting a couple of positive internet memes here at the end, to remind me to stay hopeful…
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:
Another pair of socks completedHat for the Guild service projectI started sewing these quilt blocks togetherBack 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.
March 2025 Books
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.
Skiing out the front doorJust enough snow…Sunny and calmNice flat streetsJapanese Maple
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…
Yellow crocus are earlyDaffodilsPurple crocusLavender crocusWindflowersRainbow 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.
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 OverlookView to the north, with a peek at Mt AdamsWestward view, heron rookery circled in redFuzzy zoomed-in heron rookeryTrail up the south approach to Chatfield HillView to Mt Adams from the topA few grass widows up thereColumbia Desert ParsleySpring Whitlow grassLunch 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…
I went on a few hikes, knit a little, read quite a few books, and embarked on what I have decided is my personal four year project.
New Years Day was the last day of Hannukkah. We had a small gathering, with latkes.
Menorah and latkes
Neighborhood walks – the low sun position intensified shadows and sky…
Shadows in windowsShadows on wallsShadows on sidewalksLow light lit treesIndoor and outdoor lighting and shadowsThe first snow drop of winter
Hikes
Early in the month, we spent five days on the sunny southern Oregon Coast (see previous post), where it was cold, but not windy! We took several long beach and headland walks. More locally, we hiked in the eastern Columbia RIver Gorge a few times:
January 13 – Klickitat River Bald Eagles and Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail, Washington – Our annual trek to the bald eagle nesting area on the Klickitat River began with disappointment this year. We saw no eagles along the river in the morning, other than one down on the delta just as we were moving along.
Seagulls and salmon in the Balfour-Klickitat Lake, no eagles in the trees.Osage oranges scattered on the slopeOne bald eagle on the Klickitat River Delta
We then took a short hike along the lower benches of basalt at the Lyle Cherry Orchard site. It was a beautiful day out there, calm and cold! We saw a pair of eagles flying along the cliff face. We also saw a hawk on sitting a rock, then devouring prey that it pounced upon as we watched. Circle of life…
Hiking up through oak woodlandOak treeLooking down on the Convict RoadEastward viewLunch view toward Lyle and the Klickitat River DeltaOne of the eagles flying along the rim rockOn the return hike, my husband spotted a hawk perched on a rock.Closer viewHawk in the grass, after finishing their meal
We stopped back at the Klickitat River later in the afternoon, and were rewarded with seeing about a dozen bald eagles – a few perched in the trees, and others flying up the canyon, past us and farther up river, beyond our view, seemingly heading home after their day’s outing.
The bright white of an eagle head, across the lakeCloser viewEagles perched in a snagEagle, with the sunlit Oregon slopes beyond the riverCloser viewAnd another angle, with Osage oranges still clinging to some of the trees.
January 22 – Wind Mountain, Washington – a short, sharp hike. I hadn’t been up this one in a while, and was looking for a test for my hip bursitis rehab, after about four months of steady focused exercises. This trail goes up about 1000 feet in a mile, leading to the top of this conical mountain at a bend in the Columbia River.
Reference photo – May 2013. View of Wind Mountain from Dog Mountain. Our trail zigs and zags up the back side of the peak.
It was quite windy up top on the river side, so we didn’t spend much time looking at the river and Oregon view.
Windy westward viewWindy westward view
We found a windbreak on the landward side, so ate our lunch looking at Mt Adams and Dog Mountain – also nice landscapes to admire. It was cold, but a good short hike, and a good work out for my legs. Progress!
Lunch view toward Mt Adams and Dog MountainCloser view of Mt AdamsCloser view of Dog Mountain (where the above reference photo is from), and the river, looking east.
January 30 – Catherine Creek – Rumors of a few blooming grass widows drew us out east in the gorge, on what will probably be the last dry hiking day for the next week or so. We did not find any blooms while wandering several of the lower elevation trails. We visited several vernal ponds that were frozen, and saw foliage of blooms to come…just not yet.
Catherine Creek Trailhead on a cold day in JanuaryMt Hood across the riverBitterroot and grass widow foliageFrozen pond on the lower trailCatherine Creek FallsIce along the upper trailFrozen fairy pondsIceWider viewThe archAnother frozen waterfallwith iciclesFrosted moss and leavesTrail for the day
Knitting
Unfortunately, I overdid the knitting action on a pair of socks – right around the time I needed knitting the most to keep my hands busy while my brain was exploding with the national news. I reactivated an overuse/arthritis knitting injury in my right thumb joint. Blah! I wore a brace and knit not at all for two weeks. I am now allowing myself a few rows per day, and it really helps! I’m trying not to overdo it again. Here are the guilty socks, in progress. But I don’t blame them.
Wanaka SocksBlue gradient socks
Less Knitting = More reading…
I finished all these books in January.
Four Year Project
Sometime after the disastrous election outcome last fall I decided I would need a four year project, something I can do in my own home, when the outside world is too much to take (more than sitting on the roof.) It is time to edit, sort, rehome, recycle, and organize the lifetime of belongings we have accumulated during the 33 years we have lived in this house. Three children have grown up and moved out and left behind many things they ‘might want someday’ but don’t have room for yet. I had a career as a geologist before I settled into family life, and I still have boxes of rocks, maps and books (that apparently nobody wants because it is all digital now). Photos and slides, both professional and personal; quilting fabrics and textile art materials for my creative life; personal writing and memorabilia. We have already made some progress during recent renovation work. We recycled all the old paint, thinned out our shelved books in the rooms where we got new carpet, and delivered usable items to new homes. We gave the unplayed banjo to a local music school, and have recycled many magazines that we were shelving for no good reason. A little action every day will make a big difference in four years, and be much more productive than doom scrolling. I plan to find a means of more outward action/resistance, in addition to donations we make to human rights and environmental organizations. And I will knit more hats (thumb permitting) for the guild service project.
Right now it is difficult to think this new year will be a good year, given the chaos at the national level. I call to mind a passage from the novel, Dune, by Frank Herbert, which I first read in the 70’s, as a teenager. Potential future leader Paul was given a test to prove he was human. There was a good chance he might not be, and would not be made leader. The fictional character passed the test. But I can’t believe the current ‘leadership’ ever would – there has been no sign of human empathy, only selfishness and cruelty. Yet we will resist in the ways we can, and hope that our actions in our own lives will contribute to persistence of human rights beyond the next four years…
Instagram memes I collected in January expressing gratitude, encouragement, and hope:
Honoring Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.I will miss these humans.Reminder to be supportive…More words of encouragement…Keep trying…Music might help…
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!
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.
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.
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
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)
Of course there has been knitting – I finished a scarf and cowl, started a hat, and acquired new yarn for gift socks…
August is my birthday month. I had a lovely day at the Oregon Coast, and 3 other hiking adventures this month – described in the next post. In the meantime, I have been walking the neighborhood, knitting, visiting with friends, and trying to keep hopeful for what happens next in the world!
Neighborhood flowers, shadows, cracks, other sights:
Cat
Fairy garden
Farmers Market and summer fruit:
Tomatoes and blueberries
Peaches from Boring, OR
Strawberries
Homegrown Italian plums
Hollywood Farmers Market
Knitting – I finished my Emotional Support Chicken and a pair of socks, with a few other projects in progress:
Emotional Support Chicken
Finished socks; Innsbruck scarf in progress
Iceland/Caladiz Vest
Scrap yarn One Chevron Cowl, in progress
Other ...We have been laying low at the end of the month, as my husband recovers from a hand surgery. A few images from around town and elsewhere:
Portland – I love the flying geese imagery of the Fremont Bridge across the Willamette River:
Fremont Bridge, westbound
Camas, WA – My friend’s Echinacea and bees are thriving:
The Columbia River from Camas, WA, August 12, 2024
North Carolina – Our daughter has a new office space on the Duke Campus:
Durham, NC, August 2024
In New Zealand – The Northern Royal Albatross Web Cam chick is near fledging:
In memory – My mother would have reached her 100th birthday this month. This is one of my favorite pictures of her, at Mt Rainier, in 1995, age 71.
She died in 2006. I always regretted that she didn’t get to see Obama elected president – she would have been so happy. But she would have been crushed by what happened in 2016, so I’m glad she missed that. She would have been fully hopeful, as I am, about our future:
Margaret Quilts 