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:

Cherry blossoms and snow in Portland, and a White River snow hike, March 2020

March 19, 2020 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Cherry blossoms, Portland waterfront, March 11, 2020

We took our annual walk along the waterfront just as the cherry trees were beginning to bloom.

View from the Burnside Bridge.

Refections of clouds and trees in downtown buildings on this beautiful day:

White River microspike hike, March 12, 2020

On a blue sky day we walked up White River toward Mt Hood. The snow was packed and not deep, so we could wear our micro spikes instead of snow shoes. We walked past our usual stopping point, up the snow covered moraine, to a closer viewpoint of Mt Hood.

Walking along White River toward Mt Hood.

View from our lunch stop – near where the Timberline Trail crosses the river under the snow.

We walked to a high point on the moraine between the ridges.

Closer view of Mt Hood.

Zooming in on the peak – the black speck is a mountain climber.

Dormant lupine and penstemon on the moraine.

Wind patterns.

Hike #32, 5.2 miles, 1000 feet.

Snow in Pdx, March 14, 2020

We had a few inches of snow that did not last long – but added a layer of white to the star magnolia blooms.

I am posting from caronavirus social isolation. We are still allowed to go out walking and hiking as long as we keep our distance. Wishing all who read this patience and good health! There will be a lot of knitting going forward!

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:

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.

Oaks Bottom, a rainbow, and a knitting update

December 16, 2019 / margaretquilts / 1 Comment

12/8/2019 Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

We went for a quick walk around the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge in Portland. The last time here I was in the slow walk mode, recovering from my pituitary surgery. Today we walked briskly along – not too many birds out, but a nice dryish respite from the rainy days behind and ahead. (Hike #56, 3.1 miles, 100 feet)

Oaks Bottom

Bald eagle on a perch in the Willamette River.

Neighborhood

Lots of rain, and a rainbow…I am looking forward to the solstice.

Knitting

I finished a foxy bib for a baby shower present,

I put the thumbs on the mitts,

and have finished the body and icord hem on the Meris cardigan; on to the button bands….

Hiking to St Helens Lake / A Peek at Beatlemania and Halloween in Portland

November 5, 2019November 5, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

St Helen’s Lake, Sunday, October 27, 2019

We hiked from Johnson Ridge Observatory in Mt St Helens National Volcanic Monument to the St Helens Lake overlook for stunning 360 degree views. It was cold, but not too windy.

From the trailhead, Coldwater Peak is the highest point in view. St Helens Lake is tucked behind the ridgeline on the right, behind the arch.

Frost along the trail,

and Mt St Helens, herself.

Nearing our destination, nice view of Mt Adams and Spirit Lake.

One last ridge to traverse.

Lunch view and turnaround point – St Helens Lake. Mt Rainier, about 40 miles away, peeking over the ridgeline of the Mt Margaret backcountry.

Zooming in on Mt Rainier,

the Goat Rocks,

Spirit Lake, the silhouette of Mt Hood, and Mt St Helens, with Harry’s Ridge in the foreground.

One last look at St Helens Lake before heading down.

This entire area is off limits to off trail exploring, so there is no trail to the lakeshore. Before the 1980 eruption, the bare slopes were covered with soil and forest. New plants are growing, but the relic tree stumps and log rafts remain as they were after the blast.

Closer view of the 39.5 year old log rafts.

Zooming in on the dome and glacier in Mt St Helen’s crater.

We hiked partway up Harry’s Ridge on the return.

Another view of Spirit Lake and Mt Adams from Harry’s Ridge.

And a last look at Mt St Helens in afternoon light.

Some details:

We met a birder on the return trip who was very excited to have spotted this Northern Pygmy Owl on a fir tree. Nice display of tree stumps and blast-oriented logs in the background.

Northern pygmy owl.

A few very late wild strawberry blooms along the trail, nestled into the pumice..

(Hike #50, 10 miles, 2300 feet)

Downtown Portland

I met a friend at the Portland Historical Society Museum to see a photo exhibit about the making of flax into linen in the 1930s. It was fascinating, but not photogenic. I popped in to see an exhibit celebrating The Beatles’ 1965 concert in Portland. I was a preteen when the Beatles invaded, but my older sister swept us into fandom with her enthusiasm, and their music is timeless. My own children have had their Beatle years. We visited Abbey Road in London, and then went on the Magical Mystery Tour and to the Beatles Museum in Liverpool during our UK trip in 2011. It was fun to see a little slice of Beatlemania in PDX.

We had plenty of Beatle magazines and trading cards at my house, but not this game. It’s funny now to think how shockingly long their hair was considered- it looks pretty clean cut by today’s standards.

It was a gorgeous fall day in downtown Portland.

Oregon Historical Society Museum

First Congregational Church

Central Library

Neighborhood Witches and more:

There are many elaborate halloween decorations in my neighborhood to enjoy while out walking and admiring the beautiful fall colors on the day before Halloween.

The light was just right to bring out the face on this tree.

Eagle and salmon carved from a cedar that had to be removed.

Two Columbia Gorge Hikes and more witches in PDX

October 30, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Tom McCall Point 10/21/2019

Beautiful fall colors on a trail we usually hike during spring wildflower season. Hike #48, 4 miles, 1050 feet. A few comparison photos:

We are going to the top of Tom McCall Point:

October 2019

May 2017

Looking west toward the Memaloose Hills from the trail:

October 2019

April 2016

Looking northeast across the Columbia River to the Lyle Cherry Orchard where we hiked last week:

October 2019

April 2019

Oak trees:

October 2019

April 2019

And a few lingering fall wildflowers:

golden weed

Angel’s Rest 10/24/2019

Another favorite hike with outstanding views! Hike #49, 5 miles, 1500 feet.

Coopey Falls

Fall reflections in Coopey Creek

Angel’s Rest – our destination.

Eastward view of the Columbia River; Mt Adams peeking above the Washington Gorge topography.

Closer view of Mt Adams.

Western view of the Columbia River.

Trees in the burn zone – 2017 Gorge Fire.

Heading down on a beautiful fall day.

Neighborhood walk and more witches!

First fall for this new black tupelo

Two wildlife refuges, Indian Heaven, and trying to keep up with fall colors, Sept-Oct 2019

October 13, 2019October 30, 2019 / margaretquilts

It has been a busy couple of weeks – a quilt show, a fiber festival, hikes at two wildlife refuges and Indian Heaven Wilderness. Meanwhile, the Mac hard drive is off at the Genius repair shop. I am learning blog work-arounds via iPad.

Friday, September 27 – I attended the Northwest Quilt Expo, admired all the quilts and photographed many. This vintage Tile Friendship Quilt (circa 1900, maker unknown) from the Latimer Quilt Museum, was very interesting. Seemingly random shapes are appliquéd to a plain background, each signed by a different maker in true Friendship Quilt style. It looks very modern, but it is old and entirely hand stitched!

I bought a few fat eighths to add to a batik quilt in my mental UFO list.

Sunday, September 29 -I visited the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival in Canby, Oregon, just long enough to buy a lighter weight spindle and more fiber to practice drop spinning.

Then we went to the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, our first visit there, and walked around the perimeter. Not many birds have arrived yet, but there are great overlooks and a nice winter trail for future visits. (Hike#44, 3.6 miles)

Great Blue Heron

Hawthorne berries

Looking across the refuge – soon this will be flooded with water and birds.

Great Blue Heron on the return trail.

Saturday, October 5 – We went to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Washington during their season closing bird fest. We walked the Kiwa Trail and part of the newly opened Carty Lake trail, and also went inside the Chinook Plankhouse to look around. (Hike#45, 3.2 miles)

Turtles

Sand Hill Cranes

Sand Hill Cranes in flight.

Great Horned Owl

Carty Lake

Chinook plank house

Inside the plankhouse.

Chinook Salmon trap

Sunday, October 6 – We joined friends for a hike in Indian Heaven Wilderness – from the East Crater trailhead to Junction and Lemei Lakes. Late fall colors, thawed mushrooms and blueberries, very pretty. (Hike#46, 8.8 miles, 1000 feet)

East Crater beyond one of many small lakes along the trail.

Junction Lake

Lemei Rock

Lemei Lake

Neighborhood walks – Meanwhile, in Northeast Portland, the days grow shorter, the light angles lower, the leaves more colorful.

Katsura trees

Sumac

Neighborhood witches hunting…

More witches…

Ash trees reflected in nearby windows.

Rain chain shadows

Knitting – I am making progress on my Meris cardigan….

Tech problems as the season turns

October 1, 2019 / margaretquilts

September 30, 2019

Our five year old Mac is complaining about the many thousands of photos my husband and I ask it to manipulate. Not being digital natives, and having shared this computer and its predecessors with our three now grown digital natives who downloaded all kinds of unknown items into our shared memory space, we have been told by the very helpful people at tech support that our hard drive hygiene is not good. That is just a long way of saying that I can’t post about some recent adventures until I can free the photos from their well backed up hard drive.

Meanwhile, the sun shifts ever slightly to the south….

Leaves turning orange

Late roses

Yarn bombing in the neighborhood

Future quilt patterns?

Morning light in my kitchen

Katsura turning orange

I got my ring back!

At least three years ago I had my wedding ring cut off because I could no longer remove it, due (I thought) to arthritis in the knuckle or weight gain. I didn’t know that the insidious excess growth hormone of acromegaly had caused my bones to grow. About a year later, the missing wedding ring was one of the keys to diagnosis. Now almost two years since the pituitary surgery and about a year since the medication regime has controlled the growth hormone to ‘normal levels’ for now, we took my ring to a jeweler who put it back together and polished it up, nice and shiny, in a size that fits! It is nice to have it back! Only about 3 months until our 35th anniversary.