Oregon 2015

I'm back!  Again! 

Labor Day weekend found me once again in Corvallis, OR, visiting my sister Karen, the Nephew and her Husband.    Weather remained coolish overall, which I was not prepared for.  Warmest it got was the day before I left, a mere 75*.   After I left, Corvallis was expecting 90*.   I Just missed the heat, darn it!

Mt. Hood

The itinerary:
Thursday - arrived in Portland at 1030a.  My sister and her Husband picked me up and we went to three yarn stores:  Happy Knits, Close Knits,  and Yarntastic,  a fabulous Italian restaurant called Luce, and Willamette Valley Vineyard winery south of Portland.  

Ripe grapes at Willamette Valley Vineyards

Friday - Karen and I headed out and went to Oregon Knitting Company,  Domaine Drouhin Winery, and Red Ridge Farms - an olive oil grove north of Corvallis (south of Portland) in the Dundee region.  Fabulous!  Later I went for a walk with the nephew in the neighborhood - needed to stretch the out a bit and look at the mountains. 

Red Ridge Olive Oils/Nursery/Winery

Saturday - we had a morning appointment for pedicures, then we picked up two of Karen's co-workers and Karen's MIL and went to a winery south of Corvallis called Brigadoon.  We enjoyed several glasses of wine while overlooking the vineyard and surrounding hills, and noshing on chocolate dipped strawberries, small pastries, savory shortbread cookies, and stuffed mushrooms.  The food was unexpected and a pleasant surprise.  Later I went for an evening walk with the nephew in the neighborhood. 

Sunday - a quiet morning knitting, a bit of gardening in the Sister's community garden plot, and a stop at Stash yarn store in Corvallis.  I had been doing a CKAL with them as part of the Stephen/Steven B Colorplay Tour so I had to show off my nearly finished project.  I say nearly finished because I had about 1 hour of bind off left!

Me at Stash!

Later we were invited downstairs for dinner at Karen's in-law's apartment (which is the one right below theirs).  And, again, went for an evening walk with the nephew in the neighborhood. 

Monday - watched my sister clean house (she was joking that she was almost ready for my visit!). then we grabbed the nephew, MIL and all went for a longer walk in a nearby nature area.  Afterwards, we hung out at the apartment, and I went for an evening walk with the nephew in the neighborhood.  Packed.

Tuesday - Up at 3a to catch a 4a shuttle back to Portland.   Had plenty of time to get a good breakfast - I got to watch the sun rise over the mountains while enjoying some blueberry pancakes.  Back on the ground in Minneapolis at 200p.  On the road by 230p.  Met The Husband in Hinkley for an early dinner (he was down there for a meeting so it worked out perfectly).  Home by 630p to unpack and catch up a bit. 

Trips are done for the year, which is okay by me!  Time to catch up on house and yard projects, do some fall biking, hiking, and sitting on the porch.