Oregon, 2016

No recipe review this week - I was off on adventures!

I was back in Oregon visiting the Sister, her Husband and the Nephew.  It was a fun filled four and a half days: 

Thurs - early morning and uneventful flights.  Landed in Portland at 11a to cool and overcast weather. Sister was waiting at the airport, then took me to McMenamins Hotel and Restaurant (and smoking room, and brewery, and soaking pool, and movie theater...).  I highly recommend this as a Portland stop!  We then went to Close Knits and the fabric store next door (she wanted to by fabric). Close Knits was a repeat from last year - a delightful store with a good selection of local yarns to choose from.

Fri - it continued to be rainy and overcast.  I taught the Sister the basics of sewing in the morning and we made two small gift bags.  Lunch with her co-worker and his two sisters (also in town visiting) at a great Indian restaurant.  Grocery shopped for the weekend trip to the Willamette National Forest and the Clear Lake "Resort".

Sat - packed car with linens, food, and lawn chairs, then Caroline (another co-worker) arrived and we stuffed her items and dog in the car along with the Nephew, myself, and the Sister and we were off to Canby, OR, for the Flock and Fiber festival.  That was pretty cool.  Then a two hour drive back south across county to  Clear Lake Resort in the Willamette National Forest.   Beautiful, rustic, awesome.   Amazingly awesome.  I have never seen tress so BIG!  Nor water so CLEAR!  Amazing...

Sun - hiked around the lake (~5 miles) and admired the beauty of it all with clear skies and 90* temps.   Saw the headwaters of the McKenzie river.  Saw BIG trees, lava flows, and some amazing terrain.  

Mon - stuffed everyone back in the car and came back to Corvallis. Still 90* (loved it!).   I shoved linens, blankets, and towels through the laundry - cabin was none to clean and neither were we after Sunday's hike.   Took a walk in the evening and called the weekend/trip a success. 



Tues - Sister put me on the shuttle to Portland at 8a (including her head cold...). At airport by 1030a, then a two hour wait to see if I had a seat on the plane (I did).  I'm not certain if I *should* have been worried, but I've never switched flights two weeks out either.  I inquired about getting on the earlier flight but they were full.  In Minneapolis by 700p.  In Duluth by 920p. Home by 1015ish. That, was a long day. 

Ultimately, a really great trip that allowed me to see a bit more of Oregon.  Could have done without the head cold I caught, but meh, so it goes.