What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been - Part Deux

After much cunning planning, I escaped my prison of hard labor. (I joke. I was very well cared for; there were daily naps, big fat steaks perfectly cooked for me, cocktails refreshed on the hour, and lots of laughing.)

Oh the humanity.

Helga the Volvo and I took the Ferry Wahkiakum (ten minutes) over to Oregon. Twenty-seven miles to Astoria, then picked up Hwy 101 South to where The Boy and Girl live.

The Boy

It was a lovely drive with light traffic in spite of it being a Friday; the weather was only mildly drizzly. Along the roadside, masses of lupin and digitalis clumped in wild lanky pinkness. Maybe it's the lack of humidity or the closeness of the ocean, but even though NC has plenty of trees, the air there smells greener somehow, lighter, fresher.

The Boy looks good, being sober (two years!) suits him. That and the love of a good woman. His hair is long and he wears in a man bun (a mun?). The Girl is delightful; strong, adventurous, centered, pretty, kind. I like her so very much. They are yin and yang. My grand dogs are sweet and welcoming. The business (doggie daycare and boarding) is going well; this past year has been a struggle with having to relocate unexpectedly, but they handled it with grace and aplomb. I'm very proud of them.

Some of the clients. The pretty shepherd is one of my grand dogs.

Road's End Beach

We talked and laughed and ate for two days. On Sunday, with absolutely gorgeous weather, we had a mini family reunion with aunts and cousins and brother-in-laws and nephew-in-laws and talked and laughed and ate some more.

My nephew-in-law, brother-in-law, and sister

The Girl felt welcomed, which made me very happy. My sister baked our mother's (great grandmother's recipe) blueberry cake. (Mom always made it for the family reunions, it's not a real reunion without it.)

Great Grandmother's Blueberry Cake (cake/photo T.A.W.)

Monday I loaded up Helga, sadly said good-bye to the kidlets and headed east to to the middle-ish of the state to my sister's for more family fun time!
A picnic at Silver Falls with my niece and family. Flat tires!

Sap waterfall

Lunch at Mac's Place and retail therapy with my sister in Silverton and Salem.

The Pretty One

Barfing Barbies!

www.thebarbielady.com

Hanging at Wal-mart with my brother in law.

Best. Time. Ever.

All too soon, Helga and I were on the road again heading southeast over "the hill", as those funny Oregonians call the Cascades.

The Sisters

In Sisters, where they were preparing for the quilt show (apparently Sisters is equivalent to Mecca for quilters), I caught up with my dear friend Eileen over a delightful lunch at The Open Door.
Afterward we strolled the town, popping into art galleries and coffee shops. We had a hilarious conversation with Patricia Freeman-Martin at Hood Avenue Art Gallery about her prehistoric cat print, "What don't you like about it?" Well for one thing, it doesn't look like a cat. "It's prehistoric."
(P.S. I wouldn't have bought it with your money.)
She had a great sense of humor and made me a terrific deal on a print I DID like (Leopard Steer).

One of the many quilts in Sisters.

A too fast few hours later it was time for me to set the GPS for Redmond and my home away from home for the next three nights.

Linda is my anam cara (soul friend); we've been friends for many years, through heartache, betrayal, and happiness. This visit I was meeting her husband (Jeffery) of three years for the first time. I'm happy to report that we liked each other immensely. The fact that he ADORES her in the way she should be adored was a big factor.

The Fourth of July we went into Bend for First Friday Art Walk. Lots of great galleries. Found a lovely tourmaline and pyrite necklace at the Red Chair Gallery.
Recognized an artist, Jane Filer, from NC at the Paul Scott Gallery, which was the best gallery of the entire trip. Here are some of my favorites: Matt Flint, Mark Gould, Jerry Lisk, Jeanie Tomanek, Valerie Winterholler.

The tourmaline and pyrite necklace

When we came home, Jeffrey grilled steak and corn for us. We toasted America with vodka and tonics - cheers! The sky did this for fireworks:

Sunset with Mt. Jefferson

Saturday we went to Smith Rock, as Lookie Lous only. Wandered around Redmond a bit.
Got my ass trounced, not once, but twice, in Scrabble.

The aptly named Crooked River

People come from all over the world to rock climb.

Sunday came far too quickly. Once again, it was time for my trusty steed and I to head back to Washington.

That leads us to Part III.