Happy Birthday to me!

Today is the oldest I have ever been ... and the youngest I will ever be again.

Pictured: Me on my first birthday ... Mmmmm Cake!

(PS) - Today is my 500th blog post. Yay me!

Edgefield (and beyond!)

Right up the street from my home is McMenamins Edgefield. This quirky property boasts a golf course, 10 or so bars and restaurants, spa, soak pool, movie theatre, pool hall, and of course, McMenamins beers, wines and spirits. Pictured above is Terminator Stout, Hammerhead Ale, And Ruby, purchased at the Little Red Shed. You can carry these cups of yumminess around as you explore the grounds.



Its a great place to go just hang out and have a casual dinner, or, on the other end of the spectrum, have an important event. On summer weekends, there are sometimes a half a dozen weddings on the property.



Another large property operated by McMenamins is on the west side of Portland in Forest Grove - The Grand Lodge. I have not ever been to the Grand Lodge, but my husband is taking me there tomorrow for my birthday. We got the Valentines special, which includes your hotel room, dinner, breakfast, a bottle of champagne and glasses, and the use of the many facilities that property has to offer. I cannot wait!

Empty Landscape of Eastern Oregon

In the past week or two, I have been posting a lot of landscape photos of my part of Oregon on the western side of Mt Hood. On the eastern side of the mountain, things look very different. This open, empty landscape is interupted with only a few juniper trees and makeshift fences to keep the free range cattle in their place. In the distance, there are huge jagged hills and beyond that, the Cascade Mountain Range (including Mt Hood!). The yellow "flowers" you see dusting the ground are almost always there, and are actually little spiky thistles.


UPDATE: Here is a closer look at them: