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Tag Archives: rain

Yes, It’s Raining. But!…

02 Saturday Nov 2013

Posted by loreeharrell in And Around, Beauty Be Us, Day Trips

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Columbia River Gorge, fall, rain, Sandy River, walk

Sandy River Gorge rain puddle

Sandy River Gorge rain puddle

It looks like we have a week of wet coming up, so I’m going to tell you a little secret that might clutter up my winter trails a bit.

That rain that is pounding the windshield of your car, and looking like the outside world is unfit for man and beast?

When you’re walking in it, on a slightly muddy trail through a forest with wet-shined leaves, it isn’t nearly as intense as when you’re doing 60 mph down the freeway with the wipers flapping in your face.

In fact, if you have on good boots, a hat, and (preferably) some good rain pants (because wet jeans bite),  and maybe a dog or three, you’re pretty much guaranteed to enjoy the day.   My experience has been that if you’re committed to go no matter what, the rain will even work around you, and hold off until three minutes after you’re back in the car (the past two days we haven’t had a drop of anything other than wet from brushing through the ferns, and then the downpour has hit on the way back down the hill).  Throw a cuddly sweatshirt in the car to change into when you get back, and enjoy this third season.

Beaver fwap... slightly annoyed with the three dogs on the bank.

Beaver fwap… slightly annoyed with the three dogs on the bank.

You might even catch one of the local denizens who thinks everyone has gone home for the year.

Have fun out there : )
Loree

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Snapshot No. 5

22 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by loreeharrell in Ramblings, Snapshots

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

cottonwood, flower, rain, Sandy River, walk

Sometimes it’s all gray and green, cottonwood fluff…

cottonwood fluff2

and sweet sweet blue.

Sweet sweet blue

I love the living smell of spring –  the pungencies of cottonwood and warming damp earth, of scotch broom and wet dog. 

Almost a match for the abundance of green.

[cellphone pics, dusk, and drizzle… ]

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The Dark and The Mud and the Sweet Spot

10 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by loreeharrell in And Around, Day Trips

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Tags

Corbett, dark, hike, night, rain, Sandy River, Troutdale

064 source

It rained yesterday for a goodly part of the day.  Hard.  I know that because Rian and I were tromping around town in it, gathering up site partners and talking to good people.  Everyone here understands when you walk in with their informational packet wrapped in plastic, your hair askew, and your makeup running.

It quit, or more accurately slowed, early afternoon.  Late afternoon, clear of tasks for the moment, I headed for my daily hike in the woods with a van full of dogs (358.8 pounds in four black-and-tan bodies officially qualifying as a van full).  We got there just before 5:00 (the days are getting longer again, have you noticed?), in time to walk the first mile through the forest without a lamp.  And when we came out of the woods at the river a mile later than that, there was still enough light at the bottom of the gorge to sit on a wet rock by the river for a few minutes and enjoy the rampage before the late dusk turned to full dark.

It is a function of human, that when you’re in the middle of flourescent and traffic and phones and people all day, you don’t think about what that inconvenient rain and a relatively warm day means in the wilder parts of your world.

The Sandy was running high and loud and beautiful with rain and snow melt.  The huge sitting rock at the edge of the beach was six feet out in the river, the boulders at the bottom were gently knocking into each other, the air was crisp and clean and six kinds of jazzed up with ions, the sky had cleared enough to show a swath of stars sparkling in the cold.  It takes all of thirty seconds in that environment to wash out a day and drop you into sweet peace.  Try it some day, when it’s been raining all day and still might be a little.  Hike a muddy trail, get a little wet, take a happy dog, brave the dark.  You’ll walk out new, I promise.

LLH

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What To Do In The Rain

29 Monday Oct 2012

Posted by loreeharrell in And Around

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Tags

columbia gorge, fall, rain, Troutdale, view, walk, what to do

Well, we’re (finally) living up to our reputation for Wet, but not to despair!… we have a lot you can see and enjoy with only brief forays out into the deluge (she says as the sun comes out and lights the trees up yellow and orange against striking gray clouds with not a drop falling from above).

Break in the clouds outside the window

Head to Portland Women’s Forum

The view up at Portland Women’s Forum (Scenic Hwy 30 about 9 miles east of Troutdale) is magnificent any time.  Including (especially?) when the clouds are lower than where you’re standing and the view up the Gorge looks primeval and secret.

This image was taken during a break on a stormy day when I ventured the trail on the west side of the lot, down a little hill and around a bend to the most lovely view.  The fields on the other side of the river seemed particularly lovely that day with the little bit of snow in the hills, so zoomed in hard, but, yes, there is a river (big river) between here and there.

Grab a coffee at the Corbett Market on the way up, and stop at the Springdale Pub on your way back down the hill to enjoy something local from the tap and a good burger.

Go On An Explore
Not Cherries from Cascade Locks

Last night I got word that a cousin I hadn’t seen (since my age started with a 1) was going to be in Cascade Locks with his family, so I got in the car after work and headed out I-84 to meet them.

Now, I’m not going to tell you it was a beautiful drive – it was dark and there was something bearing a close resemblance to a Deluge going on – but what a great short trip.  I got there around 6:00, and, as I pulled into the parking lot of their hotel, I saw a big sign that said CHERRIES, and a man under a long tarp with a table full of fruit.  Just as I was thinking, Cherries?  How can there be cherries?... I saw that he had a second big sign out that said CHERRIES and I thought, Well, maybe cherries have a second season like strawberries that you never know about if you’re buying your cherries in town.  So I stopped. And got out in the Deluge (which never is as Deluge-ish when you’re not driving through it at 60 mph) and joined him under the tarp.  I said, “You really have cherries?”.  He said, cutting a pear, “Sure do!  In about ten more months.  Right here in this very spot.  Try this pear.”

The pears were very good.  I have ten dollars worth of pears now.  I can’t eat ten dollars worth of pears, so there is pear sharing going on.

The hotel sent us across Bridge Of The Gods into Stevenson for dinner.  The Bridge Of The Gods is quite possibly the only toll both (costs a whole buck to cross – don’t let it deter you) in the country with Halloween knick-knacks tucked into every nook and cranny of the bridge near the booth.  No, not your standard outside Halloween decor, but little ghosts and goblins and witches and pumpkins…  it’s very festive.  Made me smile.

We had a lovely dinner at The Big River Grill [“Sturgeon General Approved”… didn’t see that coming, did you?] with entree salads (spinach with grilled portabella one side of the table;  wild salmon the other) and huge sandwiches (veggie portabella and a reuben) enjoyed thoroughly.  Nice atmosphere, good service and food.  Recommend a stop there, and Stevenson looks like a charming town.

All in all, it was a great break on a workday… made it feel like a day off (!) and I was tucked back in by the fire by 8:30.

Meanwhile, back at the farm…
It’s supposed to be raining on Halloween.  I know of a cozy hotel hosting an evening of treats and art and fun :)… see you at the Halloween Hanging!

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Chestnuts roasting on an…

24 Wednesday Oct 2012

Posted by loreeharrell in And Around, Events, News In

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

fall, Halloween, hike, party, rain, Sandy River, walk

… no no no, you’re right.  Not just time yet.  But and still…

ummm... fire?

I know.  No chestnuts, the fire is behind glass, but and still.

The weather has (finally) officially changed to rain and cool enough to justify flames.  The pups and I got soaked to the bone on the trail to the river tonight, and fire is a nice thing to come home to.  There is a rumor of sunshine tomorrow, however, and I hope to complete my Duties in time to get out in it with the camera and snag another bit or two of Fall.

Lots going on at the hotel – Rian got to the Chamber meeting today to introduce himself in his official capacity as Lead Schmoozer [uhhh… Community Liason…], and is going to be out in the local businesses this next week to invite all to the Halloween Hanging next week.  Leamy Printing did a great job on the invites, and it’s going to be fun to have everyone in the house for the celebration.

Steph is doing her Steph-thing and getting all the goodies for the kids and refreshments dialed in [popcorn machine… hot beverage dispenser for the cider… if I could make her a job description comprised entirely of party planning, she’d be the happiest woman on the planet].

Yesterday I picked up the last batch of prints (selection and formatting was – as everything seems to be – a much larger job than I anticipated), and Bob is coming by tomorrow to pick them up for framing and drop off last week’s batch framed.  Finishing up the treasure hunt cards and will have them in production by Friday.  I’ll post a preview this weekend so you can get a head start :).

Speaking of which… I’d best go get those Mirrors signed and labeled.  See you next week!

– L

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