crawford oaks
Apr. 26th, 2023 11:14 pmhad a lovely day. pretty tired from a lot a lot of walking in the sunshine. it's a good tired. my skin feels strange from all the warmth and heat. we haven't had any in so long. i was so happy to be warm and to inhale the scent of the rolling balsam root-scented hills of Columbia Hills State Park that i wept a little. it's been so cold and so wet forever and ever. i haven't felt sun like this since we went to Joshua Tree in February.
( little bit of personal/work venting stuff nbd )
...
this place i visited today was where i went hiking the day i got my first covid vaccine, three years ago, almost to the month. when i told tyler i was driving to the dalles to get my shot, three years ago, he told me to check out this place, "you'd like it." I do. i invited him to come with me this morning, since he didn't want to go mushrooming after all and was afraid dog mountain would be snowy (it's not, i drove past it on the way to this hike), but he never responded. of course.
i haven't been back to this area since the covid shot day, it's a long drive, but the cafe and beautiful sunny windy walk with reeling ravens, hawks, turkey vultures, osprey, and bald eagles was worth it. tons of bees and a few butterflies flitting about, one was chocolate colored with white lace on the edges of its wings, i also saw those tiny soft pale blue ones and a tiger swallowtail in the parking lot. there were yellow warblers and those black woodpeckers that i don't remember the name of, and the meadowlarks were singing their hearts out.
stopped at that glorious coffee shop in that dinky town, i don't understand this dichotomy but the cafe is so shockingly beautiful that it's well worth the 90 minute drive just to go there. (the food is great too, though i didn't get any this time, i just wasn't hungry all day. i ate a little bit of cottage cheese because i'm supposed to, a banana to stave off leg cramps, and a few sprouted almonds on the drive home to stay awake, otherwise just coffee and tea and water all day. the almond milk latte was divinity.)
took a few photos. they speak better than i can.

Stained glass and an almond milk latte at the Riv

Coziness

Pews!

Mt Hood, balsamroot, lupin

ladybug

the Gorge

hi

lingered
Meadowlark and lupin (sound on for the lark)
..........
sparkles all day tomorrow and friday. Saturday is unscheduled but i might work. i booked myself a party for next sunday, not sure why i agreed to that but the income will be nice. a wee birthday party, in my old neighborhood, which is now only affordable for rich californians, but i still enjoy visiting. i upped my party rate and they took it, so, yay.
( little bit of personal/work venting stuff nbd )
...
this place i visited today was where i went hiking the day i got my first covid vaccine, three years ago, almost to the month. when i told tyler i was driving to the dalles to get my shot, three years ago, he told me to check out this place, "you'd like it." I do. i invited him to come with me this morning, since he didn't want to go mushrooming after all and was afraid dog mountain would be snowy (it's not, i drove past it on the way to this hike), but he never responded. of course.
i haven't been back to this area since the covid shot day, it's a long drive, but the cafe and beautiful sunny windy walk with reeling ravens, hawks, turkey vultures, osprey, and bald eagles was worth it. tons of bees and a few butterflies flitting about, one was chocolate colored with white lace on the edges of its wings, i also saw those tiny soft pale blue ones and a tiger swallowtail in the parking lot. there were yellow warblers and those black woodpeckers that i don't remember the name of, and the meadowlarks were singing their hearts out.
stopped at that glorious coffee shop in that dinky town, i don't understand this dichotomy but the cafe is so shockingly beautiful that it's well worth the 90 minute drive just to go there. (the food is great too, though i didn't get any this time, i just wasn't hungry all day. i ate a little bit of cottage cheese because i'm supposed to, a banana to stave off leg cramps, and a few sprouted almonds on the drive home to stay awake, otherwise just coffee and tea and water all day. the almond milk latte was divinity.)
took a few photos. they speak better than i can.

Stained glass and an almond milk latte at the Riv

Coziness

Pews!

Mt Hood, balsamroot, lupin

ladybug

the Gorge

hi

lingered
Meadowlark and lupin (sound on for the lark)
..........
sparkles all day tomorrow and friday. Saturday is unscheduled but i might work. i booked myself a party for next sunday, not sure why i agreed to that but the income will be nice. a wee birthday party, in my old neighborhood, which is now only affordable for rich californians, but i still enjoy visiting. i upped my party rate and they took it, so, yay.