Monday, August 8, 2011

momma visit: portlandia

after leaving the coast...
next to the rush of the city...

happy hour with a view
from portland city grill
got us in the city mode

mom experienced last thursday on alberta
where she was pulled into dancing and drumming
of the krishnas
of course
she easily flowed to the beats
and got to see the array of randomness
she was able to buy a necklace from a vendor
as seen in pictures below...
it was a good taste of portlanders

we had a stop at blue plate
lunch counter and soda fountain
you may have seen it on
guy's diners, drive-ins and dives
on the food network
mom with a serious face
with her new hip glasses from the coast
great ambiance not quite captured
in the photo...
i tried!
we went to sauvie island
to pick berries
and visited st. john's bridge on the way
beautiful.
u-pick raspberries and blueberries.
check.
we hit up saturday's market
and continued the hip-ness
mom got feathers in her hair
so fashionable.
she began to blend right in.
she met fenway, the dog
but with the hustle and bustle of the market
wasn't able to get a good psychic reading on her
she was enchanted by her pom-pom ears
and look-a-like to jabba the hut's dog
the line to voodoo downtown
was too long to wait
she did see a doughnut wedding though.
priceless.
and we did go to the other location
to experience the goodness.
mango tango still remains my favorite
we snuck in the rose garden, hawthorne
and rushed her in good time
to the airport.

it was a delightful time
with a wonderful mom.
i'm grateful she was able to visit...
wish it could've been for longer.
love her!

momma visit: the coastal edition

after a mouth watering experience at
pizza research research institute in eugene
picture patio seating, guitarist, honey lemonade,
flowers and greens hanging about
i wasn't sure if my mom was ever going to leave
but with some poppy seed bread in hand
monday evening we headed to the coast

we stopped in florence and got our picture taken
by a kind weathered men
whose smile
i trusted not to run off with my camera
one of the many cool bridges of oregon
we got my mom some hip
old lady reading glasses
with a bit of bling
well... for her it was a little flashy
but that's what you can do
at a certain age.
you have to own it.
then we headed towards yachats
to visit judy

wind blown hair?
lighthouse... check
and no we won't pay to see
your sea lion cave
that was so 15 years ago

then we made it to judy...
it was a great reunion for my mom
to see her best friend from oregon

we got to see josh and 2 of his kids
and stay in her great home close to the beach

the coast was remarkable wonderful and pleasant
doesn't happen that often
at least for me

we enjoyed eating on the deck for most if not all meals
we went on a little hike
to cape perpetua, devils churn and cooks chasm
cooks chasm


devils churn
cape perpetua





it was hard for them
to leave each other
there were tears

but i was reminded again
true friends last


next stop: portland town

Sunday, August 7, 2011

momma visit

well... peer pressure still works
i got my mom to oregon

she flew into eugene
and we rushed up to our old branch
to see old friends
it was a heart warming Sunday
as it always is in the blue river branch
me in front of my old elementary school
the new and improved mckenzie river ranger station

old bridges to old residences
i don't know how many times my mom said
"the trees have really grown!
this used to be a field or they weren't this tall"
strange what over 20 years does on a place...

old dwellings...
i broke my collar bone here
friend's old places
my parent's first house
that looks good still
eugene was painted with flowers
i forgot how UNCOMMON this is for an arizonian
she was just so blown away by the flowers
i kept thinking...
really mom?
new eyes, new perspective on the beauty of the area

next stop...
the coast