Ahhhhh....this is what living in Portland is about.
We went to some Portland Sunday Farmer's Market's later in the day and we saw cherries and went "I wonder what Hood River Cherries look like right now?" and an hour later....we KNEW.
We hit I-84 and made one of the most gorgeous drives Oregon has to offer up to the Gorge.
Mountains, trees, waterfalls...did I mention mountains?
We hit the Gorge White House...a place where in the past we've picked our own berries, cut our own bouquets and bought some of the best bing cherries I have ever consumed.
We drove back into Hood River for dinner and while we might have pretended to think about something new...we hit our favorite restaurant with the most amazing view of the Gorge that you could imagine.
3 Rivers Grill WAYYYYY up on the hill.
Smoked salmon, pesto pasta, frangelico gravy over hazelnut crusted chicken. ...we were one happy table.
At home, the flowers are in super overload STILL. It seems that over night my flowers are growing 2-4 inches!
Today we had the task to return bottles as a "fundraiser" for our youth group road trip that takes place in 3 weeks. This year...I am a CHAPERONE. Who let that happen? I am not sure, but I have done many pinky swears saying I will be WELL behaved.
We shoved many donated bottles into the bottle return orifices. I felt like we worked so hard and then a receipt would pop out saying "Pay Out: 2.75 cents" and I felt so cranky. SOMEHOW we raised 80.00 for our trip. I never told my kids that I would pay 50.00 to NOT stuff sticky, dirty cans into bottle return machines. Shhhhhhhhh.....the work was a "team building opportunity". So I smiled...and shoved bottles into the holes.
What a fun day. If you'd told me that I had so much fun driving around looking for bottle return machines, I'd have laughed you out of my house.
Check out my daughter's excitement!
Then she saw WHAT she actually made after all that 'work"...
Hahahahahaha....as a mother....I can laugh at that. And I allow you to laugh as well.
Tomorrow more berry picking, we will make jam and maybe some pickled veggies depending on our haul.
This is always the time of year when we all feel SO lucky to live in Oregon!
I agree! Life is Good!!
Sue xoxo
Posted by: sue hagood | July 13, 2011 at 06:09 AM
I have a sister and brother and family living there, visited a year ago and feel in love,hope to visit this late summer~
Posted by: Diane | July 13, 2011 at 08:18 AM