Silver Falls State Park - South Falls

Markus' first waterfall.

In the morning, we all went to One Green World to pick up more strawberry and huckleberry plants for the front yard.

Afterwards we stopped at the nearby Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, but since it's been such a cool winter none of the tulips are up yet.

Since we were halfway there and it had mostly stopped raining, we decided to head to Silver Falls State Park.

The sound of the waterfall puts Markus to sleep.

He often sleeps in the Bjorn, but the "white noise" of the waterfall put him to sleep almost immediately.

Although there are 10 (or more) falls at the park, this is one of my favorites because the trail goes all the way back behind the waterfall.

Sami behind the falls.

Looking down

View from the Bridge

Because it was chilly and getting late we decided not to hike to any of the other falls. We did see North Falls from a roadside viewpoint.

First Visit to the Japanese Garden

Markus and I at the Japanese Garden (Self-portrait)

We had a rough morning with Markus fussing constantly and wanting to eat all the time. By noon I was dying to get out of the house. Mainly I needed to go to the library and return some books.

It was such a nice day though, that I decided to see if the library had any of the Cultural Passes available for one of the gardens. I got lucky and they had one for the Japanese Garden, so we got into the garden for free.

One of the many fountains in the garden.

I had forgotten that the garden is on the shady side of the mountain in the aftenoon and that it's really better to go in the morning. So we didn't see much of the beautiful warm sun.

I didn't take very many pictures - the garden is really prettier when there are colorful leaves and flowers. Or when it's sunnier, or just after a rain when everything is wet.

Rock Garden

There weren't too many people in the garden. A few tourists and a few regulars. I felt bad for the tourists coming at the wrong time of year. I especially felt bad for the girls who brought a baby in a stroller. They couldn't walk through 3/4 of the park because they couldn't go over rocks or stairs.

Since there wasn't much catching my eye to take photos of, and there wasn't really anyone to take my picture, I practiced taking my own.

Here's another self portrait ...

... and a third one.

Mt. Hood behind the Portland Skyline

A nice sunny spot to feed Markus.

He slept through most of our visit to the garden. However, towards the end he woke up hungry (as usual).

My view while Markus was eating.

So much nicer than my living room!

One of the many lanterns.

Usually the lanterns are some of my favorite features in the garden. Maybe it was the lack of color in the foliage, or maybe the lighting and lack of contrast, but they just weren't pulling me in today.

Visiting Liesl & Moira (& Derrick too)

Colorful little succulents on SW 23rd street.

The weather has been beautiful and sunny, but there are still not too many spots of color (besides green) in the landscape.

The sky was so clear we could see Mount Hood from the top of SW Hanson Lane.

"Where the Wild Things Are"

... apparently they are at 13340 SW Hanson Lane.

First Crocus I've seen this year! (also on Hanson Lane)

More colorful succulents on SW 27th street.

Derrick taking pictures of Liesl & Moira

Shortly after Markus and I arrived, Derrick disappeared. Perhaps two babies is too much :)

Markus & Moira checking each other out.

At first the babies completely ignored each other. Then Markus decided to check out Moira's hair and her bib.

Moira mostly ignored Markus,

Markus "gives Moira a hand"

(Photo by Liesl)

However, when Markus stuck his hand in Moira's face, she decided to chew on it. Markus didn't mind.

Overdue

I had a library book out that was a couple weeks overdue, but I hadn't returned it because I couldn't find it. Sami found it yesterday.

This morning I woke up early and couldn't sleep. I kept thinking that the overdue library book was giving me bad karma or something, and if I just returned it, maybe the baby would come (I'm 8 days overdue now).

So I had a nice 3.4 mi. walk to the library (photo) and back, and I even tried out the swings in the picture... they were surprisingly stress relieving. Still no baby though.

Riding the Aerial Tram

Sami and I went to take the birthing class at the OHSU Center for Women's Health yesterday. The class was good, but my favorite part - we got to ride the aerial tram from OHSU Kohler Pavillion to OHSU Center for Health & Healing so we could go to the cafe for lunch.

I have a few more pictures of the tram and Kohler pavilion back on my August 26th post.

Me waiting to get on the tram.

(I wasn't ready for the photo)

Another pic of me and my ginormous belly.

South Waterfront, the Willamette River, and Mt. Hood.

Sami riding on the tram.

Downtown Portland, the Willamette River, and Mt. St. Helens.

"Landing" at the OHSU Center for Health & Healing.

Another view of downtown Portland.

Going back to our class in Kohler Pavillion.

Titus Canyon, Death Valley

Grapevine Mountains

We started driving on Titus Canyon road because we noticed there was a geocache on it. What we didn't know was that Titus Canyon Road is a 27 mile long one way street leading though an incredible canyon.

My pictures really don't do the drive justice. The colors were incredible. Blues, greens reds... I really need to get a polarizing filter for my camera. While this camera does great in the Oregon rainforest, it tends to overexpose things in the sunny desert.

We should have stopped to take pictures in Red Pass, but there were already a lot of cars there so we didn't. That was the main problem with taking photos in Titus Canyon. We felt like we couldn't safely park without preventing other cars from passing.

About halfway though our drive we stopped in the ghost town of Leadfield. The sign says it all.

I wouldn't want to live here.

Sami stands in front of the mine entrance with the GPS to claim a virtual geocache find.

The old outhouse.

I dont' remember if I've seen a lizard eating plants before, but this one was. He kept nibbling on this green leaf.

We saw a butterfly here too, although it was too fas for us to get a close up.

Petroglyph near Klare Spring

Click here to see entire lizard.

Interesting Rocks

Heading back to the car after investigating the petroglyphs and wildlife.

Entering the narrows of Titus Canyon

We passed a large group of Japanese tourists hiking through this part of the the canyon. They looked very hot and tired. I wondered how far they had to hike.

Video going though the narrows.

I apologize for bad video quality and the bird poop and glare on the windshield. It does give you an idea of our drive though.

We came out of the canyon just seconds before I stopped the video. I didn't know though, so I ruined a good shot by ending it too early.