Friday, October 28, 2011

Gorge-ous Day

It was my day to volunteer at Multnomah Falls yesterday - my regular co-host is my younger sister, Denise - but she was on vacation in Boston, so hubby filled in.  It was a perfect Autumn day in the Columbia River Gorge!!  Dry, sunny & chilly!  We started our day with lunch in the historic Lodge.  They have a daily sandwich special, we both had it, a Cordon Bleu Burger with a slice of Canadian bacon, Swiss cheese, Dijonnaise sauce on a Kaiser roll.  We also had the soup, Cheese Broccoli.  Yum!  You could smell the woodsmoke from the huge fireplace and see the leaves turning.  
A shot further back with the falls...
 Closer...

We then heard that there was a Salmon in Multnomah Creek that was spawning, so we went to look.  Do you see her there?  Her tail is all white, it's beat up from her waving it over the pebbles to dig a hole to lay her eggs.. then a male needs to fertilize them. 
A closer shot of her.  After she spawns and he fertilizes the eggs, they will die.  When the eggs hatch in the Spring, the little babies will swim down the Columbia River out into the Pacific Ocean where they live and feed for 2 to 3 years.  Then when it's time, they swim up the river, back to the stream where they were born, and spawn - finishing the cycle of life.
 While were were looking at this salmon, I heard a train approaching and quickly aimed my iPhone at the engine.  Hubby was an engineer and drove these trains for 30 years.
We enjoyed an afternoon full of meeting folks from all around the world!  We helped them plan their travels and answered their questions.  Many people asked me about the blanket I was crocheting.  :-)  When heading home, we pulled out at the viewpoint to get a shot of the gorge in the alpen glow of the late Autumn sun.  
Closer.. of Rooster Rock (the rock below left) and Vista House on Crown Point. 
Then we drove up onto the Historic Columbia River Highway to Portland Women's Forum State Park to get this golden glow photo of Vista House. 
I then spotted a patch of what I think are Michaelmas Daisies that were still flowering..  
The sign for the park (I'm serving my 3rd year as president of PWF) - and the "Rock" that signifies the park.  To learn more about this group and this location click HERE
Heading towards home we spied this field of Blueberries and hubby got a shot of the red leaves. 
We pulled into Corbett Country Market to pick up a loaf of bread and met the new (young) owner of this historic market - the last in town.  I introduced ourselves to him and shook his hand and wished him good fortune in his ownership.  We've been going here for 37 years, through many owners!  We first knew it as "Dave's Market".
The check out counter... and lots of poor critters hung on the wall. :-) 
We're having a beautiful sunny Fall day today - we plan to relax and putter about to catch up after 5 days at the beach and volunteering yesterday.  Tomorrow we're meeting my 2 sisters and 1 brother and their spouses for dinner at The Country Kitchen restaurant for some family time.  

My dear husband will be having surgery on Monday - please keep him in your thoughts.  It's a repair at the incision site from his cancer surgery.  Poor guy!  I will be crocheting away in the waiting room.  I'll let you know how it goes.

I hope you all have fun plans this weekend!!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

25 comments:

  1. Your state is so lovely! It sounds like you keep pretty active in your community, which is great. That makes things much more special and personal. Do you have to be careful during spawning season? I would imagine the bears come down for some fishing, making hiking a bit more dangerous. Hungry bears or no, the circle of life truly is incredible :)
    ~Lacey

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  2. Beautiful pictures, as always!!!!

    Hope the surgery goes well. Take good care of him. ;-)

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  3. I so love your falls! The leaves are just gorgeous this time of year. I hope you have a wonderful weekends and I'll be thinking of you two on Monday. Take Care!

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  4. You live in such a beautiful place Teresa, I love the autumn colours in your photos. I hope everything goes well with hubby's surgery on Monday. I'll be thinking of you both ((hugs)) Joanna xx

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  5. Hello Teresa wonderful photographs such beautiful colours. Will be thinking of you and your DH on Monday and hope that all goes well. Anne x

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  6. Hi Teresa,
    First of all I hope your hubby's surgery goes well, he will definitely be in my thoughts and prayers as will you. Your pictures today were once again extraordinary. I loved the story of what the salmon's life cycle involves. Very interesting, I never knew that before, or I had forgotten!! (also quite possible) I hope you have a relaxing evening and fun dinner with family. xoRobin❤

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  7. Teresa, thanks once more for sharing the beauty around you so perfectly. I am heart-happy every time I view your work. May you and yours be well. ((hugs))

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  8. That's a neat little country store. Best of luck to Dayle for Monday! I'll be thinking of you both. Wish I could come crochet right by your side until he's out of surgery.

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  9. I love the country store, and the penny farthing bike in the background. Best wishes for Monday.

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  10. Teresa, those pictures are breath taking! What beauty surrounds you!!! How far is your home from the falls? I love the country store, and when I was in Oregon visiting, I noticed that many of the small markets had a little lunch counter too. I cannot tell you how much I feel that I would love living in your area!!! I didn't know your husband had cancer, and I will surely be keeping him in my prayers on Monday for a successful repair surgery to be done. Have fun at your dinner!!!
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  11. These pictures are just stunning! What a wonderful thing that you spend time as a volunteer.

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  12. absolutely fantastic photos I love the bridge and falls...good luck to hubby

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  13. Amazing photos, I think you are so lucky to live where you do. Its definately somewhere I'd love to visit one day. Best of luck to your Hubby for his op.xx

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  14. Stunning pictures Teresa - amazing colours and what a fabulous place to live. Quite sad about the salmon, but as you say, it's the cycle of life. Good luck to your Hubby for Monday! Di xx

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  15. Amazing pictures as always, and I love your new Halloween lay-out! I will definitely think about your dear husband on Monday, I have to go to hospital myself that same day for tests and MRI-scan, there seems to be a problem with my cervical vertebrae, eek. Have a great family time at the Country Kitchen restaurant today! :-) xxx

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  16. Beautiful fall pictures and your blog has such an atmospheric fall feel with your delightful candy corn header and golden falling leaves. You live in such a wonderful place and capture it so well in your photos. Sending warm wishes to your husband for a speedy recovery. Take care, Teresa.
    Helen x

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  17. Stunning photos Teresa .. I SO want to visit you but am afraid of flying :( Those falls are absolutely awesome but then the whole area around where you live is amazing and your photos are wonderful. I'll be thinking of you both on Monday - hope all goes well.

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  18. First of all, hope your husband's surgery goes well.

    Your pictures are always so lovely.

    You know how we want to relocate again in a few years. Duane said I could research Oregon when I told him the winters aren't so bad there. Not much snow. I'll be showing him your winter pictures this year. Hope you don't get much snow. LOL

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  19. Beautiful pictures Teresa, we are blessed that you present us with so much beauty. Dayle will be in my positive healing thoughts, and I will be sending some your way as you wait to here he is out of surgery and doing fantastically.
    Meredith

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  20. Teresa I stumbled onto you by accident yesterday I think. I am so glad that I did. I grew up in Albany and have been on the east coast for 12 yrs. I do not get home too often so your pictures were such a treat. The falls are always so beautiful especially this time of year. Thank you so much!
    Thea

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  21. Un-frign'-be-le-va-ble...I so am coming to visit. And I would like to put a stop for a cheeseburger on my list of things to do. Right after stopping at that Country Store to poke around. I did not know about the hubby. Please, please take care and let him know he has many blogging hugs coming his way and lots and lots of our prayers. So, glad you were able to spend this wonderful day together to keep quiet and peaceful and enjoy each others company. We are all here.

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  22. What a wonderful day you had Teresa. It was great to see the shot of the salmon, what a strange life cycle they have. Wishing your Hb a very speedy recovery from his surgery. Hugs to you both and healing thoughts.
    Jane x

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  23. I am so taken with the beauty of this, my husband and I always talk about a road trip around the states, we love all things american, I'm definitely adding this to my list of must sees!

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  24. I've just reread your post properly, I was so distracted by the beautiful pictures the first time. I know how awful those waiting room times can be, thank goodness we have crochet to keep our hands busy. Love and prayers for you both.

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  25. Just gorgeous Teresa! I so want to live in your state.

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