Visiting Rowena Crest

Hello my friends, thanks for stopping in for a visit.  After several rainy days the sun shone yesterday and my dear husband and I set out for an adventure.  I'd heard that the wildflowers were beginning to bloom at Rowena Crest so we set out to see for ourselves and enjoy the warm sunny day.  We headed east alongside the Columbia River and had lunch in Cascade Locks then resumed our drive - we exited the freeway at Rowena, the sign then pointed to the left for Rowena.. we drove along and it didn't look right at all.. we were not gaining elevation.. we ended up in The Dalles!  A stop at a gas station to get advice and we headed back west and eventually wound up where we'd planned to go! :-)  Can you see the difference in the terrain?  No tall forests, drier and more desert-y.  

Here we are at Rowena Crest looking upriver, east.  Rowena is rather like a "sister" of Vista House at Crown Point in that it's high on a bluff over the Columbia River with expansive views.  See the train in Washington State on the left and the cars on the I-84 freeway in Oregon on the right?

And indeed the Balsamroot was in bloom!  Aren't these neat flowers - like ground level sunflowers!

So, here I stand in the center of a rather wild area at Rowena Crest and we're in Oregon.. what you see across the way is Washington.. and just a peek of the river between us.  Unfortunately the Lupine is just budded and not in bloom - see it to the left of the Balsamroot?  It's REALLY neat when both are in bloom and you get the yellow and purple together.  Maybe we'll go back when that is happening...

Such a wild and windy place.

I snapped a photo of Dayle and our car as I stood amongst the flowers.. the river is there also.

We then drove along heading west and Mosier and Hood River.  Now, this area is usually very dry and golden.. so it was neat to see it in the Spring when it's nice and green.. and I loved seeing this old barn in the meadow below.

I love seeing a barn that is being taken care of, don't you?

The landscape on this end of the river is so different than what it is where we live!  Again, you're seeing Oregon and then Washington across the river.  See Mt. Adams peeking over the horizon?

Another old barn, there are lots of little farm places along the way.

Dayle spied this poor little old abandoned log cabin.. so I turned the car around and we pulled into the driveway to get this shot.  I would have loved exploring around it but didn't want to trespass on the property.  I love to think of the hardy folks that built this cabin so long ago and the family that lived in this small place.

We took a turn onto a country road and it rose and rose in elevation and then we saw Mt. Hood loom in the distance!

And then, on our descent on this road we saw Mt. Adams in Washington.. oh my dear Lumix camera... thank you for your lovely zoom.

We ended up in the historic little town of Mosier, where we rejoined civilization by getting on Interstate 84 and drove West and through Hood River.. we exited the freeway at Cascade Locks so we could get a snapshot from our "place" - and I saw this huge Rhododendron in full bloom.. ::screech:: turn around.. *snap*.. wow.. 

Zoom.. wow.. 

Then we pulled in at our little view park under the Bridge of the Gods - I snapped a few photos and got out of the car and walked and stretched before we headed on home.  

Oregon on the left, Washington on the right.  But you know that already, right?

I made a doubled hot pad with my stash of Premier Home cotton yarn.  These aren't the prettiest of hot-pads, but are the workhorses of hot-pads.  

Crocheted Cotton Hot Pad/Pot Holder - Diagonal Design

2 ounce ball worsted weight crochet cotton
size G crochet hook

Begin by working 37 chain stitches.
Work 3 single crochet (sc) in 2nd chain from hook.'

Sc in every chain until one chain remains.
3 sc in last chain.

Work 1 sc into the other side of each chain stitch.

Work 1 sc into first sc and continue working 1 sc into each stitch for 18 or 19 rounds, until the two ends of the top round meet when folded towards each other.

Stop crocheting at a point half way between two ends. Work 15 chain stitches for loop and join with slip stitch into same sc as last stitched worked. Cut yarn, leaving a tail about 1 yard long, and draw tail through loop. Using the long tail, whip stitch both sides of single crochet to each other forming a flat square. Secure end, weave into the inside of the hot pad, clip tail and enjoy!

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My Hibiscus is doing so well, I put a stake in the pot using my black bamboo and tied all the droopy branches up with green garden twine and it's looking lovely.  I do hope you don't get tired of seeing my red hibiscus flowers.  :-)

One more.. :-)

OK.. Dayle and I are going to run some errands and you know that will involve lunch out.. right?  Gracie is not swimming today so that gives me the excuse to skip it too.. but I need to get some new shoes for my trip to New Orleans is 2.5 weeks!  So.. today is the day.  Plus, we need chicken food.  Busy, busy.  I hope you have a fun weekend planned!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)