Pacific Northwest

Pacific Northwest Heat Wave Thing

As a wanderer I find it difficult to sit still. Do a chore. Make some noise. Wander more. Dishes and coffee. Wander more. 

The heat in Portland, Oregon right now is absurd, and I find it rather fascinating to experience. 

With a steady breath. 

The sun was HOT today. 

I mostly stuck to shade. 

My first wander I took the sun full on. 1pm ish. 

This night hot though. It feels oddly better outdoors than indoors. 

The breeze has become subtle. 

Earlier much more fluid. 

It feels sometimes the more I remember to breathe and think clearly it feels cooler.  

The temperature around the crown of my head drops and it feels like it all syncs up. 

Finding cure for the pain in the pain and feeling okay with being okay. 

The planet is sick. It all became apparent in what seems like an instant.  

Hindsight is 2020 and how we react next must be diligent, focused, and urgent. 

There is no go back to before. 

We must think globally and react regionally. 

In my opinion… 

that’s as simple/complex

as it gets.

--ABC

June 25, 2015 // White Salmon River

in

I went to white water rafting down the White Salmon River on Thursday. 

That's somewhere in South East Washington. Around Hood River but on the Washington side. 

Anyway there were many awe inspiring eye shots of Mt Hood. 

It was a clear day. Probably in the 90's.

White water rafting was lots of fun. Less scary than I expected. 

You get wet suits and all that essential stuff. 

We jumped a 6 foot waterfall. That's actually it in the picture to the right. 

I didn't fall off once. 

The water was 40 degrees. It was so blue and clear. A very well taken care of river. They say the water is run off from Mt Adams. 

That's glacier water. I love the Pacific Northwest. 

Viva Cascadia! 

Anyway i'm going to quit interwebbing and read this book or draw or something. 

be free fellow earthlings! 

-abc
 

 

Mt Hood National Forest

in ,

I went to Mt Hood National Forest last weekend for my friends' Jackie and Eric's birthday.

I have wanted to dive into that region of Oregon as far back as 3 years before moving to Oregon.

The forest is absolutely divine. 

It's really easy to forget who you are, even more so where you are. 

Also it was only just over an hour drive from Portland. That's so close! 

It feels so healthy and alive out there.

The air is crisp.

The plants are 50 shades of green.

There are great fallen trees who give to baby ferns and moss a solid back to grow on.

I have never truly felt more at home until that moment. 

It was a magic I've only seen in my head that feels so wonderfully familiar again. 

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Triple Falls.

in ,

>> Yesterday I went out to Triple Falls in the Columbia River Gorge with my friend Jackie Jones.

<< I've been really in my head lately. Unable to speak, not sure how to convey all I've felt. A silent darkness caught in my throat. 

>> The hike was a lot more intense than I had expected. Lots of steep uphill action. The kind that makes you focus on breathing. The good stuff. 

<< There is so much magic right outside our doorway, Portland.

>> I like this town a lot, but when you don't have a car it's easy to forget how close to wild you can be.

<< You can get keep as close as you want or you can disappear for weeks. 

>> Yesterday I went out to Triple Falls with my friend Jackie Jones.

<< I could sit here and type out all my fears or I can tell you there is magic in those hills.

>> I choose the latter and they really ain't that far away.

<< Take time to breathe, wander mountains, run down hills, splash in the water, smell the fresh air, breathe deep, breathe again and get lost in every happening. 

>> There's a magic in the forest that can't be forgotten. There's a reminder of a simpler time. Before the fox became man...

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Silver Falls Adventure

in

Last Saturday I went out to Silver Falls with Jackie and Sabrina.

Holy magic there were so many waterfalls, waterwalls, and just pure awesomeness as far as my eyes could see.

There's nothing quite as mesmerizing as standing in the presence of such great nature.

The plants and moss just looked so alive. How could they not be?

I was only able to get two pictures that I felt did the adventure justice.

Sometimes you just gotta be, and not let the photography be secondary. Such is life a lot lately. 

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Today!

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Things I did in no particular order:

  • I drank coffee. 
  • I woke up and got out of bed before 9am and didn't have work today.
  • Josh and I finalized the order for the first batch of Sleepwalking shirts.
  • I made eggs and yummy toast.
  • My book was officially published and is live on the world wide interwebs.
  • I bought a pair of glittens (glove/mittens). They are made of alpaca wool.
  • i bought marshmallows and stamps amongst other random things.
  • I got a new nose ring. Nothing fancy but it doesn't have the ball thing. Yay!
  • I wandered. I wandered a lot.
  • I saw the most astonishing colors as the sun set. It's one of those moments you want to share with everyone but don't think they would get why you're losing your wits. 
  • I bought a new sketch pad.
  • I drank more coffee.
  • I did a lot of thinking about things and stuff. I need to write more of this down, but I didn't want to quit moving. It was cold and there was too much to be seeing.
  • I saw Joel and Cass. They are splendid people with a very vocal cat. Kind of like Smoggie Catt but more sass. Kind of like Denver Kitty.
  • Today was a beautiful day.
  • I am still anxiously awaiting the return of the rain.
  • I drew pictures.
  • I listened to music.
  • I lived and contemplated the act of living.
  • Today I was once again thankful to live in the Pacific Northwest corner of planet Earth where everywhere I look is magic.
  • Now I will let my imagination wander to the music of Muse.

Adventuring At Mt Tabor

in
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Today I went wandering around one of my favorite places in Portland: Mt Tabor.

Incase you didn't Mt Tabor is an extinct volcano! Just whoa! 

I walked where once upon a time there there was probably nothing more than lava.

Now there are trees so tall you can't help but think you've walked into a cathedral. 

It's days like this made me lust for the Pacific Northwest.

This is Cascadia. 

The misty rain against my face. 

The smell of the Great Sequoia trees blowing through the air.

The sound of mud being stomped below.

Baby mushrooms covering the forest floor.

The purple and gold leaves of dying plants look like something straight from Alice's wonderland. 

The tree limbs look like fingers of skeletons. 

The skies were grey but full of light. The clouds moved quickly.

Never once did I feel soaked. 

Today was a great adventure.

Thank you Mt Tabor for making me feel at home.

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Yesterday

in ,
  • Yesterday when I was going for a morning walk and found a "one way" street sign. It is obviously hanging on my wall now. Those are  a lot bigger than you might expect.
  • I trudged through many many leaves. It looks as though there may be only a few more weeks of leaf falling. Make sure you enjoy that, Portland. 
  • I also found many little gadgets and had many conversations with Cougan that will most definitely play into greater writing material. I just have to sort it all out in my head. 
  • The most adventurous part was going to Hood River with Cougan. Hood River is a small town nestled into the Columbia River Gorge;  looks like the kind of place I will train to in the dead of winter for a weekend and just let adventure happen. Not a lot there, but there's enough. It's in the gorge!!!
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