Dear Liza,
Last week I got to spent the day with Cousins Jasper and Kestrel, and, as usual, it was a fun time.
I walked to their apartment because it was such a pretty day, and the bees were very busy in the north rose garden of Ladd’s Addition. These rose gardens are being maintained by teams of volunteers (who go by the delightfully dramatic name “Off with Their Heads!) because of city budget cuts, and the folks are doing a fine job. I helped a little by pulling off some spent roses.
First on the list of To-Dos was some house work. I folded laundry and they put it away.
We decided on a short walk to Palio first, because juice and pastry is a good start to any adventure. As we ate, our spirits rose and we brainstormed the next step.
Mount Tabor? Train to OMSI? Downtown? I gave them their pick of the city. We decided to start downtown.
As always, Tri-Met (the Portland public transportation system ) didn’t let us down. The number 10 stopped just outside of Palio and took us into the heart of the city. We saw some new public art and wandered around for a while, playing a new game called Random Adventure.
At each corner, a different person would choose the next direction: straight ahead, left, right, or back. We found Schrunk Plaza, with its own Scholar Stone Memorial to Veterans of the Vietnam Nam War.
Jasper had fun squirting us with one of Simon Benson’s Bubblers in Chapman Square.
After a while, Kestrel asked, “How far is it to the Chinese Garden?” I checked google maps… “About ten blocks north,” I told her. “You guys interested?” They were, so we headed north.
The garden, whose name Lan Su means “The Garden of the Awakening Orchid”, was not very crowded. We wandered, sat on benches and told stories, chatted with the fish, and of course, had moon cakes, buns and dumplings at the Tea House. The familiarity and tranquility of the lovely space seemed to do us all good.
When we were full up on stories and lotus blossoms, we caught the number 2 home and rested.
Another great day on the books!
Love,
Grandma Judy
Dear Liza 