Dear Liza

Gearing up for Christmas!

cat tree up .jpg — **Kitten showing proper respect for tree**

Dear Liza,

We have the house all decorated. Most of the presents are wrapped. Cookie strategies are being worked out. Christmas is coming!

This week your Great Aunt Christy and Cousin Kyle are coming all the way from Torrance to visit us. I am looking forward to showing them our lovely Laurelhurst Park, taking a bus downtown, and maybe even going to the Lights up at The Grotto.

kitten tree down2.jpg — **Baaaad kitten**

But first, there has been preparation. Our kitten Mouse has helped, of course….as kittens do. She left the main tree alone, but decided a smaller one was withing her grasp…and so she grasped it. Oh well, kitten, no harm done.

Last night we snuggled down with some Bargetto pinot noir gifted us by Auntie Bridgett’s Mom and watched my favorite Christmas movie, The Muppet Christmas Carol. It makes the often dark story very accessible, and I used it for years in my third grade classroom as a way of studying story outline. Besides that, Rizzo the rat cracks me up and Michael Caine is a fabulous Scrooge.

Today we are going to walk down to Hawthorne Street and look at some houses that are on the market….we aren’t ready to BUY yet, but we sure can look! We are figuring out which neighborhoods we like. So far, Belmont, Sunnyside, Kerns, and Richmond are on our radar, so we keep getting to know them.

Looking forward to seeing you next month!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Pambiche

Last night is was very cold, about 39 degrees, and raining a bit….so naturally we walked out to dinner!

We bundled up in long underwear, jeans, coats, hats and scarves, and walked the eight blocks to Glisan Street and 28th, to a brightly painted fuchsia, yellow, and teal building with a laundromat on one side and a Cuban restaurant on the other.

We have walked past this building dozens of times, and in the summer, listened to music wafting past the outdoor seating. We decided to try it. The place is smaller than it looks from the outside, only seating about 30 people in very close quarters, but the colors inside of teal and fiery fuchsia are cozy and inviting, and the posters and paintings on the wall give a nice, chaotic ambiance that I associate with Cuba. There is a huge poster of Mary Pickford, a silent movie star, and a smaller photo of Earnest Hemingway, an American author who loved Cuba and owned property there.

There are no french fries for Grandpa Nelson there, and the fried cassava root didn’t appeal, so he just had a nice, but really cold, glass of sangria. I opted for a rum drink called Santo Remedio (Holy Remedy) that was warm and tasty and got the feeling back in my fingers in no time. Auntie Bridgett had a glass of hot tea.

We arrived in Happy Hour, or as they say in Cuba, “El Hora de Los Amigos”, so we ordered small plates to share. Both the chicken and spinach empanadas were tasty and the roasted beet salad very hearty. We enjoyed our time there, but when the time came for dessert and we looked at all the ornate pastries in the glass case, nothing appealed, so we bundled up and headed home.

It started raining! Just enough for Grandpa Nelson and Auntie Bridgett to get out their umbrellas but hardly got my kitty hat damp.

We actually have snow predicted in the next few weeks, so I am looking forward to that. This photo has nothing to do with Pambiche

except that the colors are bright and pretty, but it was too dark to take pictures last night!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Thinking about Birds (2)

Dear Liza,

Today the weather changed from sunny and cold to dark and cold…the sky was a flat grey, and all the bare trees were silhouettes against the sky. After a long morning of studying history, I went out walking, to see what I could see.

I heard dozens of tiny birds chirping, and saw them swooping low between the bushes. As soon as I stopped or got close, they would freeze and become invisible. I stood as still as I could, but they knew I was there. I was lucky to get one picture from the birds who flew by.

fir cone.jpg

Then I started wondering, what do these tiny birds eat in the winter? There is no more fruit on the trees, and the worms must all have gone into hibernation by now. As I looked more closely in the yard where they had been so busy, I saw them: seeds. Hundreds of tiny seeds on plants which become beautiful in a very different way this time of year. Most of the seeds were so small, they didn’t show up in pictures!

Abundant rose bushes, full of color and grace in summer in this City of Roses, have become stark sticks with bright orange rose hips. The seed pod of the rose, these are full of food for the wintering birds.

Thousands of cones from the Douglas Fir (Oregon’s State Tree) lay all over the neighborhood, and are swarmed over and pecked at by more tiny birds.

As I walked and looked carefully, I saw that many of the bushes had tiny seeds still clinging to their branches. I guess it makes sense; the birds wouldn’t be here if there was nothing for them to eat.

I am glad I went out walking to see yet another part of this wonderful city!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Happy Hannukah!

Dear Liza, Yesterday we celebrated Hannukah with Auntie Katie, Cousin Jasper and Cousin Kestrel. I started early, making the dough for sufganiot, or hannukah doughnuts. It is a sweet, soft yeast dough and needed to rise for a while. I packed it up for the trip.

I walked to Auntie Katie’s house as it was getting dark, and I wore my regular heavy coat with an addition: Remember the tiny lights Auntie Katie sewed onto her cape? I sewed a multi-colored version onto my coat, so I could walk after dark and BE SEEN by the drivers. I felt so bright and cheerful, like a Christmas tree out for a stroll. I got thumbs up and smiles from folks, and a lady actually rolled down her car window to ask “Where’d you get those lights?”

Once I was at Aunt Katie’s, we grated the potatoes for latkes, made applesauce, and went to fetch the cousins from school. They have such a nice after- school program at Hosford-Abernethy, they never want to leave! But we managed to bring them and Cousin Kestrels’ graham cracker gingerbread house home.

**Frying latkes Photo credit: Katie Proctor**

The cousins helped shape the sufganiot into donought shapes, balls and sticks, and we let them rise while Auntie Katie fried the latkes. Then, while the latkes stayed hot in the oven, we fried the sufganiot! They got so brown and pretty, and when they were done I sprinkled them with cinnamon and sugar and let them cool down.

We ate latkes with sour cream and applesauce, then ate the sufganiot….so tasty! Even Grandpa Nelson had one, and you know how fussy he is.

**Tasty sufganiot! Photo credit: Katie Proctor**

jasper zelda hat.jpg — **Cousin Jasper and new hat**

Then, of course, we opened presents. Jasper liked his Zelda hat so much we wore it while he played video games on the couch. Kestrel, Grandpa Nelson, Auntie Bridgett and Auntie Katie all had fun working on a picture using Kestrel’s new art supplies…fairy stamps, markers, and googly eyes.

kes art collaboration.jpg — **Art collaboration**

When we were stuffed and the cousins were sleepy, we headed home. What a lovely evening!

googly carrots.jpg — **Fairies and their pet carrots, still in progress**

Love,

Grandma Judy

Random Beauty

Dear Liza,

I had a feeling-lousy day yesterday, maybe from walking around cold the previous evening at the zoo. I slept a lot, drank tons of tea and was generally useless. And today I am better!

unlit tree downtown .jpg — **Christmas tree and Journal Building in the daylight**

Since I was on the couch most of the day, I was looking at the many pictures I have taken here in town and come to a major conclusion: Random beauty in a city this big usually doesn’t happen by accident. There are budgets, materials, design teams, artists, and the folks who install the art. This is a government decision to make art.

And I love it!

lit journal.jpg — **Journal Building at night**

For instance, the home of one of Portland’s oldest newspapers, The Journal Building, has been standing by the Pioneer Square since 1912. The paper closed down in 1982, but the building is still used for offices and stores and is a beautiful part of the downtown skyline. At Christmas, it gets even prettier!

lit tree .jpg — **Lit up Christmas Tree**

There are so many statues downtown it would take pages to just show and name them. One I just noticed the other day is called “Pile”, a statue showing a crow standing on a pigeon, sitting on some old books, standing on a pillow, sitting on a crate. I am sure it means something, but to me it was just random and wonderful.

Up in the Kenton neighborhood, we saw a series of benches that feature sculpture. Here is “Dog Bench”.

The last piece of art I will tell you about is one I noticed and photographed weeks ago during the wet weather. It is on one of the blocks of polished granite in Pioneer Square, and shows an architect’s blueprints, calculator and even coffee cup, all sculpted in bronze. It is so casual looking, as through the architect has just stepped away for a moment, it cracks me up.

blueprints statue.jpg — **Blueprints sculpture**

I am looking forward to showing you all the lovely things I have found in Portland.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Zoo Lights

Dear Liza,

It is still very sunny here. Mouse enjoys sitting in the south facing glass and screen door, feeling the sun and watching the bird and dog action. Fortunately, the door keeps the cold out. The low has been 32 degrees, (freezing, actually freezing) and the high temperature only 44.

Kes at BwP.jpg — **Cousin Kestrel reading**

Last night Grandpa Nelson and I picked up the Cousins at their school. Then we walked over to Auntie Katie’s shop, Books with Pictures, and we all took the bus and train up to the Oregon Zoo for Zoolights. The train and elevator were packed with families. This is something a lot of zoos do, but it was my first time.

K, K and N at night.jpg — **Waiting for the train downtown**

At the zoo, since most of the animals are asleep or in dark corners away from the fences, the trees and lights become the attraction. All sorts of animals are outlined in lights.The trees become a fantastic forest of lights with the people just moving shadows underneath. It is eerie and wonderful.

light ostrich .jpg — **Glowing Ostriches**

bremen musicians .jpg — **Bremen Town Musicians in lights!**

It was also cold! After about an hour, we were feeling chilly and empty. We stepped into the Africafe for corn dogs, hot cocoa and some warm conversation, and soon were feeling cheerful again. More walking, including racing a lighted cheetah, and then we were done.

Auntie Katie and her dear friend Chelsea drove the tired cousins home, and Grandpa Nelson and I took the train and bus back. The newly painted train station was quiet and almost empty.

tunnel painting wash. park.jpg — **Beautiful train station under Washington Park**

We will take you next year, if you come up during winter. Bring your mittens!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Confused Plants

Dear Liza,

This afternoon Auntie Bridgett and I bundled up and went for a walk around the neighborhood. We saw the usual bare trees and brilliant blue sky, a few lonely piles of leaves no one had thought to rake, and a few folks out putting up Christmas lights.

winter camillia .jpg — **Winter-blooming Camillia**

winter fuschia .jpg — **Winter blooming Fuschia?**

But what caught me eye were flowers! Real, blooming flowers, looking amazingly lovely but out of place.

It has been near freezing every night, and not much more than during the day. We haven’t had rain in a week.

winter daisy.jpg — Shasta Daisy in December…

How are these growing here? They are not in fancy greenhouses, but rather tatty looking yards, looking sort of like they forget summer was over.

I have not a clue why, but I took pictures of them to prove they were indeed here. Just another surprise up here in Portland.

Love,

Grandma Judy

245 Tubas

Dear Liza,

Yesterday we had a long, cold, sunny day downtown. Our first stop was Pioneer Square, sometimes called “Portland’s Living Room”. This is a beautifully paved and decorated open square that is used for big concerts, markets, and just hanging out in.

mod person and dog statue .jpg — **Statue of a Cat lady and her … dog?**

tuba players xmas .jpg — **Two of the 245 tuba players**

Yesterday was the Tuba Christmas Concert, which features 245 people playing Christmas songs (and other lovely tunes) on tubas, baritone horns, and sousaphones. We got there early but all the seats were taken, so we stood way back and could hear, but not see, the performance. The deep peaceful music floated in the freezing cold air, and contrasted nicely with the giggling of children and chatting of families. Everyone was enjoying the day, but not silently.

red tuba hat xmas.jpg — **Tuba Christmas Hat!**

I enjoyed watching the people in the crowd. Since it was cold, most folks were wearing hats. As the day went along, I tried to take pictures of some of the more interesting hats without scaring anyone.

After the music, we walked around town, enjoying the window decorations. We stopped at Dick Blick’s Art Supplies and Powell’s City of Books, to see what would make nice presents for folks. Auntie Bridgett wanted to do some secret shopping, so we split up and agreed to meet at Kenny and Zuke’s Deli in an hour.

bright green hat xmas.jpg — **Bright hat**

Brig Hat xmas.jpg — **Auntie Bridgett hat**

We enjoyed a veggie Reuben Sandwich, french fries and chicken soup and then headed home to do the grocery shopping. The bus home was full of people all bundled up and carrying packages, just like us! When that was done, we finally got into jammies and crashed. I fell asleep during The Charlie Brown Christmas, and will need to watch it again.

back nels two hat .jpg — **Grandpa Nelson matching a stranger**

Hanging out inside this morning, watching a 34 degree wind blow past our window. It’s weird, because with no leaves left to blow along the street, you just see bare branches swaying in the wind. Sometimes your hear the wind more than you see it…..spooky, but nice.

Love, Grandma Judy

Early Morning Donuts!

Dear Liza,

It was really crisp and cold this morning, which is great if you are describing celery. But 37 degrees and crystal clear are new and a bit difficult for me. However, this morning was an up and out early day, because Grandpa Nelson was out of breakfast!

A doughnut run was needed, and as long as we were in the car, we went up to Broadway and NE 17th, to Helen Bernhard Bakery, which has what Grandpa Nelson says are “the best doughnuts in the city…and maybe the world.” The bakery is a cute little cottage building on the busy street of Broadway, just six short blocks from our favorite Tiki Bar, Hale Pele.

Helen Bernhard ect. .jpg — **A lovely little building**

The bakery has all sorts of things, not just doughnuts…wedding cakes, cookies, muffins, the full range of baked yumminess. I got a cinnamon roll for me and Grandpa picked out a Christmas Tree cookie for Auntie Bridgett. The ladies who run it are very pleasant and conversational.

counter Helen Bernhard.jpg — **Grandpa Nelson and friendly ladies with doughnuts**

On the way home we stopped for gas for Miles the Volkswagen, which is only the 2nd time we have filled the car in the more than 3 months we have owned him. We simply don’t drive much….this is such a walk-able city, and buses are easier than parking if we go downtown. I love it! I have been on a freeway ONCE here in town, since July! Such a miracle.

Another thing about filling up the car: Oregon is a NON-SELF SERVICE state. State law forbids you from getting out to pump your own gas….one of the few things we have in common with New Jersey. This feels odd for a California native like me, but on a cold day like today, or a dark rainy evening, it seems like a mighty good idea.

I hope your house is feeling like Christmas and you are having lots of fun with Baba Alla. I will see you in January!

Love, Grandma Judy

Neighborhood Clearing

Dear Liza,

Every time I go out into the neighborhood, I see new things. The falling leaves are allowing more details to show.

For example, garden decorations that have been covered by overgrown trees and bushes are coming into view. This retaining wall for a house down by Hawthorne Street shows its decoration of old doorknobs, but only when the ferns die back in fall.

Doorknob wall 1.jpg — **Door knob decoration**

This obelisk has been covered by one rosebush, which has now been cut back to just a few twigs for the winter, revealing the lovely sculpture.

Of course, leaf clearing and collection continues. This pile that was taller than you was waiting to be scooped up down by Laurelhurst Park. Inside the park, small trucks drive down the paved paths and blow the leaves onto the grass areas, where they are vacuumed up later. This is good, because the paths get really slippery and dangerous where the leaves sit and start to rot.

Also inside Laurelhurst, the workers are putting in net tubes filled with wood chips. These help keep the ground from washing away on hillsides. This series of tubes was put just below the off leash dog area, where there is a bit of a creek flowing during heavy rains.

erosopn control .jpg — **Erosion protection**

The other day I saw my first sinkhole! A sinkhole is what happens when the ground underneath a street gets washed away, so the asphalt has nothing to sit on, and starts to collapse. This one was in the middle of the Washington Street and 27th intersection, marked by orange cones so no one would drive over or fall in!

Life just keeps getting more interesting up here.See you in January!

Love,

Grandma Judy