Columbia River Gorge

A Pretty, Chilly, Birthday Part 2

Dear Liza,
The waterfalls and green forests of the Gorge were very pretty, but Grandpa Nelson’s back started bothering him, so we said good-bye to the drive and headed for home.

“I should at least feed you both lunch,” he mumbled as we drove along, feeling badly about cutting the day short. “There’s Edgefield! Let’s go there!”

So Auntie Bridgett pulled off the freeway and we headed to McMenamin’s wonderful country retreat. This is such a unique place!

In 1980, Mike and Brian, the McMenamin brothers, bought the land and buildings of the abandoned Multnomah County Poor Farm. The Poor Farm had operated from 1911 to 1982 as a place of refuge for folks who had nowhere else to go. It provided room and board, work, training, medical care, and companionship for hundreds of people over the years.

The grounds have been delightfully landscaped and the buildings repurposed into a hotel, a spa, and a dozen bars and restaurants. There is also a golf course, a brewery, herb garden, wine tasting room, and a large outdoor music venue. And, like all of their properties, there is art everywhere you look.

We ate a delicious lunch in the courtyard of the Loading Dock Grill and watched other people’s dogs play. Then we walked around, marveling at the good work the landscapers have done, creating intimate spaces enclosed by trees and rhododendrons connected by neatly paved paths opening onto amazing views. It was easy to imagine, sitting at a table and looking out through the trees, that we were the only people on the property.

We visited the gift shop, getting some Black Rabbit wine and Herbal Liqueur Number 7, a special favorite of Auntie Bridgett. And then at last we headed home, where Grandpa could stretch out and recover from his birthday.

Now that we are almost all vaccinated and the world is opening up, we will certainly return to Edgefield and enjoy another day.

Love,

Grandma Judy

A Pretty, Chilly, Birthday Part 1

Dear Liza,

Grandpa Nelson’s birthday was Monday, and we had a nice day.

Puzzles, cards, and candy… for the big kid

It was cool and brightly overcast, the perfect day for a day trip. We loaded up the car with snacks and headed up the Columbia River Gorge.

We were surprised at how many folks were out, since it was a weekday! But most everyone was masked and kept their distance, so we were fine. We took the “Old Columbia Highway”, which was built in the 1910s and offers spectacular views of the Gorge.

The Vista House was built in 1918 as a visitors center, and is referred to as The Crown Jewel of the Highway, but is closed during Covid. Still, you can’t beat the perspectives.

Looking up the Columbia through an arch in the wall

We continued up the Gorge to Latourell Falls. This is one of many beautiful pieces of land along the Highway that was donated by folks who wanted to see the beauty of the Gorge protected from mining or other development.

I was delighted to see that the scars from the horrible fires of 2017 have mostly healed, and spring growth is exuberant. At Latourell Falls, the 1920 era wooden bridge, damaged by the fire, was re-built in its original style.

I will tell you more about our adventure tomorrow!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Something Else has Changed

Dear Liza,

Yesterday we bought a new car! Our dear old VW Golf, Junie B., was 16 years old and had hauled us back and forth across the country and now back to Oregon. It was time to donate her to a good cause and move forward.

We drove out to Dick Hannah, a Volkswagen dealership in east Portland, and met Allyn Jordan. He helped us get the the car we wanted. Turns out, he had just what we wanted, but it was across the river in Vancouver, Washington. He went there to fetch it while we waited and Auntie Bridgett and I had some lunch. I always forget how long it takes to buy a car….paperwork, waiting, fetching, cleaning, explaining…about 5 hours in all.

Once our new car was with us, Allyn showed us all the gadgets. It has a blind spot warning, so we can change lanes more safely, and a rear view camera, to help us park without running into things. These are all good.

But there are also toys! A great music system with speakers in the back, air-conditioning (we are having more hot weather) and a phone built into the car are going to make driving more interesting.

After we had signed the final papers, shaken Allyn’s hand one last time, and fed poor, hungry Grandpa Nelson, we went for a drive to celebrate. Grandpa Nelson drove out of town toward the east and went up the Columbia River Gorge. The Columbia is an even bigger river than our Willamette here in town, and must be a mile or more across. It is forested all along the banks and very wild and beautiful. There are huge rock formations and waterfalls. We drove to Multonomah Falls, but it was so crowded the parking area was closed. We will try again some other time. Turning around, Auntie Bridgett drove west until we were able to get out at a vista point to gawk at the huge river and take pictures.

By this time, we were pretty tired. Back in town we rested, ate, and enjoyed looking at, learning about, and thinking about our new car. We still haven’t decide what to name it, and a car isn’t really yours until you name it….so we will let you know.

Love,

Grandma Judy