The Mountain is Out!

First day of summer and this afternoon I was gifted this view of Mt. Hood. Taking a break from the office and studio I thought it would be a perfect day to take a quick run to Fessler's and gather just a few more plants before they closed for the season. This was my view as I pulled into the parking area. I grabbed my mobile so I could share it with all of you. For those of you who don't know, this is Mt. Hood -- which I have had a love hate relationship with since about 1980 when I took a tumble while skiing at Timberline, thus ending my formerly enjoyable skiing adventures. While the years have come and gone, I still have the achy shoulder and hip to remind me of that day. But maybe it's time to put that all behind me...you think? That being said -- whenever I do get a glimpse of the mountain it still makes me gasp. Yes, gasp...it rises in all its glory unlike the mountains I was so used to seeing in SoCal, Mt. Hood just seems to pop up out of the flat ground -- I guess the rise to the mountain is gradual enough that from a distance you don't really notice. The fact that, with the weather being what it is in this part of the world, we don't get to see the mountains all that much...clouds you know...so when I am given the chance I usually take full advantage. Today was no exception. In the distance I could also see the top of Saint Helen's, well, if you can still call it the top after it erupted about the same time I was zipping down a glacier on another mountain (hm-m-m wonder if there is a connection?) and, in the other direction I could see Mt. Jefferson. Sadly, there was enough haze or dust in the air that I knew the mobile wouldn't capture those images so I stuck to getting the best and quickest shot I could of Hood. While I do a lot of grumbling about the rain and gray weather here, I totally get why people are attracted to this area. If you are an outdoors type then this is the place for you. There is such a wide variety of locations. So wide, in fact, that you can be at the beach, the mountains or the wine country all in the blink of an eye. And, what's more interesting is that all of those spots have something to offer year-round. Yes, snowboarders of all types, flock to Mt. Hood throughout the summer months -- it's one of the few places that they can "represent" no matter the season. I wonder how many of them will be complaining about hips and shoulders thirty years from now? Just a thought. Anyhow, in the grand scheme of things there are some pretty spectacular things to see no matter where you are. As I am known to say...you just have to keep your eyes open.

Beatrix, Fesslers and Weekend Plans

Guess what's on the agenda for the weekend? We drove over to Fessler's Nursery today and picked out the plants for the patio. Fessler's is a wholesale nursery best known for fuchsias, geraniums and azaleas and is located out in the "country" a few miles from the center of Woodburn. After living in NYC and buying plants for my terrace every year, I am still surprised at the fact that I can get about five times the number of plants for about one-fourth of what I paid in the city. And, I don't have to load them in a taxi to get them home! Today I loaded them into the back of a friend's car. Beatrix, the wonder dog/gardener, had to supervise to be sure that I didn't forget to get her favorites, too. I mostly go for the Martha Washington variety geraniums primarily because they remind me of my grandma. She had what seemed like thousands of all different colors in her yard. And, since it was in SoCal, they bloomed all year long. To me they look inviting and old-fashioned. I also like them, because it seems that I can actually keep them alive throughout the summer months here. I like to underplant some smaller little plants like alyssum and lobelia and some tiny little things which....wait...I have to go get the label to see what they are called. Be right back. Good Lord....calibrachon is their proper name. To me they look like tiny petunias and I like the white and coral colors with a few pinks to blend with the geraniums. Oh, since I couldn't find the Chinese lantern plant that I had last year, I found brown-eyed Susan's that are a soft coral color and the vine-like branches look as if they will climb up the patio posts in a similar fashion as the Chinese lantern. So keep your fingers cross that they all survive. The nurseries here opened very late this year because of the unusually cold and cloudy days we have had in this area. Even in the greenhouses, they depend on sunlight to grow -- so without sunshine -- no plants! I've been anxiously waiting for the Fessler's outing and today was the day. Even though the sun is not shining...the plants look happy sitting in the patio just waiting their turn.