We had an excellent reunion with some good friends from college who also made their way westward last summer. I also surprised D with a side trip down to the outskirts of Salem, where there is an iris grower whose fields are in full bloom at this time each year. We got to tour the display gardens and examine all the varietals, including some that aren't even for sale yet. We chose four, which will be sent to us as bulbs in July. More updates on our new pets when they arrive -- but here are a few pictures from the grounds to show you what we got to see:
On our last day in town, our friends took us hiking in an area adjacent to the Columbia River Gorge, which has waterfalls you can walk right up to. We got a bit damp from all the spray, but the views were incredible. If we can get some of our shots stitched together (the falls were that high), I'll post them here too.
Beyond our mini vacation, things out here have been pretty quiet. I'm getting used to not having deadlines hanging over my head (this is quite an adjustment) and reveling in the smell of pine forest that hangs in the air everywhere. You can't really smell pine per se, but there's a freshness that is missing in all the other places where I've lived. People think it's odd that I like the Pacific Northwest so much, considering that I've spent all of twelve weeks in the area in the last year, but there really is something to be said about instinctively knowing where your soul is at home. Mine loves it here.
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