Things I HEART About Oregon

tiresome:marinakayy:laurenbolek

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:51:47 -0400

jorgeadot: You could also buy lots of food and run your family...

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:47:25 -0400

You could also buy lots of food and run your family and your oxen into the ground. Fastest way to win and get down the river.

via xkcd.com

Germantown Road One of my favorite drives in the Portland area....

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:02:00 -0400

Germantown Road

One of my favorite drives in the Portland area. It gives you a great view of Portland, as well as the surrounding mountains and countryside. It also takes you to the iconic St. Johns Bridge.

The Grotto The Grotto (the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful...

Fri, 08 May 2009 18:38:41 -0400

The Grotto

The Grotto (the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother) is a Catholic shrine in Portland. It’s maintained by the Order of the Friar Servants of Mary. The Grotto itself is a shrine carved into the side of a cliff. However, the grounds include the Chapel of Mary (where they hold mass), the Medidation Chapel which overlooks Mt. St. Helens and the airport, and two separate gardens. It’s very beautiful, very peaceful and has spectacular views so bring your camera!

(photo by maureen didde) Responsible Cyclists ...

Tue, 05 May 2009 19:52:00 -0400

(photo by maureen didde)

Responsible Cyclists

Seagull’s post about a guy playing a ukelele while riding a bicycle reminded me of one of the things I love and appreciate most about Portland—responsible cyclists! After living in a city (*cough*Austin*cough*) where a lot of people rode bikes everywhere, but few did so responsibly, safely, or courteously, I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed coming to Oregon where cyclists routinely:

Drive in their designated lane
Wear helmets and other safety gear
Use lights on their bicycles for night biking
Signal!
Yield to pedestrians
Obey stop signs and lights
Follow all other traffic rules as if they were cars, as they are supposed to, not some bastardization of vehicles/peds as it suits them

Thanks, Oregon cyclists, for making my driving experience less nerve wracking…and for practicing responsible cycling to keep yourselves safe.

The Pacific Ocean I’d never seen the Pacific until I came...

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:53:48 -0400

The Pacific Ocean

I’d never seen the Pacific until I came to Oregon. I love marking experiences off of my bucket list, and seeing the Pacific was a pretty big one, if you know what I mean. ;)

UFO Fest UFO Fest takes place in McMinnville, OR. UFO Fest has...

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:52:48 -0400

UFO Fest

UFO Fest takes place in McMinnville, OR. UFO Fest has live music, several speakers (they believe), a parade of aliens, and a whole lot of people in tinfoil hats…among other things. Kellen and I went last year with our friends Devin and Christian, and of course, with Pippin. It was so much fun! I’m hoping we’ll make it out again this year. May 15-16. Mark it in your calendars!

Germantown Road Kellen and I found this road by accident. I...

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:51:47 -0400

Germantown Road

Kellen and I found this road by accident. I love driving down it! Very beautiful.

Community Band I’m a member of a local community band...

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:51:50 -0400

Community Band

I’m a member of a local community band here in Portland. It’s a blast!

Pippin Pippin is our beagle mix. He’s a very smart,...

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:50:49 -0400

Pippin

Pippin is our beagle mix. He’s a very smart, stubborn, lovable dog. He is so much fun and such a cutie pie. If I hadn’t moved to Oregon, I wouldn’t have gotten Pippin. Also, if it hadn’t been for the Oregon Humane Society, we also wouldn’t have gotten Pippin. So thank you, Oregon, for the fantastic dog! We love him to pieces.

The Oregon Zoo Located in Portland off of highway 26, I was...

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:49:47 -0400

The Oregon Zoo

Located in Portland off of highway 26, I was very surprised at how extensive the Oregon Zoo is. They have everything from bald eagles to polar bears to baby elephants to, yes, meerkats. It is a lot of fun, although if you go, plan to spend the entire day there!

Spectacular Views Oregon is full of them. I never get tired of...

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:48:48 -0400

Spectacular Views

Oregon is full of them. I never get tired of the beautiful scenery. And it seems like no matter where you go in Oregon, there’s always something gorgeous to see…and snap pictures of!

My boyfriend Yeah, yeah. I know. Corny. With so many awesome...

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:38:48 -0400

My boyfriend

Yeah, yeah. I know. Corny. With so many awesome things about Oregon to talk about, why mention one person, and a person I talk non-stop about anyhow? Simple. Because he’s the reason why I moved to Oregon, he’s my absolute most favorite Oregonian (sorry all you other Oregonians), and because he’s my absolute most favorite thing about Oregon. So there you go.

While I don’t normally advocate moving 2,000 miles away from all friends and family to be with someone, in this case it ended up being a really good decision. And I’m super happy that I’ve gotten to spend a year in Oregon with this guy.

(photo by richardmasoner) There is no sales tax! You read that...

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:39:00 -0400

(photo by richardmasoner)

There is no sales tax!

You read that correctly. There is no sales tax in Oregon. While this is generally very useful—in the grocery store, when you don’t have to waste time calculating that extra 9% or when I want to completely revamp my wardrobe (which hasn’t happened since I moved here, believe it or not)—I think this came in handy the most when I bought a new car. While I fully expected tax, title and license—a given in any other state—to run me around $1500, I ended up spending $200 on the title and license. And that was it.

This is probably my favorite thing about Oregon. Well, in my top 5 favorite things about Oregon.

Cherry Blossoms Now this is something we didn’t have in...

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:56:00 -0400

Cherry Blossoms

Now this is something we didn’t have in Texas! For the past two springs that I’ve been in Oregon, cherry blossoms have bloomed in late March/early April, heralding the beginning of a long awaited spring. They are such a beautiful treat, and they always come as a surprise. One day you’re looking at bare limbs, the next? Color and life.

They go so quickly. Already the blossoms are beginning to fall. But these are by far one of my favorite things about Oregon.

(Photo taken by me.)

Photo

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:13:00 -0400

Things I *HEART* About Oregon