We took it easy getting going this morning. But we did get up in time for the Continental Breakfast at the Hotel. We wanted to get another look at Boone’s Ferry Drive and so headed that way. Near there is the Tryon Creek State Park. We thought that might be nice to visit and it was. I went for a two mile hike in the woods.
Agreed, there’s not a lot of variety in two miles of trail. But it was more pleasant than I’m making it sound. It was cool! It was unusual, for me at least! I don’t often see mossy trees and ferns everywhere. I very much enjoyed myself and sweetie enjoyed sitting with a good book while I was gone. I could live here and enjoy this place often, but I’d miss all the wildlife I more often see back home. Here there were bird calls, but mostly from the upper canopy of the forest, so you never saw them even from a distance. I spoke with a lady at the Vistor’s Center who told me that she and her husband come to Utah every year for the vistas and open spaces. Ironic, Sweetie and I come here every year for the green. Seems like the lady was subtly saying that I’d likely tire of all the green and of being hemmed in by trees everywhere. I think she may be right.
From the Park we drove to Lake Oswego and it’s associated community. We drove around the lake and really enjoyed seeing the neighborhoods with lovely homes and gardens.
Most of the homes across the way only have a sliver of land between the lake and the railroad tracks, so their homes are floating on the lake, moored to the tiny bit of land they own.
Thank goodness for GPS, it is so easy to get turned around in these woods with all the windy, twisty roads and no views of distant landmarks. We eventually stopped to get an ice cream at Salt and Straw. They have very unusual flavors. One today was Green Olive and Olive Oil flavored Ice Cream, they called it Arbequina Olive Oil. Did nothing for me. I settled for a Root Beer Float. Sweetie enjoyed a scoop of Pear and Blue Cheese Ice Cream. That actually wasn’t too bad.
While I was finding a parking place I noticed a little place called St. Honore Boulangerie. There is a Boulangerie, or bakery in Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series and Inspector Gamache’s father and son were named Honore, so we thought it fitting we eat there. And, yes, right after we’d had dessert. I had a turkey croissant sandwich and Sweetie had a croissant with a sausage frittata inside. Her’s was better than mine. I also had a bowl of Beef and Barley soup that was awesome. We also bought some pastries to go. A very pleasant little place!
Our next stop was Powell’s Book Store. It is huge, takes up an entire city block! And there’s an annex across the street! I bought a couple of books and Sweetie bought one. I also got a couple of Notebooks. I’m hoping to foster a bit more creativity in my life now that I’m experiencing more discretionary time. Don’t want to be wasting time, that’s for sure. Haven’t got that much left. We parked in their parking terrace which was quite unsettling. Steep ramps, narrow passageways. I felt lucky I didn’t collide with anything. Seriously!
We think we’re getting old. We went and checked into the Hotel at four and spent the rest of the evening resting. Our daughter is joining us this evening for a few days. She’d have been here by now, but Thunderstorms and Tornados have closed things down in Dallas, where she was originally making an intermediate stop. Her new flight goes through Phoenix and doesn’t arrive here until 11:15 this evening. Both of us are beat and I’m remarkably sore from my hike this morning. We’ll probably be sound asleep when she arrives. She just might have to call Uber to get to the Hotel.
