Shafer Vineyard Cellars

Shafer Vineyard Cellars
Originally uploaded by Mary Anne Thygesen.

On a beautiful fall day we stopped at Shafer Winery. Originally I found Shafer winery on a trip back from the beach. I enjoy stopping in the tasting room because it is always Christmas. Miki has a German Christmas shop in the back of the tasting room that is open year around. The hand carved smokers from Germany are a delight to look at. The individual expressions on the figures make me smile. I loved the fat bride one. In addition there are hand painted ornaments from a couple dollars to over one hundred dollars. The wines are a good value. They make a nice Semi-Dry Riesling and Gewurztraminer-Ice Wine. No tasting fee and case discounts.

Shafer Vineyard Cellars
6200 NW Gales Creek Road / Forest Grove 97116 / 503-357-6604
www.shafervineyardcellars.com

Stub Stewart Oregon State Park

Hill Top Day use area
Originally uploaded by Mary Anne Thygesen.

Wow, what a great new park we have. We stopped at Stub Stewart State park on sunny fall afternoon. The Hilltop Day use area has a bathroom and picnic tables. The view of the coast range from there is stunning. There are no garbage cans at the picnic area. They want you to take your garbage to a recycling area at the beginning of the park. Packing your garbage out is great for the environment and keeps the bears away from the picnic area. Bears and cougars live in the coast range. Wild animals haven’t been a problem in the park. The trails are named after logging terms and many of them follow old logging roads. We took our dog for a walk. She picked the horse trails because they smelled good. I don’t recommend hiking on the horse trails because they are muddy old logging roads. There are other trails to hike on.
We walked by the cabins. They have views of the coast range. The cabins looked so nice that I can’t wait to stay in one.
It is a fee park $3 per day. 30380 NW Hwy 47 Buxton, OR 97109 503-324-0606, reservations 1-800-452-5687 The Park is off Highway 47 North of Highway 26 before Vernonia on the Banks Vernonia State Trail.

Portland Nursery Apple Tasting

Every October for the past 20 years there has been an apple tasting event at Portland Nursery. I have a delicious time sampling all the different types of apple, pears and Asian pears. Available for sale are many varieties of apples and pears. I like to blend varieties to make apple sauce and apple crisp. Favorite apples from previous years are: Newton pippin, rubinette, splendour, spitzenberg and Swiss gourmet.

In addition to the usual apple treats of strudel and caramel apples this year there will be a lunch menu provided by Popp Catering. Venders, children’s activities and a scarecrow contest fill out the event.

Portland Nursery at 5050 SE Stark
Two weekends: Friday, Saturday, Sunday
October 12, 13, 14 & October 19, 20, 21, 2007
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

www.portlandnursery.com

Split Dine and Drink

While at Bridgeport village we stopped in Split for fun hour. It is a pleasant bar with reasonable prices. I had a glass of wine, Vina Borgia 05 Campo Borja and my husband had a beer. We split cheesy fries. They have Enomatic Wines, which allow you to taste a premium wines at a decent price. The enomatic system creates a closed environment that prevents wines from oxidizing after opening the bottle. Their cocktails use fresh local ingredients.

Open 11AM to 11PM Sunday thru Wednesday and 11AM to12AM Thursday thru Saturday, 503 639 5711 7335 Southwest Bridgeport Road Tigard OR 97224

www.splitdineanddrink.com

Portland Japanese Garden

vine maple
Originally uploaded by Mary Anne Thygesen.

October 2007 Japanese Garden

At the beginning of October the leaves are just beginning to turn color at the Portland Japanese Garden. I enjoy going to the garden frequently in the fall. It is joyful to see the gorgeous colors, red, orange and yellow.

Portland Fall Home and Garden Show

fall home and garden show
Originally uploaded by Mary Anne Thygesen.

Now at the Expo Center in two big halls is the Fall Home and Garden Show. The Show is from Thursday October 4, 2007 to Sunday October 7, 2007. Hours Thursday – Saturday 11am to 8 pm, Sunday 11am to 6 pm. Admission $8, kids 6 -12 $5, 5 and under free. Free parking on Friday.
We took advantage of the free parking and went to the show Thursday. While we were there my sister and I gave my Dad a break from watching my Mom. My Mom has dementia. She treated the show like trick or treating, going from booth to booth taking candy from the candy dishes the venders had set out. I quickly went from booth to booth trying to keep up with my mom. I saw hot tubs, doors, windows, fireplaces, granite counters, Koi fish, puppies and kittens, plants like succulents and orchids. We saw the puppies a couple of times. There was one that looked like my dog and another one who was real smart and sat when I told him too. It is a great show full of interesting things for sale and examples. There are five garage setups that show you how to fully utilize from garage for your hobbies.

First Thursday Art Walk October 4 2007

It is a raining first Thursday. There is a lot of art to see in downtown Portland and the Pearl. Bring your umbrella and enjoy splashing in mud puddles while going between galleries. Urban Wine works 407 NW 16^th is featuring artist Reginald Brooks. Music by Joshua Slamp and appetizers by Simply Thyme Catering. Each monthly featured artist paints a wine barrow. There is now quite a varied selection of painted wine barrows to look at. While you are there enjoy the flight of wines, tasting fee $15. This month it is 2006 Soellner Gruner Veltliner Wogenrain, 2005 Caymus Conundrum, 2004 Domino IV Syrah, and 2001 Brigaldara Amarone.

Mark Woolley Gallery 817 SW 2^nd is hosting Be Blue (Sky), a group show celebrating blue.

Bullseye gallery 300 NW 13^th, is showing janice vitkovsky, beneath the surface.