Sauvie island wildlife area Hike

Sauvie isalnd wildlife area
Originally uploaded by Mary Anne Thygesen.

Sunday was another beautiful day with magnificent clouds dotting the sky. We went for a hike in the Sauvie Island Wildlife area. When we got to the gravel parking lot I was pleased to find a port a pot with lots of toilet paper. We hiked along the beach and followed the road when we ran out of beach. The beach had a clear view of Mt St Helens having a steam eruption. Birds are abundant. We saw Bald Eagles, black cormorants, and white egrets. This is one of the few bird areas where dogs are allowed. Just remember to keep your dog on a leash. Until April 15 stay on the beach side of the fence. The fence is posted no admittance without a valid hunting license until April 15. You have to have a parking permit to park on Sauvie Island. It is $3.50 per day or currently $11 for the annual permit. Parking passes are available at the store that is at the base of the bridge. Take hwy 30 to the Sauvie Island bridge, go over the bridge turn left onto Sauvie Island road, stop at the store to get your parking permit, head north until you get to Reeder road, turn right, go past the school until you get to the far side of the island, continue down Reeder road past the clothing optional beach until you get to a gravel turn around and parking lot.

Yard garden and patio Show 2008

I often find February to be a long dreary month. To cheer myself up I look for signs of spring coming. A nice dry way to look for signs of spring is at garden shows. The Yard, Garden and Patio show starts Friday February 15, 2008 and runs until Sunday February 17, 2008. The show is at the Oregon convention center. 13 local wineries will be there sampling their wines. Find out what wines go with your plants. What a nice thought, a glass of wine by the pool relaxing in the evening. That is a few months off, until then I can pick out new patio furniture, buy plants that I don’t have room for, and plan an outdoor kitchen that won’t fit in my yard. Dreaming what fun. www.ygpshow.com

Admission is $11. $2 off discount tickets are available at the web site under tickets. The show will run from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Sunday. Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Portland. On the Max line.

First Thursday Art Walk February 7, 2008

The weather report is 50% chance of showers. Those sound like good odds to me. I have cabin fever and I am going to poke my nose outside and enjoy some art. Quintana Galleries has the annual Native American and Indigenous Art Antiques Show. www.quintanagalleries.com 120 NW 9 th Portland, OR

Bullseye gallery has more cool glass by artist Carrie Iverson, and Cobi Cockburn. 300 NW 13^th Portland, OR www.bullseyegallery.com

Attic Gallery at NW 10^th and Hoyt has Oil paintings by Gage Mace. www.atticgallery.com

Sadly the Margo Jacobson gallery has closed.

Ignite Portland 2

At the Bagdad Theatre the speakers of Ignite Portland 2 spoke to a capacity crowd about 750 people. The line to get went around the block. I was one of the lucky ones to get in. The rest who didn’t get in were able to watch it online. With my beer and pizza I sat down to enjoy a wonderful set of talks. The five minute time limit with 20 automatically advancing slides gave the talks a comedic timing. There were lots of laughs and a few somber moments. Talks that I especially liked were: Beauty in Abandonment - Peat Bakke; he had beautiful pictures of abandoned places in Portland, How to be an Undercover Hooker - Jessica Bruder, she shortened a seven hour class into a very funny five minute talk, Living a Made Up Life - And Getting Away With It! - Adrienne Fritze, she gave a very poignant talk about how to be a whole person after being abused, Why Deutschland Loves David Hasselhoff - Mario Schulzke, got the most laughs, and A History of the Stick Figure - Eric Lewallen, was an informative and humorous presentation.

Look for ignite Portland 3 in the spring at a bigger venue. www.igniteportland.com

Oregon Seafood and Wine Festival

Is at the Oregon Convention center Friday February 1, 2008 from 2 to 10pm; Saturday February 2 from noon to 9 pm. Tickets are: $12 adults, $8 seniors, and $ 8 children 12 years and under. Discount coupons for $2 off the first two hours of the show are at www.eventsnw.net/ENW/seafoodandwine/images/coupon.gif

The first 500 adults will get a free wine glass. The festival benefits the Oregon Chapter of the national MS society.

Food item prices range from $1 and up. Wine sampling starts at 50 cents. There many delicious wines and seafoods to sample. I enjoy seeing what wines go with the seafood. And have a fun time sampling things.

Fabric Depot

I stopped in Fabric Depot to grab a few notions. Currently everything in the store is 30% off. The 40 % off fabric sale is this Friday and Saturday, February 1 and 2, 2008. Sunday February 3, 2008 is the super bowl sale with select quilting batiks half off.

I noticed many new prints in quilting cottons. I looked at their expanding collection of bamboo fabrics. They have panda cord and panda washed a blend of cotton and bamboo. The panda washed is very slimmery and would make a great blouse. They also have many pretty knit bamboo fabrics. I liked the purple knit best. While you are there purchase your bus tickets for $35 to Sewing and Stitchery Expo in Puyallup, WA February 29 and March 1, 2008. www.fabricdepot.com 700 SE 122^nd Portland Oregon

White River Snow Park East Mt Hood

mt hood
Originally uploaded by Mary Anne Thygesen.

What a beautiful spot. We went up there to go sledding last weekend. It was a beautiful sunny day. The gentle slope of the land makes it easy for beginning cross country, Nordic skiers or snow shoes. White River Snow Park east is a big parking lot with bathrooms. Make sure that you buy a snow park parking permit before you get there. There are plenty of places to buy the snow park permit on the way up the mountain. After a fun time sledding I had a little tail gate party. I lighted up the gas stove, made hot water and served hot coco to the cold, tired sledders.
From Portland on Oregon Highway 35 approximately 4 miles north of US Highway 26 before you get to Mt Hood Meadows.
www.fs.fed.us/r6/mthood/recreation/winter/pda.htm