Oryigone

I would tell people while we were away that we were from Oregon and they would look at me funny probably wondering if that was some obscure town in Utah. Then I would have to repeat/explain myself and they would light up and say, "oooh, Oriygone, it's beautiful out there." I think they secretly wondered if I grew up in a covered wagon. Well for part of the time I did. But the point is that I have always loved coming home to Oregon. I'm sure part of it is just familiarity, but Oregon (Willamette Valley esp.) is so inviting. On our drive over we stopped once from Boise to the Dalles. For me in the gorge(one of my favorite regions) any excuse to pull over works. We stopped in Hood River, Multnomah Falls, Portland and Wilsonville before our final destination in Salem. Even flying home last year was spectacular. When the rest of the country is brown and looking out the window is fairly pointless NW Oregon is lush. You just know that somewhere down there something tastey is growing and waiting to be picked.

So we have arrived to stay in our favorite place with some of our favorite people. I am pretty luck to have most of my closest friends all in one location.