lingering memories

Coastal temperate rainforest in Oregon's Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach.
Copyright (c) 2009 Wendee Holtcamp

I can still feel the cool moist air of Mount Hood's temperate rainforest on my face and skin. I can still smell the fresh scent of the forest. Terri told me to capture that feeling in my mind and go back there when I needed a respite from the world. The air is indescribable. It was so, so, fresh. That's the best word I can think of! It reminds me very much of the forest around my dad's cabin as a child though much of his land has changed since the early days there, back in the 1970s. But I have very fond memories of a very lush forest full of ferns, giant trees, rotting logs, mushrooms, streams, Oregon grape, and much more.

At any rate, I'm back home in suburban Houston now, trying frantically to get caught up and balance all the many tasks I have with the kids starting back to school, doc appointments, grocery shopping, email catch-up, and spending time with the kids and the like. I had a truly spectacular trip, and loved every single minute of it!! I can't say enough about the joy I experienced every day, to just be there, whether hanging out with my dad and Bev, going solo to the beach, working on blogs and my book chapter at the Fresh Pot coffee shop, hiking, Thai food and Ben & Jerry's ice cream with Terri, hiking at Wildwood, visiting old friends and making new ones, and the laughter and comaraderie shared by the kindred spirits I spent time with there.

I still have a few more photos of my trip to upload and hope to do that tomorrow. I'm trying to get some blog posts written and then have a feature to write on bats. I love wildlife!

On an unrelated note, here's a link to my latest story in Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine - Larger than Life: The inimitable Edward 'Ned' Fritz changed the face of Texas conservation.

friends new and old

Here I am at my cousin's house in Tacoma, about to hit the sack, because I fly out at 6am tomorrow but have to get up at 345am - ack! Yesterday was a very busy and fun day! I'll leave you with some pics rather than write about it! G'nite and I'll see ya on the flip side!

Self-portrait of me, Terri, & Eliza before our hike in the Wildwood Recreation Area on Mount Hood.
Eliza & Terri on a wooden bench with salmon carved on it. Salmon spawn on the Salmon River which runs through the Wildwood Rec Area. It was such an amazingly stupendously gorgeous place, the AIR was sooo fresh and everything was so green and lush. It was heaven on earth! And the company was awesome! I love these gals!
The Salmon River.
Terri and Eliza chatting by the river with a model of Mount Hood in the background.

Terri & Eliza hugging a huge tree!
The Salmon River.

Me and Annie Rose - a friend I went to visit the day before yesterday. I stayed with Annie Rose back in December when I got snowed into Portland!
After our hike, we met up with several journalists and writers from the Pacific NW at Hopeworks eco brewpub. It's Portland's only microbrewery run on 100% alternative energy. They use organic and locally grown food, and try to make the operations as sustainable as possible. This is a shot of the bar, which is decorated with old bike parts.
We sat upstairs at Hopworks at first and then migrated outside because it was a stunningly gorgeous day! This is, from left clockwise - Annie Rose, Jimmy (my high school boyfriend),
me, Valerie Brown, Dawn Stover, Orna Izakson, Lizzie Grossman (half hidden), Susan Hess, Terri Hansen and Eliza Murphy.
Annie Rose and Eliza chatting outside Hopworks. Telling roadkill stories! A shot of the beer cooler - all of their beers are organic!

Juergen and Susan Hess!

Elisa, Orna, Terri and I toward the end of our Hopworks get together.

But the night didn't end there! Me and Jimmy went back to Eliza's place and had some champagne! We walked around the neighborhood at dusk and chatted up a storm.

Eliza shows us her awesome sculpture and artwork. This is a piece on her wall.

This is a piece made of two roadkilled frogs. I like this photo!

Eliza reads a chapter of her book to us.

A shot of her sculpture, The Mermaid, made from garbage collected at the seashore. Notice also "the bird" in the foreground - another small scuplture that I think is really cool!

Jimmy and Eliza recreating the classic pitchfork farmer scene...she uses the fork to get roadkill! :)

This pic is actually from the other day at lunch at the Laughing Planet (Jimmy & I)- notice the T Rex toy dino in the forefround! I just like the pic and didn't put it up the other day :)