mom, ivy and i spent a gorgeous day tasting pinots and chardonnays south of portland. my favorite chardonnay (which i don’t usually like) was from Durant Vineyards, my favorite pinot blanc was from Four Graces, and there was a tie between my favorite pinot noirs between a 2006 Estate label from Four Graces and Witness Tree’s Claim No. 51. it was an unusually crisp clear oregon november day and perfect for another tour of oregon’s harvest.
Can you believe this season?! I thought winning the World Series would be the cherry on my sundae, but the college football season has been a stunning adventure. What started with tickets on the 50 yard line has got better and better with each game. Our last home game was nationally televised and finished under the stars. I met up with Melissa, Jay and the rest of the Peets clan on Friday night before the game and we spent another gorgeous Saturday tailgating outside Autzen. Then Dixon and the Ducks took the Arizona State team to task – and as of this moment we’re ranked #2 in the country. Go ducks!
I’m so excited! My firm and I were awarded the Dorris Ranch project! Dorris Ranch is a public park near Eugene that is also the first commercial hazelnut farm in Oregon and they have some preservation planning issues that we’ll be helping them with over the next year. This was my first project proposal with my new firm and I’m super thrilled and relieved that it all went so well. I didn’t sleep a wink the night before the interview, but it went great and we found out the next week that they wanted to hire us. Of course the question now on everyone’s mind is why are they sometimes called filberts and other times called hazelnuts. My friend Tricia theorizes that Phil and Hazel got in an argument that has never been settled.
None of us could remember an Oregon halloween with better weather. The joke around here is that it’s always beautiful right up until the holiday and then that day a huge storm with torrential downpours and high winds rolls in and all the kids have to wear rain gear over their costumes. Well not this year, it was a warm night with starry skies when I went over to Lee and Guido’s house to go trick or treating with their three kids and neighbors. All the kids donned their Star Wars outfits, including Henrik dressed up as Yoda. And the best part was that even the adults got treats – thanks to one of Lee’s neighbors who handed out dixie cups with shots of baileys! Now that’s an idea I’m going to borrow someday.
traveling landscape historian and artist exploring place, spirit, history, and design
taking the long way 