Oscar Party

Last year in honor of the Oscars I posted about why I love movies.  This year, I was apart of a small crew that organized an Oscar Viewing Party.

We had almost 40 people come to the event.  People dressed up, walked the red carpet, gave autographs, posed for photos, played bingo, cast their ballots, and ate and drank until their hearts were happy.  I sadly didn't see any of the show (except for the last 15 seconds of the Les Mis performance and Anne Hathaway's acceptance speech) but everyone had a good time so that is all that mattered. The event was a lot of fun and it gave me an excuse to go to Value Village and purchase a 46 vintage cocktail dress.

Oh, and I did I mention that I got to be on the news?  I did!  Click here to watch.  Plus, two of the newscasters got dressed up and served as our emcees for the night.  All of this put together made me feel like a minor, minor, minor, minor, minor local celebrity.

Fun times.

Belknap Hot Springs

Yesterday, Cliff and I took a five hour mini vacation.  We drove up route 126 into the mountains to breath fresh air, see tall trees, and soak in mineral water.  We visited Belknap Hot Springs which is a campground, hotel, and apparently rural development that has two hot spring pools on their property.  The public can come and for $7/hour or $12/day soak in one of their pools.  It's not a natural hot spring environment as pipes bring in the hot/mineraly water into what looks like a swimming pool.  It's a cute little area tucked into the trees. Oh and what would a mountain lodge be without countless carved bears.

This is a great place to bring future visitors who would like to experience a hot spring without any hiking (or nudity) involved.  Besides the pool, they also have a few trails that lead people to gardens and meadows.  It was nice but weird all at the same time.  We were an hour along the river, in the middle of the mountains yet there was a very manicured and concrete garden in the middle of nowhere. Odd but nice.

Oh and there were fuzzy rocks.  I really love living here as moss grows all over everything.  It makes me so happy.  It just makes things feel more peaceful.

We soaked for an hour.  As you can see we looked really relaxed afterwards (and unsurprisingly I looked really red).  We need to take more trips like this.  It didn't take all that long but we got out of the city (ha...even I call Eugene/Springfield a city now) and got to unwind thanks to the lack of cell service.

Oh and they also had these guys.  They are sculptures of musicians.  I wonder if they play ambient music around the patio area in the spring and summer.  If not, they should.  Oh and you are right...there are plants growing out of that piano.

Since we were already an hour up route 126, we decided to drive a little further up the mountain to see Sahalie Falls in the snow.  We passed several signs telling us that we were officially in the snow zone but since it was a 50 degree sunny day (hacha!) we decided to proceed forward without the required chains or snow tires.  There were walls of plowed snow on each side of the car but somehow we were still hopeful that the parking lot would be plowed and open.  Well, it wasn't.  This was the first time that I actually wanted to have snowshoes in hand so that we could have hiked in to see the falls buried under a few feet of snow and ice.  My imagination tells me that it was beautiful.  Instead this is all that we got to see.

As we headed home, I decided to stop at a country store/gas station to get kettle corn (as I remembered buying some there when Dad came to visit back in 2007).  We got caramel kettle corn and taters as I love them (my PopPop's nickname for me when I was little was Tater as I liked them so much).  Well in the Northwest they are called Jo Jo's apparently.  Check this recipe out to see what I'm talking about (p.s. Cliff really loves this blog).

It was a really relaxing day.  I love where we live.

2013 Garden Update I

This year Cliff and I are ahead of the game when it comes to getting seed into the ground.  We are going to be more successful this year!  So far here is what we have brewing in pots, on the hillside, and in the garden.


Outdoor Pots:  Right after Christmas, Cliff and I bought a ton of 50% off bulbs at Jerry's Home Improvement. We planted crocus (mix), ranunculus (red and yellow), allium (blue and white), iris, ixia, narcissus, and hyacinth.  We layered the inside the pots so that we should have some blooms spring through late summer.  I'm really excited as once they start to bloom we will be able to scatter the pots around the cottage so that we can see color from all of our windows. It seems too soon for the bulbs to be coming up but Cliff reminds me that we are quickly coming into spring.  We had so much snow last year.  it didn't feel cold enough this winter for it to already be over!  I'm hoping that some flowers are up in time for Andrea and Joe's visit.

Indoor pots:  Two or three weekends ago Cliff planted our pretty orange/red amaryllis bulb that we had bloom last year.  It looks like we didn't kill out red one from last year (despite unnecessarily storing it in the fridge over the summer) which is a relief as we were both pretty sad and worried.  He also planned our new white amaryllis. We are excited to see them both in bloom in a few weeks.  We also planned lots of basil starters this morning and put them in our mini greenhouse.  The more basil the better.  Grow little plants...grow!

The hillside:  As you all might remember we planted a ton of crocuses and daffodils last year.  See...they were really prettyhttp://lyddanesinoregon.blogspot.com/2012/05/day-4-flowers.html! Well...they are starting to come up!  This is a really crummy photo but I promise you there are four little clumps of pretty purple flowers there.  There are other little white ones starting to come up in other pockets as well.  There appear to be little baby daffodils starting to come up as well.  Our white daffodils were amazing last year.  They were so beautiful and managed to stay white and alive looking for weeks.  My fingers are crossed that we have the same luck this year.  Another hops is that my next photo of the flowers is way better...so that you can actually seem them

Lastly, we got seed into the ground today!  Over the last few weeks, Cliff and I have spend a few hours each Saturday or Sunday making a garden bed right outside of our window (as we hope this area will get more sun that our little patch last year).  It is about 12 feet long by 2 1/2 feet wide.  Today we planted: two kinds of parsley, New Zealand spinach, fennel, broccoli rabe, two kinds of chives, oakleaf lettuce, dill, more spinach, chervil, mustard greens, cilantro, tom thumb lettuce, arugula, and radishes.  In a few weeks we are also going to plant flowers (like California poppies).  Eventually (mid-May) we are going to get to tomato starters and hope that they get enough light this year.  it will be fun.  Now we just need to decide on a CSA to help round out our greens and herbs.

Happy planting to everyone and we will keep you posted on our successes and learning moments!

Homemade Sauerkraut

Four weeks ago Cliff and I chopped up two heads of cabbage and placed them into our new fermenting crock.  Tonight we lifted the lid and ate the goods.  

The whole process was really easy. 

Chop the cabbage:

Weigh the cabbage:

Salt the cabbage (and add other spices if desired.  We added juniper berries):

Wait four to six weeks and then enjoy:

We are sharing a few jars with friends.  Sauerkraut for all!  We are going to get brats tomorrow so that we can make a homemade German feast.  I think I might even talk Cliff into splurging for fancy spicy mustard.  Very exciting.

Our first batch was a success and now we are scheming about what to make next.  We are thinking carrot, radish, celery root, and cabbage.  Any suggestions?

Willamette Heritage Center at the Mill

On Wednesday, a group of us from work went up to Salem for a workshop.  On the way home, I decided to take a detour with Kerry, my coworker, and tag along as she previewed a trip location for the Adult Activity Center (as she plans their trips).

First off, I have never really spent any time in Salem.  I've taken a bus through it once and Cliff and I stopped in an Applebee's parking lot on the way up to the Portland Airport one time as our car was making a weird noise (oh the bug).  But that is it.  I know nothing about our state's capital. Well...I still don't really know anything about it but I got to check out a pretty nice cluster of historical buildings at the Willamette Heritage Center at the Mill.

The Heritage Center is made up of an old wool mill and a few buildings that made up the township of the Methodist Mission that arrived before the Oregon Trail.  The mill isn't operational anymore and the Mission closed in 1844,  but they have done a really nice job putting together a museum and event space.  We got a mini tour and my favorite tidbit of information involves the daughter of the factory owner, Fannie Kay.  Apparently she kept close tabs on her father as he ran the mill and assisted in much of the mill's operations as he was illiterate.  When her father passed away he naturally left the mill to his son.  So Fannie packed up with her husband (who came from the textile sales family), moved east, and with her family started the Pendleton Wool Company.  Pretty cool right?

I took a lot of photos.  We don't get to see that many old buildings anymore and I really miss brick.  The first few photos are of the second floor where they did the carding and spinning.

On Thursdays, they open up the 4th floor for local weavers to come and use the looms.  I would love to go back and see people working on their projects.  They had pretty samples on the wall.  This makes me wish that I was crafty.

Connecting the Mill to the Mission is the millrace.  Apparently, this is a favorite spot of visitors as they can feed the ducks.

If you follow the millrace you arrive at our Mission buildings: the chapel, a parsonage, an apartment like building, and a single family home.  I enjoy old buildings.

It was a nice tour and I think I would go back with visiting friends and family.  Yay history!

Freezing Fog

Take a gander at the freezing fog...

It has coated everything in little ice crystals.   There is currently an advisory for freezing rain tomorrow from 4am - 12pm.  I have my fingers crossed for a two hour delay.

A Night In Portland

Photo by the Oregon Zoo

On Saturday Cliff and I headed to Portland.  We needed to exchange a lovely Christmas present from my mom and wanted to spend some time with Kathy and Jill.  I'm so excited that we got out of Eugene for a brief bit of time.  We have been stuck in thick fog for days.  FOR DAYS!  It hasn't burned off.  It hasn't moved.  It is just everywhere.  Driving to Portland was like driving in a thin grey tube.  We couldn't see the fields that sit close to the side of the road.  Billboards were difficult to make out until you were right on top of them.  It was crazy.  With this said, we saw 19 hawks on the drive up.  They were all right on the side of the road.  We don't know if the fog brought them closer or what but it was really fun to spot them as we drove.  We think they were red tailed hawks.  Cliff said he usually sees a few on the trip but never as many as we saw on Saturday.  (Side note: we also saw 13 on our way back down to Eugene yesterday.)

In Portland it was beautiful and sunny.  We could see Mt. Hood.  It was amazing.  I forget how different you can feel when you see sunshine.   We felt like we were on vacation.  What am I saying...we were on vacation.

Cliff got a nice razor for Christmas from this really swanky shop called The Art of Shaving.  Sadly, Cliff already has two razors that he uses and loves.  No worries.  There isn't a store in Eugene so we needed to go to Portland to exchange the items  It was really fun to be in the store.  Lisa, our helpful sale clerk, walked Cliff through the process and got him set up with some pretty cool items.  Cliff is now the proud owner of a badger hair shaving brush, shaving oil, shaving cream, and shaving lotion all made with lavender essential oil.  Nice!

After our experience at The Art of Shaving, we met Kathy and Jill at Hopworks Urban Brewery.  We had eaten there last year when we pet sit fort them and remembered them having the most amazing, fresh (and organic) food.  We went in thinking we would split a calzone and salad but we lucked out as it was almost happy hour (on a Saturday!).  We opted for a little of everything: a few beers, giant buttered pretzels with beer/cheese sauce and spicy brown mustard, jalapeño poppers, fries, pizza with lemon chicken and green chilies and caramelized onions, a house salad, and spicy southwest quinoa salad.  It was a really great affordable meal which is so awesome since all of their stuff is organic.  The quinoa salad was perfectly filling, spicy, and healthy.  I want to make it at home so Cliff and I can take it for lunch.  If you are ever in the Portland area and like good pub grub...eat there.

We decided to get a movie and stay in since Toby, their dog, wasn't feeling all that well.  They took us to a  movie store called Movie Madness.  Their goal is to "maintain the largest and most comprehensive collection of movies available to rent on DVD, Blu-Ray, and Video."  It was really fun to be in an actual movie store.  They have movie memorabilia all over the place (note the photo of a Drew Barrymore outfit from Never Been Kissed).  It was like a mini Planet Hollywood.  I won't lie.  I was overwhelmed with their stock so I was happy when Kathy suggested Point Break with Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze.  We all knew about the movie but surprisingly non of us had seen it except for Cliff (and he was happy to watch it as it meant that we weren't going to have to watch something he hates).  Victory for all!

Since we were all still pretty full from happy hour, we opted for an ice cream dinner from a food cart.  I got a pumpkin ice cream dipped in dark chocolate (it was the $2 special), Kathy got a cake batter sundae, Jill got a chocolate chip banana and Oregon hazelnut hot fudge sundae, and Cliff got one scoop of chocolate chip banana and one scoop of green coconut curry.  I know what you might be thinking.  Green coconut curry ice cream?  I know as I thought it to.  Cliff thought it was delicious while I thought it was a little weird.  It seriously tasted like a sweet curry and had a spicy aftertaste.  Cliff was especially proud of his pairing as the chocolate chip banana went really well with the curry.  It was cold outside (30 degrees) so we all huddled near a heater in the make-shift food-cart food-court.  I would like to eat at more food carts.  They are really popular in Portland (probably also every other city/big town in America).  They all have decent menus.  Vietnamese food.  Thai food.  Mexican food.  Pizza.  Burgers.  Kathy and Jill complained that food cart food is no longer as affordable as it once was.  I mean there are apparently now two carts where you can get artisan cheese plates.  How Portland.

What would a trip to Portland be without a trip to Ikea?  I wanted to get a few frames so that I can finally hang stuff on my office walls.  We got free coffee (since we joined the Ikea family program), looked through the sample rooms, ate meatballs for lunch, shopped in the market place and then ended with a celebratory ice cream (it's tradition).  Kathy and Cliff played with stuffed animals for a while as they all are kinda odd and creepy this time around.  We also sampled a traditional Swedish drink that is consumed around the holidays.  It is a soda that is flavored with hops and malt syrup.  Really good at the first sip but then we found it hard to make our way through the rest of our serving.  All in all, it was a successful ikea trip.

Afterwards we left sunny Portland and headed south.  About 45 minutes down the road we were greeted by the fog again.   Apparently we will have it until Tuesday afternoon.  Oh well.  We have hunkered down at the cottage.  We have a fire going and we are roasting our Cinderella pumpkin so that we can make pie, soup, and freeze a bunch for future meals.  Cinderella pumpkins smell really good when they are roasting  Better than other squash in my opinion.  They smell buttery and delicious.