Lake Katherine

Back in September, Sandra and I returned to Chicago for my niece's wedding. Earlier in the day on Saturday, several members of my immediate family had a chance to visit Lake Katherine, a nature preserve in the Chicago suburb of Palos Heights. Along the Cal Sag Channel, the preserve is home to a pond, a small waterfall, arboretum, and gardens.

While my Mom walked on the trail which circles the pond, my brother Steve, his wife Jamie, Sandra, and I set off in canoes to enjoy the water. The weather was near perfect for the end of September and I captured some video using the Flip camera. It's not great for capturing still images (image quality is nowhere near as good), but it certainly is convenient and easy to use. Here's a photomontage of the pond, Jamie, the ducks at the waterfall, and Sandra at the helm:



Lake Katherine, Water Images

Click on the image for a larger view.

While Lake Katherine is no secret to the southwest suburbs, this was my first visit. I enjoyed the leisurely canoe trip across the pond. For more information about activities at the nature preserve, check their website. It's a place worth spending a nice weekend afternoon.

Here's one last image of the gardens:



Monarchs Enjoying the Flowers

Eclipse

I haven't mentioned the site often recently, but NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day is still showcasing wonderful images of astronomical and meterological phenomena. The Christmas Eve post, Eclipsed Moon in the Morning, presented a cool (yes literally too) photo by Roger N. Clark. Check it out. The world can be a wonderland, sometimes even a wintry wonderland.

Heading Home

The Wednesday returning home from Portland was a day of travel. Portland to Phoenix to Denver to Nashville...I definitely prefer direct flights. Though there is something to being in a plane at the gate at Phoenix and being asked to lower the shades on the windows because it's 118 degrees outside. There is also something to catching the sunset over the mountains at Denver.



Setting Sun at Denver's Airport

Willamette Valley and Wine

On our last full day in Portland, we headed out to the Willamette Valley, a noted region for Pinot Noir. The goal was to taste some good wines. In order to make the visits easier, we turned to Ron Burke of Oregon Wine Tours.



Vines of Rabbit Ridge

Our first stop was Ayres Vineyard. This was Ron's suggestion and the family-owned winery didn't disappoint. Ayres specializes in Pinot Noir from Ribbon Ridge, which is a small AVA (American Viticultural Area) in the northern part of the valley. They also produce a Pinot Blanc in limited quantities which was sold out when we tasted.

Co-owner, Don McCLure led us through the offerings. The entry level red, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, is light-bodied, but deceptively rich with flavors that linger on the palette. The upper level Ribbon Ridge and Pioneer are fuller and are excellent examples of fine Oregon Pinot. We took home 2 bottle of each red.



Pinot Noir Grapes at Ayres Vineyard

After the tasting, we looked out over the vineyard. For late August, the grapes had not turned color yet, which meant it might a record late date for veraison. While the lateness could lead to a dicey season with not a lot of fruit, the slow maturity can also lead to complex flavors and 2011 might be an exceptional vintage for Willamette wines.



Adelsheim Logo

Our next stop was Adelsheim Vineyard, a recommendation from the owner of the Wine Chap, the retail wine shop we visit in Tennessee. Established in 1971, the winery is one of Oregon's oldest and largest producers. They are also very forward-thinking with a tasting room that is located in an eco-friendly building (low volume toliets, etc.). Adelsheim makes a variety of whites and reds across various price points. Sandra and I thought the Pinot Blanc was a nice racy offering. For the reds, the winery was sampling high end selections . At $50 and $60 a bottle, we can't afford a lot of wine at that price, though we did find the Bryan Creek Vineyard wine worth a little overindulgence.


Vines from the Adelsheim Patio

Afterwards, Ron drove into Newberg for lunch at Recipe, a fairly new restaurant in wine country. It was good to relax outside and enjoy a well-prepared meal.


Sandra Studies the Outdoor Seating at Recipe

Recharged, we now made our way along some backroads on the western side of the valley. I was glad that Ron was doing the driving. I was also glad when we arrived at Lange Winery.



Lange Estate and the Valley

I used to sell Lange wines when I worked for a small distributor, Wine-O-Rama, in Chicago, so I wanted to see the land from where those wines originated. The tasting room is substantially above the valley floor, and the area offers majestic views. Like Adelsheim, Lange is one of the older producers with a significant production. Also like at the previously visted winery, we tasted whites and reds. Again, the Pinot Noirs focused on more expensive single vineyard selections. The barrel-aged Pinot Gris Reserve found our shopping cart, or in this case, wine box, as did the exquisitive Lange Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir.



One More Look at the Willamette Valley

Perched on the hillside, Ron showed us our last destination, his recommendation of Anderson Family Vineyards, on the valley floor. From the heights of Lange, Anderson Family appeared flat. Arriving, I realized that it was an illusion as their vineyard hugs an unsually steep and large hill. This terrain can be ideal for drainage and producing flavorful grapes.

Winemaker Jonathan Riekert greeted us. Anderson Valley does tastings by appointment only. It was a special treat to talk with the winemaker and to taste a vertical selection, 2007 and 2008, of their Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir.



Wine in the Making at Anderson Family Vineyard

Sandra and I spent a long time tasting and discussing wines with Jonathan. He also showed us some of the vineyard from the hilltop. Farming the terrain is very labor-intensive, but the efforts show in the bottle. Sandra was impressed and joined the wine club.



Vines at Anderson Family

Overall, it was a great day of seeing the Willamette Valley and tasting great wine. Ron Burke of Oregon Wine Tours was a knowledgable and excellent guide. His two recommendations, Ayres and Anderson Family, were the highlights of the tour. If you want to spend some extra money and not worry about drinking and driving from winery to winery, I would suggest his services. He will bring you to places you probably wouldn't discover on your own.

For lovers of wine, particularly Pinot Noir, the Willamette Valley is a wonderful place.

...and the scenery isn't too bad either...
check this Mount Hood Peering Above the Ridge.

The Grotto, Upper Level

Rising over a hundred feet, the elevator brings you to the top of the cliff and its views. To the left built along the bluff's edge is the Meditation Chapel, which offers a quiet space to reflect and absorb the stunning panorama of Portland's northeast neighborhoods and international airport. In the distance, stretch the Cascades, most notably Mount Saint Helens. On a clear day, like the day Sandra and I visited, you can even make out the peak of Mount Rainier.

Perched on the cliffside, I could sit and see the streams of afternoon traffic on the interstate. People have to be places. Yet, there I was sitting. Off in the distance, mountains stood. The view's juxtaposition of nature and civilization does lead you to think about your place in the world.

I didn't take any photos initially because I didn't want to intrude in the reflections of the other guests. The Grotto's website has 2 excellent photos: Views of the Chapel.



Sandra Along the Path

A path winds along lawns and gardens and through mature trees. From small brightly hued flowers to the long vertical lines of bark which rise to leaves and greenness, the scale impresses. It's living, wild and manicured.



A Fern


Petals of Blue

Built in 1936 and renovated in 1985, the Monastery, home to Servite friars, combines with a rose garden to give a very Old World charm to a section of the Upper Level.



The Monastery

Much like the Portland's International Rose Test Garden, I could easily take hundreds of Grotto images in a matter of hours and fill the blog. You can see more of the flower images uploaded on Image Shack by clicking:
Rose at the Rose Garden
Again in Blue
Ahead on the Path

I won't say that the photos capture all the beauty or even a tenth of the serenity. Those aspects of moments need to be experienced and discovered. Though, sometimes, the angle of sunlight and a water sprinkler combine to leave an impression which a camera can catch.



Water's Prism

A pond, a walking labyrinth, shrines inspired by cultural heritages--these too create what is the Grotto's Upper Level.



Falling into a Late Afternoon Pond

Completing the trails, we visited the Meditation Chapel one more time. I stitched this composite of the viewing windows.



Planes of View from The Grotto's Meditation Chapel

Please click on the above link to see a larger image. The breadth of the scene is indelible. I would gladly visit the place again.

For more images and information, please check The Grotto's website.

Simply...
Yes, I would gladly return.

Morning Walk

This morning at the bus stop, we caught a flock of turkey grazing in a clearing several hundred yards away. Wild turkey isn't a particularly unusual species for Tennessee. Regularly at the golf driving range, Sandra and I would spot a group of the birds grazing. Though today, they numbered over a dozen and that's something you don't see every day in the city.

Blog Update

With the semester winding down, I should be catching up with the blog. Over the next couple of days, I should finish the Portland posts and move on to more recent activities...of course, they are a few weeks old now too... :)

Interesting Link

I found this interesting article on Yahoo: Tsunami Clouds in Alabama.

Wild...

The Grotto

Green Space

It's not quite a secret, since thousands visit. But compared to other Portland attractions, The Grotto is quite a hidden gem. The site was bought in 1923 and building work began shortly afterwards. Among the first things constructed was the opening in the side of the bluff where an altar was built for outdoor services.


Altar

Formally known as The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, the Grotto is home to the Servite order of the Catholic Church, but welcomes "people from around the world, people of all faiths and no faith" to visit. Harmonious and living, the sense of sanctuary permeates the 62 acres.



Berries in August


A Spider's Home

Though a more traditional Church stands on the site, the open air area for services dominates the lower level. With the cliffside altar and a statue of Mary overlooking the clearing from above, the setting forces the concept of religion to be part of the world.



A Statue of Mary Looks Over the Grotto

The lower level by itself would be considered a sanctuary, though the Grotto offers more along the top of the bluff.



Elevator to the Top

Thanksgiving

I'm still trying to find the time when I actually have the time to catch up on the blog. I'm not too busy this week with work, though Sandra and I took the time advantage to fly my Mom down for Thanksgiving. Yesterday we showed her Nashville's Parthenon which is a concrete replica of the famous ancient temple in Athens. Today Sandra and my Mom visited the Belle Meade Plantation. We went to Music City Roots, which is a great music show at the Loveless Barn on Wednesdays. However, 'tis the night before Thanksgiving and everyone is out and about--the show is sold out. So we're back home listening to the performance on 100.1 FM, a local radio station.

Still it's good to see my Mom for the holidays.

Moving Update

I was hoping to finish the Portland trip posts before the move, but that didn't happen. I still have a few posts about the Grotto and Wine Country before writing about new topics. Though my recent move will take higher priority until most of the things reach their spot in the new place.

No matter how much you move it's still unsettling. I think this is my 15th place in 20 years and still it takes a while to be settled. Though...

...the weather--70 and sunny on a November day--has been good.

Hopefully, more posts this week...

Cruising the Willamette

I don't like to be negative on the blog, but even I have to admit the lunch part of the Willamette cruise that Sandra and I took was, with its mediocrity, unforgettable. Putting aside the meal, I have to say that the sightseeing was good.



The Willamette

The river offers a different perspective. It's not just a matter of being low on the water. You see views that you don't see elsewhere, particularly of the many houses that lie along or on the river.



Along the Bank


On the Water

Click on the above montage and you'll see a larger version which offers a better view of the diverse housing on the river.

It was good to be on the top deck to soak in the sun and the scenery on a very pleasant August day. As an extra image, you can click and view on Imageshack Sandra looking ahead.

Only 187 miles long, the Willamette still impresses with its size. At a depth of about 40 feet, the river varies in width from 600 to 1,900 feet in its lower parts and discharges a water volume which ranks the Willamette 19th in all of the United States. Its size and access to the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean has led the Willamette to be of major importance commercially and recreationally with the Port of Portland and other industries using its banks for operations.



Shipyard

Centered along the Willamette, Portland is sometimes thought as a city of bridges, with many old structures still in use. One of the more iconic, the Hawthorne Bridge opened in 1910 and is the oldest vertical lift bridge in operation in the United States.



Hawthorne Bridge

A tour of Portland wouldn't be complete without a look at a neon sign. Originally built in 1940 and has advertised numerous companies, the sign has had many names, including White Stag and Made in Oregon. Now the city has bought the sign and it welcomes visitors and locals on Burnside with "Portland Oregon". A tree obscured part of the lettering, but I snapped this photo of the sign:



Portland Icon

Okay...

I've been a little late in finishing the Portland trip posts. Life has been busy, and when I have had the time, the blog hasn't been the first priority. Still stay tuned.

Catching the Moment

I'm a huge fan of photography, particularly of planets, stars, and galaxies. It's a reason why I have Astronomy Picture of Day website so prominently featured in my Sites To Visit. The site is still showcasing excellent work and I'll probably highlight a few of the recent excellent work there.

Though, today I'd like to mention an image captured by an amateur photographer in Norway. Check this image of a meteorite streaking across the Milky Way as Northern Lights flare. It's on Yahoo news, so I can't guarantee the link will stay active for a very long. Take a look when you get the chance; it's amazing.

A Monday Update

The weather has been fantastic--upper 70s and low 80s with lots of sunshine. Add an increase in work and I haven't been blogging much lately. Still I plan to finish the Portland trip posts later this week. I was back in Chicago for a wedding at the end of September, so I'd like to show some images from that trip.

Now if I can just break a 100 playing golf...

Chocolate in Portland

Monday morning on our Portland trip, we visited two of the city's fine chocolate shops. The first was the Swiss chocolate maker, Teuscher, located in a small shop on Broadway in downtown. We bought several bars. As expected, the milk chocolate was good, with the sugar-based bar being much better than the fructose-sweetened, but my preferences definitely stray toward darker varieties these days, so I thought that the dark chocolate was the best bar. And then there were the truffles. Since they are expensive and we didn't know how they tasted, we only bought a pair from Teuscher. Quite simply, their champagne creams are the best truffles I have after eaten.

The second stop was Moonstruck on Alder in downtown Portland. The quality of their bars was more consistent than Teuscher. I enjoyed the Espresso bean dark chocolate, and the Fortunato, single origin dark chocolate from Peru, is uniquely flavorful. At $12 for a 2oz. bar, the Fortunato is very expensive, but I don't regret the price. The chocolate is first-rate. On the other hand, the truffles were more mixed. Some were not special, but then there is the Pure Gold, a delicious dark chocolate ganache infused with Drambuie and honey.

If you're in Portland and a chocolate lover, I would suggest visiting. You can also check out their websites: Teuscher and Moonstruck. Teuscher has a few other locations in major cities, while Moonstruck can be found in some stores throughout the United States.

Pub Crawl, Portland-Style

After the Chinese Garden, Sandra and I headed to the Pearl District to taste some of the local brews. Out first stop was Deschutes. Where wood meets more modern open ceiling duct and pipe work, the brewpub, or public house as Portlanders like to call them, is a nice restaurant setting. Judging from the numbers on the Sunday evening, I would say quite popular too.

From the perspective of beer, I could see why. The brewery, established in 1988 in Bend, Oregon, knows what they are doing. The sampler was reasonably priced and the brewery offers a wide range of styles to choose from. All were tasty with the Black Butte XXIII being quite exceptional.



Deschutes Public House Interior

Afterwards, we travelled to Rogue. In many ways, Rogue has grown to become the iconic Orgeon beer. Irreverant and fun-loving, Rogue has positioned itself with labels which set it apart. Walking into their public house on Flanders in the Pearl, you immediately realize that this is a bar first and foremost. While they serve food (according to their principles, beer should go with food), you feel that the place is a drinking establishment and not some fashionable, family-centered restaurant which also happens to make their own beer.

And the beer is good, though not better than Deschutes. However, there was more. The sign of the placed, reads Distillery & Public House. Originally founded in 1988 in Ashland, Oregon, Rogue founded their second brewpub (and current headquarters) in 1989 in Newport. In 2003, they branched into making small batch spirits. In tasting, the Pink Spruce Gin, which is aged in used Pinot Noir barrels, and the Hazelnut Spice Rum stood out, especially the rum. With aromas and flavors of hazelnuts, hazelnuts, hazelnuts, there is nothing like it that I have ever tasted.

Our last stop was Bridgeport. Like Rogue, Bridgeport is a brewery whose beer I have had before. So while considered craft brew, they are not your local brewpub in amount of beer produced. In some ways, our timing was bad for the brewpub. At 9 pm on a Sunday evening, the kitchen was winding down and not all menu items were available. The food was good, but we both wondered if one of earlier stops might have been a better choice for dinner.

Founded by winemakers, Richard and Nancy Ponzi, in 1984 in Portland, Bridgeport was a pioneer in craft brewing. These days, the beers are good, though the selections at the brewpub were more limited compared to Rogue or Deschutes. One special treat was the barleywine. During 1990s, when craft brewing was making its ascent into American consciousness, barleywine was considered by many the height of beermaking. Today, I don't find them often, so tasting a well-made barleywine was a great find.

If you want to find out more about any of the breweries, check out their websites: Deschutes, Rogue, and Bridgeport.

Time for Tea

After the tram, we headed back to Lan Su Chinese Garden. The first time we visted the Chinese Garden was more for the experience of the entire facility. This time we were more focused on the teahouse in the Tower of Cosmic Reflections.

Being late in the afternoon, we also needed lunch, so we ordered some noodles and a tea ceremony. The Tower of Cosmic Reflection is very nicely built, decorated, and furnished. The warm tones of the interior really helped me reach a proper frame of mind.

During our visit, we also had the fortune of hearing an older man play a traditional Chinese instrument, which I believe might be an erhu--quite a scene.



Light and Music Entering the Teahouse


The Musician

An established Portland tea company, Tao of Tea, runs the teahouse. The noodles were surprisingly tasty and filling, and the tea, to no surprise, was very good. We actually shared a more expensive leaf which was brewed in a traditional Chinese ceremony, Gongfu Style, by a server. Timing of the steep is important. Also the tea is not simply poured into the cup, but first poured into a small and slim vessel and then transferred into the tea cup. The first vessel, the snifter, can be then raised to the nose to savor the aroma.



Sandra Enjoys a Moment of Tea

The meal and the tea combined with the atmosphere was a moment, something I can look back and enjoy, something I would like to do again if I return to Portland. Refreshed, we strolled around the garden for a little while before our journey continued.



Lotus and the Late Afternoon Light

Views from the Tram

Tram Car Entering Lower Station

South of downtown along the Willamette rises one of Portland's newest attractions: the Tram. Its history shows where private and public entities can reach agreements which benefit all. Situated on Marquam Hill, the Oregon Health & Science University, a public corporation focused on health care science and care, was looking to expanding its campus. The conclusion reached by the university and Portland was that South Waterfront along the Willamette River would be an excellent choice.



From the Tram, the Air Less-Travelled

However, there was a stumbling block: access between the new buildings on the river and the main campus located miles away on the hill. A study concluded that an aerial tram was the best choice. The ensuing international search led to a Swiss design being selected in 2003. Built in 2006 and opened at the end of that year, the tram allowed quick, convenient access for students, faculty, and staff between the main hilltop campus and the lower riverfront buildings.

Shortly afterwards, it was opened to the public and became a hit for its stunning views of the Portland area.



Mount St. Helens


Downtown Portland

At the top, the tram connects with the main campus at the Kohler Pavillon. From an outside deck, you can get a good view of the surrounding area, which includes Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams.

Here's a good eastern view of the tram, the Willamette River, and, in the background, Mt. Hood.



Facing East

Here's a link to an extra image,
Sandra views Mt. Hood from the deck

On the return trip down to the waterfront, I took a few more photographs. In particular, this view of the main OHSU campus caught my eye and more.



View and Viewer Merge

All I can say is take a ride--it's worth the time.

Images of the Willamette River

While enjoying the triathlon and shortly afterwards, I caught these images of activity on the Willamette River.



Rowing on the Willamette



A Sunday Barge


Fire Boat!

The last scene was a pure surprise to me. Portland operates a fire boat and Sandra and I happened to walk past it as it tested its many water cannons. Even from the shore, you could feel the mists created by the shooting water. Lasting several minutes, the display was quite a blend of sight, sound, and touch--quite a pleasant surprise.

A Triathlon in the Morning

While I'll likely never completely understand the need to drive the body so hard, finishing a triathlon is an accomplishment. The Portland Triathlon on Sunday, August 21 offered both sprint and Olympic distances. Try swimming 1.5 km, cycling 40 km, and running 10 km running, and you have completed the the Olympic distance. Yes, finishing is an accomplishment. Winning it like Jeff Smith, timed at 2:05:11, is extra special.

For Sandra and I, the race was a pleasant surprise. Much like the Cleveland Marathon, the triathlon happened to coincide with a visit. In fact, the finish line was actually along the riverfront across the street from our Portland hotel. Literally, we stepped outside our hotel and viewed parts of the race.



Enduring the Road

No matter which distance or what kind of athletic shape, the racers, both men and women give effort, and that counts for something.



Beginning the Run

A whole lot of something.

Leaving the Garden

Leaving the Rose Garden, Sandra stopped in the gift shop, while I took in the views from Washington Park.



Portland and Mt. Hood

Besides the beauty of the park, a pesky four-legged resident stopped by for a visit. Scurrying right to the edge of people's shoes, this furry mammal was definitely looking for food scraps. While that by itself isn't unusual, the sheer lack of unconcern being REALLY close to people was.



Squirrel

Occassionally, the squirrel would become spooked and quickly dart several feet away, but then it would come right back and check to see if you had dropped something tasty for it to eat. The squirrel was about a foot away from my shoes when I snapped the above photo in the very late afternoon light--something I don't see every day.

The International Rose Test Garden

At the Saturday Market, Sandra and I parted company with Bruce and Jodi. They were continuing their whirlwind tour by heading onward to Seattle the next day, while Sandra and I were going to the see the roses, which the two of them had already seen. It was good to meet a couple focused on seeing the world.

We took public transportation to Washington Park, which is located on the hills on the west side of downtown. The light rail actually cuts through the hill in a tunnel, so our stop was actually several hundred feet below the surface. An elevator ride up later, we stood in the park outside the Portland Zoo. The Saturday transit there was intially a bit confusing. This is a contrast to the other public transportation in Portland, which I felt was quite straight-forward and usable. After finding the stop and bus, we took a winding and interesting ride through the park and surrounding neighborhood.



Stand Alone

Nestled among tall evergreens and with hilltop views, the International Rose Test Garden amazes the eyes. The rose colors pop against the dark green backdrop of the forest.



Shades Together

The interplay of single stalks and clusters alongside hues which range from uniform to complementary shades offer enormous variety. While the title says "Test Garden", the rose garden is a collection of gardens, from award winners to new varieties which are graded over the period of two years for characteristics, such as flower production, vigor, color, and fragrance.



Rows of Roses

In fact, featuring over 8000 rose bushes representing over 600 varieties, the garden is considered an exemplary rose garden in United States and is is testing grounds for both the All-America Rose Selection and American Rose Society. Portland is also the only North American city to award a Best Rose, an distinction sought by thousands of yearly submissions.



A Collection of Roses

The vast majority of my images are available in larger more detailed versions on Imageshack. Particularly for the above image, click and you can better see the texture of the individual roses.



Roses and Fallen Petals

I actually encountered a bit of sensory fatigue. There are so many roses from bushes whose petals gracefully collect on the walkways to those which stand in the foreground of other Oregon landmarks.



Roses Before Mt. Hood

Portland's International Rose Garden really stands out. I actually had to limit the number of photos I took and decided to post, because it would be very easy to post hundreds of beautiful roses. I have uploaded a few more images on Imageshack which you can click to view.

Extra Rose from The International Rose Garden

And Another Rose from The International Rose Garden

If you want to find out more about the garden, you can click Portland Parks & Recreation website and use
the park finder. If you're a lover of beauty, check it out.



One Last Cluster