After Wedding Blues?

No after the wedding blues for us...we went on a vacation for three days! What a great way to end what was, a great wedding weekend. Tom and I took our daughter and grand daughter to Hood River, in Oregon. We figured this would probably be the last time our daughter would have "time away", before baby # 2 arrives. Her husband stayed behind to work and take care of our two dogs. Monday morning we packed the car and headed south to Portland, Oregon.

For us, it's about a four hour drive. When you have a pregnant mom, we took lots of potty breaks, so we arrived about five hours later.

First thing we did was put our feet in Columbia River.

The temperature outside was about 95 degrees.

Hot, hot, hot!

~~~~~~

We stayed in a Hotel that was right downtown. This hotel had so much charm. In the evening there was a group of gentleman who played Blue Grass right in the lobby. The doors were open to the street and people stopped in, to listen. We plopped ourselves down on the big, overstuffed, leather chairs, to enjoy the lively music. Our grand daughter loves to dance, so she got up and kept the beat with her little feet, and twirled around. Our daughter couldn't resist either. We had so much fun!

~~~~~~~

We walked up and down the town. Ate ice cream and found a water fountain that we couldn't pass up.

Hey...who has Grandma's hat on?

~~~~~~

Our second day we took what is called the Fruit Loop. This is a scenic road that takes you around to all the fruit groves in the Hood River area.

Mt Hood, Oregon



~~~~~~


Later that afternoon, we crossed the great Columbia River from the Oregon side, to the Washington side. The toll was 75 cents! What a deal! We visited the small town of Bingen, on the Washington side.


~~~~~~

On our last day we packed up and headed east to Pendelton, Oregon.

Tom and I had visited this rustic, cowboy town last year. We toured the Pendelton Mills, where they make fabulous blankets, and clothing. In the back of the store they have a "2nds" area, where all the items are discounted because of some little flaw. But I looked and looked and couldn't find anything wrong. So this year, I couldn't pass up this opportunity for get more woolen blankets!

This is the Pendelton Woolen Mills. Small but mighty! And yes, I did buy some blankets and a little toy lamb that just had to go home with us!

Someone fell in love with it.

~~~~~~

We browsed around Hamley & Co, a store also in Pendleton. Hamley & Co. is a very unique store, that opened over a 100 years ago, making custom saddles for cowboys. Today they have saddles and so much more.

While I was looking after the little one...

(If you look carefully you can see Lamby)

Tom was looking after me and bought me this handmade purse!

~~~~~~

Our trip home was beautiful. We went through Eastern Washington. Very remote and barren but very beautiful.

~~~~~~

One last stop before we ended our vacation. This is a Fruit Stand that we see all the time when we visit Eastern Washington. But I never have stopped. This time we did. Yummy! Lots of fruit!

We ate cherries the rest of the way home!

We talked about this trip when we got home. We have voted to make it an annual event.

Come visit Washington and Oregon.

It was a great time!

~~~~~~Y~~~~~~

~ Tidbits~

You don't have to buy expensive "delicate wash" detergents for sweaters and washable silks. Use shampoo.