It was one of the slowest seasons on record for the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn this year, so when we drove out there last week, many of the fields were just barely beginning to bloom. Still, we took our time, enjoying the rare sunny day, walking to the far edge of every field, looking for every single spot of color we could find. Now, a week later, the tulips in our yard are just starting to bloom - Apeldoorn and Kelly Triumph mostly. And I'm thinking about what we'll plant in the fall and when we'll make another drive to Woodburn.

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There are more than a thousand documented waterfalls in Oregon and even more across the border in Washington. Over the last eight years, I've walked thousands of miles to experience the sense of solitude and quiet you can only find in the heart of an Oregon forest, surrounded by the roar of falling water. The shifting shape of the water, ever in flux, compels you to find a place to sit or stand and slow your breathing. Step out of time and set aside your thoughts as the light moves and the air, heavy with moisture, rolls away from the base of the falls. Forest Waters by Eric Muhr sloika.xyz/ericmuhr.eth/forest-waters

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When we have guests who want to see the best of Oregon, but they're only here for a day, we drive to exit 31 on I-84 and walk under the tunnel and across the road to the Multnomah Falls Lodge. I always walk them to the viewing platform and suggest they should climb at least as far as the bridge. We get back on I-84 eastbound and take the exit for Ainsworth State Park, heading west on the Columbia River Gorge Historic Highway. Our second stop is Horsetail Falls. Back in the car, we continue east. We slow down as we pass Multnomah Falls again, so they can get another glimpse. We don't stop here or at Wahkeena because the parking in both spots is always terrible. But you'd be surprised how frequently we find the parking area at Bridal Veil Falls practically empty. And the restrooms here are almost always clean. It's a longer walk than at Multnomah, but the first section is paved, and the rest of the way is gravel. So our friends (who mostly don't pack boots for vacations in Oregon) can still make the walk without getting muddy. If they're hungry at this point, we drive toward Portland (and Korean barbecue or bún bò huế). But if there's time, we'll make one more stop at Latourell and maybe one more after that at Vista House. From May 26 to September 4, there's a parking fee, time limits, and very large crowds. So this trip is one we save for the wet season 😁

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