Central Oregon

Tomorrow we begin our long drive back to Ohio. It's been a great visit here in Oregon! Last post I shared some photos of our time in the Portland area. This post is all about Bend and central Oregon - a very different place though it's in the same state.

Bend is high desert whereas western Oregon is an evergreen rainforest. The climate here is more similar to Boulder than to Portland. And the smells! Warm volcanic rock... dry juniper... wood smoke and pine sap. I make sure to stop and take a deep breath from time to time.

The purpose of coming to Bend was to spend some time with my grandparents who have recently moved out of their house and into an apartment. We watched a lot of World Cup soccer with Grandpa and took a walk down to the river with Grandma. My mom and I played a little piano concert in the lobby of their building, and Ted and I drove my grandma to Sisters where we had lunch and visited the fabric store.

Ted and I also did a couple hikes - one above Tumalo Falls and the other around the Newberry National Volcanic Monument near La Pine. Our cats have been getting to know their 'cousins' - and fighting through the sliding glass doors. We've also observed lots of wildlife, from deer in the backyard and raccoons stealing cat food to lizards running over lava rock and quails skittering across the road.

Like I said, it's been a great trip, and we're already looking forward to the next time we can be here...

an excellent restaurant, if you're ever in Bend

inside Spork

curry, chilaquiles, and thai noodles - all superbly delicious

Grandpa enjoying my mom's piano playing

Grandma bought us lunch in Sisters

Our cats feel right at home here:

kitty cousins, George and Figo

backyard denizen

sky, sky, SKY!

poppies

and more poppies!

 Tumalo Falls area:

this photo is unedited, just FYI

Newberry National Volcanic Monument:

Grandpa does NOT do selfies, thankyouverymuch.

And that's it! Tomorrow morning we shove off, leaving all this gloriousness behind us.