July 26, 2007

misties grab the sun


misties grab the sun, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

the shadows spread over Husum Falls and the White Salmon River. I had rafted the river earlier in the day but we portaged around Husum Falls since Sarah is still in training and hasn't guided a raft over the falls yet. Not being a particularly strong swimmer or familiar with these crazy currents, I'd rather not be in the boat the *first* time she goes over. She wants to go over with a boat full of river guides. An excellent plan.

driving home to Portland after my Trout Lake weekend

I should be going but I like staying

It's always so hard to drag myself away from Trout Lake on a beautiful Sunday evening

my friend, my guide


my friend, my guide, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Sarah was a fantastic guide down the White Salmon River. She's in training so we didn't go over Husum Falls and we only had to pay to rent the wetsuit, helmet and PFD ($20). Camille and I along with Sarah's friend Jason had a wonderful time on the water. Two other guides kayaked along with us as safeties. It was a beautiful sunny day to be on the water.

Here she's sending the raft down the crazy contraption that goes down the steep cliffs to the White Salmon River below.

launching into the whitewater

the crazy stairs at Zollers down to the launch point for rafting the White Salmon. The black tubes on the left are part of the rigging for getting the rafts down to the water's edge. whoa

the light is mesmerizing

Chiron stares at the flickering candles. He would soon be distracted by Camille's bubble wand. I was distracted by the crazy blue clouds in the darkening sky. By night the clouds would be all gone and billion zillion stars would be out.

first dance (with twirls and a big dip)

Jess & Mike having their first dance as husband and wife. Cross Eyed Rosie played a lovely song about the Pacific Northwest. Then we can all dance!

happiness is contagious


happiness is contagious, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Kissing my friend on her very happy day. We are two Wisconsin girls who have found our home in Oregon. Jess is a wonderful friend and a beautiful bride. Mike is a lucky man! They are a couple that will last. I know it.

Wauna Lake

entertaining my date (so the other half of my date can eat)

I took Chiron from Alicia & Lincoln so they could eat dinner without juggling a baby. We walked over to the pond where we danced to the music and checked out the magnolia blossoms and candles floating on the water.

cross eyed rosie at a wedding!

I was so excited when I found out that Cross Eyed Rosie was playing Jess & Mike's wedding. I hadn't seen them play in a few months and what place to see them!

At the end of the night I rode the barge back across the lake with the band and all their equipment. My first barge ride ever! The clouds had cleared up and the stars were spread scattershot across the sky, the Milky Way a creamy band down the center. It was a lovely end to a wonderful night.

my very attractive dates

Lincoln was part of the band playing at Jess & Mike's wedding so I asked Alicia and Chiron to be my date. Three blondes and an open bar! Chiron holds a bubble wand

married people going for a boat ride

When you get married on a lake you gotta go for a ride on the boat afterwards. Mike brings the boat around to pick up his new wife, Jess.

Wauna Lake in the Columbia River Gorge

the bride must be sequestered

Mike was back on this side of the lake so Jess had to move back indoors

lincoln's got it good


lincoln's got it good, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

He was saying just that to me when I took this photo. Look at that family! My friend Lincoln played at my friends' wedding! It's a faux pas for musicians to bring their girlfriends & babies to wedding gigs so I asked Alicia & baby Chiron to be my date. Such a fun wedding!

the bride is beautiful


the bride is beautiful, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Beautiful Jess in her beautiful dress with her beautiful flowers in the beautiful green backyard. My friend got married...

girls in the bathroom


girls in the bathroom, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Julie, Jess' sister fixes her hair while her mom looks on with a big smile. I was the official dress helper, having gone with Jess to the bridal shop to learn how to help her put it on, lace it up and later bustle the train so it wouldn't drag (so much) in the dirt.

lakeside wedding


lakeside wedding, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Jess and Mike got married at Mike's family's cabin on Wauna Lake in the Columbia River Gorge. I've been here with them before and it's a beautiful location on a lovely lake surrounded by the cliffs of the Gorge. There is no road that goes to the cabin, you have to come across the lake on the boat. All the wedding guests were ferried back and forth. It was a really fun night. I'm so happy for my friends.

taking the plunge


taking the plunge, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Jess and Mike's fantastic wedding cake! The cake lady had never made a cake with a waterfall and kayakers before. Mike actually made the kayak which she didn't think she could come up with one. Everything is edible except for the trees. I waited for the chocolate layer to be cut before having my piece.

Mike of course is a great kayaker and Jess is getting pretty skilled herself. They will be out on the water a lot together.

The married people are off exploring British Columbia right now. The big honeymoon is in winter...New Zealand!

dirty vegetables


dirty vegetables, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Wampler shows off the bounty of his garden. Cauliflower!

They're ripping up his quiet Trout Lake street to replace the water main. He can't wait for them to be done. shhhhhhh!

my trout lake afternoon


my trout lake afternoon, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Wampler had harvested about half of his garlic crop. We dried it for a bit then I braided it. I would get into a Zen mode in the front yard braiding garlic for hours. Different people would stop by and hang out with me. Wamp bought me beer, Sarah bought me ice. All in all I would make 14 braids with about 175 heads of garlic. whoa. I'd never braided garlic before. I'll never forget how.

my trout lake morning


my trout lake morning, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

I woke up and picked raspberries from Wampler's garden while my coffee was brewing. I lounged around in the backyard reading and drinking my coffee, hangin out with Wamp then I picked more berries. Then I baked a raspberry cobbler. It was delicious. yumm!

fire at flat top


fire at flat top, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

A burn ban is in effect in Klickitat County so no more fires in Wamp's backyard until the fall rains return. Fires are still allowed in the National Forest so we drove up the Forest Service Road a bit until we passed into Gifford-Pinchot National Forest then had a fire at the Flat Top Sno Park. Lots of music and lots of friends.

rural entertainment


rural entertainment, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Watching the mountain at sunset is a favorite local activitity. I would hang out with Laura, an Americorps field leader at the shore of Trout Lake (the lake in the town of the same name) as the sunset to the west of Mt Adams. I drove up right after work on Thursday. I love my three day weekends in summer.

berries and garlic, brides and grooms, rivers and friends

Hello everyone!
I had a wonderful long weekend out of town. I left for Trout Lake straight from work on Thursday and arrived around 7pm. After setting up my tent in Wampler’s yard I drove to the lake where I sat for a long time watching birds dive bombing for insects, the cloud cap on the mountain forever changing and the light eventually turning it pink before fading away. I chatted with an Americorps girl, Laura, who was also there to watch the mountain at sunset, a favorite evening activity in these parts. I drove back to Wamp’s and we headed up to Flat Top Sno Park. There’s a burn ban on in Klickitat County so no more fires in Wampler’s backyard until the autumn rains return. In the National Forest it’s still legal to have a fire though. So we drove up the Forest Service road a few miles and a bunch of us gathered at Flat Top for fire and music. It was a great night and the fire was great. Half the people work for the Forest Service so they’re very aware about putting out the fire completely and having it somewhere safe. It was oddly rainy here last week (the remains of some typhoon) so the fire danger is actually quite low for this time of year. I spent part of the night talking with Jason who hopefully will be leading me and some friends up to the summit of Mt Adams the last weekend of August. We never know though because he could always get called away on a fire. Andrea had been gone for two weeks fighting the fire near Burns, Oregon (good name non?). The fire was over 200 square miles and her group was one of the first to arrive. I would get to hear stories when she returned on Sunday.

Friday morning I woke up and picked some raspberries in Wampler’s garden while my coffee was brewing. I read my book and hung out with Wamp in the backyard before going back into to pick even more berries. I showered and then made a raspberry cobbler with the fresh berries. Oh it smelled so good! Continuing on with the bounty from the garden, Wamp had harvested about half of his garlic crop. We dried it a little bit then I started braiding it. I sat in the front yard for hours braiding garlic. Sara came by and hung out with me, chatting about our Sunday rafting plans and drinking beers with me in the grass. Jimmy came by and hung out with me while I was finishing up. I got into some Zen mode and ended up braiding all the garlic, over 175 heads into 14 braids. Whoa! They sure were pretty! Wamp prepared a bunch of the food for the potluck he was hosting Saturday and I grilled up my steak for dinner. We had a mellow evening hanging out on the porch.

Saturday I woke up and showered and read my book outside. I was finishing making a late breakfast when Dave and Steve arrived from Portland as Jim the Bad Goat was playing the Trout Lake Arts Festival. I wasn’t able to see them play as I was going down into the Gorge for a wedding. I changed into my dress and got ready and drove 45 minutes down just past Stevenson. I parked and saw Mike, the groom, hanging out in a parking lot, eating cheese and crackers. I gave him a big hug then got in the shuttle van that was taking us up the hill. Once out of the van we got into boats that took us across Wauna Lake to the cabin where the wedding was being held. Inside I found Jess in the bathroom with her mom putting on her makeup and looking beautiful already. I helped her put on her dress and laced it up. I was the official dress helper having gone to the bridal shop with Jess to learn how to put the dress on, lace it up and bustle up the train so it wouldn’t drag (so much). The photographer had arrived and took Jess out back for some photos. Jess was really a stunning bride and the setting on the lake was just beautiful. Mike came back across the lake so Jess moved back inside the cabin and was moments away from getting married. I went outside and took my seat. It was a lovely little ceremony right on the lakeshore. Afterwards the newlyweds took a boat ride on the lake and had some photos taken on the other side of the lake.

Dinnertime arrived and I was lucky enough to help carry Jess’ dress (the buffet was in the muddiest part of the yard. It was fine for the rest of us, certainly not a sloppy mess, but for the girl with the long white train it was less than ideal. By helping Jess I also got my food first and sat down for a relaxing dinner. The food was fantastic, especially the short ribs and the salmon. Yummmm! I had just finished eating when I heard baby Chiron and decided to see if Lincoln and Alicia needed some help. Indeed they were just sitting down to eat and were juggling the baby with forks and water glasses. I took Chiron and we explored by the little pond, dancing to the music and checking out the plant life. He eventually fell asleep in my arms (awwww) and Alicia put him in the sling for a little nap. There were champagne toasts and the cake cutting. Jess & Mike had one of the most incredible cakes I’d ever seen. The kayakers going over a waterfall was just perfect for them! Jess and Mike had their first dance and then we all danced. Cross-Eyed Rosie, the bluegrass band Lincoln plays in, was the band so of course the music was wonderful. I danced with Chiron and the rest of my friends and had a fantastic time.

When it came time to toss the bouquet Jess threw it right at Camille who made no attempt to really catch it but rather watched as it bounced off her and landed on the ground. Apparently she’s not into the idea of being the next to marry. I spent the rest of the evening talking with friends and dancing. As it got late I said goodbye to the bride. We’ll be camping together next week so I look forward to hearing about their trip to British Columbia. Their big honeymoon trip will be in the winter when they go to New Zealand! I hopped on the barge that was taking the band and all their equipment back across the lake. It was my first ride on a barge. As we went across the water we could see that the clouds had finally cleared and all the stars were spread out above our heads. It was a wonderful end to my evening. Though it wasn’t quite done yet.

I drove 20 miles up Hwy 14, a very twisty curvy road with 5 tunnels then turned north on Hwy 141 which would take me to Trout Lake. On this last road I had to slow several times for deer and stop completely for two fawns that would not get out of the road. All in all I saw 6 deer, one raccoon and a skunk. I arrived at Wampler’s house to find the party in full swing. I talked with Dave for awhile and neither one of us were really in the mood for dealing with the drunks that had taken over Wamp’s house. There were lots of people I didn’t know including a handful of genuine rednecks. One of the guys referred to his girlfriend as a “piece of pussy” to which I replied, “You’re a real charmer!” He said, “I don’t have to be.” Well clearly… They left very late honking their horn and screaming out the window. Good riddance. I brought in the remains of the potluck from the outside table, not wanting to wake up to wild animals attacking the leftovers at 4 AM. I didn’t sleep very well in my tent as people were hanging out in the backyard and being loud until very late. Sigh!I woke up early Sunday when my alarm went off. I made coffee and ate some food before Camille and I drove down to BZ Corners. At Zoller’s Outdoor Odysseys we met Sarah, my friend who’s in training to be a river guide. After the safety talk we walked down the crazy steep stairs to the launch point on the White Salmon River. I got to sit in the front and enjoy the full blast of the water. It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day out so it felt great. The rapids were fantastic and Sarah was a wonderful guide. We portaged around Husum Falls as Sarah has not yet gone over the falls. Near the take out point we all helped Sarah to flip the raft, a harder proposition than it seems, so she could practice getting up on it and flipping it back over. We drove back up to Zollers where we changed out of the wetsuits and thanked Sarah for our Sunday morning adventure. I drove Camille and I back to Trout Lake where we hung out in the backyard before going to KJs for burgers and milkshakes. Back at Wampler’s there was more lounging around, banjos in the backyard and lots of dogs running around. Andrea got back from her fire adventure and told me crazy stories about fire tornadoes and working 16 hour days. She was wiped and went home with Jimmy for a shower and a big home cooked meal. I packed up my stuff and drove back to Portland, stopping at the White Salmon River to look at the falls and think of my great rafting trip. I can’t wait to go again!
So that was my weekend. I leave tomorrow for my first ever backpacking trip. Gina and I will be hiking a loop just south of Mt Jefferson. We’re both really excited!

Please let me know how you are and what you’ve been up to!

xox,
carolyn

July 19, 2007

putting en masse


putting en masse, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

The huge putting circle at the end of the Rose City Open at Pier Park. Everyone putts, whoever makes it in putts again. The last person to make the putt gets the prize.

golf gallery


golf gallery, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Watching the leaders' group on the final day of the Rose City Open at Pier Park. This was Elaine's first disc golf tournament. I never play anymore. The trees on this hole are a bitch. obviously

tomato eater


tomato eater, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

I had just gotten home from camping for the weekend. Before I even went inside my house I headed straight for the garden in the backyard where I ate the first three red cherry tomatoes. So satisfying!

Time to unload the camping gear and shower. Salt water be gone!

purple stars in the blue sky

Gina pulled this starfish from the sandy bottom as we were about to finish our raft ride. The tide was ripping out and the currents were too strong for us to fight with two little oars. We returned the starfish to his salty home in Hood Canal.

Olympic Peninsula in the distance

have beet, will travel


have beet, will travel, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Gina and I in the raft bobbing around Hood Canal. The tide was really ripping out. We walked as far south down the beach (tide was low and there were crazy amounts of oysters on the rocky beach) as we could before putting in then were pulled north by the strong currents. We didn't go to far out, both of us having a healthy respect for the tide, currents and large bodies of water that go to the ocean.

Gina is my friend that likes to do stuff. We get to explore lots of amazing places together. In two weeks...our first backpacking trip! Whoop Whoop!

it's not quite sailing (but I still love it)

Out on the raft on Hood Canal, our last little venture before driving back to Portland. I love being out on the water and can't wait for sailing again with my sister and her boyfriend. He got a newer and bigger sailboat and which will be kept near Vancouver BC. We'll be exploring Canada by boat!

bartered berries


bartered berries, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

A woman I work with gives me blueberries from her yard. I give her tomatoes and squash from mine. What a deal.

berries with yogurt and granola for breakfast at the campsite Sunday morning. yummmm

the seal and the snow


the seal and the snow, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

This is the first time I've ever gotten a seal and a snowy mountain in the same frame. A seal swims around Hood Canal, a fjord at the southern end of Puget Sound, with Mt Olympus looming on the Olympic Peninsula in the distance.

sun geometry


sun geometry, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

sun rays falling down into the Duckabush Valley. Kitsap Peninsula looking across to the Olympic Peninsula

fresh falls into salty


fresh falls into salty, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

rain coming our way as we float around on Hood Canal, at the southern end of Puget Sound.

Mt Olympus & the Olympic Peninsula in the distance.

Scenic Beach State Park

raft honks


raft honks, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Gina and the Jim Beam, floating around Hood Canal with the Olympic Mountains in the distance. The raft was fantastic until the rain came. The drizzle at first was fine but the pelting rain was a bit much so we went in. Halfway back to our campsite the sun came out again. We would go out on the water again the next day.

oysters aplenty


oysters aplenty, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

More oysters than I've ever seen in my whole life! Low tide at Guillemot Cove revealed huge fields of oysters and zillions of tiny crabs. This is not a place for bare feet.

Mt Olympus peaks out in the distance

mt olympus and the mud


mt olympus and the mud, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Low tide at Guillemot Cove on the Kitsap Peninsula. Mt Olympus (elevation 7962 feet) rises in the distance on the Olympic Peninsula

the tall trees above the salty water

the last light fading away to the west as the sun sets over the Olympic Peninsula. Time to start a campfire.

Scenic Beach State Park on the Kitsap Peninsula

the ever-changing light on the water

the sun drops over the Olympic Mountains. View from Scenic Beach State Park on the Kitsap Peninsula looking across salty Hood Canal.

the wood guy was wonderful

We drove up the road from the park to buy some firewood. I'd never seen wood sold like this. We bought a box of big wood (16 pieces for $5, one of these 75 cent firestarter boxes and a box labeled "small bits and pieces" for $1.50). He then told us about a nearby hike which we would do the next day.

mt olympus can rise above it

Mt Olympus sticks its head above the clouds. View from Scenic Beach State Park on the Kitsap Peninsula looking across Hood Canal to the Olympic Peninsula and the Olympic Mountains. Hood Canal is the very southern end of Puget Sound.

walls of green so we can't see you

our very private campsite at Scenic Beach State Park. The rhododendrons and other bushes grew thick below the cedars.

tacoma narrows times two

The new Tacoma Narrows Bridge is days from opening and charging a $3 toll. We drove over the old bridge to the Kitsap Peninsula. The new bridge is now the longest twin suspension bridge in the world.

The first bridge (called Galloping Gertie) famously collapsed in 1940 twisting and then falling into the strait...

scenic beach is indeed scenic but couldn't they come up with a better name?

Hello everyone!I had a great weekend camping with Gina up in Washington. We left Friday before noon and headed straight up I-5. Somewhere after Olympia traffic came to a grinding halt and we advanced 7 miles in an hour. Ughhhh! There had been an accident with a semi that had taken out at least 100 feet of guardrail. We got off I-5 and crossed the Tacoma Narrows Bridge onto the Kitsap Peninsula. We had a site reserved at Scenic Beach State Park which is right on Hood Canal looking across to the Olympic Peninsula and the Olympic Mountains. Hood Canal is at the southern end of Puget Sound so it is salt water and subject to tides and some serious currents. We pulled up to our site and were pleased to find that it was so private. Rhododendrons and other bushes grew thick beneath the trees provided a great screen between us and other campers. Yeah!

We set up our tent and unloaded our other gear before walking down to the waterfront. It was a rocky beach with a billion zillion oysters on it. Unfortunately oyster season was closed otherwise we could have had some very fresh oysters! It was sunny and warm and the view across the water was stupendous. The Olympic Mountains were blue silhouettes rising through thin ribbons of white clouds. We walked down the beach to the park boundary then walked back up through the campground. We drove a mile or so down the road to buy some wood since they didn’t sell any in the park. The guy selling wood was fantastic. He had kindling in milk cartons and popcorn tubs and other boxes of wood labeled “small bits and pieces”& “large bits and pieces” for cheap. We bought some kindling, bits and pieces (heehee) and a box of logs (16 pieces for $5). As we were leaving he told us about a short hike to a nearby cove on the water. He told us the beach was bigger there and it was a good place to explore. We thanked him for the tips and drove off to our campsite.

At our site we read our books for a while and Gina took a nap in the tent before walking down to the beach to watch the sunset. The sunrays across the mountains was really spectacular and the light on the water was ever-changing. We talked to some Navy boys on the beach who asked, “Are you college girls?” to which I burst into laughter and responded, “I graduated from college 9 years ago.” Hee hee. After the sun was down we walked back up to our site where I started making dinner and Gina started a fire. We cooked some of our food over the fire: corn on the cob & potatoes. We also decided to try out some dehydrated food as we prepare for our backpacking trip (next weekend!). The beef stew in a pouch was very tasty and we were pleased to learn that dehydrated food is not such a bad choice when weight is a main consideration. We talked around the campfire before sleepiness took over and we crawled into the tent.

Saturday morning I read my book and ate blueberries and drank my coffee as the birds made strange sounds high in the trees. Gina got up and I made breakfast for us (eggs and potatoes) and we packed lunches for the day. We drove a few miles up the road and parked at a trailhead for Guillemot Cove, where we hiked in just under a mile to the beach. This was the walk that the wood guy had told us about. On the hike in I slipped on a rock (this part of the trail was actually a gravel road) and stumbled down to the ground. Ouch! My new short pants were ripped and my knee was bleeding and my camera (always what I’m trying to protect) took a blow on the rocks. I was far more worried about the camera than my bloody knee which was sore and stinging but otherwise fine. Amazingly the camera still works but it’s definitely looking a bit beat up.

The tide was out when we arrived so we walked across huge mud flats before getting to rockier areas we could walk on more easily. There were more oysters here than I’ve ever seen in my whole life combined. This area is a nature preserve so no harvesting is allowed. There were also a zillion little crabs on the beach. I’m sure I crushed hundreds of them as we walked across the beach (sorry!). Gina and I found one small sandy spot where I put a towel down and we had some snacks and watched birds fishing in Hood Canal. Mt Olympus was snowy against the blue sky and tall herons walked along the water’s edge. We walked along the beach for awhile, collecting smooth rocks and shells before hiking back up to our car. We drove back to our campsite where we drank cold beers and read our books. Gina went into the tent to take a nap while I kept moving my camp chair into the shade as the blazing sun was way too hot. Later in the afternoon we blew up the raft and took it down to the water. The tide was in and the water was smooth and glassy. It was so fantastic to be out on the water, bobbing around looking at the Olympic Mountains in the not too far distance. It began drizzling which was fine with us until it turned into pelting rain. We rowed to shore and began walking the raft back up to our site; halfway there the rain stopped and the sun came out. The weather is so fickle in this area!

Back at the site we read more and then walked back down to the water in the evening to watch the sun set over the Olympics again. We walked down the length of the beach collecting rocks and beachglass (only one frosty piece, the rest was just glass which I threw back out into the water to soften those sharp edges with time). We saw a seal poke his head out of the water with Mt Olympus right behind him. It was definitely the first time I’ve seen a seal and a snowy mountain together. I doubt anything goes hungry in these waters as the sea life (the oysters alone!) is so abundant. We learned that the largest octopuses (octopi?) in the world live in these waters but we weren’t lucky enough to ever see one. We walked back up to our site and Gina started a fire and I started cooking dinner (spaghetti!). Dinner was very satisfying and we spent the evening talking around the fire.

Sunday morning we read and relaxed around our site for awhile before packing things up. We took the raft down again to the beach. The tide was out and the current was really ripping so we walked as far south down the beach as we could knowing we couldn’t row very effectively against the current. We drifted up along the shore, not wanting to venture out too far given the conditions. We both have a healthy respect for strong currents, the tide and large bodies of water that flow to the ocean. Gina pulled a starfish up from the sandy bottom and soon after we went to shore. We deflated the raft (a hilarious sight I’m sure) in the parking lot and then headed back to Portland. There were no traffic problems this time and we were home in about 3 hours. I went home and showered and unpacked before driving out to Pier Park. I met up with Elaine, Kyle and Gina. Elaine and Kyle had both played in the Rose City Open, a disc golf tournament. The pro and advanced groups were finishing their last rounds. We watched Dave Feldberg, the best disc golfer in the world, play a few holes then we walked over to see Aaron (a golfer who I’d been on a date with the previous week) play a few holes. After the tournament (Feldberg won by 9 strokes!) we hung out and watched people throwing for distance. At the end there was also a huge putting circle. Everyone putts at once and whoever gets it in gets to putt it in. The last person to make it in wins the prize. It was fun but I was beat after the long weekend so I went home where I read my book and went to bed.

So that was my weekend. Please let me know how you are and what you’ve been up to!

xoxo,
carolyn

July 16, 2007

camio and the big fire


camio and the big fire, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Camille sitting in the backyard around the chiminea. The fire was raging so much I had to change seats.

the boys putt, the girls yak

backyard at Elaine & Gina's house for Sunday night dinner mob. I actually tossed a stack of discs myself, even got a few in the basket. The clink clink of the chains is still so satisfying. I never play anymore.

backyard putting green


backyard putting green, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Brian tosses some discs towards (sometimes in!) the basket in Elaine & Gina's backyard. Sunday night mob dinner. good times!

sunday seafood eaters


sunday seafood eaters, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Camille goes in for an oyster, fresh from Netarts Bay on the Oregon coast and bought at the Portland Farmer's Market.

Cam & Kelly brought two fresh crabs too. Seafood extravaganza for Sunday!

bride to be with tattoo boy

Jess gets her lap dance from tattoo boy at Darcelle's. oh lordy

Jess' bachelorette party

dirty things are happening in the corner

Camille and Jamie laugh and cringe as the stripper gives a lap dance to a bride to be and her friend in the corner. It was obscene. He was making out with the girls! If you even move like you're going to touch a female stripper you are thrown out of the joint. It's a whole different deal with male strippers I guess. I was disturbed by what I saw. Get a room!

Darcelle's in downtown Portland for Jess' bachelorette party

the most ridiculous strip tease EVER

This guy, stripping at Darcelle's, started off pretending to be driving the Batmobile. Then he ripped off his Batman shirt to reveal a Superman shirt. He got on his belly on a chair on stage and pretended to fly. Then the music changed to Jaws and he pretended to swim from a shark. Then he was Flipper. It was the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Then he took his clothes off. Female strippers couldn't get away with this nonsense.

ridiculousness at Darcelle's for Jess' bachelorette party

the brides to be with the drag queens

at the end of the drag show they bring all the bachelorette's up on stage. Poor Jess didn't have a tiara or penis antennea. bahahaaaa

Darcelle's in downtown Portland

jamie gets a feel


jamie gets a feel, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Jamie gives a dollar to the drag queen and she grabs her hand. whoa!

At Darcelle's for Jess' bachelorette party