Portland

Yesterday we visited Bridge Meadows, an intergenerational living project where seniors and families of adopted kids share an apt. complex, and all are involved in helping the kids. This is extremely appealing, but the waiting list is years long. Something to think about.

Portland is a fine town, funky and creative as the Bay Area was once upon a time (before the Dot Com invasion, for example.) Smaller and more relaxed, too, and full of parks where wildlife abounds. yesterday we hiked through a park where douglas fir, ponderosa pines, Oregon ash, and many other stands of native trees thrive. A wetland was home to many ducks, including the somewhat elusive hooded mergansers. We heard a pilleated woodpecker pounding on a tree, but couldn't spot it. These are the big woodpeckers, their pounding sounds more like single strokes than other woodpeckers' rapid rat-a tat.

There are funky cafes and threatres and cafes here, teriffic book stores, many interesting projects, and a generally friendly feel to the town. We will pass through here again in some form.