…of driving and camping across the country brought us to Connecticut yesterday afternoon. Our route wound through northeast Oregon, western Washington, the Idaho panhandle, Montana, northeast Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut. Whew!

As much as I would have liked to take scenic back roads across the western states, it was just more practical to stick to the interstate. We enjoyed the ever-changing landscape, frequently rolling down a window to get photos of mountains, rivers, fields, cattle, clouds, and the occasional billboard we found ironic or comical.

We passed the time by studying road maps, listening to NPR stations along the way (making good use of The NPR Map), and scrolling through Joel’s ipod to create a road trip soundtrack. Frank Zappa’s “Montana” was in my head for the entire state. We also read to each other from Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, by David Sedaris. This lead to many bouts of laughter and provided us with an arsenal of jokes for the rest of the trip. With a little background knowledge of the Sedaris family (after having previously listened to his books on tape), we attempted to read the dialog sections with the appropriate voices, our favorite being that of his brother, “The Rooster.” It was a sad moment when the final chapter was finished.

The best drive-by birding was in South Dakota. Even in the rain, the grasslands were full of red-winged blackbirds, meadowlarks, red-tailed hawks, kestrels, goldfinches, and others. Two states stood out as having the most impressive scenery: Montana and Wyoming. Another had the nicest people, and that was Minnesota. We would have liked to stay in these places for longer, to hike in the snow-capped mountains, learn to fly fish, paddle along rivers, and ride our bikes around little towns. But our bikes stayed locked to the roof rack, and the closest we got to fishing was stepping into a fly shop and outfitter after getting coffees in downtown Missoula. Next summer we can go back. We have already started planning the trip, and it includes a little cabin at the edge of the Gallatin National Forest just north of Wyoming.

Here’s a little of what we saw along the way. The full set of photos is here.

Sapphire Mountains and cattle, western Montana

the Absaroka Range and hay bales, southern Montana

storms over the Bighorn Mountains, from MT-WY border

Buffalo Gap National Grassland, South Dakota

sunset in southeast Minnesota

more pictures…

You will notice there are no photos after Minnesota. As soon as we entered Wisconsin, the view from the interstate became less impressive and the traffic more frustrating. In fact, for day 4, I would have liked a do-over. What should have been a 9-hour drive from Wisconsin to Ohio, wound up taking us 18 hours because of holiday traffic and insane construction projects. Illinois was more like Illinnoying, and Ohio (”the birthplace of aviation”) seemed to be “the birthplace of aggravation.” Day 5 had some interesting scenery through Pennsylvania and Connecticut, but when I was not driving, I was sleeping, so the camera stayed in the bag.

The absolute best thing about living in Corvallis for the past 18 months is that Joel and I have had an opportunity to spend a lot of time with our good friends, Brian and Carrie. The four of us have become really close, and I cannot wrap my head around the fact that we will now be over 3000 miles apart. (Thank goodness for Google chat!) No doubt, we will still meet up for snowboarding trips, weddings, and possibly over holidays.

Today is the last of four very lazy days we have spent at B&C’s house. As usual, we have whipped up amazing creations in the kitchen, played a little “one-handed” bocce in the yard, sat around a campfire with pints of homebrew, and hit up our favorite places around town. Last night we ate at Strega (again), shared a bottle of Willamette Valley Pinot noir, and gazed out at the view of downtown Corvallis as the sky turned dark pink and the sun set behind the Coast Range hills.

Here is a highlight reel of our regular adventures and activities together:

camping trips and sittin’ round the fire

triathlon (B&C compete, we cheer them on)

snowboarding, dog sled rides, and tailgate lunches at Mt. Bachelor

picking cherries

bocce

holidays feasts with pumpkin pie “in the fashion”

fancy drinks and homebrewing

Deadliest Catch parties

paddling

late night euchre games

NASCAR, chopping wood, and beef jerky on Sundays (the guys)

“man-days” and girls’ days out

Frisbee golf at Willamette Park

Of course we will also miss Abby. She and Byron round out our little family of six and never fail to keep us amused and on our toes. It has been comical to watch their relationship evolve. When they first met, she wanted nothing to do with him. Now they are great companions and, when the wind blows just the right way, they might even romp together in the yard or play tug-o-war with a rope toy. They like to share a bed by the fireplace and snuggle up in the back of the truck when we’re at the mountain. While they have very different personalities, they are a good pair, and I know they will miss each other’s company very much.

Brian and Carrie, we’ll miss you very much. Thanks for everything you’ve done for us; most of all, thanks for building with us a friendship that no number of miles or years could compromise. We love you!

Baskets of berries for snacking, truck loads of sweet corn in August, fresh-cut dahlias in every color, naturally-raised meats and artisan cheeses, local honey, lavender jam, homemade soft pretzels, potato donuts, … I didn’t appreciate farmers’ markets until I lived in Corvallis. Now I depend on this source of fresh-from-the-farm products every weekend.  Shopping here has encouraged me to try new and unusual produce.  Plus, I like knowing where my food comes from and meeting the people who grow it.

Aside from all the yummy baked goods and brightly colored produce, there is always great people watching. This morning it was over 90 degrees, so we treated ourselves to some sweet honey lemonade and took a rest in the shade. A toddler, riding in a plastic wagon, passed by. His face and hands were red with strawberry juice, and a whole flat of berries was nestled at his feet. Dogs and puppies led their people through the crowd and took in the delicious aromas. And the man who wears lederhosen was be-boppin’ to some live music.

Lucky for me, the Albany, NY area has dozens of markets like this, and I can’t wait to find some new favorite goodies.

Byron likes a place where everybody knows his name, and at West Hills Animal Hospital they all like him too. He gets so excited when we pull into their driveway that we can barely get his leash clipped on before he leaps from the truck and heads for their lobby door. Once inside, he sits politely near the counter where the treats are kept and looks cute for the staff so they will hand him a snack.

In just over 18 months, we have established a wonderful relationship with our veterinarian and his staff. They have provided Byron with the best care possible and have offered compassionate support to Joel and me through some emotional decisions and procedures. Thanks to them, we caught Byron’s tumor just in time and now look forward to giving him the best golden years a dog can have.

We stopped in at the hospital at noon today to say goodbye, and Byron casually accepted affectionate hugs and ear scratches from everyone there. I am always so impressed with how comfortable he is with them. I think he understands, in his own way, that they took care of him when he was scared and sick. (Plus they give him treats).

Saying goodbye was difficult. I don’t think we will ever find another veterinary team that compares. We will forever be grateful to Dr. Amsberry and his staff and will miss them dearly.

You might think I can get these anywhere I live, but there’s something really special about Willamette Valley wine and filberts that I won’t be able to enjoy back East. It is one thing to sip a glass of a famous Oregon Pinot noir, and quite another to taste that same wine while standing on the very soil that gave it its complex Earthy tones.

Take Tyee for example. A small, family-owned operation at the southern end of Corvallis, this lovely winery produces less than 2,000 cases of wine each year and is one of the most beautiful places I have visited in the area. At their Memorial Day anniversary parties we have spread out our blankets on the lawn and feasted on picnic goodies while savoring a bottle or two of vino. And last October I spent one crisp day near their filbert orchard, capturing the fields and surrounding woodlands in watercolor. It is a place to find tranquility and be reminded of the connections we humans have with the land.

There are many local wines I have come to love since moving to the Northwest. We have a spot reserved in the front of our pick-up truck for a couple cases of favorites. Tyee’s Pinot noir and Gewürztraminer account for one of these cases. The other contains a variety, including a few remaining bottles from the Sierra Foothills (from our days in NorCal).

Now about the filberts….

Like I said, Tyee grows some, and they are a good excuse to drive all the way out there during the fall. Last year I bought a 5-lb bag and roasted them during the holidays. Another great place to get them is Hazelnut Hill, also in south Corvallis. 90 percent of all the filberts (AKA hazelnuts) in this country come from Oregon, and they really do taste better fresh from the orchard. It won’t be the same if I have to buy them in small bags from supermarket produce departments - most likely I will have some shipped from Hazelnut Hill. I guess I’ve been a little spoiled here. But, hey, I’ll also find new local products to cling to in NY.

There are countless delicious uses for filberts. One of my favorites: toast them, grind them up, and add them to pancake batter. (And note, there is absolutely NO SUBSTITUTION for Vermont maple syrup!)

Roasted Filberts

Thoroughly rinse filberts (still with shells) and spread them in the bottom of a baking pan (something with sides, like Pyrex).

Add enough water to the pan to barely cover the bottom. This will keep them from burning.

Liberally sprinkle salt over the filberts.

Roast in a 400-degree oven for about 15-20 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue roasting fro another 15-20 minutes.

Keep an eye on the water level. You may need to adjust the roasting time. Allow the nuts to roast a few minutes beyond when the water is evaporated. The nuts will be a little moist right out of the oven and will crisp up as they cool. You can always put them back in the oven for a few more minutes if they are still moist/chewy after cooling. I find every batch cooks a little differently.

…baby owls! My parents took this photo of these Barred Owl siblings that have been hanging out around their property. Yesterday they had the cardinals all in a tizzy as they perched suspiciously on a nearby limb.

It will be so nice to spend some time next month at the home where I grew up. It’s in the woods, where it’s cool and shady, and you can watch all the wildlife from the 360-degree deck. Right now, after a very long day of loading a moving trailer (when you marry a literature student there are many, many heavy boxes of books), I can’t wait to be in CT, relaxing with a Long Trail Blackbeary Wheat and listening to the quiet rustle of leaves on a mid-summer evening.

I can’t recall being in such awe of clouds anywhere else. Maybe I notice them more now that I am into my artwork full time. The colors, patterns, and variety are so beautiful that I catch myself admiring them out loud, even when no one is around. No doubt, the geography and weather of the region (we are situated in a scenic valley between two mountain ranges) creates these interesting skies.

The photo above was taken last evening. We hiked up to Bald Hill with our friends before sunset for a little solstice picnic. I probably sounded crazy, but at one point I looked out across Corvallis to the Cascade foothills and remarked on the deep teal color of the hills. They perfectly complemented the warm, peachy clouds.

There’s no question about it - the best blackberries grow in Oregon. Byron would agree, and if their branches weren’t so prickly, he would eat them right off the bushes. He learned his lesson the hard way when I had to untangle the thorns from his ears.

Come late summer, blackberries will be featured in every course on restaurant menus, and kids will wander through the farmers’ market with purple faces and little boxes of fresh berries in hand. Everywhere you walk in town, you will see them. You can even pick handfuls as you hike along a trail or walk on the bike path.

I wish I had a perfect blackberry recipe to share here, but I’ve used them so many ways that I don’t think I can recommend one single recipe. The less you mess with them, the better they are. I believe I enjoyed them most during a camping trip when we just snacked on them with slices of homemade crumb coffee cake and French pressed coffee.

In February of last year I walked into The Arts Center, introduced myself, and filled out a membership form. The woman at the desk was a volunteer, and I thought, hey, I’ve got a little extra time. So the next week I began my weekly volunteer shift at the Art Shop. I saw this as an opportunity not only to help out the organization, but to become familiar with the local art community and get to know some other artists as I began my own art business. I am constantly impressed with the creativity that exists in this area, and The Arts Center does a fantastic job of bringing people together and promoting education for and involvement in the arts.

My contribution has been to talk with visitors, assist in the Art Shop and with a couple of day-camps for kids, and complete office-related projects like mailings. I know the staff appreciates my help, and I am glad to whatever is needed. What I have received in return, however, I feel has been much greater.

The staff at The Arts Center is a group of talented women who, whether they realize it or not, have been really supportive of me in my new career as a full-time artist. I have been working at home in my own little studio, away from co-workers and bosses, meetings and memos. I love having such a short commute, but it requires more of an effort to get the feedback and inspiration I need from others in my field. So I have looked forward to my Wednesday volunteer shift when I can talk shop and view the gallery shows, while taking some tedious but important task (like counting stickers) off someone’s plate. It’s good to have this kind of a break during a hectic and stressful week. Most of all, I leave feeling encouraged to keep making art. Whether a pair of my earrings has sold, someone asks me how my portrait is coming along, or I am inspired by the presentation of the latest exhibit, each afternoon at The Arts Center gives me a little push forward and reminds me that I’m on the right path.

Thank you ladies. I admire you all and will not ever forget you!

]]> http://megsodano.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/the-arts-center/feed/ megsodano http://megsodano.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/day-trips-to-the-coast/ http://megsodano.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/day-trips-to-the-coast/#comments Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:13:02 +0000 Meg Sodano http://megsodano.wordpress.com/?p=193

I grew up spending my summers on the water. On a small tugboat, I traveled with my family along the shores of southern New England - island hopping, collecting shells, fishing, sailing. (In the photo, I’m on the left) Boats and salt water are in my blood. But Nantucket Sound is much different from the Pacific Ocean. Out here the atmosphere is less about quaint harbor villages with warm beaches, sand bars, gentle surf, and more about breakers pounding against cliffs, howling winds, and charismatic marine mammals. In this way, the Pacific Coast is wilder, and more exciting. It’s roughness, however, makes it more difficult to get to know. To me, the Pacific is this vast cauldron of ever changing life and chemistry - migrations and currents - the push and pull of tides and plates. So much is going on beneath that shiny blue surface, and while I cannot see it, it is awesome to comprehend.

I’ve written a lot on this blog about my frequent outings to the coast. Some people have even asked me if I live near the beach, having seen this subject matter in several pastel pet portraits. Actually, I feel as though I didn’t spend enough time out there in the 20 months I’ve been in Oregon. In California, I would drive out to the Marin/Sonoma Coast almost every other weekend to hike, wander, and watch wildlife. I am sad to say I did not get to see a single gray whale this season, because I only got out to the ocean twice during their migration. Regardless, the times I have spent exploring the central coast of this green and blue state have been fantastic.

A few highlights….

• Nye Beach (in Newport): We loved getting to know Sylvia and spending time with friends and dogs. Our favorite place to grab a bite to go is the Nye Beach Market on Coast Ave. Their sandwiches are do die for. If a storm blows in, we head to the Village Market & Deli, where we can wait it out over some tasty soup and/or a glass of wine.

• After hiking through dense forests of Sitka spruce, I was rewarded with incredible vistas at Cascade Head.  Below is a watercolor of this scene.

• On our anniversary, we went tide pooling in the rain at Cape Perpetua. I was inspired by the beautiful purples and golds in the mussel shells on the beach.

• In April I spent a day birding and sketching at Yaquina Bay. Technically it was work - research for an illustrated book I am creating. But it helps when you can take off your shoes and stick your feet in the sand while you work.

• During this morning’s kayak tour along the slough at Siletz Bay NWR we saw ospreys and songbirds, and a fish jumped over the bow of my boat.