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Girls Weekend in Bingen, Washington
Syncline Winery in Lyle Washington Our girls weekend in Bingen was orchestrated entirely by my friend Melissa who was celebrating her birthday. We started off the festivities with a trip to Syncline Winery in Lyle, Washington. We were welcomed to the winery with a glass of rosé. The birthday girl decided to try a bottle of Picpoul as none of us had ever heard of it, much less tried it before. Here is the description from the wine list that piqued our curiosity “This intriguing wine has bright lemon balm aromas and flavors that are backed by lively citrus zest and wet stone notes.” I’m not sure what a wet…
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A Local’s Guide to Gorgeous Flowers in the Pacific Northwest
In this post I am sharing some of the best places to find flowers throughout the Pacific Northwest. Since I live in Oregon, most of the locations featured here are local to me, but I have also included a few amazing spots not to be missed in Washington. Rather than write extensive details on each place, I’ve added photos to help you discover what you can expect. Each month features the flowers in peak bloom during that month. MARCH Cherry Blossoms at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon APRIL Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn, Oregon Holland America Tulip Farm in Woodland, Washington Hulda Klager Lilac Garden in Woodland,…
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Dry Creek Falls Hiking Guide
Our family set out to find a new hiking trail that is both family friendly and not too crowded like many of the better known trails. While this trail did have a gradual slope, I would classify it as an easy hike with the biggest incline at the last 1/4 mile before the falls. Located in the town of Cascade Locks, Dry Creek Falls is a family friendly hike through forest trails in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. This short hike follows along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and takes you through a beautiful forested area to Herman Creek. It’s the perfect spring hike when the weather is…
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Herb Crusted Salmon
Herb Crusted Salmon When you live in the Pacific Northwest as we do, salmon is part of our regional heritage. For generations, salmon have played an important role in the local Native American tribal religion, culture, and diet. Early explorers Lewis and Clark feasted on roasted and dried salmon and made detailed descriptions and drawings of the salmon they saw in the Columbia River, noting how abundant the fish were in the area. Today, we learn about the salmon life cycle in our schools. Students raise fingerlings and release them into local rivers. We visit fish hatcheries and count the salmon in the fall when they migrate up river. We name rivers and streets after…
