Wisconsin, Portland Snow Storms, and Yet Another Move

It had been two years since I had been home to Wisconsin for a visit with friends and family so I decided it was time to make a pilgrimage to America's Dairyland the first week of December, before it got too cold and snowy. Getting ready to head out for a ten-day vacation was a bit more stressful than imagined but after wrapping up things at work, packing, and dropping Cole off with friends, I soon found myself being shuttled off to the airport by a dear friend. After a very quick layover in Salt Lake City, Utah, I safely landed in Madison, Wisconsin where the air temperature was a chilly thirty-four degrees, a significant difference from Portland at the time. Shortly after de-boarding the plane, I grabbed my luggage and quickly headed for the rental car pickup counter. In no time at all, I was on the road, headed to my favorite dive bar, Topp’s Hideaway in Windsor, to see my first round of friends and take in a traditional Midwest Friday night fish fry.

At Topp's Hideaway

 On Saturday morning, after crashing at a friend’s place in Windsor, I headed to the west side of Madison to treat myself to sushi at Takara, a place that just happens to have the best California Rolls I’ve found so far in all my travels. I had a little time to kill before my next meet up with friends, so I drove by my old apartment, the one I had been living in last before moving to Oregon, to see how it was doing. As much of the city, it appeared as not much had changed so I headed downtown to wander around the state capitol building and take some pictures. Unfortunately, my camera went on strike, apparently it did not appreciate the cold Wisconsin temperatures, so I had to make do with my iPhone. After exploring each level of the capitol building, I met up with a friend at a new microbrewery, Octopi Brewing, that had opened in Waunakee. After sampling a flight of beers, I was off again and headed to Middleton to see my favorite local jazz pianist at Louisiannes. After a dirty martini and a delicious appetizer sampler, I was off to meet up with some friends for dinner at Sa Bai Thong, my favorite Thai restaurant in Madison. It was fun catching up with everyone over the familiarly delicious food but before we knew it, we found the restaurant eerily quiet and it was soon clear they were closing down for the night. After saying farewell, a few of us girls headed over to a wine bar, Eno Vino, to keep the conversation going. A couple hours later, I found my eyes too heavy to continue with the festivities, so I headed over to my friend’s house to crash for the night.

Sunday morning snow

Sunday morning, I awoke to a winter wonderland of falling, fresh, white snow. I quickly took a shower and dressed in my Packers gear and headed out to make the one hour drive east to Delafield to meet up with my family for an early Christmas celebration. The drive was a bit nerve wracking at first, after all, it had been three years since I had to drive in snow but, I soon found it was like riding a bike and before I knew it, after grabbing some lunch at Culver’s, I had safely arrived at my parent’s house in one piece. The Packers game was in progress and my sister and her boyfriend had already arrived so it was easy to slip into the festivities; it almost felt as if I had never left. Throughout the night, we drank my dad’s famous brandy old-fashions, cheered on the Packers as they went on to win their game, exchanged presents, and ate a decadent dinner prepared fresh by my dad.

Packers Christmas with family

Monday morning, I said farewell to my sister and her boyfriend and once my parents were ready, we headed out to their local U.S. Cellular store to trade in their old flip phones and get them new iPhones. That process took a little longer than expected but once all the paperwork had been signed, contacts had been transferred, and accessories had been installed, we were off to lunch at Applebee’s next door to begin the training process. My parents had never used smart phones before let alone texting or Facebook. After a slight technical setback in the setup process, they were soon on their way to practicing texting, making phone calls, using FaceTime and so forth. I wish I had had more time to spend with them to get them better acquainted with their new phones but as in most of the trip, I was on a tight schedule and needed to say farewell and make the drive back to Madison to meet more friends for dinner and drinks. The night flew by and it was so good to see everyone and catch up with all the things that had been happening in my friend’s lives. Before I knew it, it was late, I was exhausted, and it was time to head to my cousin’s place to call it a night.

Dinner with friends at Bonefish

Since my cousin didn’t have to work on Tuesday, we had the entire day to hang out with each other. We ran a few of her errands before stopping at her favorite wing place, aptly named Chicken Lips, for lunch. We then grabbed a Bloody Mary at the Eagle Crest Tavern before heading north to see my sisters new house in Pardeeville. After getting the grand tour there and hanging out a bit, we drove to Topp’s Hideway (aka the best dive bar ever) to meet up with some more friends and watch my DJ friend host karaoke night. Before I knew it, it was time to take my cousin home. While at her place, I gathered up my things, and headed back to Topp’s to finish out my last night in Wisconsin, karaoke-style. After the bar closed, I got a room next door at the Super 8 hotel, and hung out a bit talking with a friend. In no time at all, it had gotten way too late and I had to say goodbye and get some rest.

A few hours later, with a bit of a headache, it was time to get up and get on the road. After checking out of the hotel, I stopped next door at the Mousehouse Cheesehaus to pick up some cheese curds for friends back home. Then I met up with some more friends for my last lunch in Wisconsin at Ha Long Bay. Again, it was great seeing everyone and catching up over delicious food. When the time came, I hugged everyone goodbye and headed to the airport to drop off my rental car and catch my flight back home.

Landing in Portland was a bit frightening, there were some strong winds that night that shook the plane around and even turned our stomachs a bit. Luckily our pilot could navigate through all that and we landed safely. My same friend who originally dropped me at the airport picked me up and took me to pick up Cole from my other friend’s place before taking me home. It was great reuniting with Cole, who expressed his excitement for my return by running around in circles, barking a high pitched, excited whimper, and essentially climbing me like a tree until he was in my arms and licking my face. It is my humble opinion that everyone should get to experience that kind of greeting at least once in their life, it’s a very special thing. After my friend dropped me and Cole at home, I unpacked, got in my pajamas and hit the sack.

Cole relaxing with me while I was sick

Thursday morning, I woke up with a cold. I wasn’t surprised, my trip had been a whirlwind six days of go-go-go, with lots of drinking and not a lot of sleep. I was relieved that it had held off until after I got home though so that I was fully able to enjoy my time in Wisconsin. I still had four more days of vacation time, originally slated for a road trip to Eastern Oregon, but since a snow storm was approaching and I was sick, I decided to stay home and simply focus on resting in the hopes that I would be feeling a lot better by Monday when I returned to work.

Unfortunately, that did not happen. Saturday and Sunday nights, I was unable to sleep and was experiencing mini-panic attacks every time I dozed off. I had the feeling that if I were to allow myself to sleep, for some reason, I would stop breathing. After 48 hours of not sleeping, I went to urgent care on Monday morning, desperate for their assistance. They gave me some medication for the anxiety, which also helped me sleep, did a chest x-ray to make sure I didn’t have pneumonia and monitored my heart and oxidization rates while I dozed to make sure I was getting enough oxygen and that my heart rate was ok when I slept. The medication did wonders and soon I was feeling a lot better. Since I couldn’t drive on the medication they gave me, a friend picked me up from urgent care and drove me home. Once home, I slept for eight hours, woke up to eat dinner, and then went back to sleep for another ten hours. I woke up Tuesday morning feeling so much better and went back to work to begin the long process of catching up on all that had built up while I was out of the office for eleven days.

By Wednesday though, we had more snow in the forecast. I had left early for an appointment that day. It was already snowing heavily (by Portland standards) when I left work for my appointment and by the time I was done with that, the traffic was almost at a standstill. It took two hours of slipping and sliding but I eventually made it home without any incidents (or accidents). A lot of other folks in the city were not that lucky. Many people slid off the road, into other cars, while others had to abandon their vehicles because they couldn’t get up hills. Unlike Wisconsin, Portland does not use salt on the roads. The whole city shut down and most folks enjoyed a snow day at home on Thursday and even some on Friday too since most schools were still closed at that time.

My new home

I had gotten word on Wednesday night that my application for an apartment I had looked at earlier that day on my lunch hour had been approved and that I needed to take possession of the unit by Friday in order to get the special concession they were offering. Having one day to prepare, I spent a good chunk of time on my snow day making arrangements to move to my new apartment. I managed to get everything in order including packing all my belonging before I left for work on Friday morning.

At 1:00pm on Friday, I signed my lease and by 7:00pm my helpers had arrived in St. Johns to load up my belongings and by 10:00pm, everything had been unloaded into my new apartment in downtown Portland. Shortly thereafter, a friend and I headed out for celebratory cocktails and food a few blocks away at Luc Lac. My new apartment is conveniently located just across the street from my work so my commute is now a two-minute walk instead of a 45 minute drive. It’s much easier to walk Cole whenever I need to and my stress level has significantly been lowered by the move. I’m excited to start cooking at home again and can’t wait to host my first party on New Year’s Eve. It’s amazing how much can happen in such a short period of time. 

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Election Meltdowns, Road Trips and Photography Goodness

The past couple of months have been busy, emotional, difficult, motivating and inspiring. Let's get the difficult part out of the way first. The election results were extremely difficult for me to process. I, like many folks I know, were shocked with the outcome. I had a really strong and emotional response -- it was unlike anything I had ever experienced before so needless to say, I was ill prepared on how to process the reaction. I think this comic sums it up pretty well.

I knew I couldn't hide under the covers forever so I took a day trip with Cole to the coast to clear my head and regain my composure. After I failed to find my intended trailhead for the God's Thumb hike, which has been on my "must hike list" forever, Cole and I ended up at Roads End State Recreation Site in Lincoln City and spent the day walking the beach, taking photos and chatting with a few people we ran into along the way -- mostly though we were alone and that is exactly what I needed. During my walk, I came across a heart-shaped rock which seemed like just the sign I needed amidst my sadness, fear, anger, disappointment, and frustration. When I got back home that night, I did a lot more reading about logical things I could do in light of this new incoming administration. I decided to increase my monthly charitable giving so I could add in some new organizations that I feel will be more important now than ever to support. I also decided to get more involved in local politics here in Portland in hopes to be more informed about the issues locally and nationally and can take action if and when needed. I'm looking forward to attending my first Civic Drinks event at Portland City Club in just a few weeks. If you're in the area, maybe I'll see you there?  

Found at Roads End State Recreation Site

On the upside, I have been lucky to attend some especially great lectures these past couple of months at Blue Sky Gallery, the Portland Art Museum, and the Multnomah Arts Center. Rich Rollins' presentation at Blue Sky Gallery was a breath of fresh air to how photography can be approached, what it can mean and how it can be shared with others. The stars aligned the other month when I reached out to the gallery to become a volunteer. The gallery manager had been wanting to start a networking event for local photographers through Meetup.com but didn't have the time to get it off the ground. Lucky for her, I have a successful history of leading Meetup groups and am happy to report I organized and hosted the first Blue Sky Photography Explorers Meetup event at the gallery as well as began my monthly gallery sitting shifts there the other week. The networking event was a success: it was fun, a diverse group of photographers showed up, and it seemed to be well-received by all who attended. I'm looking forward to resuming our Meetups in the New Year, after everyone is finished with the holidays.

I've been regularly attending the Portland Art Museum Photography Council Brown Bag lunches since earlier this summer and was lucky to be present for Charlie Haughey's presentation in October. After Charlie was done showing his photographs taken during the Vietnam War and opened up the presentation for questions, we (the audience) all watched as a man from the audience stood up, announced which division of the the army he served during the Vietnam War, then held up a pencil and said "and I have a pencil here with your name on it". Charlie squinted from the stage to see who the man was and shortly thereafter, recognized the man, called him by name, obviously surprised, and then asked him to join him on stage. The audience erupted with applause as the two men reunited with a hug on stage. Charlie said they hadn't seen each other since the war (40+ years) and it was clear he had no idea the man would be there that day. Charlie shared with us the story of how they met in the army, how Charlie asked the man for a pencil, then erased his civilian job title from the documents that were completed during his intake that he was carrying. Charlie asked the man to write in "photographer" instead (so it wasn't in his own handwriting). When the time came in Vietnam to determine what role he would play in his unit, after a slight misrepresentation of his professional background to his commanding officer, Charlie was given the role of army photographer and hence, the wonderful images he shared with us that day. It was such a special moment to be witness to.

Who truly most inspired me so far at the brown bag series was November's presenter, Austin Granger. His choice of words, so poetic, give me hope that it is indeed possible to beautifully meld words and images into something spectacular -- just like what I hope to achieve with a project I've been working on the past few months, the Spaces Between Collection. You can listen to Austin's presentation here and above and I highly recommend you do. His words are like poetry and when combined with this images take the experience to a whole new level. I also purchased his book, Elegy From the Edge of a Continent, a selection of photographs from visits to Point Reyes spanning ten years as well as a collection of his essays. If you're looking for a great gift for a friend who enjoys photography, this would be perfect.

Cottonwood Canyon State Park

On Thanksgiving day, in light of last years misadventure, Cole and I decided to give the whole holiday road trip idea another try and drove to Cottonwood Canyon in eastern Oregon to do some hiking. If you've been following along my journey here for some time, you may remember that I attempted to hike this park last summer but sadly, due to a poorly timed pulled back muscle, I only got to experience the park for the time it took to setup a tent, make a sandwich and then tear down the tent once realizing that camping, let alone hiking, was not going to cooperate with my back. I'm happy to report that this years visit was successful though and Cole and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the canyon via a trail that runs between the John Day River and the edge of one of the canyon walls. The fall colors were spectacular and the desolation of the place was exactly the sort of thing I enjoy. That alone time to just be, to take in the sound of the wind and river and the smell of the grass. To imagine all the history that comprises the area -- a place that predates civilization. It was a wonderful reminder of exactly why we need to preserve places like these.

Lastly, some shameless self-promotion! I currently have three photographs on display in the Portland Photographers Forum Annual Show at the Cedar Hills Recreation Center. That show goes through December 3rd so if you're in the area, I highly recommend you check out all the great photographs on display and for sale there. While on the subject of items for sale, I also have 2017 calendars available for purchase. If you would like to order one, please shoot me an email. With the holidays just around the corner, I also have a lot of new prints available on my website, so please be sure to check those out, they make for wonderful gifts!

My photographs available for viewing & purchase
at the Cedar Hills Recreation Center

2017 Calendars $25/each

NEW PRINTS NOW AVAILABLE

www.KristinRoosmalenPhotography.Zenfolio.com

Next Chapter

A couple of friends and I decided to do a girls weekend camping trip on the Nehalem River in the Tillamook State Forest shortly before Labor Day. One friend got there early to hold our walk in, non-reservable camp site. The other friend arrived the next day and I arrived the following morning. Cole enjoyed running around the site, hanging by the fire and of course eating some camp food. My giant new tent definitely took up some serious real estate at our site but we managed to all squeeze in. It was nice; with how stressful the first half of this year has been, I needed to get away and just relax with my friends for a bit, even if for only one night.

I had been living downtown near Union Station since November of 2014. I liked my apartment and parts of my particular neighborhood. It was close to my job, the Saturday Market, the waterfront and the Pearl District. It was super easy to get just about anywhere in town because I was pretty much in the center of Portland. The rent was fairly reasonable for the area but still way more than I wanted to keep paying. I started looking on Craigslist for apartments and rooms for rent. I met with one couple in Hillsboro who had a room for rent in their house. They seemed nice enough but it quite didn't feel like the best fit. Then I met with a group of women in St. Johns who had a room for rent in their house and after three hours of conversation and two glasses of wine, it was clear the chemistry was right. So, I gave notice at The Yards at Union Station and began planning my move.

Hello, St. Johns!!!

Since I was going to be condensing my life into one bedroom at the new place, I decided to downsize and get rid of a lot of my furniture and belongings. I sold a lot of things on Craigslist and Offer Up and gave a lot of things away to my neighbor as well. Since I didn't have much to move after that, I decided to forego my usual hiring of movers and planned to move everything myself and with the help of a few friends. Instead of boxes, I used Instacart fabric grocery bags. Instead of a truck, I used my Toyota Corolla and made several trips back and forth as well as hiring a couple on Task Rabbit who got the majority of my personal belongs transported to the new place in one trip. For the bit of furniture I had left, a couple of friends came over with their pickup truck and made two trips. After cleaning up the old place, I took one last look around, turned in my keys and with my bike strapped to the rear end of my car, drove off to start a new chapter in my Pacific Northwest adventure.

After getting everything situated in my new place, I sat on my bed, took one deep breath, a quick look around, and said to myself, "Now what?" The move was rough and took a lot more work than anticipated. The thought of heading right back to work the very next day felt like more than I could bear.  Since it was Labor Day and most folks were headed back to Portland, I decided it was the perfect time to treat Cole and myself to a pampered night on the coast. I used some travel points and reserved the nicest room available at the Salishan Spa & Golf Resort. When Cole and I arrived, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that our room was super spacious, had a gas fireplace, balcony overlooking the bay, a jetted jacuzzi tub and super comfy King size bed. I ran into town and picked up some snacks and wine and proceeded to enjoy a night in by the fireplace, watching the sunset over the bay while some relaxing music from my iPod filled the room.

Cole enjoying being dried off on his birthday

The next morning was officially Cole's 8th birthday so I wanted to make it an extra special day for him. I ordered him his very own room service breakfast to enjoy in bed. We did lots of lounging in bed, listening to the gentle rain fall outside. We went for a walk in the rain and afterward, Cole enjoyed one of his favorite things: a towel rub down to get dry. He always makes the funniest noises while he rolls around in the towel, usually falling over at some point and then wiggling around until he gets his footing and starts the cycle all over again. After I enjoyed a much needed foot treatment at the spa, we took advantage of our late checkout by lounging just a little bit more before hitting the road, heading north along the coast, stopping at Cape Kiwanda to enjoy some beach time before heading back to Portland.

I recently started volunteering at Newspace Center for Photography, helping out at the front desk, answering phones, registering folks for classes and such. There is a group of volunteers who meet once a month to do a photography critique and I've been to one meeting so far. Every photographer there is super talented and I'm looking forward to getting to know each of them better. Through one of the staff people at Newspace, I learned of another group called the Portland Photographers Forum which, after checking out their website, seems like a really good fit for me. Soon, I'll officially be a member and will begin enjoying lectures, outings and opportunities to showcase, and possibly sell, my work. While on the subject of submitting work, I submitted some photography for the first time ever for consideration in a gallery exhibition whose black and white theme seemed like a good fit for what I've been most interested in lately. Unfortunately, my work was not selected but, as usual, it was a good learning experience. Soon, I will also begin volunteering at Blue Sky Gallery and already have an opportunity to help with closing down an exhibition to get it ready for the next one.

Last weekend I went hiking with a friend on Mt. Hood at Catalpa Lake. The weather was supposed to be clear but just our luck, the rain did not let up until we had already hiked to the lake and were on our way back to the truck. Cole didn't seem to mind the rain too much until we were in the truck on our way home where I imagine the lack of movement helped the cold set in.  He did enjoy being wrapped up in a blanket and cuddled most of the way back to Portland though.  Once home, I was pleasantly surprised to learn I could watch the Packers play and then not so pleasantly lose to the Vikings.

Reminiscing with the forest

This past weekend, with the weather beautifully sunny and warm, the same friend and I returned to Mt. Hood and explored some other areas, including one off-road spot near Bonney Meadows. After a mile or two in on the rocky, dirt "road", we turned back and decided to check out High Rock, where we ran into an older man in the area for a funeral who decided to check in on the forest that he once managed before heading back home to John Day. He told us he started working in forest management when he was 20 years old in 1967 and then pointed out toward the mountain and explained how some of the work was done in specific areas. It was fascinating to listen to him explain the work, it was obvious he had a strong respect for the trees and landscape of the Mt. Hood National Forest. He also explained how the industry changed over the years, especially in the 1990's, and admitted mistakes were made with the cutting of some areas of the forest. After parting ways with the man, we went to a nearby lake where the fish were jumping and the salamanders were swimming. After leaving the lake, we went to two different meadows where the afternoon light was perfect for photos. Once the sun receded behind the tree line, we began the drive back home.

It's been a busy couple of months with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. There are lots of things coming up and I look forward to sharing those experiences with you here soon.

To view more of my photography, please visit:

www.KristinRoosmalenPhotography.Zenfolio.com

Also, check out my newest and ongoing project: The Spaces Between

So Many Lives to Live

Ghosts of Lives Past and Future

For those of you who use Facebook, you may be familiar with their memories feature where each day, you can see what you posted on Facebook on that day one, two, three, and so forth years ago.  I think it's great! I love to look back at those memories, to see what I was doing, to know how I was feeling, and now knowing everything that has happened since that point in time.  In a way, it's kind of like having the ability to see the future.  I look at a picture or a status update and I know what will happen in the next day, week, and year after that point in time.  It's a strange feeling to be able to look back at one particular moment in your life, knowing that in that moment, you had no idea of what was to come next.

When I look at these moments in time, sometimes it's as if they are a completely different life,m. I'm overcome with the realization that so much has happened since that moment.  So many people have come into my life. Each significant interaction like a chapter in a book. How many lives do we live in our lifetime? I'm not sure if I believe in reincarnation, but if it exists, how many have we lived before?  How many will we live after this one ends?

To this affect, I love buying new-to-me used books. The books sometimes have items left in them like a business card, old receipt or piece of scratch paper. My mind wanders when I think about who read the book before me, what was happening in their life at that moment, how did the book impact their life, if at all?  These items seem to get to live many lives of their own. Kind of like the old Redwood trees that have stood for 300 years.  Imagine what they've seen? How many lives, both human and animal, storms, sunrises and sunsets have they been quiet observers of?  So much life has crossed their path.

Often I feel insignificant in time and in the world when I think about these things, knowing that my life is a small moment in history compared to the history of time and all of the things that have happened before me and will happen after me.  It's easy to feel like I have no impact on this world and perhaps I don't really need to.  Perhaps just being present in these moments of each passing day is all I need?  The pictures I take and the words I write are a small way to immortalize my moments here in time.

To view more of my photography, please visit:

www.KristinRoosmalenPhotography.Zenfolio.com

My newest and ongoing project: The Spaces Between

An Oregon Family Vacation

When I moved away from Wisconsin in June of 2014, my dad started to secretly save a little money here and there in hopes of getting enough so he and my mom could one day come visit me in Oregon. Recently, my dad surprised my mom with the news of what he had been doing and that he finally had gathered enough money for them to take the trip. Thrilled with the exciting news, together they called to let me know.

Seeing as my parents hadn't been on a real vacation in forever and not knowing when, or even if, they would ever be able to visit again, I felt I needed to plan a trip of a lifetime. Having not seen them in a year and a half, I was eagerly looking forward to their visit. A few days after their call, I booked their flights online and started planning an epic itinerary for a proper Pacific Northwest adventure, keeping in mind their mobility limitations. There are so many wonderful places and things to do here that it was hard to fit everything I wanted to show them into a 10 day trip. 

A month or so later, I was picking them up from the airport and the very next day, our whirlwind of an adventure began. Since my company picnic fell on the first day of the trip, I decided to take them to my office and give them a tour before we went to the picnic and I introduced them to my coworkers. After the picnic, I took them for a drive over the St. Johns Bridge before stopping for a beer at Saraveza. I had made dinner reservations at Portland City Grill so they could take in an epic view of the city while the sun set. When we were done, we went home, watched a movie and then went to bed.

Jellyfish tank at LeChon

The next morning, my mom and I walked a couple of blocks down the street to the Portland Saturday Market where my mom purchased several items and I scored a couple new stickers for my car bumper. We then walked back to my apartment to join my dad and have lunch at the Dockside Saloon & Restaurant before visiting the International Rose Test Garden. Once we had our fill of roses, we drove to the South Waterfront to ride the aerial tram up to OHSU and then back down again. I'm a bit afraid of heights but surprisingly, it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. After finishing the ride, we stopped at LeChon for a cocktail while we watched jellyfish float around a giant tank behind the bar. We had dinner reservations at Huber's Cafe but stopped in to check out Kell's Irish Pub beforehand. Once at Huber's, we enjoyed the table side preparation of Spanish coffee before ordering dinner and enjoying our meals.  Once we had our fill, we returned back to my apartment to call it a day.

Oregon Coast Scenic Railway

We awoke the next morning and began a four day road trip along the Oregon coast. Our first stop was at Ecola State Park for a quick stroll on Indian Beach followed immediately with a stop in Cannon Beach so my mom could pick up some warmer clothes, more appropriate for the cooler coastal temperatures. We then drove south to Garibaldi where we boarded the Oregon Coast Scenic Railway train and rode that to Rockaway Beach, where we had a quick layover and then headed back to Garibaldi. Cole was surprisingly not so happy with the train ride but did much better on the way back from Rockaway Beach than he did on the way there. Once we deboarded the train, we grabbed a late lunch at the Upstairs Bar & Grill in Netarts Bay before making our way to our hotel room at the Inn at Wecoma in Lincoln City.

Anemone at the Oregon Coast Aquarium

In the morning, we continued south along the coast, stopping quickly at Boiler Bay where we spotted some whales and then Devil's Punchbowl where we were greeted by super friendly squirrels. We dropped Cole off at Animal House doggy daycare before heading to the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. There we saw all sorts of anemones, jellyfish, fish, otters, seals and birds. We grabbed lunch afterward at Georgie's Beachside Grill before picking Cole up from daycare and continuing south. We stopped to stretch our legs and check out the gift shop at the Fireside Motel in Yachats. Afterward, we took a short stroll to the beach to catch some of the infamous wave action in that area. We continued south, stopping for a couple cocktails at the Loft Restaurant in Bandon before going to Coquille Point to watch the sunset. After the sun went down, we continued south to our hotel room at Inn of the Beachcomber in Gold Beach.

Rock hunting in Gold Beach

Originally we had planned to stay at the motel for one night but decided since we got in so late and it was such a nice room with an ocean view, balcony and fireplace, we would stay another night. So in the morning, instead of packing up to hit the road again, we went into town, had lunch at the Port Hole Cafe and then stopped in the gift shop across the way. We then drove south to California to visit the Stout Grove Redwoods, part of the Jedediah Smith State Park. On the way back to the hotel, we picked up some food from the deli at Fred Meyer and had dinner on our balcony before heading down to the beach to do some rock hunting and watch the sunset while seals played in the surf.

Drive through Wildlife Safari

The next morning, we began our drive back to Portland. We stopped to pick up some gifts at Myrtlewood Gifts before going to Cape Blanco State Park to visit the lighthouse and enjoy the beautiful view. We decided to go to the drive through Wildlife Safari on the way home. There we saw all sorts of animals: emu's, giraffes, bears, zebras, deer and more. We purchased a feed cup to feed the deer who were more than happy to stick their heads right in my car windows for a snack. Afterward, we grabbed a quick dinner at Sonic and then finished our drive back to Portland.

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

Since the next day was predicting rain, and having just done a bunch of driving, we decided to stick around Portland and enjoy a Portland Spirit Lunch Cruise. Afterward, we stopped at Billy Ray's Neighborhood Bar for a drink, then went to the Made in Oregon store in the Lloyd Center Mall before exploring the exhibits at OMSI. When we were done there, we stopped at Fred Meyer to pick up some supplies to make a really nice dinner at home. We enjoyed steaks, sautéed mushrooms, twice baked potatoes and roasted asparagus while we watched a couple of movies in the living room, sipping on Old Fashions. It felt very much like being at home, in Wisconsin. 

A tad foggy but still beautiful in Paradise on Mt. Rainier

The next day, we packed up the car again and hit the road. Our first stop was at the Johnston Ridge Observatory on Mt. St. Helens where we watched a 20 minute film about life after the eruption in 1980 before continuing on the road, stopping for lunch at Harry's Place in Toledo. After we finished lunch, we got back on the road and headed to Mt. Rainier National Park. We drove up the curving road to Paradise, shrouded in fog which obscured the view. We did spend some serious cash in their gift store and walked away with many items, my favorite of which is the clothing we got -- all different but all branded with Mt. Rainier. Luckily, as we continued east in the park, the fog dissipated a bit and we were able to see some spectacular views. We stopped for dinner at 1885 Bar and Grill in Naches and then drove through the dark, star-filled sky night to our hotel room at the Three Rivers Inn in Wasco.

Painted Hills

The next morning, we piled in the car again and headed out for the Painted Hills. This drive, as desolate as it is, is always beautiful. We made a couple of stops for photos along the way including the giant windmill farm and also enjoyed a bathroom break at a rest stop next to the John Day River where we enjoyed the quiet, the sun and a watching a couple fishing on the river bank. We then drove some more and finally arrived at the Painted Hills for more pictures, exploring and just enjoying the beauty of the landscape. When we were done there, we started to head back to Portland, stopping for a late lunch/early dinner at the Horseshoe Saloon in Prineville before enjoying the scenic drive through the Willamette National Forest. Once home, we watched a two movies before calling it a night. 

View from Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood

The next day was our last full day together. We woke up in the late morning and drove through the Columbia River Gorge, stopping to take in the view at Chanticleer Point before visiting Latourell Falls. After a long wait in a long line of cars, we finally were able to see Multnomah Falls before getting back on the road and heading up to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. Once at Timberline, we ordered Old Fashions and lunch at the Ram's Head Restaurant and enjoyed the view from our table right next to the window where we could see everything for miles and miles around. After we had finished lunch, we left the restaurant to check out the gift shop before heading back to Portland. On the way home, we stopped for gas and were pleasantly surprised by seeing a naked-neck chicken hanging out in the parking lot. Once home, we relaxed by watching our last movie, my favorite of all time, Forest Gump.

Very early the next morning, I dropped my parents off at the airport, wished them safe travels and then headed to work to begin the long process of trying to catch up after being out on vacation. All in all, we drove 1,859 miles over 10 days. Coincidentally, 1859 is the year in which Oregon became a state. It was a very long week and even though I felt like I could sleep for a year when all was said and done, it was great to see my parents and show them the Pacific Northwest, firsthand. I hope I did the area justice while creating some memories with my family I will always cherish.

To view more of my photography, please visit:

www.KristinRoosmalenPhotography.Zenfolio.com

Two Years an Oregonian!

The Spaces Between

Summer has been busy in many ways this year and I am happy to say I celebrated my second Oregonniversary in late June. I like to commemorate the anniversary of the day of my arrival in Oregon each year and the joy living in this magnificent state brings me. Mostly because I love Oregon and the Pacific Northwest but I also like to recognize the accomplishment of moving here. I tend to underplay the work it took to get here. The courage it took to leave everyone I loved behind in pursuit of the unknown. To explore the possibilities of a life that could be lived here. A life that I had faith would be more rewarding than one lived anywhere else. A move that I felt was a step in the right direction to finding lasting happiness. A step that, at times, has been lonelier than I could have ever imagined possible.

The second year of calling the Pacific Northwest home was filled with many adventures: road trips, hiking, camping, dating, school, work and more. I experienced great highs and a few dramatic lows and then of course everything in between. I explored new-to-me areas of Oregon, Washington and California. I kayaked for the very first time. I photographed new subjects, fell deeply in love with black and white photography and even explored portrait work. I dabbled in film and graphic design thanks to my schooling at PCC and began the long process of branding myself as a photographer with the generous help of a coworker. I sold two pieces of art at auction to support a friends non-profit organization. I received formal recognition in photography competitions.

I had my heart broken but kept my head high as I moved on. I found solitude on the roads in Eastern Oregon as Cole and I explored the desert and mountain landscape. I was pleasantly surprised with the connection I found while photographing strangers as they participated in a charity bike ride. I saw the stark reality of poverty in one Indian tribe on the coast. I had a close call on the treacherous side roads of Mt. Hood that easily could have been the end for my car and my dog, Cole, but I also saw the magnificent beauty of a fresh snowfall in the Coastal mountains on Christmas day and celebrated my 36th birthday at my favorite place on earth: the Oregon coast.

My second year has been full of adventure, rich in experiences and full of growth. It has been a year that has sparked great ideas, challenged me to grow both personally and professionally in ways that weren't always easy, that forced me to look inward. As I begin my third year as an Oregonian, I look forward to what this next year will bring. The people I will meet. The places I will go. Something tells me that it will be a year filled with change and growth and I cannot wait to see where life will take me. Thank you for following my journey along this far or, if you are new to my journey, I hope you'll stick around awhile and see what this incredible place has in store for me and Cole.

Two Years an Oregonian

To view more of my photography, please visit:

www.KristinRoosmalenPhotography.Zenfolio.com

Art Attacks, Pug-Cams and Reconnecting with Friends

Spring has indeed sprung here in Oregon, earlier than usual I'm told. It is always beautiful here, but especially this time of year. It seems as if every tree, bush and plant is blooming at every turn. Until just recently, I was too busy to even stop and take some pictures of it. My full time work load on top of my full time class load at school did not leave much time for anything else. That being said, I still managed to get out a bit and pursue some photographic endeavors.

Eternal

Trinity

Just a Dream

This spring term at Portland Community College, I enrolled in my first ever photography class. My instructor there provided me with some very positive and encouraging feedback which gave me just the extra boost of confidence I needed. Several months ago, I applied to join an artist's coop here in Portland that I learned about while walking around downtown. Unfortunately, at that time, they had too many photographers in the group but encouraged me to check back in six months. Then one day out of the blue, I received notice that a photography spot opened and was invited to jury my work the very next day at the store downtown. I only had about half a day to prepare five prints for matting and framing as well as put together a physical portfolio of my other work including my artist's statement and documenting my creative process. Thanks to the help of a couple of friends and working inter the early morning hours, I managed to pull everything together and presented my work the next day (pictured above). If was an amazing opportunity to meet other local artists, learn more about the coop and share the inspiration for my work with the jury panel. The whole process was an invaluable learning experience.

My two prints at the art auction

A few months ago, a friend of mine now living in Eugene asked if I would consider participating in an art auction for ShelterCare where all proceeds from the event support their homelessness prevention programs in Linn County. Of course I agreed and a couple of weeks ago, made the drive to Eugene to deliver the two framed prints while we caught up over dinner. This week, a friend and I drove back to Eugene for the auction at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art on the University of Oregon campus. It was a lovely and well-organized event complete with tasty wine, delicious food and live music. Both of my pieces sold and I briefly had the opportunity to meet the man who purchased both prints. I'm not sure who was more excited about the sale, him or me? It was a truly wonderful moment indeed.

Over the past few months, I've added a few new pieces of equipment to my photography/videography arsenal: a Sony 100mm f2.8 macro lens, a 4K Sony Action Cam and a Cheerson CX-33W droid for shooting aerial video and photos. I'm looking forward to exploring a magnified version of Oregon's plant life as well as strapping the video camera to a variety of items and making some videos of Oregon's beaches, roadways and bridges. Learning to fly my droid will be a bit of a challenge but I'm sure once I get the hang of it, I'll be capturing  and sharing some very beautiful birds-eye-view scenery from all over the Pacific Northwest.

I've been trying my hand at a few newer areas of photography and did my first engagement photo shoot for a couple of friends. We visited several locations one rainy Sunday about a month ago including Union Station, the Eastbank Esplanade, Cathedral Park, and the St. John's Bridge as well as a record store and restaurant. It was a great learning experience and a fun way to get to know my friends better. Thanks to one of my school projects, I also shot some portraits for a friend in and around my neighborhood. I definitely have respect for the work and talent it takes to do portrait photography well. I'm not sure I'll be adding it to my available services anytime soon but I will continue to work on developing the skill set and see where I want to go from there. Also in the realm of new-to-me endeavors, I'm considering a street photography project where I'd like to explore each neighborhood of Portland by foot. I'm not sure what I hope to convey with that project yet so more contemplation is needed before I get underway.

For some time now, I've wanted to make a short film to share the magic encapsulated along the roadways between Portland and the northern Oregon coast. The other weekend, Cole and a friend of mine took a trip to Ecola State Park and it was the perfect time to try out my new Sony Action Cam. I attached the camera to the sunroof opening of my car and recorded the drive along highway 26 through the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests. Once we all arrived at the park, I moved the camera to a special dog harness and Cole shot his first ever video along Indian Beach. The footage is a bit shakey but adorable nonetheless. Unfortunately, since my computer is not quite equipped to handle 4K video, editing either footage into a film will have to wait until I'm able to upgrade to a newer/faster/better computer later this year. I was able though to make a decent short clip from the beach below.

In early April I carved out some time from my busy schedule to attend the special acoustic Jackie Greene concert at Mississippi Studios with a friend. As some of you may be aware, Jackie Greene is one of my all-time favorite musicians and I see him every time he comes through the city I happen to be living in at that time. After grabbing a bite at the always-delicious LeBistro Montage, my friend and I managed to get to the show earlier than expected which helped secure us a front row seat in the balcony area that offered us an unobstructed view of the stage. As usual, Jackie gave a spectacular performance that made the lack of sleep that night well worth it. The opening musician, The Suitcase Junket, who I hadn't heard of before, was also very good. I recommend checking both of them out if you are unfamiliar.

Jackie Greene at Mississippi Studios

A dear Wisconsin-friend was in town recently and we were lucky to have two back-to-back evenings together to catch up and explore Portland. On the first night, we met up at my apartment, and true to our midwestern roots, had a Bourbon Old Fashioned while we began the process of catching up on life-stuff before heading over to Papa Haydn on NW 23rd for a scrumptious dinner and decadent dessert. Afterward, we walked to the Pope House Bourbon Lounge and each enjoyed a flight of four bourbons among the low-key and quiet setting. On the second night, joined by a co-worker of hers, we met up at Portland City Grill to enjoy a happy hour cocktail while the sun set in the horizon, illuminating the majestic Cascade mountain range and Willamette River Valley below. Afterward, we walked over to Huber's Cafe where we enjoyed the always entertaining Spanish coffee prepared table-side and yet another delicious meal. After we had our fill of both there, we headed to A Roadside Attraction for a beer on the unique patio before arriving at the Alibi for a fun evening of tropical cocktails and talented karaoke singers.

The Pope House

The Alibi

Last weekend, Cole and I met up with another one of my friends I hadn't seen in awhile to catch up while we perused the art at the Portland Saturday Market. There I decided to finally purchase several pieces of art I had been contemplating ever since I moved to Portland in 2014.  My friend affectionately referred to this event as an "art-attack" which seems quite fitting since I walked away with three paintings by J.R. Slattum and two porcelain pieces by Shapiro Porcelain. And just like a good enabler, she helped me carry my stash home and even lent a hand with the hanging of it. Perhaps what I love most about the Saturday Market is having direct access to the talented artists who make all the lovely art. I was able to talk to J.R., the painter of my three new pieces, about his inspiration behind each one of the surrealistic paintings.

Paintings of J.R. Slattum

From Left to Right:

Root of Good Intentions
It's about acting from the heart, the center, not to be confused with emotion/ego.  Hatching from the center, flying above. To act of love and for others.

Erosion Revelation
You are not the rock. The tides of life, the ebb and flows, ups and downs... wearing away the stone- revealing between the layers- artifacts, fossils, gems of wisdom.  We are all on the same journey but at different places along the path.  View life from the heart.

Forest Thinking
The feeling of being in nature.  The nowness that it provides.  Losing your sense of self while becoming one with nature... the birds, the flora and fauna, the faces in the trees.  There is no yesterday or tomorrow... just the forest.



With summer just around the corner, there will be a lot of camping, hiking and road trips to write about so I hope you'll continue to follow along my journey.

To view more of my photography, please visit:

www.KristinRoosmalenPhotography.Zenfolio.com