Monthly Archives: March 2011

Tulip Fest March 25 - May 1, 2011, at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Woodburn, Oregon; photo by Jan Jackson

Friday, March 30 through Sunday, April 30

Daily activities at the Tulip Farm

• Tulip & Daffodil Fields
• Tulip & Daffodil Display Gardens
• Children’s Play Area
• Tulip Café
• Dutch Sausage and hamburgers
• Gift Shop
• Tulip Market

Weekend activities at the Tulip Farm

Same as weekdays plus:

• Crafters Market Place
• Pony Rides ($5 – under 80 lbs)
• Wine Tasting with Hauer of the Dauen Winery
• Authentic Mexican Food
• Wooden Shoe Making
• Steam tractors
• Entertainment
• Rescue Birds

On Site Events -

•  April 7th – Easter Egg Hunt -10am and noon in the Wooden Shoe Gardens
  •   Ages: 0-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 & 9-11

• April 8th – Easter Service 7am
  • In the tulip fields

• Tulip Garden Party
  • April 28th Saturday Noon-8 pm
  • April 29th  Sunday Noon-6 pm

Red the story behind the Fest at http://countrytraveleronline.com/2011/01/08/wooden-shoe-tulips-from-roadside-stand-to-festival/ or go to their site at www.woodenshoe.com.

At any rate, don’t miss all the fun and beauty – smile.

Luv,

Sissy

One of many cruise ships that bring tourists to Astoria; photo by Jan Jackson.

… when Captain Robert Gray sailed into the area in his merchant ship in 1792 (or maybe even Sir Frances Drake before that), or when Lewis and Clark paddled into the area in canoes in 1805. You can also bet the big cruise ships weren’t bringing in thousands of tourists every week during the summer of 1811 when John Jacob Astor established the Hudson Bay Fur Company there.

Astoria is still a place of discovery though – trust me. They’ve re-invented themselves of late and there is lots going on. The best thing to do is visit http://www.oldoregon.com/. I recommend it.

Luv,

Sissy

The Pink Barn on Crow Creek Road in Enterprise, Oregon; photo by Jan Jackson

… you’ll love it. Seems the farmer didn’t have the money to buy all the red paint he needed, so he stretched what he did have with milk. Sound crazy? Aha. Read on.

Today, you can buy Real Milk Paint – made from 100% organic material (http://www.realmilkpaint.com/). They claim it doesn’t have the harmful fumes that non-organic paint has and that its safe for the environment.  Sound crazy? Aha. Read on.

Martha Stewart has a recipe for mixing your own milk paint – you know –mix the juice of a lemon with 1 quart skim milk in a large bowl etc. – ( http://www.marthastewart.com/goodthings/milk-paint-recipe ).

Now, if you are ready to drive to Enterprise Oregon and enjoy the old pink barn (circa 1915) yourself, take Crow Creek Road from Eggleson Corner and at the Junction with Zumwalt Road, bear left to stay on Crow Creek. Continue on approximately 8.5 miles on gravel road and there it will be on your left.

Who knows, you might just want to go home an repaint your own barn (or someone else’s). Bring your camera – smile.

Luv,

Sissy

The Post General Store, located at the geological center of Oregon; photo by Jan Jackson

… and I do mean a post and I do mean the middle. Every state in the United States has a marked geographical center and Oregon’s center in 24 miles southeast of Prineville in an unincorporated town called Post.

Some say Post got it’s name from the post marking the center – BUT – according to the ultimate authority on place names, that is not so. Lewis A. McArthur & Lewis I. McArthur, in Oregon Geographic Names, Seventh Edition, says: “Post was named for the postmaster, Walter H. Post. The office was established June 6, 1889.”

Post lies along Oregon Route 380 southest of Prineville at 44.1623540°N 120.4900050°W.

It’s a nice drive – smile.

Luv,

Sissy

Lewis and Clark exhibit at Mission San Juan Capistrano; photo by jan Jackson

…I was visiting Mission San Juan Capistrano, when to my surprise, I looked up and saw Meriwether Lewis standing right there next to me. Since Lewis and Clark didn’t get further south than where the whale washed up in Cannon Beach (Oregon), I said, “Mr. Lewis, what on earth are you doing here?”

Well of course he didn’t answer because he turned out to be made of cardboard. However, I did find out what he was doing there. His likeness was part of an old bi-centennial traveling exhibit called Lewis and Clark Exhibition Across America. The cool thing was, that it was set up so kids could become members of the Corps of Discovery, and in doing so, try on uniforms and costumes, make a fort, work on an interactive journal, and spin the Wheel of Misery to find out if they survived their journey.

Better yet, you can see it yourself at http://www.lewisandclarkexhibit.org/index_flash.html

Luv

Sissy