newness

My holiday in a nutshell:

• Made enough coffee for both Keith and me, but finished it all myself before he woke up.
• Told Keith we were taking a walk. I think was thinking 'morning stroll', but I took us on a hike through the west hills, Washington Park and all the way up to the Rose Garden. It was sunny, warm and gorgeous.
• We listened to music. Beirut. This band always inspires me. The urge struck me to finally rearrange my living room. Keith said he was bored so I jumped at the opportunity to ask for his help. He agreed.
• We walked to We$t Elm in $earch of a televi$ion $tand.
• Ended up at Ikea. Found the perfect little stand for $20, and also an area rug that matched our living room perfectly for $15.
• Once we got home, Keith put the stand together (without any complaints, he's so sweet) and we moved everything. It was nice to clean spaces that have always been covered with furniture. Very therapeutic.
  
• I did two loads of laundry. While in the laundry room, I found a paper lantern lamp and an antique looking decorative mirror. I brought them both upstairs and they are both now a part of our living room. (People in our building have a tendency to put things they no longer want in the laundry room, and if nobody takes them they eventually get thrown out.)
• After eating dinner and watching some Parks and Recreation, we went to a party at a friend of a friend's house. It wasn't that fun, but it also wasn't terrible.
  
• We came home and watched Swamp People in our new living room. Then I went to bed.

I love our new living room so much! It is definitely a step up. I'm hesitant to post pictures- you know with people being so crazy and all, breaking into peoples homes and knowing where everything is because of photos posted on the internet. Crazy? Maybe. I'd call it cautious. Chances are, if you read this blog I have already sent you photos anyway.

We've had some really beautiful weather recently, and I'm going to go enjoy it now! Off to take a walk!

wow

Photos (from top): Mt. St. Helens, sun setting over beautiful Portland, Washington Park, and Mt. Rainier.

I came across so many breathtaking views on this walk. Washington Park is about a 10 minute, mostly uphill, walk from my apartment. I've been up there before, but I'm ashamed to say that I'd never gone further than what you see in that photo. There are seemingly endless trails to walk/run/bike on, and you feel so deep in the forest and far from the city when you're there. It's perfect. However, not so perfect for a cute little twenty something girl when the sun is about to go down and nobody else is around. I decided I'd go back and tackle that adventure tomorrow. I took a detour and came across the views of the mountains and stared at them for a long time. The mountains feed my soul. It's amazing how close you are to the city up there, but how far away it seems. There was a soccer game going on at Jeld-Wen Field not a 10 minute walk away, but all I could hear was silence. It was lovely. I can't wait to go back tomorrow.

i feel...

...so inspired. no reason in particular. off to washington park i go!