My new friend, author Robin Cody, suggested he was my Clackamas River Cousin, the one I didn’t know I had. The one related not by blood but of water, of rivers that run and pool, and carry us from today to tomorrow. How is it I had not discovered his writing until now? As I … Continue reading River stories
Willamette River
The Portland Steamer keeps on puffing
"BUT OF ALL boats, Dad most loved steamboats. They ruled the stories he shared: carrying goods and passengers up and down the Columbia and the Willamette. Oh, to have been a passenger on the early steamboats puffing along the two-thousand-mile long Columbia River! Our Columbia: the river that introduced William and Chloe to the Oregon … Continue reading The Portland Steamer keeps on puffing
Wilsonville 1968: the big vote by a small community
In 1968, my dad - Dick Montgomery - and his brother Bill, sparred over whether Wilsonville should incorporate. Bill, my family, and my grandparents all lived on Montgomery Way on the bank of the Willamette. "While we were young and naive, we knew that adults disagreed about what should happen to our town and its … Continue reading Wilsonville 1968: the big vote by a small community
In this moment I eat blackberries
The smell of river summer doesn’t fully ripen until late June. It rises mildly on a morning, simmering until late afternoon as the banks absorb the sun’s warmth and then, finally, release the ultimate river smell: a fishy blend spiked with decomposing cottonwood fibers and soon-to-burst blackberry blossoms. … Continue reading In this moment I eat blackberries
Willamette Falls Locks reimagined today
How many in our bursting metro area know much about our aged Willamette Falls Locks? Ask a longtime local and they'll fill your ear. The Locks opened on New Year's Day 1873 and were operated by several owners prior to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' purchase from Portland Railway Light and Power Company in … Continue reading Willamette Falls Locks reimagined today
Celebrate the moments
Yesterday I finished my final final. Some may understand what I mean by this. It's not what I thought was final when I submitted my manuscript to my publisher last December, and of which I signed a contract barely a week later. Nor is it the version I completed one month later, taking those few … Continue reading Celebrate the moments
Founders Day: We all have our stories
"As a kid, my favorite boating destination was Champoeg Park," begins My Music Man Chapter 13. Today, Champoeg remains one of Oregon's natural spots most sentimental to me and my brothers. It was the place to be the day after Dad died, and again today on this warm May afternoon for the 175th Founders Day celebrating … Continue reading Founders Day: We all have our stories
“But of all boats, Dad most loved steamboats”
As I look ahead to share My Music Man at the Astoria Public Library next Saturday, it's only natural that I reminisce about the days of steamers. And in today's world, sated with news, worry, and conflict, it took two nudges to impel my brain to journey back, the second being my offer to lend … Continue reading “But of all boats, Dad most loved steamboats”
Maps for Mary
My good friend Mary sent me a short text the other day while she was in the middle of reading My Music Man. "I need a map in the book!! 2nd edition!" I have to be honest: At the time, I was quite satisfied to produce both a family tree and an organized list of … Continue reading Maps for Mary
The Falls: History, stories and lamprey
Willamette Falls. Last week was sprinkled with references and stories about this powerful local cascade. Our Willamette Falls. Its beauty and history poked and prodded at me so many times during the week. Each moment linking the past with the now. It began with an unforgettable memorial service for our dear friend, Chris, in the … Continue reading The Falls: History, stories and lamprey
