My dear friend.Was the warm fishy smell of the river seeping out of the banks?You know the smell, the one that all of us from around here mark as Summertime.Summertime on the rivers of the Willamette Valley.Cottonwood fiber and blackberry and a few fish heads that someone left behind.All mixed up together as if a … Continue reading My dear friend
In appreciation of Oregon’s Century Farms
Fiala Farms Note: I wrote this blog earlier this year, but never posted it. It was one of three blogs I either crafted or updated to complete the topics I felt needed to be represented in my February 2020 released e-book: THEN, NOW, AND IN-BETWEEN: Place, Memories, and Loss in Oregon. Today, while on a … Continue reading In appreciation of Oregon’s Century Farms
Plague 2020: we are in this together
For months I've been obsessed about one thing: yes, you know what it is. Some fellow writers have successfully immersed themselves, creating lyrics and phrases deliberately avoiding references to virus or pandemic or physical isolating or face coverings. Maybe it’s because I'm an industrial hygienist, my work saturated with the novel coronavirus, making it difficult … Continue reading Plague 2020: we are in this together
Portland Wrestling: A league of its own
Illahee Wrestlers poorly mimic Portland Wrestling. (I'm not sure how they got me to smile for this photo!) As a kid I was called a tomboy, not a girly girl. I'm hopeful that our kids of today aren't dropped into either of those buckets, and instead invited to be wherever on a continuum they want … Continue reading Portland Wrestling: A league of its own
What matters
I haven't posted a blog for a bit. I had words and thoughts to share, but when I got here to do so I realized my new words aren't important in this moment. Words by others are. This is what matters now. Works to watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8jUA7JBkF4 "...Having white privilege is like having a head start … Continue reading What matters
Oregon, football and stadiums: a recap
When I first wrote the blog Early Portland and the flying pigskin I had no idea I was merely scratching the surface of this fascinating topic. And, whereas I frequently remind folks that I am no historian, I do find the stories I have learned to be an interesting and welcoming distraction during these times … Continue reading Oregon, football and stadiums: a recap
A year of ripples
Today is the one-year anniversary of the launch of Beyond the Ripples. I am thankful I was able to have a live shout out that day, with so many friends and supporters joining me at the Willamette Ale House to celebrate the release. Not only was it special simply to introduce this new book, but … Continue reading A year of ripples
Zoom back to the future for football
Photo courtesy of the Multnomah Athletic Club Since you’re watching rerun sporting events on television, why not join the West Linn Historical Society to learn about football and its earliest roots in Oregon? Who were those first football players in Portland and where did they play? When was the first college game played in Oregon, … Continue reading Zoom back to the future for football
Stories of our generation: Mount St. Helens
Each generation holds memories unique to a time period, influenced by place. I have no doubt all of us alive today will forever remember the impact the novel coronavirus makes on our lives, creating unique but oddly similar stories, many of them sad. For people living in the Pacific Northwest on May 18, 1980, the … Continue reading Stories of our generation: Mount St. Helens
A religion of kindness
Had you asked me before –prior to this pandemic– if I'd ever blog about religion, I am certain I would have answered no, without hesitation. Way back then it simply wouldn't have been something to pop to the top of my writing topics of the moment. Too private. And, prior to the pandemic, I was … Continue reading A religion of kindness
