Fall back weekend is my favorite weekend of the year! An extra hour of sleep is always, always a good thing in my book. And even the extra darkness at night meant that Mr. F & I ate an early dinner and enjoyed music and reading while cozied up on the sofa. The shorter days can be a difficult adjustment, but really, I don’t mind so much. Lately, it seems like we need that extra time to wind down and calm our minds.
We are entering our next to last week here in this little corner of the Olympic Peninsula. Mr. F’s contract here will end next Friday and we’ll be moving again, to parts as yet unknown. This is always a bit of a nervous time for us, waiting to hear from recruiters for Mr. F, deciding where to head next.
This quiet little place has been just what we needed following a crazy, fraught-with-life-changing-decisions period in Seattle. Being away from the distractions of the city has helped us in so many ways, not just in the slower, more relaxed pace, but it’s also granted us the gift of time and space– time to be together, time to explore what we want to do, what we want to work on, where we want to be.
There is always a bit of a crossroads type feeling at the end of our time somewhere.. we’re moving forward, but momentarily transfixed as we await direction. Not only are we waiting to see where Mr. F’s career will take him next, but with the launch of Forager Services, opportunities are popping up for me, as well, leading to more decision making turning points.
But if there is one thing that this way of life has taught us, it is that our lives go through seasons, just as the world around us does. Some things, like our love and reliance on each other, remain constant and unchanging, while other things like financial worries and job stresses can be as changeable as the leaves in the Fall. As long as we hold on to the constants, the looking ahead isn’t nearly as scary.
I’m so with you, Lucy Maud Montgomery! Mr. F and I were talking this weekend about how October is just the perfect month. The crisp air is such a welcome change following summer, the turning leaves are in full glory ( it’s been exceptionally colorful here in Western WA! ), and for us in the Northwest, the winter rains haven’t yet set fully in.
We took advantage of a clear, crisp day and made a beautiful drive to hike at Mt. St. Helens. We both hate getting up before the sun, but I love our day trip ritual. A stop at Urraco Coffee for a latte & croissant for the road, trees barely visible through the morning fog and NPR on the radio as we chat about the week past and future plans.
October feels to me like that last wonderful hour of a party.. you know, the one where the people who really love hanging out together are just kind of sitting around, chatting and basking in the afterglow of a fun time together. No one wants to say goodnight. Because once you break the spell, the magic is gone.
[ norway pass hike, mt. adams in distance ]
But then, there is something equally lovely about that post-party feeling. Taking off your shoes, climbing into a warm bed and snuggling. Sometimes we need that recovery day as much as we needed the party. Following its eruption in 1980 ( I was in the 3rd grade.. 3rd grade was big for me, St. Helens erupted, I won the spelling bee and my little brother was born ), acres around the mountain were devastated. Within just days, new seeds of life had already been planted.
[ old destruction, new growth ]
We need that, too. To slow down, sometimes to destroy in order to rebuild. And although things may not look exactly the same ever again, we emerge, perhaps even more solid and strong.
[ mr. forager, mt. st. helens & spirit lake ]
As we move into this season of hibernation, I’m sad to see October go. But I’m looking forward to cozying up to November, to entering a quieter season, a season for thinking and planning, for resting and renewing.
[ homemade seafood chowder ]
[ fall decorations at urraco ]
How does this change of season make you feel, Artsies? Do you get as excited as we do? Or were you bummed to see summer go?
One of my favorite things to do in Portland is a little gallery-hopping. There is such a rich creative atmosphere there and this past weekend, I was seriously craving some thought provoking art. And boy, did I get it! Portland’s Pearl District is one of the best spots for art viewing, window shopping, and well, just the perfect place to spend a PDX day.
As we wandered from gallery to gallery, I noticed a definite trend among the current exhibitions– a leaning toward the exploration of the scientific– whether cancer research, technology or psychology, there seemed to be a common thread of art interwined with science running through almost all the gallery shows we saw.
I found the current exhibition at Augen Gallery, Art for Oncologists by Jim Riswold to be incredibly poignant in its honesty and simplicity. The artist has been battling a 13 year fight against leukemia and prostate cancer, but this body of work isn’t just about his own battle. It’s a show of recognition, of thanks, to the crusaders and tireless discoverers of new and better ways to combat this unrelenting enemy. A larger than life candy dish takes center stage, filled with heart shaped sculptures inscribed with the names of chemotherapy drugs. Cancer-fighting is not for the weak of heart or spirit. It takes dogged determination, not to mention learning the names, functions, and side-effects of numerous unpronounceable medications. At some point in each of their lives, cancer touched every one of my grandparents. I know the kind of strength it takes to fight.
Speaking of poignant, we discovered a new gallery on this trip, J. Pepin Art Gallery, a space dedicated to the work of “contemporary artists who are reframing the perception of mental illness.” As I went through the gallery, reading the words of each artist, the story of their struggles and triumphs, it struck me how very powerful art as therapy can be. How we are able to express emotions and situations through visualization in ways that words can never capture.
We “lightened up” a bit when we hit Froelick Gallery and Michael Schultheis’ Universal Couplings of Archimedes.Can I just say how much I love Portland? Where else might you see an exhibition dedicated to an ancient Greek mathematician? PDX doesn’t just celebrate its geekiness, it downright revels in it and I love the city for that.
Our final stop was Butters Gallery, which come to think of it was our final gallery stop the last time we explored The Pearl District, not sure how that keeps happening, but it is always a lovely way to end the afternoon.
The current exhibition at Butters, Proclivities, features the mystical work of Marlana Stoddard-Hayes. In this new series of paintings, the artist moves through the grieving process following the death of her mother by working through the physicality of the creation, application and transference of elements onto the canvas, Stoddard-Hayes was able to liberate herself from the bonds of bereavement. Though created during a time of grief, the paintings retain a sense of wonder and hopefulness. A fitting tribute to a mother’s life.
These galleries, each so different in their approach, offered up stimulating and passionate work, one of the most satisfying afternoons of art-gawking I’ve enjoyed in a long while. The next time you’re in Portland, do yourself a favor and schedule an afternoon in The Pearl District. You won’t be sorry!
Peterson, Schultheis, and Stoddard-Hayes images are via their galleries’ websites, linked above. All other images are by Artsy Forager.
The end is fast approaching, ya’ll. In less than 4 weeks, we will be setting off again to parts as yet unknown. While there isn’t much to do in this little town during the week, there is an overwhelming amount of awesome places to see within a day’s drive! Which means that we’ve been trying to explore and check stuff off our list before our time here is up. This weekend we decided to hit up our second favorite Northwest city, Portland. And after seeing it in the Fall, I must admit.. it might just take over the #1 spot. Sorry, Seattle!
I don’t know what it is about this time of year that makes me long for big cities. Maybe its the mix of falling leaves, steel and concrete. Maybe it’s how very alive cities feel in the Autumn, when there is so much going on. We ran a few errands then headed to the Pearl District to do a little gallery-hopping. I’ll be sharing more about some awesome shows and galleries in a separate post. Gallery-hopping is thirsty business so we went over to Powell’s Books, a must-do whenever we’re in Portland, for a cold beverage and some book browsing, followed by vintage clothing browsing and record store browsing while waiting for Tugboat Brewing to open. ( Beer is always Mr. F’s reward following an afternoon spent in galleries ). We jammed a lot into those ten hours in Portland. But anytime we’re in a place we love, it’s never quite enough, is it? Time just goes by too fast and we’re always a bit nervous that the next destination might not be as lovely.
There is still so much we want to see and do before we leave this area! I’m not sure we’re going to be able to get to everything on our list. How did our time here slip away so quickly? We’re determined to savor what’s left. A lesson we can take into every day we have, yes?
There is a certain type of place that I love to come across in our travels– the little artsy town. Different from just any ol’ small town, these are spots that despite their diminutive size, are a thriving community for creative people of all kinds. Last weekend, we made a trip to one of my favorite such towns, Astoria, Oregon. I thought you might enjoy hearing a little more about my take on what makes this spot so especially artsy!
So here we go, in no particular order..
1 | The scenery
Situated right at the northern border with Washington, Astoria is your introduction to Oregon when driving down the coast from WA. Surrounded by the Columbia River on the south and Young’s Bay on the north and just a few miles from the Pacific give Astoria an especially coastal feel. It smells like the sea! Homes and businesses cascade up the hills, giving way to stunning views, especially on a rare clear day. Coastal mountains peek out from behind the clouds, adding to the drama of the landscape.
2 | The architecture
You won’t find much slick and new in Astoria, which I must admit, is a big part of its charm. Original architecture remains entact and even celebrated by most local businesses. Even the small downtown JC Penney department store is still there in all its original glory! Sure there are newer buildings around, but the downtown area for the most part retains its old school charm.
3 | The art scene
Of course, an artsy little town needs a gallery or two. Astoria boasts a nice selection of galleries, contemporary, traditional, and even a wonderful photographic gallery. I was sad to see Lunar Boy gallery didn’t make it, I loved its quirkiness, which seemed so right for Astoria. Imogen Gallery ( bottom photo above ) is now in their spot and seem to have retained some of their artists, so all is not lost. And Imogen seems a welcome bit of sophistication and curatorial restraint. A monthly art walk, as well as other community arts organizations seem to ensure a thriving artistic community.
4 | The quirkiness
What’s a small town without some quirk? Astoria has plenty to go around! From funky little boutiques and bookstores to a crazy rusted out old delivery truck roaming the streets to a massive king malamute named Komo who will give you a friendly lick, Astoria folks don’t take themselves too seriously.
5 | The libations, both with and without alcohol
Astoria doesn’t seem to be just a draw for visual creatives, but makers and creators of all kinds, including those of a beverage-nature. I’m talking the two main Northwest beverage groups, coffee and beer. There’s a Rogue presence, the NW brew staple whose fare includes quirky offerings such as Voodoo Maple Bacon Ale and Beard Beer— the yeast for which was actually harvested from.. wait for it.. the brewmaster’s beard. Gross! Yet, Mr. F just had to try it. ( Verdict: it was good but more in a Belgian style which isn’t Mr. F’s fave ). Then there’s Ft. George Brewery which we hadn’t tried before and now greatly regret! Got a big thumbs up from Mr. F. No Northwest town is complete without a coffee house or twenty and Astoria is no different. There’s java aplenty, not surprising for a spot that averages 67″ of rain each year. Those gloomy days give Astoria brewers and baristas plenty of time to perfect their crafts.
You’ll want to add Astoria to your must visit list, for sure.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my several decades of life, it is never say never. Now I might say I highly doubt that will ever happen.. but I’ve learned that just when you think never is the only answer, you change, circumstances change and you find yourself thinking.. ok, maybe.
Mr. F and I are learning to always be open to where the next turn in the path may lead. What we might think is a step back, may end up being two steps forward in a different direction. We spent some time this weekend, as we seem to do every weekend, exploring around us and playing a familiar game.. “Could we live here?”. We were in this area when we first came out to the Northwest together and I was still adjusting to traveling, to married life, to being away from my family and in a completely new setting. We have some very fond memories of that time, but it definitely wasn’t the easiest for us. When we left I was close to “nevering” this place, well, that other little town in particular. But now, after experiencing more places, this rainy, beautiful peninsula does have its draw.
We explored one of our favorite little towns, Astoria, OR and I remembered thinking how we’d kind of crossed it off our list as just a bit too rainy.. never say never. Then on Sunday, we drove up Hood Canal and Mr. F took me for a little tour of neighborhoods higher up in the mountains where the air is a bit drier, a bit crisper, the towns much smaller, but the homes way more affordable.. never say never.
[ fall day in Astoria ]
[ beer..a “never” I broke after Mr. F & got together ]
[ taking these paths together ]
[ views like this might never get old ]
We are incredibly blessed to be living a life that is so wide open. There are friends who say they could never live this way, but to them I say never say never! Freedom has its advantages.
Want to see more from this artsy life? Follow me on Instagram! PS– found a fantastic Frida Kahlo shrine in Astoria! Head over to Instagram to see. 😉
With every new place, we make out a list of our “must sees” while we are there and this weekend, the sun finally came out, so we took full advantage and happily crossed a few items off our list! One of our favorite “perfect day” activities is to do a little wine tasting. So we headed down to the Williamette Valley in Oregon to enjoy some Fall color and hit a few vineyards. You might remember we did a little wine tasting while we were in Southern California and while a day spent tasting wine is never a bad thing, we did find the SoCal style, with cavernous, crowded tasting rooms and glamorous, perfect people flitting about a bit off putting. We like a quieter, cozy atmosphere, one where the winemaker himself might proudly take you on a tour of his vineyard, where staff take the time to chat and get to know you. Maybe we’re a bit biased towards the NW, but there is just something about the wine country atmosphere up here that just feels more inviting.
So we spent a beautiful, cloudless day exploring the Oregon countryside and finished the day with a quick detour into Portland for dinner at our favorite Thai restaurant, Pok Pok. I swear, Mr. F fantasizes about the Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings. This is one place where, though the atmosphere is definitely NW cool, it is all about the food. They could serve their yummies out of a brown paper bag on a street corner and we would still line up to eat it.
So many of our Sundays these days seem to be spent catching up and running errands, and we got a bit of that in, but took the afternoon to make the drive over to the coast, hoping to catch one of our former landlords at their coffee shop, Tinderbox Coffee Roasters in Westport. Have you ever run across people who were just instant friends? Tara & Nick, the owners of Tinderbox, rented their house to us a few years ago, my first time living in the Northwest and being away from Florida. Friendly, warm, genuine people that we took an instant liking to. The kind of people who get it. And it shows in the coffee they brew and the atmosphere they’ve created at Tinderbox. Unpretentious, cozy and full of life, just like them. If you find yourself in Westport, or passing through Aberdeen/Hoquiam ( where they have a drive-thru stand ), make sure you stop and get a cup of java. It will warm you inside and out.
Moving every few months is not without its hassles, but one of the advantages to our gypsy life has been the privilege of experiencing a variety of places and ways of living. From being Seattle urbanites, to Idaho lake bums, and California desert dwellers, each place has filled a longing within us and taught us lessons about ourselves, what we can and can’t live with and a great deal about what we can live without. Since ours is a fairly unique adventure few people experience, I thought you might enjoy a peek into our latest temporary home by giving you a little home tour of our Shelton bungalow!
One thing we’ve learned is that we don’t need a ton of inside space. This is our second studio apartment and it functions better than some of the houses we’ve rented. Storage and me space in studios can get a little tight.. good thing the vast majority of our worldly goods are packed away in a Seattle storage unit! Just a wee bit more space and we could call it good for keeps.
Our landlord is an interior designer and she outfitted this little bungalow to the max– textural finishes, reclaimed materials and lovely designer details make it a beautiful place to spend each day. That little table and chairs behind the sofa is my office, our dining table and the game room, all in one. The tall armoire houses the tv, a nice selection of dvds & books, as well as extra pillows and blankets. If you look closely, you’ll glimpse a peek at Mr. F’s latest batch of beer swathed in an old comforter, all nice and cozy.
The second thing we’ve learned is that we DO need a good bit of outdoor space. Access to an outdoor living space can make even the smallest or least desirable place feel like paradise. While living in Seattle, I knew I really wanted our next stop to be a more restful spot. Spending just three months living on a busy street corner made me crave peace and quiet. When looking for our rental in the Olympia area, we made appointments to see three rentals, all of which were outside of town and either near or on a body of water. This bungalow was the first place we saw and we took it immediately. It was budget friendly, a good central location for Mr. F’s home health position and well, this is our backyard–
Each day as I’m working at that little table, I can look up from the laptop to see the reflection of branches in the water and the soft cascade of the waterfall. We can sit under the Japanese Plum tree with a book and a glass of wine and just be.
This place has been the perfect antidote to the whirlwind of activity and decision making that overtook our summer in Seattle. We finally have time to rest and reflect, even while working hard and making plans. Sometimes, that extra space you’re craving is inside your own mind.
If you ever plan a trip to the Olympic Peninsula, you can rent this little Bungalow for yourself! ( Although not until at least mid-November, it’s ours until then! ). Check out the VRBO listing, if you’re interested, it comes highly recommended from this Artsy!
Although we’re living this vagabond-ish life, Mr. Forager & I are always thinking about places to put down roots. One of the wants on our list is an artsy community– one that supports and encourages music, theatre, and of course, the visual arts. The small town of Port Townsend ranks high for us because it ticks off each of those and then some. And with the opening of Simon Mace Gallery, PT is heading in the right direction for this Artsy.
A traditional white-wall gallery, Simon Mace offers up a variety of emerging and established artists from the Northwest and beyond. While the gallery sports that ubiquitous clean look, the feeling inside is warm and cozy. The beautifully worn wood floors and friendly staff help, but I think it stems most from the roster of artists the gallery has gathered.
There is definitely a personality and point of view behind the gallery artists– work full of spirit, story, and humor– and it makes for a homey, non-intimidating gallery experience. The show up during our visit, Carnival, featured the work of painter Alison O’Donoghue and sculptor Sara Swink ( both pictured below ), and painter Frank Renlie. O’Donoghue’s work draws you in, your eyes bouncing with excitement as you try to take in every little thing happening in each canvas. Swink’s cheeky sculptures and Renlie’s joyful paintings give enjoyable little pauses amongst the controlled chaos of O’Donoghue’s work.
Alas, the show has come down now, as the gallery preps for its next opening this Thursday, Wax On, Wax Off, showcasing the work of Port Townsend painter Jeane Meyers and Portland sculptor Lisa Kaser. Wax On, Wax Off promises to deliver yet another mix of artwork filled with charisma and charm. While the bulk of the gallery space is exhibition focused, a piece of each represented artist’s work is always up in the small back-room space and the staff will more than happily help you peruse more work in the racks.
We may be heading back up PT way next weekend and if we do, I’ll check in again at Simon Mace to see the new show. You can bet it will now be on my must-do list ( along with thai food at Banana Leaf! ) for each visit to our favorite seaport town. Hope it will be on your Port Townsend list now, too!
If you’d like to learn more about Simon Mace Gallery and its artists, please visit their website and follow them on Facebook.
There is a strange bright light coming through my window.. I think it might be the sun! Hello old friend. Where were you this weekend, huh? The rain came down hard and often all weekend long. We braved the weather to make the picturesque drive up along the Hood Canal to one of our favorite spots, the beautiful artsy Victorian seaport town on Port Townsend. It had been over 2 years since we’d been there last, so we wondered, would we still love it like crazy? The short answer? Yes yes yes! Even in near nonstop rain and gusting winds. The conditions meant that we didn’t get to enjoy the PT scenery as much as we would like, hence the lack of outdoor snapshots for you, but it made for a relaxing day darting in out of the rain and then slow, casual browsing and lounging.
It was one of those blissful weekends in which we didn’t spend much time on the laptop or iPad, more time spent talking than typing. And can I just say that if the rain leads to weekends like this, then keep on fallin’! 😉
Hope your weekend was just as wonderful, dear Artsies! If you’d like to see more from This Artsy Life, follow me on Instagram. Let me know your Instagram handle in the comments so I can follow you, too!
![This Artsy Life: Weekend 44 [Falling Back, Looking Ahead]](https://artsyforager.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/IMG_1626.jpg)
![This Artsy Life: Weekend 43 [ Dear October, We Love You ]](https://artsyforager.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1382980020.jpg)
![This Artsy Life: Weekend 42 [ Time Keeps on Slippin’ ]](https://artsyforager.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/20131021-102711.jpg)
![This Artsy Life: Weekend 41 [ An Artsy Never Says Never ]](https://artsyforager.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_15461.jpg)
![This Artsy Life: Weekend 40 [ Atmosphere is Almost Everything ]](https://artsyforager.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IMG_1500.jpg)
![This Artsy Life: Weekend 39 [ Rain-soaked Northwest Days ]](https://artsyforager.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/IMG_1452.jpg)
