Boston Blitz

After flubbing the schedule of my last post (written in Boston, about San Francisco) and taking a break for travel and holidays, I'm finally sitting down to look at pictures from this last month of adventures. Rather than the usual Quebec City post, I'll skip straight to my weekend in Boston. A friend from college picked me up at the airport, and we headed directly for the Freedom Trail... 

Faneuil Hall, market hub and venue for discussions from the beginning of US history. 

a Preview of San Francisco

My current sunny coffee shop seat is sun warmed and the familiar sounds of steam foaming milk, mugs clinking into their saucers, humming conversation between the silent page turners and highlighters bent over texts. Since this will also be at least a 3-part trip, I had better get caught up... I'm only a month behind! So, today, here's my walk through San Francisco.

Minnesota Nice

I’ve been putting off writing this post, because I hardly know where to start. There’s a meme on the internet that describes Minnesota as “Nice.” What they mean is that there’s a tendency of Minnesotans to be agreeable, to not rock the boat, to step just a little out of their way to be friendly towards their neighbors. Normally, I’m not a fan of being “nice.” I much prefer “kind directness.” If I say I need to go, I need to go; don’t walk me through an hour of goodbyes that slowly move towards the door (also known as a “Minnesota goodbye”). As a kindness to each other, we can say one goodbye and simply leave! But it was a rough week on which I found myself in Minnesota, and a little niceness from old and new friends went a long way towards soothing my soul.

Park Butte hike (Tea at the Top)

I'm standing at my desk, looking out at newly re-greened grass and wet asphalt. I love this change in weather and the cozy, tea-sipping, book-reading mood it creates. But before the clouds blew in, we got out onto the mountain for one last clear, dry, early fall day. The mountains were out, and Dock Butte was in fine form! 

Mt Hood, with Timberline Lodge

I'm a big fan of the old lodges in national parks (if multiple stops in Glacier and other places haven't clued you into that already). A couple of weekends ago Sister and J suggested we go hiking at Mt Hood, which of course I agreed to! Unfortunately, weather and a sea-level acclimated fur nephew conspired to cut our hike short. That didn't keep us from taking a pleasant stroll above the treeline and checking out the beautiful lodge.

Canadian, Oregonian, American, Washintonian, Swiss, German... and Swedish? 

IMTS Chicago

After 3 years of not going to Chicago for work, I've had two trips in the past two months! This time, instead of being out at the very end of the orange "L" line, I was staying in downtown Chicago on the Magnificent Mile. We were just a block of Michigan Avenue, which is lined with department stores, gourmet food, and high-class boutiques. We were also a 15 minute walk from the famous Navy Pier, which juts into Lake Michigan and gives an amazing view back over the city skyline. 

Mountain Berry Buffet

Late summer/fall hiking is my favorite. The trails are dry and no longer covered by snow. The weather is reliably better, requiring sunscreen instead of rain jackets. And even if there are more people on the trails, it doesn't matter - there are enough mountain blueberries for everyone!