Photo by Cheryl Landes I rarely check bags, but didn't have a choice this week. I wasn't concerned, because I was flying into the Portland International Airport, and the waiting time for retrieving checked bags isn't long. Usually I'm reunited with my bags within 10 to 20 minutes. Yesterday, after a flight from Anchorage to … Continue reading A warning for PDX travelers who check bags

Photos by Cheryl Landes In the spring, the Willamette Valley has a constantly changing colorscape. Daffodils, berry blossoms, and tulips appear, and almost as soon as they pass peak, the iris start to bloom. By mid-May, Schreiner's Iris Gardens reach full bloom and open for the season. The sight resembles a bright giant patchwork quilt … Continue reading It’s Bloom Season at Schreiner’s Iris Gardens in Salem, Oregon

Featured image: Entrance to the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma (photo by Cheryl Landes) In celebration of Mother's Day, the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma is offering half-price general admission to moms from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 13. These tickets are available at the gate. The Point … Continue reading Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium offers half-price admission for moms on Saturday

Featured image: Ranunculus in full bloom at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, California Photos by Cheryl Landes Some blossoms look dainty—tissue-paper-thin petals bundled into thick pods. Others appear to be made from crinkly crepe paper. And others have curled petals, which, from certain angles, resemble dancers’ skirts twirling in the wind. These are the Giant Tecolote … Continue reading See the Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers through Mother’s Day in Carlsbad, California

Photos by Cheryl Landes The faint mid-morning mist falling on the Dean Creek marsh east of Reedsport, Oregon, has transformed the grassy flatland into a velvety carpet, a bright green contrast to the darker, forested hilly backdrop. In the foreground, a herd of Roosevelt elk graze, their light brown coats adding even more contrast to … Continue reading The roadside show at Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area

Photos by Cheryl Landes When the lilacs are in bloom at the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens in Woodland, Washington, their fragrance welcomes you long before you enter. During Lilac Days through Mother's Day, this four-acre garden showcases blooming lilacs, dogwood, rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias, bleeding hearts, tulips, and many other flowers. The gardens are part of Klager's … Continue reading Lilac Days in Woodland celebrates a gardener’s legacy through Mother’s Day

An orange sleeping beauty in the Meowtropolitan cat lounge in Seattle Photos by Cheryl Landes For feline fans who love coffee, the chalkboard sign on the sidewalk outside Meowtropolitan couldn't describe the experience any better. "Cats + Coffee: Purrfect!" At this coffee cafe and cat lounge in the Wallingford neighborhood, north of downtown Seattle, you can schedule … Continue reading Cattin’ around in Seattle at the Meowtropolitan

Featured image: A view of the North Cascade Mountains from near Acme, Washington (photo by Cheryl Landes) Post updated May 13, 2017 Washington State Route 20 (SR 20), the North Cascades Highway, is among the state's most scenic drives with breathtaking views of jagged snow-covered peaks, pristine glacier-fed aquamarine lakes, and dense forests. Bald eagles … Continue reading North Cascades Highway reopening May 16

Featured image: The Queen Mary (photo credit Wikimedia Commons) Today, the Queen Mary celebrates the 50th anniversary of arriving in Long Beach, California, with free ship admission after 3 p.m. and $5 ship tours. Also enjoy free live music from Swedish jazz vocalist and instrumentalist Gunhild Carling in the Grand Salon aboard ship, 5-7 p.m. Carling … Continue reading Queen Mary celebrates 50th anniversary of arriving in Long Beach with low-cost, free events

Featured image by Cheryl Landes Still looking for a place to watch the solar eclipse in its direct path on Monday, August 21? Hotels are sold out, as are most campsites. But there are still campsites available in Woodburn, Oregon, at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm for August 19-21. Hurry, though, because these will sell … Continue reading Watch August’s solar eclipse from a campsite at Oregon’s largest tulip farm