Stop and Smell the Roses

Today marked our first walk up to the rose garden of the 2011 spring/summer season!  Joe and I look forward to the weather getting better and the days getting longer so we can go back to enjoying our (almost) nightly after-dinner strolls thru the gardens.  It is such a relaxing and enjoyable time for us.  We literally go around to all the roses and take big whiffs to try and find the best.  We have deduced that the yellow and lavender roses are the most consistently fragrant.  And never the reds...don't even bother bending down for those.

Tonight's kick-off walk included some never-before done activities!! It's about to get crazy here, folks.

We decided to (literally) kick up our heels and hop on the swings that welcome us at the base of the park.  We were both pumping our legs and trying to catch as much air as we could (I swear I got higher than him but he sings a different tune...)  The warm evening breeze rushing in my face felt SOOOO good after being cooped up all day studying for finals.

Joe is the one on the right, of course
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And then I started to slightly panic.  It's that feeling where you know you shouldn't be freaking out because you probably aren't that high off the ground  but yet that inner voice tells you to slow your role a bit and put the brakes on.  As we were slowing down, Evil Kenevil to my left decided to one-up me and jump off the swing mid-air. 

 *Side note, I was NEVER the kid on the playground who was on the monkey bars doing flips and tricks - I have a very scaredy cat, 'keep-my-feet on the ground' mentality.  Tether ball, wall ball and daisy chains were more my thing* 

Anyhoo, as Joe Gymnast was leaping to his death from the swing, I decided to do things the old-fashioned way and drag my feet on the ground...classic!  It may have taken me about 2 minutes longer to get off...small details.

We then moved on to the teeter-totter where I proceeded to acquire some inner thigh bruises...those things are a bumpy ride, I tell ya! (that's what she said)

Moving onward and upward (seriously upward - you climb some pretty serious hills to reach the beloved roses), we finally reached our destination. 

 Now, we knew going into this that there wouldn't be very many roses blooming.  And we were right to think that because there were maybe a total of 5 roses making an appearance tonight.  It was sad.  Especially because the Rose Festival is in full 'bloom', if you will.  (Which we did attend the Starlight Parade, as it is a Benz family tradition.  And you better believe we will be getting front row seats with continental breakfast service at the Grand Floral Rose Parade on Saturday...it's good to know people in high places!)

Although the rose gardens were an overall pitiful sight, there was this one rose that stood out (not hard to when you are the only rose, I suppose).  This rose was exquisite.  I don't think I have ever used that word before but it perfectly describes the wonder of this flower.  And it was HUGE! The bright pink color was perfectly highlighted in the sunset and it literally made me stop and stare.  And the smell!....oh! the sweet sweet smell that it softly released...it was perfect. *note - I have tried multiple times to get the pic of that rose on here and for some reason it won't work...please enjoy this glorious picture of what the rose garden should be looking like any day now...*

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After our subdued walk thru the rose(s), and after Joe had hit up every drinking fountain in the vicinity, we continued our route to the surrounding houses mansions that line the upper rim of the park.  These people are living the good life and get to enjoy beautiful architecture and views of the city every single day.  It is such a fun time for us to fantasize about setting up shop in these homes....*sigh*  maybe some day when that winning lottery ticket finally hits my hands!

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*Ok, so this isn't a house by the rose garden but it is a FANTASTIC house that I discovered on a different NW walking route that I do very frequently.  I stumbled across this house and it's surrounding neighborhood by accident.  I fell in love with this street.  I rushed home and proclaimed that I found the neighborhood that we will live in someday.  

We are so lucky to be living in a neighborhood with so much historically significant manors. We always say how you can just imagine these homes overlooking the beginnings of Portland, back in their day, with nothing around them.  They just sat atop the hills of Portland and were more than likely inhabited by some very wealthy, important people.  Or at least we imagine!*

We concluded our walk down the hill, passing by a cute duplex.  We peeked in the window to see 2 elderly couples playing cards with each other...I imagine the ladies were winning :)  

I am so thankful for all the beautiful neighborhoods that surround us and all the treasures we discover each time we venture forth.  I know that someday Joe and I are going to look back and have such fond memories of living here....hopefully we won't only have the memories but the reality of living in one of these aforementioned manors :) A girl can dream, right??

Oh! and one more thing that I LOVE about our neighborhood...Joe and I both have GREAT friends from childhood, who just happen to be married, living a block away!  Life just doesn't get much better than that.

xoxoxo!!!
Sara