moved by portland

No, that's not a typo. I know I just moved *to* Portland, but tonight, for the first time, I was moved *by* some of the natural beauty of Portland. Completely unexpectedly. Was driving across the Willamette River that divides this city into east & west, on my way to pick up Sophia from preschool. Usually not a fun commute. (more of my thoughts about being a work at home mom with a commute later...)

Tonight, the view at twilight took my breath away. To my left, a beautifully full and glowing moon, perfect and round and luminous. On my right rose the stunning snow-covered Mount Hood, a pure white jagged peak, rising up above the buzz of the trafficky urban maze. The sky was at least 3 colors, melding from periwinkle to lavender to pink and the first stars began to twinkle in that rosy upper layer.

I have to say, it's the first shot in the arm of natural beauty equivalent to the daily doses I got in Santa Barbara. Yes, the fall colors are amazing. Yes, the fir lined hills hold a more quiet grace than the palm-lined beaches. But mountains have always held some sway over me, and living in them, being cradled by them in Santa Barbara always left me speechless. The constancy of warm sunny days which bred flowers and plants like I'd never seen before always captivated me. And the smells...of the ocean, the dusty chapparel, the night-blooming jasmine or the intoxicating orange blossoms...indescribable. And not yet matched by Portland's natural fare.

Yet...I said "not yet", because I just don't know what Portland smells like yet.

Keeping my nose open and my eyes toward the sky...