Go Outside

I've been told this by various doctors and therapists and parents and husbands and friends but I'm a little on the lazy side so I don't take advice like that well. I also live in Oregon so sometimes the gray and the wet are more conducive to staying under a blanket with my cats, coffee the remote and a book. But it's one of those things that I'm trying to put into practice. So now when I'm feeling down and my usual melancholy takes hold but it's not too wet or gray I plan to GO OUTSIDE. This weekend was sunny and gorgeous in Portland. A little on the cold side but not that lung-freezing painful makes my teeth hurt cold. I went for a walk on Saturday and actually saw a bald eagle flying around!! That was pretty amazing, I've only seen a couple in Oregon and then only in the hills on the way to the beach (yes it's beach, not coast). I also saw a couple Heron but that's pretty normal. You could also see Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood but that's also normal. I don't know how old I was when I learned that things like that aren't 'normal' for a lot of the country. I forget that sometimes and it takes eavesdropping on some visitor's conversation to remind me I live in a beautiful special place that I need to stop taking for granted. So Sunday I read that the Lan Su Chinese Garden was free to get in so I hopped on the streetcar and headed over. Again, beautiful and amazing. Clear Blue Sky and serene setting (despite the crowds). I've only been here once years ago when it first opened and that was in summer. Can't wait to go again in Spring and see how it changes. It was all in all a beautiful weekend to be outside in Portland. Oh the things I've been missing by staying inside!!