Sunday, August 21, 2016

While the Honda was in the shop (tire rotation and oil change) we walked a few blocks to a very interesting store.  Down to Earth Home and Garden was in an old mill.

A lot of the original mill was evident throughout the store including belts and motors and grain chutes.  I enjoyed studying the building and trying to imagine the mill operating in its heyday.

Later, we took a stroll along the Willamette River walkway to the Owen Rose Garden.  Sam and I enjoyed some shade while Joani snapped pictures of the flora.  The temperature was much more comfortable in the low 80's.  One young lady, however, must have been feeling the heat.  She was not wearing anything above the waist except her tattoos.  She was walking along the walkway like it was perfectly normal to be topless.  I was bent over to give Sam a drink when I heard her behind me saying "how cute".  I'm sure it was rude of me, but there was no way I could look at her or acknowledge her in any way.  Joani just said "thanks" and we continued on our way.  Sam wished he could have had his picture taken with her. 

The river was pretty wide in places, but it was not too deep or very wild - just right for some lazy rafting.

I think the locals like to drift down the Willamette the same way folks in Atlanta like to "shoot the Hooch" (that's the Chattahoochee River back in Georgia).