If you are a fan of Sunday Stills monthly color challenges, I hope you will enjoy reading this or you might be challenged to find all of these “colors” or just one. Are crystal, diamond, and quartz actually colors? Read on and discover what I found.
Crystalline Views in Portland, Oregon
Having spent most of last week visiting family and friends in Portland, Oregon, we engaged in plenty of activities. In a few short days which included dinners with my cousin (who is a busy high school principal), we managed to shop at the Woodburn Outlet Stores (no sales tax), visit a fellow blogger, spend a few hours at the Tulip Farm, then drive to Multnomah Falls and explore the Columbia River Gorge, before we drove back home on Friday. Whew!
Portland’s Purple Flowers
Let’s start with the colors of purple.
Last week on the blog, we enjoyed viewing spring flowers, especially those we can see in the month of April.
Not only do we have family living in the Portland area, but there are also a few bloggers living there that we can visit. When I knew the dates we planned to visit Portland, I reached out to author/blogger Miriam Hurdle, who moved to the area over a year ago. Miriam prepared a wonderful salmon lunch for me and my husband.
“Like a precious gem embedded in a rock, your friendship shines brightly and adds value to my life.” ~ Unknown
A little later, Miriam and I walked around her beautiful Beaverton neighborhood to gawk at the neighbors’ beautiful yards of tulips, daffodils, and purple pansies.
Thanks to Miriam’s post, we discovered we were only a few miles from the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm near Woodburn, Oregon. I’ve wanted to visit a tulip farm and this was the ticket!
Purple Tulips!
“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don’t notice it.” ~Alice Walker
The Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm is a popular spring attraction. We got an early start (we love being retired) and arrived before the crowds. There were acres of every kind of tulip you could imagine. I have a LOT of pics which I will eventually share. Below are two iconic views of the fields framed by the diamond peak of Mt Hood in the distance.
In my cousin’s neighborhood, I discovered dahlias galore in September 2022.
Crystal Waters and Falling Rocks
Multnomah Falls, located 45 minutes by vehicle from Portland’s city center, is a must-see for visitors to the areas surrounding the Columbia River Gorge Natural Scenic Area. These falls are the second-highest year-round waterfall in the United States. Its crystalline waters rush over a 620-foot drop into the Columbia River.
A relatively easy hike to the Benson Bridge is less than a mile from the parking lot, where you’ll experience stunning views of the Falls and surrounding area overlooking the Columbia River.
Do take care and heed the signs–the incredible power of these falls can dislodge rocks from the cliff face.
A final moment as the sun breaks through at the top of the falls.
During my last visit to Portland in 2022, I found a Kindness Rock on a local urban trail.
Closer To Home…
Rocks and crystals abound.
A treasure trove of gems (quartz and “diamonds,”) was found alongside Lake Wenatchee in Northwestern Washington.
“I am built of snowflakes with your touch; a million storied diamonds in the rough.” ~ Angie Weiland-Crosby
“In a state of grace, the soul is like a well of limpid water, from which flow only streams of clearest crystal…” — Saint Teresa of Avila
Inspiring Photo Challenges This Week
Each week I find inspiration from my fellow bloggers’ photo challenges. I enjoy incorporating these into my Sunday Stills weekly themes.
Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders
The Sunday Stills weekly-themed photo challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post.
- Remember to title your blog post a little differently than mine.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
- I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.
This Week’s Featured Bloggers
Sunday Stills is a wonderful community of bloggers, poets, artists, and photographers who desire to connect with one another. Below are this week’s links from bloggers sharing their photos showing the colors of quartz, diamond, crystal and/or purple. I add these all week as new links are posted. Please comment on my post if you link your post to Sunday Stills and wish to be included in the listed round-up.
- YOUR BLOG’S NAME GOES HERE…
- Always Write
- Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
- The Day After
- The DogLady’s Den
- Frost on the Moose Dung
- Geriatrix Fotogallery
- Graham’s Island
- Light Words
- Live Laugh RV
- Loving Life
- Mama Cormier
- Now At Home
- Philosophy Through Photography
- Quaint Revival
- Travels with Ali
- Two Trails One Road
- Walkin’, Writin’, Wit & Whimsy
- Willowdot
I can’t wait to see how you interpret the various shades of crystal, diamonds, quartz, and some purple thrown in this week! Join me next week as we explore Mother Earth for Earth Day.
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