Busy Saturday

On Saturday we got up a little later than anticipated (of course), and went to the Saturday Market in Eugene. We stopped for coffee first (of course). Then Chelsea asked if we wanted to start with vegetables or with crafts. Guess which I chose.

We wandered around and looked at things and bought gifties for people back home. I saw some really neat book bindings, notebooks made out of old VHS covers, board games, golden book covers, etc. There were a few seamstresses, some adorable kids clothes, some very poorly made heating pads, and some exorbitantly priced quilts. I tried to talk Chelsea into taking up quilting, if those quilts really sell for $150, she could make a living! They weren't fancy or anything. Just the sort of thing I make. I spoke with a basket weaver who'd been to basket college, and saw some adorable needle felted gnomes.

Then Jim called and said we had to get moving. He's a big planner, that Jim. We went back to Chelsea's and had a quick lunch-bagels with hummus and bean sprouts and spinach. Yum.

We got on the road to go wine tasting, we three girls in the back seat with a giant map and list of phone numbers. We called bunches of wineries, searching for free tastings or extra goodies.

We started at Tyee, a pretty little house out in a field

It was a hot afternoon, and we were a little cranky from the car ride, so that may be why Tyee wasn't our favorite. It was crowded in the tasting area, right in front of the door, and I felt like I was in the way.

I don't remember our next stop. We three girls sat that one out.

Then we went to Coelho-picked because they gave you bread and cheese with your $5 tasting fee. The wines were good, but too expensive for me. The bread and cheese were excellent, just what we needed to perk up. I correctly guessed that coelho was rabbit in Portuguese.

Now we didn't have to drive so far in between wineries, which was nice. Just down the road was Mia Sonatina, with no tasting fee! We all liked their Riesling and Serenade, I brought a bottle of the Riesling home with me, and we had a bottle of Serenade later that night at the drive-in.

Their tasting room was open to the room with the barrels, all still under construction. He didn't take us around or explain anything, but it was neat to see anyway.

Our last stop was Kristin Hill, also chosen for the free tasting. We really liked these too. The winery is named after one daughter, and wines after the others. I brought home a Kat's Meow and a Fizzy Lizzy. I also tried Port for the first time, which was delicious! I had no idea. Jim bought a bottle of the Port, and I kind of wish I had too. The owner (so friendly and helpful, not wine snobby at all) said she liked to have a tiny glass and a bit of chocolate every night before bed. Doesn't that sound lovely? This one was my favorite.

She took our picture in front of the tasting room.

On the way to McMinnville, we stopped to look at the Spruce Goose, the Howard Hughes plane. The museum was closed, but we were able to peek in the windows and look at the other planes that were outside.

A real plane from D-Day!

Then we had to drive a bit more to get to McMinnville to eat at McMenamins. We ate way up on the roof (5 stories!), which was hot and sunny, but so much more fun than eating inside. I had a yummy pizza.

Finally on to Dallas, OR, to go to the Motor-Vu Drive-In. We hid Chelsea under some blankets in the back to squeeze in an extra person. I was not excited about seeing Wolverine or Terminator 4, but Chelsea and I had a great time mocking the movies. I kept thinking Katrina was asleep, but she was just bundled up to her ears. It was cold!

This is us before we all climbed into sleeping bags and under blankets. We didn't get back to Eugene until 3:00 in the morning. It was a great day.