Local Nature Rich and Raw, PART 1

“In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous”
-Aristotle

One of the ways that I keep myself sane given the ridiculous amount of hours that I work is to take excursions out into nature. It could be a full day but most often it’s a mini- excursion of an afternoon or even a few hours.

On the Columbia River:

Fortunately living in Portland, I have great options close by. My favorite places tend to be along the Columbia River Gorge, at the coast or in a pinch when I only have 2 hours, I can go to Mt. Tabor, an extinct volcano with views and amazing wise old trees, or to Forest Park’s 26 miles of trails and tree canopy.

A favorite is the Swale Valley on the Washington side of the Gorge. We always have an amazing experiences here - it’s a little further away at about 2 hours but it’s worth it. You walk beside a creek most of the trail with wide open grassy fields on either side and the very vocal raptors and songbirds all around. I like that this hike isn’t too difficult and we typically walk 5 miles before realizing it’s getting late:

There is a consistent gallery of art along the trail made by hikers from the old railroad remnants that litter the area:

We always emerge renewed from this very cool place. Not only does this time cleanse my overly full mind, it lifts my spirits and I tend to return to life with new ideas and inspiration.

Many of my friends have intense jobs with difficult work dynamics, or struggle with low morale due to a lack of appreciation by superiors, or are under challenged. For me, I have this job of my own making that has almost none of the problems typically found in so many workplaces and by many measures is a dreamy job. But what is tough for me - aside from rarely having a day off - is that in order to design, to create, to solve the endless and unpredictable problems that surface daily when working with ceramics, to reach for mastery, I have to have enormous inner clarity at all times in order to be effective in my work. I simply can’t ever phone it in or have an “off” day. Like all others who work for themselves, I don’t get paid for showing up, I get paid for results so I have to be at 100% or at worst 85% at all times. For me this is a tall order and requires a lot of self-care. Plus, the financial stresses of making a living as a creative are nothing to scoff at and sometimes threaten to throw me off the deep end of sanity.

The coast provides a consistently marvelous and thorough reset and I have so many favorite spots, this photo is from Short Sands Beach:

Oswald State Park:

Daily but short practices of yoga and mediation are vital for my well-being but aren’t enough for me, I need the power of nature. Nature has a way of “putting things right” in me. I don’t know if the natural world has this same effect on everyone but it certainly works wonders for me.

The Tom McCall Preserve on the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge is another of my favorite hikes because of its capacity to quickly change my state of mind. It’s more of a walk than a hike but is majestic in all seasons. As you walk in the grassy paths, you are overlooking a cliff swooping down into the mighty Columbia River with the hawks, turkey vultures and eagles as constant overhead companions as they fish and hunt.

On a particularly warm day in January 2016:

And after a snowstorm in March 2016:

No matter what the feeling, the stress or worry, nature has a way of rebalancing it all. It redistributes the frazzled energy within my system so that the right amount is in each of my body, mind, emotions, and spirit.

Mt. Tabor:

Moving moment at Mt Tabor - I came up to this open area and everyone was silent in collective awe watching the sun set over the city. The sunset was beautiful, but the people were too:

Even in the heart of winter, Wachlella Falls near the Bonneville Dam is rich in lush inspiration:

Afterwards, we feel bathed in wellness - local nature raw and rich works its magic every time!

All images are the property of Ruth Frances Greenberg and may not be used without permission.