OREGON; a collection of memories

I remember the waves kissing those ocean peaks with more urgency than that rainy scene in The Notebook... It must be something about water.

I remember everything being green; nearly never seeing the skin of a mountain because they were all dressed in lush, green pines from head to toe; and everywhere were green, UofO "Ducks" tees.

I remember reading the first chapter of Save The Date by Morgan Matson (my favorite author) on the way back from the ocean. The story of a kiss in the throws and tremors of a thunderstorm, being carried to the guesthouse without lips leaving lips. Books don't often start in the middle of a dreamy kiss. It was magic.

I remember Shore Acres, the sweet home at the edge of the fountain gardens, the largest Cinderella colored hydrangeas I'd ever seen, that fairytale pond, and garden dedicated to roses with names like Cherry Parfait, Day Dream, Hot Cocoa, Honey Perfume, and Penelope. I thought to myself, "I'm in love with this place. And sometime soon, I'm going to bring my baby here and somehow sneak in after dark, pretending that it's the setting of our fairytale.

I remember the car smelling of Black Cherry Merlot all weekend.

I remember being almost completely asleep in the back seat on the way home, then hearing "Call Me When You Land" by Old Sea Brigade & Luke Sital-Singh, and waking up. It was the anthem of this trip, the song that would always remind me of the Oregon Coast, and The Duck Store. It gave me that electric feeling that songs sometimes do, like they're melodically touching your bones, turning them cotton candy pink and blue, and lavender. The sound of that song was enchanting enough to wake me from my slumber. Mom said she was so confused because one minute I was asleep, and then she saw my head pop up in her rearview mirror and I was swaying.

(travel outfit and click on me for the song link :-))

I remember feeling the tiniest bit blue that it wouldn't always feel that wild, and simultaneously just loving that at one point it was.

I remember that for some reason our KFC made the car occasionally smell like fish during the last few hours of our drive.

I remember parking in our usual spot, and walking up our ever familiar stairs, unlocking the front door, but feeling like it was all so new.