We love living here and hope you will enjoy staying here too! So what do we love about our modest one story home in a quiet suburb south of Portland, Oregon? We love that it backs to woods, and I’ve landscaped the yard with native flowers and shrubs. It’s a joy to sleep with the bedroom window open and wake up to a chorus of birds. The deck is a great place for watching birds. I’ve identified over 20 different bird species including the gorgeous Western Tanager. Portland has a reputation for being cool and rainy, but that’s what makes it so green here. I’ll let you in on a secret…our summers are glorious. Sunny day after sunny day with temperatures in the 70s and 80s. Of course we do occasionally get a “heat dome” that roasts us, but if you’re here when that happens, we do have air conditioning.

Although the kitchen is small, we designed it for convenience and to allow the cook to enjoy the company of others. Two of the bedrooms have queen beds. One bedroom has a single bed and the room is used when our grandkids sleepover. We also have a twin blow-up mattress and can borrow a travel crib if needed. We have two tables for meals and for playing games or doing crafts. We also have a large deck with a grill and sink with hot and cold running water.

I also love that our home is super convenient to a variety of shopping experiences that will meet the needs of a range of tastes. An upscale shopping center is nearby, and a classic large American mall is 15 minutes away. The various Portland neighborhoods also have all sorts of fun and funky stores to explore. There are too many grocery stores to count, four pharmacies, lots of small family restaurants as well as larger chain restaurants all within a few minutes drive.

The best part of living here is how close we are to the things that make Oregon and the Pacific Northwest special. Mt Hood and the Mt Hood National Forest is only an hour or so away. It offers spectacular hiking during the summer and skiing/snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and snow shoeing during the winter. The amazing Columbia River Gorge is also an hour away. We get to experience gorgeous wildflower displays in the spring, a number of heartstopping waterfalls (including Multnomah Falls, which was used as a setting in the movie Twilight). The Columbia River Gorge also is the location of the town of Hood River with it’s world class kite surfing.

Ninety minutes away is the Oregon Coast and the town of Cannon Beach and the iconic Haystack Rock. The city of Astoria is also a fun day trip. You can see the house from the movie, The Goonies, visit the Maritime Museum, or just enjoy watching ships pass through the mouth of the Columbia River. Mt St. Helens is visible as we drive around town, and it’s about 2 hours to go the Johnston Observatory where you can learn about the 1980 eruption and see how the plants and animals have returned to the mountain.

If you don’t want to drive too far, there’s Forest Park and miles of hiking trails in Portland, Tyron Creek State Park just ten minutes away, and many smaller parks and nature preserves with walking, running, and biking trails. During the summer, you can borrow our kayaks or rent a canoe for a paddle on the Tualatin River just five minutes away. You can also paddle on the Willamette River. And then, if you want a change of pace from all that nature and activity, you can drive an hour south and sample some of Oregon’s Pinot Noir wines in the Willamette Valley Wine Country. And of course, the city of Portland offers a wide range of cultural and restaurant experiences. We are never bored here, and I hope you won’t be either!