Two days in the park, and it was wonderful. Just what we needed after this long, long winter. Friday it was 70 degrees, Saturday 75. Perfect, perfect weather. We scored our favorite spot in the Rose Garden on Friday after going to Powell's, where we bought fourteen books (we really did buy fourteen books). There was a quilt in the dog's crate in the car so, with stacks of books as pillows, we read for several hours in dappled sunlight under blooming trees. I'll show you the books I got tomorrow. I already finished one of them. That was a great feeling.
Saturday we'd planned to go out to opening day on the farm with Clover Meadow, but it turned out we weren't that ambitious. Instead we just got some sandwiches and cupcakes downtown, and headed back up to the park for the day, this time with a puppy in tow.
Clover is such a good dog. It was really her first big day out, a long day, which included puppy school (she is starting to learn her [20 minute] off-leash stay, and will start off-leash training in the front yard this week), a very crowded downtown farmer's market (did you know they sell homemade organic vanilla pudding there? OMG), and close to four hours of park lounging (studded with a few long walks around the roses). She sat and watched it all, fairly quietly, nibbling and spitting out pine cones, trying very hard not to jump on anyone who came to say hi, mostly just watching the world go by on a beautiful day. She is awesome.
So is Cupcake Jones. This is the Vanilla Pearl. It is basically amazing. It is white velvet cake, with vanilla pastry cream inside, and vanilla buttercream icing. For a vanilla lover like me, it's truly the perfect cupcake.
Isn't she pretty? We had such a good day. I felt like Audrey was there with us, too.
What fun! I'm sure Audrey was there; floating above you all with her new little doggie wings. She probably gets a kick out of Clover Meadow.
Posted by: hadley | April 14, 2008 at 08:56 AM
Thank you for the lovely reminder of our beautiful weekend.
And that cupcake - goodness, I'm going to have to get one of those.
Have a wonderful day!
Posted by: Colleen | April 14, 2008 at 08:57 AM
Glad you had a good time! I love that feeling of new books to be read. The sunshine was so beautiful this weekend. Your little Clover is, indeed, so pretty!
Posted by: Shannon | April 14, 2008 at 09:00 AM
Oh, what a perfectly wonderful step into Spring. That cupcake does sound marvelous! Aweee, yes, I think your sweet Audrey was there too, in that beautiful garden... With all three of you... Happy Monday :)
Posted by: A Fanciful Twist | April 14, 2008 at 09:02 AM
70 degrees? I have forgotten what that feels like! We went from 60 degrees to 90 degrees overnight! My weekend was spent lying on the couch muttering "But we live 2 blocks from the ocean -- it's not suppose to get this hot!" Of course, it dawned on me Sunday night to go up the street one mile to the air-conditioned Barnes & Noble. Duh.
Beautiful pictures -- especially of Clover. Love her.
Posted by: Jill | April 14, 2008 at 09:12 AM
I don't want to know about your sunshine, here in Ireland we are having a bit of sun but it SO cold!! Summer please come! My how that Cupcake looks so yummy almost to good to eat, well almost, it would go down well with a good cup of coffee, mmmmm.
Posted by: Marisa | April 14, 2008 at 09:13 AM
What a perfect day! Good for you!
Posted by: michelle | April 14, 2008 at 09:13 AM
wow, great weekend!!!
Posted by: terri | April 14, 2008 at 09:16 AM
I am also a member of Team Vanilla, so thanks for the cupcakery tip -- I'll definitely add it to my "Things to do in Portland" list.
(A list that, I might add, continues to grow longer, even though we keep coming to Portland! Great little town you got there. Love the park pics!)
Posted by: kelly | April 14, 2008 at 09:16 AM
I love the third shot down, where Andy is idly scratching Clover's back while he reads the paper. You perfectly captured a mood there.
Posted by: Martina | April 14, 2008 at 09:18 AM
what a wonderful weekend!
Alisa
Posted by: Alisa | April 14, 2008 at 09:20 AM
We had a weekend like that too. We spent Saturday morning at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Just what the doctor ordered!
Posted by: Jennifer | April 14, 2008 at 09:31 AM
A wonderful weekend. The cupcake is to-die-for.
Posted by: Crystal | April 14, 2008 at 09:33 AM
What airs outblown from ferny dells
And clover-bloom and sweet brier smells.
--John Greenleaf Whittier
Posted by: Linda | April 14, 2008 at 09:41 AM
What a pretty, perfect weekend. And lovely photos -- they almost don't even look real. :) And, now I need a cupcake. Those look delish. xo
Posted by: miss chris | April 14, 2008 at 09:41 AM
So much my idea of perfect that my eyes sting with happy tears. What a soul-nurturing day!
*deep sigh*
Posted by: angeljoy | April 14, 2008 at 09:51 AM
What a lovely weekend! And that cupcake. OMG!
Posted by: Knitsational | April 14, 2008 at 10:00 AM
hi..your pooch is too cute!!
Posted by: farmerjulie | April 14, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Sounds like the perfect weekend. I can hardly wait til it's warm enough here to sit outside and read.
Your girl looks so grown up now, esp in the last pic. x
Posted by: Barbara | April 14, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Ah Audrey will always be with you and her little family. Now 14 books that's my kind of shopping.
Posted by: carolyn | April 14, 2008 at 10:19 AM
What a beautiful weekend the three of you had. Thanks for sharing with us.
Posted by: Bobbie Lynn Duran | April 14, 2008 at 10:20 AM
Looks like a perfect weekend. Hasn't she grown?!?!? She is looking like a big girl now! Isn't it lovely when absent friends are with us too...
Posted by: maryannlucy | April 14, 2008 at 10:21 AM
She is such a pretty dog. Good luck with her training!
Posted by: JennyC.No3 | April 14, 2008 at 10:23 AM
What a beautiful day. :)
Posted by: suzanne b. | April 14, 2008 at 10:28 AM
I mean days. Plural.
Posted by: suzanne b. | April 14, 2008 at 10:29 AM