A Few of My Favorite Things: O us for Oregon

I moved to Oregon from Tennessee in July of 2007.  I settled in Salem because that’s where I found a job, but I quickly discovered there was a lot more to commend the state than its capital, which the rest of the state treats like a red-headed stepchild.

By far, my favorite Oregon native is my wonderful wife, who I met in April of last year.  I can’t imagine life without her and it was worth everything I went through in my life to get where I am today.  That Oregon City native stole my heart and I’ll never get it back (not that I want to)!  She’s the perfect fit for me!

When Southerners think of Oregon, we usually think of trees and mountains, not noticing that two-thirds of the state is high desert.  The farthest east I’ve been so far, though, is Sisters, and then only for a few hours, so my Oregon experience is green.  I love Salem’s geographic symmetry, poised right on top of the 45th parallel, a full 10 degrees north of my native West Tennessee.  This means longer days in the summer, but longer nights in the winter.  Along with its proximity to the Pacific, it means a more temperate climate, and the Coastal Range breaks up most of the storms that roll in off the Pacific.  No tornados and low humidity make it a welcome change from the muggy South, where a severe thunderstorm is an every-afternoon possibility from March through November (although I do miss sleeping through a good thunderstorm).  White sandy beaches and waist deep snow are less than two hours away in either direction, and my Love and I spent a recent Sunday afternoon strolling along the beach in sunny 50+ degree weather, despite not leaving the house until noon and having to be back by seven.  We revisited the site of our August wedding, watched the waves crash on massive, coral and mussel-covered rocks, wrote our initials in the sand, and sat by a log with a good book for a few relaxing minutes.