Welcome to Chaos !!

I had to escape the city and go back up into the mountain area for cooler temperatures. And it wasn't much cooler there either but better than being in the city. Most restaurants were closed in Mount Hood due to the unusually high temperatures. It was 115 degrees F in Portland yesterday. That is 46 in Celsius. Unreal.
It was unbearable in my apartment Saturday during the day and way into the night. I felt like I was trapped inside a hot box with no moving air, I could not see myself suffer in there for two more days and nights. So.....back to Mount Hood.
Had a huckleberry shake at Huckleberry Inn at Government Camp.



Ahhhhhh nature! The sound of the river kept me company throughout the night.











And I brought a book. I have not been reading books at all lately. All my reading is online so it was nice to actually hold a book and turn the pages. I really like this book.....
When Plants Dream by Daniel Pinchbeck and Sophia Rokhlin. I think that I am ready to start exploring plants on a deeper level soon.

Yesterday I escaped Portland's heat and went up to Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood to watch another moon rise. Last time I was there was on 4th of July for that full moon.
Mount Hood is a potentially active volcano (so mostly dormant) and there is still snow up there and a few people were skiing.



I don't know the name of this flower because I think I never noticed it before but I really like it, it was everywhere and grows in clusters and the clusters look like groups of little beings standing around. Super cute!



The moon is showing itself.





The exterior of Timberline Lodge was used in The Shining. Kind of spooky actually.



So we have a heat wave arriving here starting tomorrow. An excessive heat warning is in effect from 10 am tomorrow until 11 pm on Monday. 107, 114 (that is 45.5 degrees Celsius by the way) and 110 the next three days. I was thinking about getting an AC a few months ago, now the same unit is about $130 more. I do not like feeling like I am getting bamboozled, which to me that is an example of so I am most likely going to escape the heat and go somewhere cooler tomorrow. Or find an AC somewhere.

Today it was Britney's day in court and I have been reading most of the articles that came out about it so far and her transcribed statement. She spoke for 23 minutes and was asked to slow down a few times by the judge because she spoke too fast. I get it, she had a lot to say and it is time that she gets heard. Long overdue. I bet she felt relived afterwards.
If you been reading my blog you know that I love Britney, she can do no wrong in my eyes. Well.....I do think her latest dance video she posted to her Instagram a few days ago was totally cringe and it has been obvious that things have not been ok with her since a long time judging from some of her pictures and the sadness in her eyes but I get it.....she has not been feeling good. And I am not surprised a bit. Her truth is finally coming out and I feel truly bad for her, what she had to endure for so many years. I do hope the conservatorship comes to an end. Like now. Free Britney for real! It is great that she has so many devoted fans that are speaking up on her behalf and demanding justice for her.
Funny how when Charlie Sheen was talking about his tiger blood, admitting to spending millions on sex with random ladies for pay, indulging in hard drugs on a daily basis, got arrested for domestic violence but was still allowed to see his kids, spawn off to make more kids and make decisions for himself. Not even a suggestion of a conservatorship for him and people that are like him.
But Britney should have her life controlled for 13 years? Her parents, yes even her Mom are awful. I would never do this to my child. They are such leeches. Get a job on your own and stop taking advantage of your daughter.
And that car that Britney hit with an umbrella back in the day that people are so focused on......? She asked repeatedly to be left alone and then she had enough. Trust me, I want to bash in cars and walls with an umbrella or a bat on a weekly basis cause I feel fed up with shit and I feel rage. Does that mean I am crazy? No. That means I have feelings. If you don't have feelings perhaps work on that ok?
Britney is amazing and she so deserves to be happy and feel free. I don't know much about her boyfriend Sam but I hope that he is with her for the right reasons. I don't like Justin at all, never did and Kevin was no good as well, another leech.
Anyhow.....I hope things will start to turn around for Britney now. ❤️

Summer Solstice 2021 is here.....the longest day of the year!
I started my day downtown with the Pet Pack which was unusually busy because I was the only volunteer in attendance but but with the help of two friends that usually show up on Sundays we took care of everyone that needed our services. I have always said that I could do Pet Pack by myself if there were no other alternatives and today I got to prove it.
Later in the day, once it started cooling off, cause it was in the 90s in Portland today I met up with my friend Jen and we went to gorgeous Forest Park.
A little toast to Summer Solstice with blood orange ginger ale. Skål!



This place is amazing and it has many miles of trails. I love coming here.



Me and the girls.



What a beautiful day! Happy Solstice!

Today I got to play viking in Portland for a few minutes. I went to another Swedish Midsummer celebration this afternoon, the real deal is celebrated in Sweden next weekend. And tomorrow is Summer Solstice - already! Noooooo......I do not want the days to get shorter! I am going to try to savor this summer before it is over. Or like we say in Sweden....Sommaren är kort, de mesta regnar bort. Men nu är den här, så ta för dig solen skiner idag.

Yesterday I attended a Swedish Midsommar celebration here in Portland. (Midsommar = midsummer). Actually this year in Sweden Midsommar falls on June 25 but for some reason it was celebrated earlier here, probably some sort of a timing issue. Anyhow....the celebration took place at Nordia House, a Scandinavian cultural center here in Portland that I have been to several times.
I had to do the traditional thing and make a flower wreath to wear on my head. All the flowers were donated. There was food so I had some potatoes, red cabbage and very delicious pannkakor (pancakes) with raspberry jam and whipped cream.



Midsommarstången got raised with a communal effort.





For those who might not know.....Sweden is one of the five countries that make up Scandinavia. Located in Northern Europe between Norway to the West and Finland to the East. Yes it snows in Sweden but not year round. We also have an absolutely beautiful summer (if the weather allows). And growing up I heard stories about princesses with long golden hair, trolls living deep in the forests, animals that talked, faeries and Näcken and part of me still believe that all of that truly exist.



Lingonberries is something that I like to eat with potatoes and brown sauce (not with pancakes IHOP style). I like to enjoy my pancakes (and they should be thin) with either raspberry or strawberry jam. Blueberries are delicious in a warm pie. And I remember eating handfuls of gooseberries (krusbär) as a kid cause we had them growing in the yard.



Glad Midsommar!