Benton County Court House, Corvallis OR

After an almond cream croissant at Le Patisserie--a real croissant at a real French bakery--lovely, we walked around the Oregon State campus in Corvallis , where our old friends Anne and Harold live. It is unseasonably warm and dry for this time of year and we were talking about how most times we come here to visit about this time it is pouring rain. I'll take the warm temperatures and cloudless blue skies!

While OilMan and Harold took in an Oregon State/Cal baseball game, Anne and I wandered around town, walked along the river (Willamette), and poked around in a few shops. Anne took me by the Benton County Court House where she was on the Grand Jury for two months not long after they moved here in 2001.

Corvallis still has a small town/college feel, and quickly becomes rural as you drive out of town. There are large anima; barns and dairy cows, belonging to Oregon State, small farms, lots of chickens and lovely scenery. It is still very green here and we marveled at the size and beauty of the rhododendrons and heritage trees on the campus. As soon as we're able to rouse ourselves from our collective torpor, we will take the dogs for a walk before making crab quesadillas in honor of Cinco de Mayo.

Hope you are all having as peaceful and relaxing day as we are....