Noble Books and the Eugene Experience

 

My youngest daughter turned 36 on February 24. Terry and I began calling the family a couple of days ahead of time to extend an invitation to take part in a murder mystery party. Looking online, we found a three-game kit and purchased it, hoping everyone could gather. Turns out nobody was going to be around. How dare they have plans, right? 

That's okay though because we found more trouble to get in to. We picked up Terry's daughter to be our partner in crime and headed for Eugene. First stop was a surprise for his daughter. She was surprised all right, as she nearly turned blue, she was so cold. We didn't take into account the snow would still be around the Cascades Raptor Center in Eugene, Oregon. An outdoor walk through the center. Great choice. 

Even while shaking off the cold (no, we were literally shaking), we began our jaunt through the shady, forested area to peek in cages to see what each wire container held. I have to admit, we saw some beautiful birds of prey. The birds are caught, rehabilitated and then released into the wild if they can be. Unfortunately, there are some that are kept in captivity due to a wound or broken wing, leg, or other reason they would not make it if returned to the wild. Terry's daughter read the signs along the way, informing us one falcon was kept because of a bullet wound and the inability to heal properly. 

Starting with the turkey vultures, we began snapping as many pictures to post here as we could. The first cage was one of the captive turkey vultures at the center. He was gorgeous! Spreading his wings out to take in the little bit of sunlight available, he gave us some insight into exactly how large these birds are. 

The wingspan was incredible. Tucking his head, he spread his feathers out, leaving his skin and quills open to capture the sunlight. Turkey vultures are not the prettiest in terms of color, but they are beautiful in terms of being this amazing creature that is so large, yet fairly graceful. 

We trekked over the sandy paths until we ran into this barred owl. Apologies go out to you for the fencing, but the cage material is vital to keeping them safe in either escaping while injured or sick and maintaining their safekeeping from the predators that are in the wooded area. The wire fencing does not however make a clear image of birds when shooting photos through those tiny bars. Terry took some amazing shots though and we chose to share them with our readers. We do hope you can see the birds well enough to enjoy the post. 

 

At one point we ran into a patch of ice, making the walk a bit slippery. Using the hood of someone's pickup (sorry, man), we managed to walk across the path. I'm pretty certain the owner of the vehicle we used as a crutch would have been proud. I don't typically like to touch vehicles parked in a lot, but it did prevent us from falling face down on the concrete. Knowing how clumsy I can be, it would have meant stopping in and saying "hello" to the nurses at the local hospital. To whomever owns the truck, we did not damage it, but I did get a little attached to it. No, I did. Quite literally. My grip was strong.  

I was surprised at the little amount of snow left today at the center. Since the sun was out and we honestly didn't get that much snow, I believed the snow would be in tiny patches, but not as much as there was. It made the walk through the center very cold. Terry's daughter was shivering harder than I was, and that is saying something. My toes were beginning to freeze in the tennis shoes I was wearing. I understood that the tour through the center doesn't take a whole lot of time to navigate and that was a comfort. The Xterra heater was sounding mighty good. But we had birds to see first. And birds we saw!

 

One of the red-tailed hawks we saw today, giving us the eye. Unsure of what we wanted from him; he kept close watch. He loved the sunlight peering in between the bars too much to want to move. I was in solidarity with this bird. It was far too chilly to be moving at all. 

A horned owl peered over the green perch to see what we were up to. Don't humans have anything better to do with their day? Move along people. There's nothing to see here. 

This horned owl didn't seem to pay attention to what we were doing, as long as we left him alone. 

This golden eagle is definitely a bird who would win a fight. While stunning, I would never want to get into an altercation with him. He was huge. 

Beautiful snowy owl ignoring its audience. 

Another snowy owl trying to catch the rays. He didn't care about much of anything but that sunlight.

We were definitely getting the stink eye from this guy. 

Gorgeous hawks, falcons, and owls. All perfect in their own right. But the regal, stout bird that is always my favorite when touring through the Cascade Rescue Center is the amazing bald eagle. 

Terry happened to snag a couple of great photos of this magnificent bird. 

The Cascade Raptor Center is located in Eugene, Oregon. Directions can be found on their website. Click on the link to learn more about their organization. 

The center hosts all types of tours to educate their visitors on the birds of prey. The nonprofit center was founded in 1990. Throughout the years, the Cascade Raptor Center has rehabilitated and released many birds of prey. The $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $8 for children to the age of 12 entry fees are well worth the price. When considering the money goes to help the volunteers feed and care for these wonderful creatures, the prices are very reasonable. 

Because our fingers and toes felt like they were going to break off from the cold, we chose to travel inward and remove ourselves from the south hills of Eugene. We drove to Barnes and Noble, the best bookstore in town. The bookstore resides across the street from Valley River Center, the largest mall around the area and a great place to go after we quench our desire to see many books, games, and magazines. 

So off we went. We came. We saw. We read. We purchased.

Not having much to report about the bookstore besides it is filled with books and a coffee shop, we chose to drive across the street and enjoy a stroll through Valley River Center, Eugene's indoor mall. 

Stopping in a few stores, we looked, pondered purchases, and then moved on. Our trip was not wasted but filled with plenty of fun. To me it meant more bonding time with Terry's daughter. I loved having her join us and when shopping, it's best done with another woman. I love Terry, but it was really nice to enjoy the conversations of the day with her. Women just share in a different way. A way men can't entirely relate to. She is a fun, beautiful young woman who has paid her dues along her life path. Her outlook remains good and that's an amazing thing. I relate to her, as do most women, in the trials and tribulations we live through to make a life. She is an awesome woman and I'm happy that she will now be part of my family. 

You can always find something during a trip to a mall. I grabbed a new phone case at a kiosk along the way. Terry didn't purchase anything at the mall because he did buy a game from the bookstore. His daughter bought a couple of things her son would love, and we were off to another adventure.

After walking through the mall for a while, we grew tired. Terry heard a Cinnabon cinnamon roll calling his name on the way out the door, so we sat for a few moments while he ate it. Hey, he's a growing man. 

The drive to the restaurant for dinner felt long and grueling. We bitched and complained. We struggled through the travel time. You could hear the clicking of the clock as time moved on. The sweat was pouring from our bodies. We were definitely feeling the starvation. It was a rough trip across the parking lot, but hey, someone had to do it. 

Parking the car in front of Texas Roadhouse, we sauntered in and assumed the position at the host's podium. We informed the young man of our name and the number of guests in our party. After many visits to the eatery, we were becoming professionals on how to work our way into the steakhouse. Easy, peasy. We were becoming official "Texas Roadhouse-ians". (Yeah, now I'm making up words. Scary.)

Oh, my gosh. Now the wait. The wait seemed difficult at times, in fact, almost impossible. The aroma of steaks cooking wafted through the air, making the wait even more of a challenge. Fresh rolls being baked carried an aroma that is heavenly, but it's a tease while waiting for your party's name to be called. After a wait of about 20 minutes, I get the text to come to the host's station. I hear the angels sing. Food is going to be served. Ring the dinner bell and let's get to it. We have steak to eat, potatoes to chow, and yes, those rolls. Those beautiful, delightful rolls. Hot, soft, and filled with cinnamon butter if desired. They truly melt in your mouth. I was on a mission now. 

The hostess sat us in the booth. We grabbed for the holy grail of reading materials, the Texas Roadhouse menu. Hey, when you're hungry, you can't find a better thing to read. 

Texas Roadhouse is a food tease, no doubt about it. Pondering the menu is delightful, yet almost torturous because of the pictures that come with the choices. My mouth was watering, stomach growling. It was time we calm the beast.

Oh yeah! Steaks cooked in various ways. Hot, delicious and smoky flavored goodness! Then the shrimp, the hamburgers, the fries, mashed potatoes, and all the dishes that make the trip so worth it. As we have said in another blog post, we love the Texas Roadhouse steakhouse! 

Terry and his daughter chose the steak and potatoes, one baked and one French fried. Green beans that are cooked with onion and bacon to top the already awesome dinner off. I had my usual with the choice of country fried steak, mashed potato, and those delicious green beans. 

After ordering, a light shone down on our table. I could hear the angelic singing above the noise of country music being played over the speakers. The heaven-sent hot, soft rolls appeared in front of us. There is a God!

Nothing is better than the beautiful sight and smell of those rolls or any freshly baked goodness. The buttered tops glistened in the light. We couldn't hold back. We rushed the basket of rolls faster than a bolt of lightning crashing onto the earth. The waitress came around again and we ordered more rolls. Another truly delightful meal at the Texas Roadhouse steakhouse. The food Gods had delivered one more time.

We finished our meal and met my youngest daughter at the Springfield mall, also known as the Shoppes at Gateway. Fancy schmancy. It's the Gateway Mall. That's what it was titled for years and to me it will always be the Gateway Mall. But I digress. 

Anyway, we dropped the gift off to the birthday girl, introduced my daughter and Terry's daughter. After chatting for a bit, we headed inside the Hobby Lobby store to give Terry and his daughter a chance to look around. Neither had been to a Hobby Lobby before since they came from California and there are no Hobby Lobby stores where they lived. My daughter and her husband wandered off into the night after receiving the traditional happy birthday sentiments. Dan had an early day Sunday morning.

We shopped a bit in Hobby Lobby before deciding we would trip through Target that resided next door.  That was also fun, but we were getting tired. It was time to climb back into the "trusty steed" and ride off into the sunset. Or determine our route by the stars since it was already dark.  

An uneventful drive home and we were back in Roseburg. While Eugene is familiar to me after growing up and residing there for 60 years and is also where my family lives, I am beginning to feel a little attached to Roseburg too. Although I think most of that comes from the feeling that Terry and the animals are deeply seeded into my heart. That is what defines "home" to me. Our temporary house may be a bit cramped and small, but it is where my babies are, where my sweet man is. I can honestly claim it is a home, sweet home.