Since my birthday fell on one of my “bad weeks,” we arranged a belated birthday getaway for just Stephen and me. We rented a small restored historic cabin on Mt. Hood that was the perfect romantic, restful place to lay low for a couple of days.

The cabin was 400 square feet of 1922 charm. The one room was divided into kitchen, bedroom, and sitting room with a wood stove. All the furnishings were period pieces, and the cabin stands in its original location—just two doors down from one of the famous 100 Steiner cabins.

We spent our time reading, puzzling, sketching, painting, sleeping, and waking up to the glorious sound of silence! {Thank you, friends, who watched our dog, house, and kids.}

We drove along the river to find a Steiner constructed church and finally made the trip up the mountain for our first visit to Timberline Lodge. The altitude + chemo had me short of breath just walking from the van to the lodge. The fog prevented us from seeing the mountain, but the cozy fireplaces and cheesy pizza inside the lodge made up for it some. The Zig Zag Inn gave us a colorful experience of local dining, and the sun shining through the immense forest was a happy sight.

It's a delight to live right near so many beautiful places in nature!