Speechless Sunday - Clouds Over Hood River Valley High School   I never tire of photographing clouds and I especially love this photo of clouds... I can't imagine what caused such an interesting cloud formation. I took this on an early autumn morning, just as the sun was beginning to rise and just before one of our son's, Ben's, football games at Hood River High School.       11/11/2012

  Join "Empty Bowls": Help Build A FISH Food Bank in Hood River, Nov. 15   It truly takes a community to build... and maintain... a food bank to help take care of those less fortunate in our community. This innovative new fundraiser is a great way to get involved. On November 15th, 6:30 p.m. at the Hood River Middle School Cafeteria (1602 May Street, Hood River) Gorge Grown Farmers grew the food, Hood River Hotel Chef, Mark Whitehead will craft gourmet soup, Arts in Education artists and students have created bowls, Blue Skies Bakery will bake the bread andProvidence is sponsoring the evening Come eat incredible soup and bread, then take home a one of a kind, hand made bowl... all to help build a food bank. Tickets are $30 and are available at Waucoma Book Store and Gorge Grown Farmers ... 11/11/2012

  LAST Hood River Farmer's Market of The Year, Thursday Nov. 15 Yes, all good things must come to the end. The Gorge Grown Farmer's Market is a time-honored tradition in Hood River. Held every Thursday afternoon, from early spring to late fall, the farmers market at Hood River Middle School will host its last market of the 2012 season this week. The market features fresh veggies, fruit, flowers, wood-fired pizzas, grilled brats, delicious empanadas, tarts, grass fed beef, breads, cheeses, eggs and so much more! Visitors are invited to bring a blanket, enjoy a picnic and socialize with friends and family in the lawns around the market. 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at 1602 May Street, Hood River (across from Jackson Park) Don't miss your last chance to check out local offerings. The market will retu... 11/11/2012

  Friday's Foto - Hood River Valley Color Galore   This is one of my all time favorite autumn photos of our boys, taken about four years ago. I still can't get over how brilliant and all-encompassing the fall yellows are... practically unreal. I took this about 5 miles south of the town of Hood River in an orchard of, I think, cherry trees.       11/09/2012

  Warren Miller's US Tour of Film "Flow State" Hits Hood River   Here in the Hood River Valley, we love our snow sports. Let's face it... we're a skiing and snowboarding community and it wouldn't be ski season without kicking it off in style with Warren Miller's annual snow sports extravaganza. This weekend brings the 63rd feature film and U.S. tour to Hood River. Flow State takes viewers across the globe and to the tops of the world's most stunning peaks for an exhilerating thrill ride through powder, over cliffs and sailing across moguls galore. Featuring some of the sport's most impressive athletes, this year's offering will leave viewers breathless and amped up for the season. The term "flow state" is athlete's jargon referring to that frame of mind a true athlete reaches where he's... 11/09/2012

  Speechless Sunday - Jessa Chihuahua's Halloween 2012 Costume   Another Halloween, another chance to dress up my chihuahua, Jessa. This year she rocked a skeleton outfit, also matching our 12-year-old son who was a skeleton/zombie (with a knife through his head!). Then the two hit downtown Hood River for trick-or-treating... Jessa even scored a dog biscuit or two and lots of attention.       11/04/2012

  Hood River Parents! Do You Know What Your Kids Are Doing Online?   It's tougher than ever to keep an eye on our kids and to keep them safe from the predators that would take advantage of them. We now not only have to fear their environment, but also how they can be reached (and what they can reach) online. Cyber-bullying has also recently become a big concern. Do your children know what consititutes cyber-bullying and what to do if it happens to them? Don't miss these community forums to learn what your kids already know about the internet (that you may not!), how to track where they go, how to limit what they can do and see, and how to protect them from predators.   November 8, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.,Hood River Middle School Auditorium, 1602 May Street, Hood River or November 13, 7:00 to ... 11/04/2012

  Hood River Wrestling Club Gets Its 2012-13 Season Underway   Practices started Monday, October 29th for the Hood River Wrestling Club. The Club, a member of the United States Wrestling Association, is for boys and girls in kindergarten through the 8th grade. It's a non-profit athletic club dedicated to developing not only the physical, but also mental well-being of young athletes. The club's motto is to "develop leaders, teach values, build character, mold champions and changes lives." What more can you ask from a youth activity? Groups are taught in three skill levels, beginner, intermediate/advanced and Middle School. Practices are at Hood River Valley High School, 6-7:30 p.m., two or three evenings a week, with tournaments available on Saturdays. Coaches have extensive experience a... 11/03/2012

  Halloween 2012 Was A Big Hit In Hood River!   Halloween 2012 brought another great evening of trick-or-treating and socializing on Oak Street in downtown Hood River. The entire road, for six+ blocks, was blocked from traffic while shops lavished treats on the valley's hundreds of children who flocked to their storefronts. Young and old alike joined together to socialize, shop and celebrate the occasion. It's so fun to live in a small town and this one totally rocks!     Giant carved pumpkin, above.     Sam's too cool to trick or treat (or dress up), above.                         11/02/2012

  Friday's Foto - Autumn On Whiskey Creek Rd, Hood River   This is one of my favorite roads around Hood River... Whiskey Creek Road is just a mile from the town of Hood River, just off Highway 35. It's never more gorgeous than in autumn with its brilliant colors gracing these towering trees.     11/02/2012

  DON'T MISS The Gorge Gear Swap: Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012 If you're a skier or snowboarder in the Columbia River Gorge, don't miss this great snow sports and ski swap November 3, 2012. Hosted by Hood River Valley High School Ski Team this is the best way to stock up on all the equipment and accessories you'll need for the 2012-13 season. Featuring both new and gently used items, you'll find great selection for incredible prices! If you have something to sell, consignment check-in is set for Friday, November 2, 5:30-8:00 p.m. The sale starts Saturday morning. For the very best selection, don't miss the first pick at the "Early sale" from 7:30 - 8:30. Price is $25/person. The main sale starts a 9 a.m. and goes to 3 p.m. and costs $5/person or $10/family. Location: Hood River Valley High Sc... 10/28/2012

  This Girl Positively Sparkles With Puppy Joy... Meet Lacey! Lacey is a four month old Jack Russel Terrier, Chihuahua mix. This is one fiesty girl with enough spunk and sparkle for two pups! She loves to play with her siblings and lots of toys and is a complete rascal. She is just a puppy, though, so is really into chewing with those sharp puppy teeth so she needs a few lessons on manners and such. What a fun girl, though. She keeps the folks at the shelter in stitches as she clumsily tries to run with the big dogs, but then loves to settle down for a snuggle. What a fun additions she's going to make to someone's family. Lacey is current on shots, microchipped but too young for spay.  The adoption fee for Lacey is $200, plus spay deposit, cash or check only, please. The adoption fee is... 10/27/2012

  Hood River Fire Department Presents Its Annual Haunted House, 2012   This was the highlight of Halloween for our sons last year! Full of chills and thrills, the Hood River Fire Department's Haunted House did not disappoint. This year's version opened last night (we haven't been yet) and continues tonight, October 27th and Halloween Night, October 31st. It opens at dusk and runs until 10 p.m. Located at 921 12th Street in Hood River, in the haunted E & L Building. There is a $5 suggested donation per visitor and all proceeds will benefit the local chapter of the Muscular Dystophy Association. Support your local fire fighters and this great cause. Come! If You DARE!         10/27/2012

  Another SOLD!!! We're Running Out of Inventory...Everything is Selling!   What a good problem to have. Every week another property (or two!) either goes under contract or closes. REAL ESTATE IN THE HOOD RIVER VALLEY IS MOVING AND MOVING FAST! Now is a great time to buy or sell your home. Check out what we can do for you. This gorgeous, Hood River home, with an awesome view of the Columbia River, is no longer available.     If you want your home to sell quickly, you've got to get it out there... exposure, exposure, EXPOSURE! People can't buy it if they can't see/find it! If you've chosen to sell your property FSBO (for sale by owner), we can help you market it. All our "solds" and "sales pendings" in recent weeks prove our method works!   What we can do for you:      - Present multiple... 10/27/2012

  Yet ANOTHER Hood River Sale Pending! Gorgeous Mt. Hood View Sold!   This gorgeous view of Mt. Hood, from a charming property in Pine Grove, is sold. If recent sales are any indication, the real estate slump in Hood River is over and real estate is moving. Now is the perfect time to buy or sale.     If you want your home to sell quickly, you've got to get it out there... exposure, exposure, EXPOSURE! People can't buy it if they can't see/find it! If you've chosen to sell your property FSBO (for sale by owner), we can help you market it.   What we can do for you:      - Present multiple photos and detailed info about the property on your own web page at www.ColumbiaGorgeFSBO.com      - Provide a web address specific to your property with a visitor counter      - Professionally photograp... 10/25/2012

  Trick-Or-Treat Hood River's Oak Street This Halloween!   Halloween is one of those big events for our little community and we know how to do it right! Outside the town of Hood River, our area is pretty rural and spread far and wide, making trick-or-treating, well, tricky, as it would involve a lot of walking to visit few houses where people probably wouldn't be home anyway. The town of Hood River solved this dilemma and turned it into a party to end all parties while they were at it. Starting at dusk, the town closes main street, aka Oak Street, to traffic and opens it to kids of all ages. It's like a huge block party and everyone goes. All businesses along Oak Street are well stocked with tons of candy to lavish on the kids, the road is well-lit and it's easy to fill up in mere momen... 10/24/2012

  Introducing The Mt. Hood Independent Film Festival, Oct. 26-28, 2012   The Columbia Center for the Arts is proud to present the first ever Mt. Hood Independent Film Festival in Hood River, October 26 to 28, 2012. Don't miss this chance to be a part of this fantastic new, local festival. This new and unique festival will feature screenings of dozens of films from genres including: foreign, sci-fi/horror, environmental, narrative, documentary, animation and sports documentary. Althought the festival includes films from around the world, a portion of the films featured will be independent films made in the Northwest, by local filmmakers. The festival will begin on Friday, the 26th with an opening reception at Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave., Hood River. Then, over the week... 10/21/2012

  Ready To Be Your Loyal Sidekick... Meet Missy!   Poor, sweet missy. Her long-time owner, who loves her so much, had to let her go due to personal health issues. Missy was the love of her life and she tearfully entrusted the good folks at the shelter to find her a wonderful new home. Missy is a schnauzer/Australian shepard mix and is four years old. She's been a tad spoiled so she's looking to continue that in her new home. She is very playful, sweet and super loyal. She is a little nervous around smaller, rough kids, but older, gentler ones would be just fine. She is crate trained, spayed, current on shots, housetrained and microchipped. She's going to fit almost flawlessly into someone's home. Could she be yours? The adoption fee for Missy is $185, cash or check only, please. The ado... 10/20/2012

  CLOSED & CLOSED: 2 Sold This Week... Hood River Property Is Moving!   These two Hood River properties closed this week and new listings are coming online every week. Now is a great time to buy or sell a home. This recovering market doesn't seem to be slowing down with the autumn.       If you want your home to sell quickly, you've got to get it out there... exposure, exposure, EXPOSURE! People can't buy it if they can't see/find it! If you've chosen to sell your property FSBO (for sale by owner), we can help you market it.   What we can do for you:      - Present multiple photos and detailed info about the property on your own web page at www.ColumbiaGorgeFSBO.com      - Provide a web address specific to your property with a visitor counter      - Professionally photograph your home  ... 10/20/2012

  NEW LISTING! Sophisticated Yet Cabin-Like Feel, Hood River's West Side This beautiful, cedar-sided home has a cozy, cabin-like feel, all on the largest lot in the neighborhood. Located on the west side, the home is moments from schools, services, shopping, medical facilities and downtown Hood River. Impeccably maintained, move-in ready!   · 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, plus loft · 1,048 square feet, Lot: 7,841 sq. ft. (.18 acre) · Vaulted living room with exposed beams · Brand new tile entry · Hardwood floors throughout · Marvelous kitchen: New concrete counters, sink, tile floor, stainless steel appliances, lots of storage. · Wood stove in living room · Master bedroom with walk in closet · Designer, soothing, earth tone colors throughou · Quaint brick backyard patio · Huge yard, nicely landsc... 10/20/2012