Picking up where I left off on Sunday, the real highlight of my birthday trip was a surprise stop at the Maryhill Museum of Art. The museum is quite nice for being in such an out-of-the-way location along the Columbia River Gorge. Park-like grounds, beautiful views, and a stately historic building all add to the experience.
The main floor of the museum included a collection of paintings, numerous pieces of gilded furniture, and photos and keepsakes of the Hill family. Erik and I lamented that they did not have more paintings because we liked almost all of those that were on display. Here's a taste, the first one being my favorite:
The furniture was interesting, but for some reason I don't get as excited about 3D art and craft as I do about paintings and prints. But here's a sampling nonetheless of the things that caught my eye:
After our long wander through the museum, we found a sunny spot on the lawn that was sheltered from the wind. Erik fell asleep and I watched the peacocks slowly strut across the grounds toward us. They are such silly birds -- utterly regal and hopelessly awkward at the same time.
I'll post some pictures of the upstairs collections in another entry. More good stuff to come!
