Things I Learned in Portland…(04/24 to 04/27)

My sister and I visited our good friend in Portland. These are the fun facts that I learned on that trip.

FULL MOONS AND JELLYFISH (04/24)

While walking along the beach (after a mile and a quarter hike), my friend mentioned that when she was at the same beach the week before there were a lot of jellyfish washed ashore. Then my sister added that she recalled learning that sometimes after a full moon, the number of jellyfish increases. So I looked up why…

Some types of jellyfish have reproductive jelly gatherings 8 to 10 days after a full moon, thus there is an increase in the number of jellyfish found at that time.

As it turns out the full moon in April was on the 9th. (if you don’t believe me, look here) and my friend was at the beach exactly eight days later.

interesting…

I’LL DRINK TO THAT (04/25)
We visited Portland’s Rogue Brewery and sampled a flight of beers. I can’t recall all of the beers I tried, but I do know that this one was among them:

What is soba?

Morimoto Black Obi Soba – it was quite delicious but I was unaware of what soba was. Here is what soba is: a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour.

For fun I have also included the etymology for the word ‘buckwheat’

1548, from M.Du. boecweite “beech wheat” (cf. Dan. boghvede, Ger. Buchweizen), so called from resemblance between grains and seed of beech trees. Possibly a native formation on the same model as the Du. word.

HONEY BUCKET (04/26)

I couldn’t walk by this particular port-a-potty without noticing its name, nor could I resist taking a picture:

I thought it was an odd name for such a device, until I learned, well, that it wasn’t.

A bucket that is used in place of a flush toilet in communities that lack a water-borne sewage system.

The honey bucket sits under a wooden frame affixed with a toilet seat lid. The honey bucket gets its name from the actual five–gallon buckets which were once used as containers for honey.

SKUNKAVICH (04/27)

AKA Skunk Cabbage

While driving to the coast, I noticed these yellow flowers from the highway. They added a nice splash of color amid the trees and swamps. While going on a walk with my sister, friend and her sister, I asked about the flowers. My friends sister said that they were called ‘skunkavich’ – interesting,  I thought.

Of course, the interesting thing turned out to be my hearing as the real name of the plant is SKUNK CABBAGE. The reason why becomes evident the closer you get to the plant. Let’s just say that they are prettier at a distance.