I was visiting a friend in Portland, Oregon, in January 2008. After several days in a blizzard in the Silcox Hut on the top of Mount Hood we returned to Portland. She took me to the Japanese Garden. The day we went was overcast and was misting/raining. This garden is so beautiful and serene in the Winter that it is hard for me to imagine it's beauty when in full bloom. I'll have to get back to Portland soon.