I was out running errands this morning, so drove through Northwest Crossing again. I take back my tree comment, except to affirm that the east side has just as many trees if not more.

I drove through some of the more established areas, and I admit they are much better, though still too many for sale signs and still a little too close together for my personal taste. Linda says that if we were in San Fran, it would look perfectly normal. But that's kind of my point -- we aren't in California.

There actually is a native style, or what I would call a Bend style. Most of Bend wasn't in that style when I was growing up -- ranch houses were being built all over the east side. But you see one on just about every old block. A kind of western lumber style that I wish I could describe. But I wonder how many people in Bend would even recognize it? The burnt red color, and or forest green, or dark blue. Kind of craftsmen without all the gables. Fairly large lots, with lots of trees -- ponderosa if possible. Very restful on the eyes. They sort of blend with the landscape. I wish I could describe it better. The better Gilchrest houses are examples, if anyone knows what I mean.

Anyway, the Faux Craftsman looks like it belong here, but other than a few in the old mill district and along the river, it wasn't the predominate style here when I was growing up.

I had the strangest reaction when I left the N.W. Crossing tour last night and went down to third street. It didn't look as bad -- at least there is a variety of style from different eras.......