Summer Alphabet: R, S, T, U

Rose Garden

A summer is not complete unless we meander among the great roses of Portland. Each year, these beauties allow for some awesome photography, happy noses, fun conversations, and inspiring thoughts of gardening. Though this year, the smelling was a bit more labor intensive with the continual pulling down a mask for a fragrant sniff.  

Scotch Cemetery

To and from Hagg Lake, we passed this tranquil, old chapel surrounded by weathered tombstones. One day post-swimming, we decided to stop and investigate. To our delight, we discovered a pioneer Scottish cemetery complete with oldness, heritage tracking (a lot of 'he thou were borneth in Banffshire in the year 1843') and some endearing names. I love cemeteries and this was a great random find. 

Taste Test: Fizzy Drinks

I believe this may be our fourth annual summer taste test - donuts (x2), cheese, now fizzy drinks. Beneath a stunning blue sky as dusk fell, we popped bottles, made notes, puckered lips, hmmmed over some, and ugghed a few. Butterscotch Beer won the evening with Cheerwine getting a hearty boo, though all agreed its color was the best.   

UPick: Farmers Market

Our summers are typically saturated with UPick farms for the berries beckon us and we comply. This year is not typical, so we enjoyed a day early in the summer in the Hood River fruit loop plucking cherries; the rest of the summer, we allowed the Sunday Farmer's Market to be our supplier. I loved our Sunday dates of grazing the market followed by a drink of choice and pastry of choice at Starbucks/Baker and Spice. 

Summer Alphabet: N, O, P, Q

New Life: Baby Robins

Our wisteria was a bustling bird maternity ward this summer. We have the privilege to watch two separate robin families expand their brood, from nest construction to first flight. We also had the opportunity to see how territorial nature of these birds, for they are zealous about kicking out nests-in-the-making by other bird species. 

Otis Glen Rapids

A summer is not complete without a date or two with Nancy and Stinker. Usually it involves berry picking, but this year we took to the water. The Otis Glen Park is a hidden gem that has an ice cream shop in the parking lot (which was closed on our visit day, of course). It is quaint, cozy, and home to some quick current which provides a few hours of floating fun. As always, we laughed a lot and played hard, all while soaking in glorious sun rays.

 Patches

The wheelin' and dealin' of Portland Timber patches became the obsession of Kaden and Zach. Their partnership in securing patches was formidable, so much so that patch-centric language had the rest of us looking very quizzically at each other in an effort to understand the foreign language. Their passion incited the creation of a patch patrol box on our back fence, which led to an instigation of others following suit and friendships being formed. While live football to watch and be played was greatly missed, this was a beautiful outlet for them and I still love the pride that exude when talking of their hobby. 

Quilts

The pandemic has been a boon to quilt creations. Though quilt top creations began in the early stages of our virus refugeeing, the summer has continued to be a superb opportunity for creativity with fabric. In addition, Addysen has become a wonderful textile connoisseur and stitching professional which has allowed a great partnership between us. So far, we have we have completely pieced three tops and are working on two more, quilted two quilts, and have (only) raided our dear friend, Ruth Ann's fabric stash twice. 

Summer Alphabet: J, K, L, M

 Jaunt to the Falls

Our hiking was most limited this year with most trails/parks/forests closed due to the pandemic. In years past, hiking has been a primary feature of our summer adventures, whereas this year bikes were our main mode of adventuring.

The final two days of summer were divided between the two kids - each chose a trip theme for the day. Kaden chose biking, which allowed us to experience the awesome Vernonia-Banks trail. Addysen requested waterfalls and hiking. 

We began our day with Multnomah Falls which was magical. Due to the pandemic restrictions, it is a ticket entry. For the first time ever in my living in Oregon, I actually saw the falls without tourists. No one is allowed on the bridge, which allowed for the iconic view that I have only seen in tourist brochures and posters. It was sublime. 

After soaking in the sight of tourist-less Multnomah Falls, we headed to Panther Creek Falls and the hike. A short hike, but a mighty falls is what we found. There is an upper and lower section, the lower being the most majestic and a perfect place to take pictures that look completely fabricated.

Know That Movie Line

When we returned in February, we began a quest to introduce Addysen and Kaden to iconic Disney movies. Out of a list, we each chose three movie titles and put them into a jar. A couple times during the week, we each took a turn to pull out a movie to watch. From Fox and the Hound to Emperor's New Groove, the kids can now sing most Disney songs and quote lines. Pop culture win! 

Labrum Visit

A highlight of this bizarre year has been the ability to see friends more than once. The Labrum welcomed us into the states in February, then in August we were able to spend some time with them again - this time not jet lagged. We spent the day by, on, and in a lake, laughing and chatting. 

Midge Joins the Family

I attribute our time on Camano Island for the newest addition to the water fleet. Joel borrowed paddle boards for the trip - which was a brilliant plan. The subsequent delight we had in exploring the water by SUP carried into the decision to purchase one for the house. On a beautiful day, we took our fleet to the Willamette and dubbed our newest addition the SS Midge. We like her a lot, plus Gerty is a bit happy to not have to lug about two very grown children. 

Summer Alphabet: G, H, I

Garden + Garden Shed

Our garden was a source of sanity, conversation, ritual, delight, bafflement, frustration, and balm for the soul this season. I belong outdoors and I am so grateful to have housemates that allow for free reign when it comes to the yard (because my love of yard work is what our friendship was built upon so many years ago, which continues to be so endearing to me.) The kids and I spent hour upon hour piddling in dirt, weeds, and plants. Kaden became the watering specialist, Addysen became the music therapy to plants coodinator, and I took the consultant role. We joined forces for plant selection and plant location. We had losses (darn canteloupes!) and many successes (hello, beautiful nasturtiums!). We were and continue to be a mighty force - having lugged a lot of mulch this past week to our various beds. 

A bonus of the summer was building a garden shed. There was a large unused storage box in the back porch and I asked Joel if we could repurpose it. With his approval, we created a haven for our gardening bits and bobs. I found it amusing that to the kids, sanding was the favorite part of the project. 

Hagg Lake

This became our Friday therapy session - a day at lake with the Pace family. There were hours of laughter, conversation, swimming, and float chasing in, on, and around the lake these days. In a world where all local swimming pools were closed, this provided a perfect retreat for this water-needing girl. 

Island Hopping

At the beginning of August, we were invited to join the Tos and Millers on a week holiday to Camano Island. A glorious week beside the water, good food, great friends, and new explorations in an area that had not been deeply experienced.  

Summer Alphabet: D, E, F

Demo and Rebuild

We brought our crummy hutong luck with us upon our stateside jaunt. Quite a few things went bonkers in the abode - from buckled shower tiles to moldy bathroom walls to bowing hardwood floors. While most were easily fixed within our first few months in residence, the floor in the office/Banker studio was an ongoing saga. A rogue drain pipe lost its cap and caused substantial water damage to the flooring, which forced us to vacate and demo (it was nasty!). At the beginning of July we were finally able to move back into the space with special features including a cemented pipe cap and new waterproof flooring.  

Ellie Joins the World

Her arrival was early, barely squeaking into the summer category. Ellie made her appearance at the end of August, turning my sister into a mother of two. All are in love with her cheeks. 

Funko Pop

Though the Funko Pop brand is not unknown to us, the magical headquarters were until the Tos made a stop there one morning in August. Its presence is advertised in the numerous life-size Funko Pop statues placed around the roof with a few on the adjacent street corners. Stepping across the threshold is a step into a magical toy wonderland; themed rooms, abundant life-size statues, and so many fun photo spots. We spent ample time meandering, snapping photos, and gazing at the amazing detail in such a unique space.   

Summer Alphabet: A, B, C

It is an annual tradition to pause and reflect on the season of summer holiday. Though this is the year of a seemingly perpetual winter holiday for us, there are subtle shifts of life. Teaching online to not teaching online seemed to signify the beginning of summer, rather than a paperwork drop-off and a long jaunt across the ocean. Another shift passed earlier this month, when our kid-inspired-adventure-filled days were traded for kids-stuck-to-computers days and we were not bound for the other side of the globe.  

In years past, I have written the entirety of the summer alphabet in one post. This year, I am posting in chunks. For several reasons; the foremost being that writing in length has become difficult for me. In a time of such tumultuous emotions and constant, unnerving unknown - it has been hard for me to focus and to put words to it all. Instead of facing the difficulty, the stories swirl in my head and stay there. Yet, Zach and I have made a commitment to continue focusing on the things that make us us. Writing is an immense part of how I process life - that has always been the case, in good and in bad. Therefore, start small...like a chunky ABC look at our summer that was quite epic for the times. 

Annual Pumpkin Planting

It began as a pursuit to provide small pumpkins for kindergarteners and has morphed into a 'well, how many can we get' experiment. The plot has incrementally grown and the species of seeds purchased expanded. Our annual trip to Kentucky was a month earlier which allowed for me to join the annual pumpkin planting on the farm. Over 1500 seeds were put into the ground, each with a hope of giant vines and robust pumpkins of every shape, size, and color to burst forth into the world. 

I can report that the hopes of a bountiful crop came to fruition for mom sent pictures of the recent harvest and it seems over 1200 pumpkins were picked. 

There is something absolutely delightful in seeing the growth cycle of a seed.

Blazing Bike Trails

For the first time in summer shenanigans, four bikes were ours to see the world. We blazed many new paths from the Trolley Trail to the Vernonia-Banks Trail to the Sellwood Riverfront Trail with a side dash of over the Tillicum Bridge. We even had the joy of having friends ride with us - we finished that adventure with milkshakes! 

Cat Antics

While cats prowling around the abode is not uncommon, this summer set up a new level of adoption of us humans - especially for the neighbor's cat, Sherby. Stealth and skittish were the modes of past reconnaissances, bold and begging for pets was the new normal before eyeing something of interest or walking off in cat-style disdain. We suspect the increased interest in our yard is due to Addysen becoming a modern-day Disney princess who turned our backyard into a marvelous bird sanctuary. 

We have been the receivers of headless animal offerings over the months, a true sign of our acceptance in their hunting grounds. However, a couple weeks ago, Kaden and Addysen joined forces to thwart a hunt in progress, which I am sure has now caused a ripple of cat disdain. Nonetheless, they made the decision to intervene when baby squirrels were found on the ground and Sherby was moments from pouncing. The action invoked was Addysen swooping Sherby into her arms and walking away to administer many love pats. 

Photo Journal: Downtown Portland Muralscape

Today I took a walk through downtown Portland - the place that has been thrashed in the media, around the world, for absolute mayhem and burning. However, I did not walk seeking action and a story to push, but more so to experience a place I truly enjoy in a very unique time in history. Pandemic plus protests plus smoke laden skies. 

Downtown Portland is empty.

Downtown Portland is bare - of buzz, of bustle, of brio. 

I walked for blocks without meeting or seeing a single person. 

The roads were barren landscapes of asphalt. 

It was surreal. 

However, there was a glimpse of Portland and its artsy soul. 

Murals. Dozens of mural have morphed bland spaces into beautiful memorials for moments and people. I know they will rarely be showcased for it does not fit the narrative being pushed, so I took photos of many of them to remember a place that the world believes to be devastated and drained.