Author: Judy

Dear Liza,

After our busy Saturday at the Lavender Festival, we all decided to have a quiet Sunday. Grandpa Nelson was tired and we all had stuff to do around the house.

About mid-morning, Auntie Bridgett said she wanted to have some Eb and Bean frozen yogurt, and asked if I would walk down with her…to Division Street, about a mile south of here. “Sure!” I agreed. “It’s Eb and Bean.”

About that time we realized that the toilet handle in our downstairs bathroom had stopped handling. The little plastic screw had busted clean in half. Nearest hardware store? A mile away, in sort-of-but-not- really the same direction as Eb and Bean. West by southwest, as opposed to directly south. Could we combine the trips? Of course we could.

Carrying water to keep us healthy in the 85 degree sunshine, we headed off through the neighborhood. Summer is such an abundant season, with foxgloves, old roses, towering hollyhocks and even some unnamed giants sprouting up, that every day is something new and lovely.

At Hawkins Hardware on Hawthorne, we didn’t find exactly what we were looking for. Standard toilets apparently are not as standard as we would like. After much debate, we got a complete handle replacement, just in case.

On to Eb and Bean! Walking through Ladd’s Addition is always a joy. Developed in the 1920s, this area has tall houses, towering trees and cool streets. Even baby raccoons were out playing in the shade.

On Southeast Division Street, not so much. This is a transitional neighborhood, where old houses mix uncomfortably with ultra-modern condos, and the over-trafficked street has no room for trees. It was hot! When we finally reached the cool concrete interior of Eb and Bean, we were more than ready for a rest.

We had been here before, but always on our way somewhere else. Sunday, I wanted to explore the building. After coming back to life with shade and cold treats, we explored a little.

We learned that the building, now called The D Street Village, was built in 1941 as a Safeway store. It changed hands in 1954 and again in 1993. In 2006 the current owners, Appropriate Development Group, bought the building and refurbished it into what it is today.

The ground floor houses about eight businesses including Eb and Bean, The Bollywood Theater and Indian restaurant supply company and restaurant, Imperial Brewing Pub, several dress shops and Stella Taco, for munchies.

There are 13 lawyers’ and other offices upstairs, and the whole office area is decorated with street art inspired murals. Very urban and bright.

But the shop that called to me was “Citizen Ruth”. I was intrigued by the name, which reminded me of an old Laura Dern movie… but THIS Citizen Ruth refers to the notorious Supreme Court Justice herself, Ruth Bader Ginsberg. The shop has cups, pins, tee shirts, posters, and books, all celebrating women’s resistance and feminist rebellion.

Stylized portraits of RBG, Maya Angelou, Gloria Steinem and other famous women of opinions decorated coasters, posters and candy boxes. It was a colorful celebration of not taking anyone’s …. let’s say…..nonsense.

We enjoyed a long visit, but I ended up just buying a set of socks with the Portland Timbers logo on them, because most of the others had words I don’t want to wear in public. I agree with the sentiment, but not the swear words.

Knowing we still had a mile uphill to get home, we headed off. I will tell you more about our “quiet Sunday at home” tomorrow!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

While we were waiting in the line for Hawaiian food, Grandpa Nelson found us a table in the shade and fought off chair thieves. When we finally got to sit down we enjoyed our BBQ chicken and salads, drinking the water we had brought along. We saw folks getting very creative with seating, carrying the small tables to a low wall so they could perch to eat their lunch.

When we were fed, rested, and ready to move on, we watched and learned about distilling lavender oil from the plants by using steam, and got to dip our hands into buckets of lavender water, which is a by product of the process. It smelled so good!

I talked to a costumed lady named Kim who told me that last year, when she was not in costume, she had dunked her whole head into that bucket! She must have smelled great for days!

There were many booths selling Lavender sachets, teas, soaps, lotions, wines and sangrias, sold by enthusiastic, well-informed folks. This wonderful blues and jazz combo made everything bright and happy. We didn’t catch their name, sadly.

Having seen and smelled everything, we started our walk back across the stone bridge, past the booths and across the field to the parking area. Auntie Bridgett almost stepped on one of the small scythes that were being used to harvest the flowers! It had probably been left behind by someone who had lost their enthusiasm for harvesting. I walked it back to the booth so no one got hurt.

Driving home, I kept trying to get a clear picture of Mt. Hood, but the wonderful clouds and forests kept getting in the way! I don’t mind, though…I’ll get closer soon.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

Another wonderful weekend has flown by. Since it is summer, we have so many activities to choose from! It is hard to forego Shakespeare in Beaverton, for example, but we know there will be plays in Laurelhurst Park, and even a production of MacBeth in the Lone Fir Cemetery in a few weeks (Ooo!), so we chose to spend our Saturday near Clackamas, just a short drive east of Portland, at the Portland Lavender Festival.

This incredible festival of sensory overload has been going on for 13 years, and is the only two days that the Portland Lavender Farm is open to the public. We drove past a gazillion Christmas tree farms with views of Mt. St. Helens and Mount Hood to the parking area where cheerful volunteers directed thousands of cars into into neat rows, and finally stepped out into the sweetest smelling field ever.

To reach the booths and fountains of the festival we walked across a field of lavender that was positively moving with bees. The fields and humming reminded us of our week in Provence years ago, but without the oppressive heat. Parents were speaking in calming tones to their toddlers. “See the bees? They’re helping the flowers grow. No, they won’t hurt you, honey, they are so busy…”

Families posed for snaps while photographers with giant lenses got low and close to the blossoms.

The Lavender Farm has developed this area into a coherent, easy to navigate venue. I am sure they are popular for weddings.

On the lower field were craft booths, featuring lavender oils and such, but also aprons, clothes, candles, and birdhouses. A large tent sheltered a few dozen folks creating lavender wreaths out of hundreds of bundles of lavender, stacked like firewood beneath the tables. Everyone was so happy and busy!

People were even renting little scythes to got out into the field and harvest their own bundles to take home. We didn’t feel the need, though some kids were very excited about it.

Continuing on, we found a wonderful water feature that began with a waterfall near a gazebo on a small rise and continued through a kid-friendly canal, under a stone bridge, and down into a pool with a jumping fountain. The gazebo offered a great view of the activities.

In this upper area was a music stage with lovely country tunes and blues-y jazz groups taking turns. Further up were the wine booths, where we enjoyed a cold Zerba Rose on this hot day.

We had packed peanuts for Grandpa Nelson but Auntie Bridgett and I needed to wait in a very long line at the Ate-Oh-Ate booth to get some food. There were only five booths to serve thousands of people! I think they need to get the word out for more vendors!

I will tell you more tomorrow. Off to bed now.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

I’m sorry this is late. I was sick for a few days, but thanks to good people and smart doctors, I am on the mend.

As part of my healing, I went for a walk this morning with Auntie Bridgett to help her put up posters for the big French themed show at SideStreetArts Gallery.

The past two nights we have had rain! Wednesday there was a roof rattling rain with thunder and lightning, then Thursday, a gentler but solid torrent. And today, many of the neighborhood flowers were showing their thanks.

And that, as Forrest said, is all I have to say about that.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

Laurelhurst Park is a living theater, free, and open every day. Yesterday we had a new episode.

This wonderful Labrador and his people were walking along the path in the Valley. This area is flooded in winter, but in summer it becomes the Off Leash area to let the other one green up. The people carried coffee mugs. The Lab carried a giant stick.

Seriously, this branch was about five feet long. The Lab couldn’t get the whole thing off the ground at once, but he was not going to give it up. He dragged it for quite a while, then stopped and looked up to his people.

“He wants you to throw it,” the woman said. So the man threw it, looking like an ancient warrior.

The Lab chased after it and brought it back, working very hard.

They all lasted about four throws, then they seemed to agree it was time to head home.Always something new to see.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

Upstairs from the Comics show at the Lake Oswego Festival, we found hundreds and hundreds of paintings, collages, sculptures, and mixed media pieces.

There was a room of younger children’s work from the “Elementary Art Literacy Program” including this interpretation of “foreground, middle ground, and background”.

The foreground is a child holding binoculars, through which you look to the forest and wolf beyond.

Outside, past the children’s clay experience area, was the giant tent where the youth jazz band played while hundreds of folks looked at an Open Art show.

Landscapes, portraits, unusual collages and textile pieces were all mixed up, and you needed to keep your eyes open around every corner.

We had an Italian soda in the Atiyeh Family garden while realizing we needed dinner, as we and our phone batteries were all running out of power (hence, no photos!). We navigated to Sellwood and the Ancestry Brewing Co. for fabulous sandwiches and fries and a much needed stout. Then on to Hurry Back Ice Cream for the will and energy to get back home.

All this culture is exhausting!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

On Saturday we got to go see what Auntie Katie has been distracted by:

The Arts Festival at Lake Oswego. Because of the crowds, we took the shuttle from Marylhurst University. This beautiful campus, built in the 1890s, is now closed due to lack of enrollment. It is sad to see the wonderfully detailed brick and stone buildings and know they are not being used.

The Festival is a huge deal! Set in the affluent (that means pretty rich) suburb of Lake Oswego, the Festival spreads out over a city park, several large buildings, and a tent the size of University Park School’s field.

The Art in the Park booths were set up at George Rogers Park, and more than one hundred local artists and craftspeople were showing their wares. I met Q Wollack, who makes art by folding the pages of old books, and Georgia Williams, a quilter, like me. Georgia encouraged me to practice and be brave. “If you don’t like it, rip out the seam and go again!” She said.

Lucy Davenport creates bonsai from elms and oak trees, but also hydrangeas and lilies. We had a lovely chat and she offered me advice and encouragement on my Hundred Acre Wood project.

We got hungry and headed to the food carts, finding Le Bon Temps Crepes, which, in spite of their bad French grammar, were tasty and just what was needed. They don’t skimp on butter or fillings!

Crossing State Street to the Arts building, I got to enjoy the show Auntie Katie had been working on, called “Origin Stories: Comics and Identities”.

It had an educational part, where different aspects of comics (panels, shading, and dialogue) were explained and illustrated. Then there were sections that showed how a single panel went from rough to final draft, and then how an entire story was told, page by page.

Along with the art were panel discussions on the importance of having a comics community to help and encourage creativity and sales, and on the importance of activism in comics. I was pleased to see comics getting their due appreciation, and proud of Auntie Katie for having a hand in it.

Heading upstairs, we saw more! But that will wait for tomorrow.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

This past week has been so busy! I have been helping Auntie Katie move her bookshop, Books with Pictures, into her new building. There was a lot of noisy work with impact hammers, power sanders and shop vacs, by a crew that ranged in age from 8 to 64 at any given time. I met some wonderful, helpful people with incredible skills and backgrounds.

Every now and then Auntie Katie would need to dress up in her Comic Maven clothes and drive south to Lake Oswego, a very high class suburb of Portland, because besides opening her shop this week, she is one of the curators of the art show at the Lake Oswego Arts Festival. That means she worked with others to choose the art works, set up the show, present the show to donors, and run discussion panels.

And while she was gone, the work continued. Orchestrated by artist and bookshop minion Nick Orr, we lifted and secured shelving, repaired and painted bookcases, and swept up pounds of dust and debris. It was exhausting and amazing.

As of Friday evening, there were still no books on the shelves, but the shop was ready for them! It looks like a proper place to shop and meet new real and fictional friends.

Love,

Grandma Judy