I’ve told you about the garden at Auntie Katie’s bookshop, Books with Pictures. It was created in the spring of 2022 by Katie and dozens of her friends out of an overgrown triangle just behind the shop.
A small backhoe, loads of topsoil and gravel, donated plants and months of faithful watering have created a wonderful oasis enjoyed by passers-by, Comic-con goers, readers, birds and bees.
And now this lovely spot is entering its second winter. The other evening, seeing it from the rooftop, I felt like a proud Garden Grandma. This little space has grown from dump to garden to welcoming haven, sunny in the daylight and glowing at night.
Once again, I am so grateful to be in a place where good people join together to make good things happen, and to be able to see them grow.
Love,
Grandma Judy
PS. Just to remind you, this is what it looked like this last July!
Sunday was Cousin Jasper’s birthday party, and it was like no other party I have ever been to.
Since the weather has been clear (but COLD) and there is a fine strong new roof on their building and new ladder going up to it, Jasper decided that he wanted the party on the roof. At night. With video games.
Of course, there were logistical issues. Just getting the screen, digital projector and all the cords and lights up the ladder and through the hole onto the roof was a huge job. But to seat 6 kids comfortably took every pillow and blanket in the house, including the sofa cushions. Most of this got done before I even arrived. I was totally impressed.
As the sun went down, the views became even more beautiful. Unfortunately, it became clear that the projector screen was catching too much wind and was not going to be practical. Jasper paced and thought a minute, and decided that his smaller, heavier flat screen monitor would work.
So, screen folded and taken down, monitor carried up. Lots of tricky balancing and figuring out as we went along. Problem solved.
As the guests arrived, well- prepared for the chilly party, things went from slightly stressed to happy and smooth.
Guests helped carry the last bits up or down. Everyone shared the controllers for the games, kids brought out spare chargers.It was wonderful.
Dinner delivery paused the game as Pizza, cupcakes, and soda fueled everyone and made for happy, chatty middle school conversations inside.
While the kids were eating, I needed to head off with Grandpa Nelson for shopping and such, but Auntie Katie sent me pictures that show everyone returning to the roof for more Tetris.
This was my first roof-top party at Katie’s, but I have a feeling it won’t be the last. The next one should even be warm… Kestrel’s birthday is in July!
Yesterday was Thanksgiving, a day for food and togetherness and family. We had lovely dinner here in Portland with Auntie Katie, the cousins, and Katie’s bestie Douglas. Auntie Bridgett is in San Diego with her family, and had her own holiday.
There was cheese and salami and crackers before dinner.
Then there was actual Turkey, bread Turkey, veggies, tofu, and cranberry sauce for dinner. We all ate just a tad tooooo much, I think.
Once the leftovers were put away, most of us headed to Laurelhurst park for a walk about. Kestrel found a great wizard’s staff, and Auntie found an even BIGGER branch. The shape was amazing and most of the bark was gone, leaving a smooth surface. They both came home and will be used somewhere interesting, I am sure.
Back at the house, we ate pie Douglas’s cranberry apple crisp, Katie’s sweet potato and pumpkin pies, and my apple crisp. Jasper had some pie, and then discovered that whipped cream is even good on snickerdoodles! We were still full from dinner, but they were all so good!
Then the ukuleles came out and the music started. Douglas and Katie sing so well together, it was a joy to be entertained. Cousin Jasper used his drumsticks in Grandpa Nelson’s muted bongos when drums were needed. Then Mouse the cat got some snuggles from her favorite girl.
As the energy began to lag, we pulled “The Thin Man” from the cupboard to introduce the kids to the wonders of William Powell and Myrna Loy. It was a fashionable, witty, delightful end to the day.
Katie packed pies, cheeses and those huge sticks into the car (“Cool Mom problems”, Jasper teased) and headed off to decorate her bookshop for the first big holiday shopping day of the year, Black Friday. She didn’t get to bed until after midnight, exhausted but happy.
I hope your day was lovely as well. Happy Thanksgiving!
The day before Thanksgiving, Grandpa Nelson and I went downtown. We always enjoy seeing the busy city, even when the weather is grey and damp.
This time of year, all the trees are getting some sort of decoration, getting ready for Christmas. Some trunks are wrapped with lights, but this one in the South Park blocks had these lighted dingle bangles hanging from it.
Further down on the Park blocks we passed one of my favorite places, the Portland Art Museum. It is an old building, and has been expanded and added onto many times for nearly a hundred years. Its current construction is two buildings being joined together across the courtyard. I leaned through the fence to get a view of the work.
Once the two buildings are joined, (where the Black Lives Matter sign is,) you will be able to easily get from one section of the museum to another. The downside is that lovely tree behind the gap won’t be visible from this side.
Finally, we got to the reason for our trip downtown. Grandpa Nelson had another appointment with Janna for physical therapy, and she showed him some more exercises to make his back and abdomen muscles stronger.
After wandering around some more and enjoying yummy Sesame Donuts, we caught the Magic 15 bus back home for a well deserved rest.
Our weather has gotten cold! We are looking at 41 F in the mornings, getting up to a still-chilly 53 F. The sunshine keeps it pleasant, but I am wearing three layers most days.
I love this time of year for many reasons, though. The time change and shorter winter days makes sunset-watching practical during after-dinner walks.
The trees are letting their leaves down, and people are very busy raking them up! Portland city has huge scoopers and trucks to come fetch the leaves, but you have to get them into the street. Yesterday, our neighbor April was out getting her exercise.
In Laurelhurst Park, families were making the most of the season. A girl and her mom were choosing just the prettiest leaves for table decorations. Mom had her hands full and said, “Are we going to be able to use all these?”
The girl said, “We can’t put them back! They’re all so pretty!”
I have been taking a break from the Crazy Quilt for a while, but am now back at it. I have gotten better at piecing, and can do two six inch blocks in about 30 minutes.
After three blocks, I take a break because the hunching over to sew and iron makes my back tired.
Once I get a good stack of blocks done, I start embroidering. This is fun, because I just start stitching along the edges of the piecing.
Sometimes I go astray, and that’s fun too. I can even sew around the edges of the flowers. It’s up to me.
So now, I’m working on about the 50th block. I’ll need about 140, so my first Crazy Quilt is still a long way from being done!
Visiting the zoo with kids can sometimes feel like visiting wild animals while accompanied by wild animals. But as my grandkids become older, taller, and more human-like, I can actually pay proper attention to the animals that call the Oregon Zoo home.
There is a family of Snowy Owls that had tiny chicks a few months ago, and the chicks are now as big as their parents. They are only identifiable by their spotted baby-plumage. Aren’t they adorable?
Naked Mole Rats are not exactly cuddly, but they are interesting. Besides, anyone who likes broccoli can’t be all bad.
In the Cascade Canyon area, there was this very large, very hibernating bear… about two feet away. We went by on tiptoe.
We found an ibis hanging out with the flamingos and the spoonbills. Kestrel just finished learning about them in her Egypt studies, but this was the first live one she had ever seen. He was delightfully ancient .
And finally, after climbing on Jim Gion’s lion statues and riding the Merry Go Round, we spotted this odd rhinoceros in the train station. He looks like he has had enough of television, too.
I got to spend the other day with Cousins Jasper and Kestrel. We took the train to the Oregon Zoo and spent a few hours, and it was a wonderful day on so many levels.
Spending time with these smart, funny young people is always a joy for me. At the incredible ages of 14 and 12, they bring different music and movie references, and always teach me something.
But mostly, we just walk around and play with whatever comes handy.
The eagle exhibit has a nest to be silly in,
And Jim Gion’s lion statues become set designs for more hanging out.
As you can see, Kestrel is now officially one bronze lioness long.
When we had seen all the animals, had lunch and were just about done, we caught the train back downtown and then home.
Kestrel remembered taking pictures at certain places, so we took new ones, to compare.
The one with Kestrel’s white dress was taken just last year. Here’s the same pose now.
I cannot believe how quickly everyone is growing! Everyone gets older, except me, I guess. I’m still the biggest kid in the place.
As the saying goes, getting old isn’t for sissies. When we are young, like you, our bodies do what we tell them easily and smoothly. But older muscles get stiff and older bones get brittle, and it takes some work to stay active. Lately, Grandpa Nelson’s back has been bothering him on our long walks, and something needed to be done.
So it was off to the Providence Sports Medicine Center downtown. It is a very bright and busy place, focused on keeping people strong and healthy. It is built into the same building as the Providence Park, where folks go to watch the Timberwolves and Thorns soccer teams play. You can even get a good view of the soccer pitch from the waiting room!
We met Janna, who asked and answered questions and helped Grandpa do some exercises that will help make his back stronger. He did a good job sticking with them, and some even looked fun. You know I’m going to borrow those stretchy rubber band things.
When we had learned how to do the exercises and made an appointment for next week, we headed off. We walked to Pioneer Square, which is called “Portland’s Living Room” and saw that Christmas preparations are already up and running!
The giant Christmas tree is up and waiting for decorations, and even the Christmas tubas are warming up.
I am hoping that with Grandpa’s new exercises, we will be able to do more walking once winter passes and spring gives us some sunshine.
