Dear Liza

Dear Liza,

Last week I got to spend the day with Cousins Jasper and Kestrel. I picked them up at their house, which is the apartment above Auntie Katie’s bookshop, Books with Pictures. Having their house and business in the same place is sure handy!

After I got everyone breakfast, we caught the number 2 bus. It was perfect for this trip, because it goes from just outside their door to one block from the Lan Su Chinese Garden. This garden is a whole city block of beauty and serenity surrounded by a wall. It was created in 2000 by a group of volunteers.

We entered right behind a tour group, which had a lady explaining things about the garden. We sat very still and learned about “Scholar Stones”, also called Lake Tai stones because that is where, in China, they are found. They are limestone, and their irregular shapes are caused by carbonated water that bubbles up from the bottom of the lake.

We learned that they symbolize the wisdom and special beauty that come with age because of their rough exteriors, that the holes in them allow them to ‘listen’ to the wind as it blows through, and that they are always perched with their heavier end UP, to symbolize mind winning out over matter. As an old, irregularly shaped wind-listener, I felt very proud to have these stones represent me.

We spent a lot of time watching the beautiful koi who live in the pond. Their golden, silver, white and steel grey colors play delightfully with the dark water and reflections.

Snacks and a quiet sit down in the Tea House are an important part of any day in the Lan Su. The steamed vegetable buns, puffed rice bars and red bean “moon” cakes were delicate but filling, and Kestrel washed hers down with a pink rose tea. The view of the garden and sky through the carved wooden window frames was as pretty as a picture.

Just outside the Tea House, a lady was helping keep the garden pretty. Wearing waders, she was walking in the pong among the waterlilies, pulling off spent blossoms and stems that were wilted. She told us that if the rotten stems stay in the water, they rot and make the koi sick. She likes her job because it is fun and important.

After a while, we needed to leave the garden so Jasper could have some “train sushi”. He meant Sushi Ichiban, a modest sushi restaurant in Chinatown where the small dishes of sushi come around, you guessed it, on a toy train!

It was interesting, watching the locomotive and cars go by, guessing which plates would be acceptable to Kestrel, who is a very picky eater. Jasper enjoyed the California Roll he chose, and some other dishes that Kestrel chose but wouldn’t eat. I had cast offs from everyone, including a surprisingly yummy fried halibut cheek.

When the restaurant closed, we headed back to Lan Su for a little more time in Chinese serenity. The new docent encouraged us to take off our shoes and experience the different pavings with our bare feet!

This was such an unexpected, wonderful treat! The bumpy pebbles, sharper cut stones and smooth floors of the pavilions gave us a whole new appreciation of the thought and skill that went into every inch of this garden.Eventually we all realized it was time to catch the bus and head home. What a lovely day!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

On Sunday July 14, Auntie Bridgett’s Gallery, SideStreetArts, celebrated Bastille Day.

The show of the month is called The Shape of Clay, and isn’t French, but the other decorations, lots of Bridgett’s work, and food and drink were very Parisian oriented.

Auntie Bridgett’s new work includes Paris rooftops, remembering our apartment views when we stayed there, and a wonderful big Eiffel Tower piece that makes me homesick.

Gail Owen used her printing skills to create bandanas with fleur du lis and some lovely silk scarves with hens on them….very French country inspired!

I baked about a gazillion Palmiers, and other folks brought goat cheese, Brie, macarons, and sliced baguettes. Champagne, mimosas and kir cocktails were offered.

I am happy to say, the food and drink were enjoyed by an enormous crowd and art sales were most definitely UP. The Southeast Examiner and Facebook Websites had the gallery listed under “Places in Portland to celebrate Bastille Day”, which brought a lot of new people in. A great deal of work by dozens of artists paid off, for the publicity, good will, and sales.

The regular show, The Shape of Clay, features more than 30 ceramicists’ work. Quirky, lovely, and just plain odd, these were wonderful to look at and very tempting to touch. But I resisted!

I feel so full of art, culture, history and, well, cheese. What a blessing!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

We love visiting France, speaking French, and eating and drinking French food and wine. We usually celebrate the 14th of July ( called le quatorze de juillet in French) by making crepes and drinking wine. It is THE big holiday in France.

Here in Portland, there are many people from France, and others who love everything French as much as we do. Le Alliance Francais, The French American International School and other groups put on a nice celebration Saturday in Jamison Square to celebrate Bastille Day. So of course, we went.

Jamison Square has a wonderful fountain for kids to play in. It is an “urban tide pool”, where water rushes over rough cut blocks and fills a shallow wading pool, making a great place for kids to play and grown ups to cool off. On a hot day like Saturday, it was very popular.

The booths of the Fete were set up around the perimeter of the square, with the fountain as the centerpiece. There were crepes from C’est Si Bon, croissants from Honore Boulangerie, and a wine garden sponsored by Hardy Cognac. Everything was delicious.

Booths from the Fencing for all Ages school, as well as used books from or about France, and dresses and table linens inspired by France made for fun looking. Auntie Bridgett got some books and I bought a French verb conjugation wheel (42 irregular verbs! Oh yeah!)

Grandpa Nelson enjoyed talking to fellows about their vintage Citroens. There were balls set out for a game of Boulles (also called Bocci ball in Italy) and we watched a cute couple play.

But the highlight of the day was The Waiters’ Race ( Le Cours des Serveurs). Five men and four women, dressed in wait staff’s standard black and white uniform with a white towel over their left arm, each carried a tray with a bottle of Perrier and two full glasses, three times around the Square.

They were judged not only on speed, but on spillage. It was especially inspirational to me because, as you know, I spill everything. The two waiters who crossed the finish line first did not win, because they had spilled too much. The fellow who came in third had a totally dry tray, and was declared the winner.

The women finished behind the men, but the lady wearing number 8 was fastest, had a dry tray, and was declared the winner of the women’s’ race.

By then, we were starting to fade, but we weren’t done yet. We took the streetcar to PAM to get Auntie Bridgett some reading glasses she had seen there. They are so cute!

Catching the magic number 15, we got home to crash and watch the Giants win their second game against the Brewers! It was Hispanic Culture Day in Milwaukee. Viva Gigantes!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

Grandpa Nelson had a medical check up the other day, and it turned into a new adventure!

We needed to get to both of the Oregon Health and Science University campuses within half an hour. One is at the bottom of Marquam Hill, by the Willamette River, and the other is at the TOP of the hill. At the bottom they perform the cat scans, and at the top of the hill, you meet with your doctor.

Seriously! But there is a way, and it is fabulous.

We took the magic number 15 bus downtown, then transferred to the North/South Streetcar. We took this to the bottom of the hill campus. This is a shiny-new area of medical and dental buildings, condominiums, apartments, and restaurants. I finished reading a book and played with visiting babies while Grandpa had his scan.

Then we got our tickets for the OHSU Aerial Tram! There are actually two trams, each 22 feet long. They are called Walt and Jean, after the first African American (Walt Reynolds) and the first woman (Jean Richardson) to graduate from Oregon State University. The nickname of the tram is “The Pill on the Hill.”

The tram travels at 22 mph , takes three and a half minutes to get to the top, and carries about 10,000 people on a regular weekday. The trams are usually pretty full, with tourists, doctors and nurses getting to work, and technicians carrying equipment and even medical specimens (in those little beer coolers) up and down.

The tram has been running for 12 years and has carried millions of folks up and down. The views of the river, bridges, and downtown are amazing, especially on a bright summer day like today.

I was worried that Grandpa Nelson would be scared (he hates heights) but he held up very well. We met with the doctor, who gave us good news about bone density, and then we headed back to downtown for lunch before heading home.

Even doctor’s appointments are exciting!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

The other day when Grandpa Nelson and I were wandering around downtown, we walked past Cameron’s Used Books. It looked interesting, but we were on a mission for French fries, so the shop had to wait. Today, I went back by myself and explored a little.

Cameron’s has been in Portland since 1938. That’s eighteen years longer than I have been alive! That’s a long time. It has been at its current location at the corner of SE 3rd and Harvey Milk Street (formerly Stark) since 1960.

It was started by Robert Cameron, who opened it after realizing he couldn’t make a living in stamp collecting. Robert ran it, sometimes working nights at other jobs, until 1976. His friend Fred Goetz had been planning on buying a different bookshop and it fell through…so Robert sold Fred HIS shop instead.

Sometime back then, the shop’s owner came up with a novel gift idea: Giving a friend or loved one a magazine published on their actual birthday, in their actual birth year! Many of his magazines go quite a ways back, so I could even get one!

In 1982, Fred hired Jeff Frase, who admits he inflated his bookshop experience to get hired. Jeff fell in love with the place and, when Fred wanted to retire in 1989, bought the place rather than work for someone else.

I met Jeff (who didn’t want his picture taken) at the shop, sitting behind his desk. A small, quiet man, he was nearly invisible among the shelves of books and stacks of magazines. This Portland landmark has been the subject of articles in the local newspapers for years, including this one from The Portland Reporter in 1962.

Hand-lettered signs reading “Cell Phone use tenuously tolerated” and “No Cell Phone Cacophony allowed” were posted. Not wanting to irritate the man keeping this chapel of books alive, I turned off my ringer and only took pictures when I was around a corner.

There is good organization in the shop, but the shelves are so full it took me a while to see it. I enjoyed seeing the large collection of plays, though Guare’s House of Blue Leaves was not among them. One or two John Varley science fiction collections, but not Blue Champagne or The Barbie Murders. What DID come home with me was a sequel to Ursula K. Le Guin’s Catwings which will be a gift to Cousin Kestrel.

I enjoyed my hour or so in Cameron’s Used Books, and may stop in again sometime.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

I know it must seem like I am having adventures everyday. Since I am not working, I have time for more big things in my life. But it is the little things that make my life so sweet.

I like going walking just to walk. If I notice flowers or acorns, I can stop and look, and not make anyone late.

I like being able to read a whole story in one sitting. Maybe I move from the sofa to the comfy chair on the patio halfway through, but basically, one sitting. I am enjoying old friends like John Varley and Robert Heinlein, and new ones like David Litt.

I like being able to take a day to recover. All the big things, parties and helping and adventures, take a toll on old knees and backs. It’s nice to be able to give myself the day off.

I like having time between chores to enjoy the smiles of my grandkids, and to appreciate the wonderful people they are growing into.

I like being able to work in projects that may, or may not, go anywhere. My Portland 1903 story is on hiatus for now, while I hunt for a proper voice for my main character. So far, it is being elusive.

But in the meantime, I am messing around with a map of Portland, appliqued and embroidered on the machine. It is very experimental and may end up in the bin, as they say. But that’s okay.

What all this comes down to is that after years of scheduling 190 days a year down to the minute, I now have whole weeks at my disposal, when what I do or don’t do doesn’t make much difference to the world at large. Sort of like being off the grid.

And it feels good.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

After such a busy weekend, I thought I was ready for a restful day. I planned to attend a lecture by author James Blase at the Oregon Historical Society, about President Teddy Roosevelt’s visit to Portland in 1903. Grandpa Nelson was interested and came with me.

The lecture was disappointing, I am sorry to say. Considering the President’s trip was politically motivated, it was a shame that Mr. Blase was unaware of Oregon politics of the time, or even if Oregon was a state in 1903 ( this is when he started to lose his audience). He had a very worshipful opinion of President Roosevelt, unaware of the President’s now-unacceptable opinions on race and eugenics. I admire Teddy for many reasons, but this doesn’t blind me to his faults.

I was hoping to buy Mr. Blase’s book, called Keep it for your Children, but since I felt that I had learned more in my research than he had in his, I left without it.

After an hour of sitting in the air conditioned lobby of the OHS, Grandpa Nelson was ready for a walk. We wandered north through downtown to the Pine Street Market, where we got great fries from Bless Your Heart and not-very-good pizza from Ken’s Artisan. Cold drinks helped a lot, because once the clouds blew away, it was really warming up outside.

We headed for the Willamette River and walked south along Tom McCall Waterfront Park, enjoying the parade of life. Boats and jet skis on the water, kids on bikes and old men pushing their wives in wheelchairs, young men on skateboards being pulled along by large, happy dogs… everyone was out and about.

We saw some historic notes in the paving I hadn’t seen before, showing where the First Wharf was and the corner of the original city as it was laid out in 1846. This put things in perspective, especially when I looked up from visualizing the first wooden wharf and to see the magnificent, modern city Portland has become.

We kept walking, passing under bridges while looking past them to see the next one. Burnside, Morrison, Hawthorne, Marquam, and finally, the newest and prettiest, Tilikum Crossing.

This, as it turns out, was Grandpa Nelson’s goal. He wanted to walk across this beautiful pedestrian and transit bridge on this bright July day. The views from and of the bridge were wonderful! There was even a poem set right into the concrete sidewalk.

But there was no shade, and the reflection from the paving was very bright… we were pretty done in once we got to the east side.

We caught the B Loop of the Streetcar and transferred to the magic number 15 bus, getting home to drink lots of cold water and have a much deserved lay down.

I got more of an adventure than I bargained for, but it sure was fun!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

One thing about being a Grandma…I get to carry a lot of fun memories around in my head. I remember Cousin Kestrel’s first hours on this planet, and her tiny babyhood.

And now her eighth birthday party was this past weekend. It was so much fun! It happened the day after the Grand Re-Opening party for Books with Pictures. I still don’t know how her mommy Katie keeps going… I would be a sleepy heap.

The Galaxy themed party was held just across the street from Kes’s house, in the gazebo behind her school, Abernethy Elementary. It is a very nice place, with the school garden and a mural by Botjoy artist Gary Hirsch.

Kids and grownups snacked and chatted,

and the little girls made ‘galaxies’ out of paper and foil, and then played a game that Kestrel made up… Comet Toss!

I sewed the comets, and Kestrel invented the game and scoring plan. Chelsea and I laid out the game area with planets and suns for targets. The game changed as the kids played, which made it even more fun! Everyone was a really good sport.

After the game and some cake (baked by Katie after midnight and decorated by Kes and Chelsea this morning), tree climbing was in order.

Kestrel showed her skill here, except for one little slip that left her with a scraped leg. Some ice from the cooler and my striped scarf helped her feel better.

Then came presents! She got some nice art supplies from friends, and a book from me… “Stuart Little”, one of my favorites. She really loved the card that Auntie Bridgett made for her, with a kitten in a space suit.

After a while it was time for Grandpa Nelson and I to say good-bye and head off on other adventures.

But in November will be Jasper’s birthday. The parties never end, I guess.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

After months of hard work by lots of people (especially Auntie Katie), Books with Pictures had it’s Grand Re-Opening this past Saturday night. It was a humdinger of a party!

The store looked wonderful, outside and in. The mint I planted is still a little scrawny, but a friend donated potted plants to give away, and they filled in the broad sidewalk nicely. Chalk drawings encouraged people to do their own art.

Inside, food from The Nerd Out (thanks, Mitch!) and beer from a local brewer helped feed the crowd. I met so many people!

Conch, who runs a local podcast, has been promoting comics shops, including Books with Pictures, for years.

Besides people eating, drinking and chatting, people were buying comics! Hooray for retail! Because as much as the shop is the center of a vibrant community, it is book sales that pay the bills.

Downstairs, a really interesting, quirky record shop called My Vinyl Underground has opened up and was full of folks looking for old, new, or unusual records. I found a Vickie Lawrence record my mom had back in the 1960s, and Grandpa Nelson saw a record of Yom Kippur songs. Now, THAT’S unusual.

Auntie Katie was in the middle of all this hubbub, making sure the food was managed, people had wine, and everyone got talked to.

We didn’t stay long, because it was very crowded, but later on there was a drawing contest. I’m sure everyone had a good time.

Congratulations, Auntie Katie! Long live Books with Pictures!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

After Inez and I had seen and smelled hundreds of roses, we walked up the hill to the Japanese Garden. There were crowds there, too, but the atmosphere of tranquility and peace seemed to keep everyone on their best behavior.

We stopped in for lunch at Umami, a glass sided, tree top cafe. I have forgotten the proper name of what we had, but they were delicious! Edamame for appetizers, rice and chicken with spices, grains with Bonita flakes, with a red bean paste bun and citrus curd tart for dessert. So elegant, simple, and tasty.

Then we wandered around the garden. I have been here often, but seeing it with a friend always gives me new insight. Inez noticed angles, flowers, and shadows I hadn’t noticed before. That’s one of the many reasons I like spending time with her.

The bright overcast made for a delightful play of light and water.

There was an exhibit of Ainu and Chinook wood carvings, which were beautiful and very different from each other. The Chinook were very stylized, based on myths of their people, while the Ainu were both realistic and symbolic.

These works by Takeki Fujito were especially moving. Statues of an Ainu man and woman, these were portraits real people the artist knew and loved. The quiet strength of the woman and the determination of the man were so human and universal, I felt like I knew them, too.

We kept wandering, seeing some of the same parts of the garden from different angles. It was a wonderful few hours in the Celestial Realm.

Coming back down to earth, we fought the traffic and did some shopping at Trader Joe’s, then Inez got me home in time to get ready for Auntie Katie’s Grand Re-Opening.

Whew!

Love,

Grandma Judy