You remember my old friend Inez don Carlos? She writes the fun “Gulliver the Traveling Cat” postcards and sends them to classrooms. She lived in Salinas for a while and has now moved to Missoula, Montana, but this weekend she was in Portland!
It was so much fun showing her my new city. She reads this blog, so she recognized the Lone Fir Cemetery and other places I write about.
Everything is prettier with just a few raindrops!
She wanted to see two things first: The Rose Garden and the Japanese Garden, up in Washington Park. Since she brought her car, our first chore was finding a place to park! It was a Saturday of a long holiday weekend, there were hundreds of cars and thousands of people… the gardens had fellows out directing traffic and calming nerves.
So many folks!
Once we got parked, though, we were fine. The roses are all blooming and we found some really nice smelling ones. I can’t tell you what they were called, though, because so many were not labeled.
Helping and chatting
It was a joy to see so many people wandering between the rows, leaning in to smell the roses, holding their little ones up to feel the soft petals, warning them about the thorns.
Garden Fairie
Inez is a social person. She was very good about noticing families trying to take selfies and asking if they wanted a picture of them all together. We had such nice chats with people from all over!
We found this lovely fairy person being photographed. She was having so much fun and was so lovely!
When we had seen all the roses and were getting a bit peckish (that means hungry), we headed up the hill to the Japanese Garden. I will tell you about that tomorrow!
Our new house doesn’t have much of a garden, but today I got to do some serious digging, transplanting, and watering.
Auntie Katie’s new shop, Books with Pictures, has sidewalks on two long sides of her building. Since it is on an acute angle corner, the look of these sidewalks has a lot to do with the look of the shop.
Before Auntie Katie bought the building, it was owned by an elderly fellow who had trouble keeping up on the maintenance. There was also a new optical cable installed, and the installation played havoc with the plants that were there. So what I started with this morning was two out of three pots totally empty, and a large planting area that was dead weeds.
First, I watered. The lavender, rosemary and spirea bushes that were in the space had been neglected. Pruning and water, and a little digging to loosen the soil, will help them back to their happy place.
Next, that huge space full of dead grass needed to be raked and pulled… tedious work. Then it needed the hard soil broken up and amended, and watered to get it ready for new plants.
These new plants were the easy thing. Dozens of mints shoots had come up under the maple tree, and just needed to be dug up and set into the newly dug, damp soil. This was messy, but fairly easy. The green bits that stick up are only about half of the transplants! Mint grows so well from roots that I buried a bunch, knowing they will be up within a week. A little bark mulch to pretty it up, and that job was done.
Little comets for Kestrel’s party game
Then it was lunch time. I made quesadillas for Cousins Jasper and Kestrel, and had some myself. It felt so good to sit down! While we were sitting down, Kestrel and I figured out the rules to the bean bag game she invented for her birthday party this weekend. She wanted comets, so I sewed some… now we have the rules written down. More on that later…
Once I had caught my breath, it was time for the last gardening chore. There was a trash can in the back, filled with hostas. This shade loving plant was new to me when I moved to Portland last year. They are beautiful perennials with impressive leaves, and popular all over Portland.
Kestrel helped me remove the dry and damaged leaves from the plants, then held the can down while I pried the hostas out, and helped me carry them to their new home. I had dug four holes under the maple and set the newly divided hostas in, watering them while Cousin Kestrel gave them words of encouragement.
After putting the tools away and hosing off, I was all done in. I asked Grandpa Nelson to come fetch me and I went home to eat. Friday evening was First Friday at SideStreetArts, but it was going to be a crowded show and we will go see it another time.
We took the bus downtown and walked north. Both the car and pedestrian traffic were very light because of the holiday, so it was quieter than usual. The sun and clouds reflected in the newer glass buildings, while the details on the older ones showed up like vertical sculptures.
We had lunch at Kenny and Zukes, our favorite deli, and watched the world walk by the big windows. Fortunately, we got there just ahead of the lunch rush!
Bridgett had found a new French patisserie on Oak, just a block down from the deli. They were closed, but we looked in the window. It looks tiny and charming…. and delicious! We will be back.
We spent a happy hour in Powell’s City of Books, hunting gifts and just browsing. I found things that allowed me to celebrate our nation’s birthday. Red, white, and blue stars in the book stacks!I found this memorial to Miriam Sontz, who was a CEO of the bookshop for thirty years, apparently. it is imbedded into a cement ramp in the store. I’ve walked over it dozens of times and finally stopped to look!
As we walked around, Grandpa Nelson suggested we walk across the Willamette, instead of taking a bus, on our way home. I was happy he was feeling up to the walk and we all agreed. We navigated through the Pearl district and in to downtown and caught the Morrison Bridge. The views of the river, the blues festival and all the activity there was amazing. We found this memorial to two folks who died in car/ pedestrian crashes on the bridge. I imagine their deaths urged the city to make the bridges safer, and for this, I am grateful.
Once on the east side, we started getting warm. We walked through the warehouse house area by the river and up the hill, getting thirstier all the time. We stopped in the shade to rest and found these plaques to Abigail Scott Duniway, a suffragist, and Esther Clayton Lovejoy, who was the first woman doctor on the city board of health. These women made life better for everyone in Portland.
Just a little further along, under the Morrison Bridge, we found the old cobblestones from a hundred years ago, peeking out from under the asphalt! I was so pleased to have history right under my feet!
Being a planner, Grandpa Nelson had a destination: the Crush bar! Cool and comfy, serving drinks with lots of ice, the Crush was just what we needed. A tall gin and tonic, creamsicle, and an absinthe in the rocks cooled us down and made the world rosy again.
We finished our walk home and had some well deserved downtime.
Around five o’clock, we had revived enough to pack a picnic and head to the park…no concert today, but a Fourth of July Picnic seemed in order. We settled in and watched the theater of life…. lovers smooching on blankets, parents chasing children, kids and adults playing the newly painted piano… all the coming and going was life affirming.
We even played frisbee, only bonking folks on blankets two times. They were very good sports, actually. We got pretty good!
Eventually the sun went down and we got cool, so we headed home and watched James Cagney in “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” our holiday tradition.
Once Auntie Bridgett and I finished our long walk home from Eb and Bean, she checked her fitness watch. We had walked four and a half miles! We had big glasses of water and were reading on the balcony when we got a text from Grandpa Nelson, who had gone out for a short walk around the park.
“Music at the park!” He said. We were up in a minute, packing salami and cheese, water and peanuts and grabbing the folding chairs. As we walked, we got another text. “Finishing up. May have missed it.”
Well, heck. But we decided that we might as well go and enjoy some snacks in the park, anyway. Another text. “New band setting up!”
Hooray! We found Grandpa Nelson, set up the chairs, and watched people, dogs and kids hang around as the next band set up. Fellows with saxophone cases wandered in, then trombones and trumpets. A keyboard was set up. Then a lady in a wonderfully flowy, showy flowered dress walked toward the stage.
A Jazz band! Indeed, the Jumptown Jazz Band, with their vocalist, Claudia Knauer. What a treat!
They started with “I’ve Got a Lot of Living to Do” from Bye Bye Birdie, and continued for an hour and a half through Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Johnny Hodges, and Peggy Lee’s “I Love Being Here with You.” (“East is east and west is west, north and south, they’re both the best. But I’ll only visit them as a guest, ’cause I love being here with you.”)
The band was crisp and harmonious, and Claudia belted out the tunes with love and gusto.
We enjoyed the music and the impromptu dancing of kids, men and ladies in the audience. Dogs came and went, fetching sticks. Kids collected sticks that the dogs left behind. It was top notch Laurelhurst magic. But the music had to end sometime. And when it did, it was time to leave.
Before we headed home, I wanted to get a good photo of the wonderful Claudia. She was chatting with some friends and I got brave and just walked up. They were taking about a National group called “Women On the Fly”, a sort of Girl Scouts for grown women. They specialize in camping, encouraging women to enjoy themselves like they did (or didn’t get a chance to) when they were younger. Their motto is “Making Girls Out of Women.”
I joined the conversation and found out that Claudia is as nice and welcoming as she is talented. She laughed and posed and we had a lovely time. I plan to look into “Women on the Fly” and maybe even go camping! Grandpa Nelson and Auntie Bridgett don’t enjoy it, but I did when I was younger, and may enjoy it again.
I got home and realized that for just a quiet Sunday, we sure were busy!
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.
Eb and Bean’s cool decor
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.
Mysterious giant in the neighborhood. Sunflower? Or alien invader?
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.
Baby raccoon in Ladd’s addition
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.
Home is where the rose is
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.
Auntie Bridgett, chillin’
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.
Fun shops!
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.
Street smart art
There are 13 lawyers’ and other offices upstairs, and the whole office area is decorated with street art inspired murals. Very urban and bright.
Shopping for the resistance
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!
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.
Line for 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!
Distilling lavender oil
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!
Lovely Kim in costume
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.
Amazing stand up bassist and vocalist
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.
People above the bridge, trolls underneath
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.
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.
Nelson enjoying the field
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.
Happy Woman
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…”
Auntie Bridgett looking cute
Families posed for snaps while photographers with giant lenses got low and close to the blossoms.
Up close and floral
The Lavender Farm has developed this area into a coherent, easy to navigate venue. I am sure they are popular for weddings.
Craft booths galore…
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!
So much lavender!
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.
View from the topHeading upstream
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.
Just lovely
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’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.
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.
Upstairs from the Comics show at the Lake Oswego Festival, we found hundreds and hundreds of paintings, collages, sculptures, and mixed media pieces.
Middle and background!
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.
Mixed media with wire
Landscapes, portraits, unusual collages and textile pieces were all mixed up, and you needed to keep your eyes open around every corner.
Beautiful Raven
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.
I found this memorial to Miriam Sontz, who was a CEO of the bookshop for thirty years, apparently. it is imbedded into a cement ramp in the store. I’ve walked over it dozens of times and finally stopped to look!
Always something new to see.
Dear Liza 