Tag: Laurelhurst Park

New Friends at Laurelhurst Park

Dear Liza,

I’ve told you about all the big trees that have come down in Laurelhurst Park. The ice storm we had last month really took its toll.

But help is on the way! The urban arborists of the city of Portland have been busy this last week, planting more than a dozen new trees all over the park.

These three Katsuras are in a line just inside the Pine Street entrance, and will hold the hill in place and make a wonderful corridor as they mature.

They make a line right up to Ken, our favorite young oak tree.

This new Douglas Fir is planted on the Caesar Chavez side of the park, by what we call the “Wallosaurus”. This is a fine replacement for one of the giants we lost.

This little leaf linden has been planted in line with some older lindens on the Ankeny side. We haven’t named the new trees yet, because they need to develop their own personalities first. It will be fun to see them grow over the coming years!

I will introduce you when you come visit.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Early Bloomers

Dear Liza,

Spring doesn’t officially start until next month, but many of the flowers here are ready and willing.

Camellias are always early to the party, and this multi-colored trio at Laurelhurst Park is taller than me and blooming like crazy.

Playing nicely alongside is this amazing striped one. It looks like peppermint!

I do not know the name of this spindly, skinny tree, but it is always one of the earliest to bloom. I love its tiny pink flowers against the dark green of the fir tree, a hundred feet over head.

Warm weather is due this week, and I’ll be out in it. But I love the soggy, as well.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Thanksgiving Day

Dear Liza,

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!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Fall Update 2023

Dear Liza,

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 agree!

I hope you are staying warm and having fun..

Love,

Grandma Judy

Fall’s Fallin’

Dear Liza,

I haven’t written for a few days because… well, I guess I didn’t have anything to say. But today there are many bits of small, happy news.

That pink baby quilt I made last month has gotten to its proper owner and seems to be functioning as intended. Doesn’t Emily make it look good?

The apples we picked in Amy’s yard became a dessert that everyone loved.

The leaves are being extravagant on our walks through Laurelhurst Park.

And Ken, the young oak, is getting ready for winter in the shelter of the roots of his predecessor. Watching him grow day by day has been a real joy.

That’s all for now, kiddo.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Farewell to Giants

Dear Liza,

Walking around Laurelhurst Park last evening, we came upon a sad sight.

This enormous pine tree had been cut down, sawn into sections, and pushed off the path. It was an official act, obviously, of the Portland Parks Department. I have to assume they did it for a good reason. Maybe the tree was leaning, or suffering from a disease, or in danger of falling.

Still, it makes me sad. I was able to count the rings and learned that this giant was about 90 years old. That is a long time to live and contribute to the beauty and life of a city, and I am grateful to have known it for a while.

We continued through the park, thinking about how quickly time slips away. The sunset over Firwood Lake was pink and perfect, for just a few minutes.

And very soon, the sun was down and the lights came on, making the park into a magical place.

It was time to head home.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Happy Birthday Bridgett!

Dear Liza,

We got to spent Sunday celebrating Auntie Bridgett’s birthday! It was a lovely sunny day, just for her.

To celebrate, we went to some of her favorite places. First, we stopped at The Bake Shop up on Sandy to get some sweets. They carry a figgy buckwheat spiral that she just loves, and I got their croissant au chocolate and a chocolate chip cookie for Grandpa Nelson.

We tucked the sweets in the car for later and went for coffee at Case Study, just next door. They have good coffee and a delightful vibe. High ceilings, huge plants, and lots of people without a lot of noise. And as a surprise, our table was right by a print by Gail Owen, a talented friend from SideStreet Arts.

And just because life is sweet, right next door to Case Study is Cosmic Monkey Comics. We wandered around and found their up-in-the-loft vintage comics section where Bridgett found Le Pain, a compilation of comics in French! She absolutely giggled with delight!

We took our treasures home and enjoyed a brunch of sweets and eggs, then read and rested for a while. Grandpa Nelson enjoyed the Doonesbury collection I had brought for him.

Bridgett and I walked around the park and got a FaceTime call from Cousins Owen and Charlotte, who told us all about their baseball games and upcoming Halloween costumes.

Dinner time came and Grandpa Nelson joined us for yummy pizza at Dov Vivi. Their cornmeal-based crust makes their pizza extra special and crunchy, and the weather was perfect for eating outside. We people watched and giggled with the young family at the next table.

When we were full and exhausted, we headed home for home, where the Birthday Girl had a nice long phone call with her Mom in Ohio. Even when we are quite grown up, it’s nice to hear from our Moms!

Happy Birthday, Auntie Bridgett!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Cloudy Sunday in the Park

Dear Liza,

Walking through Laurelhurst Park last Sunday evening, we noticed several unusual, delightful things.

First was this precise and colorful geometric chalk design on the pathway. For the whole summer, these pieces have been showing up, and getting more complex and well-done. Thank you, anonymous artist!

Then, a section of the park we call The Living Room was full of silent folks with headphones on. Some were sitting with friends, some dancing, others practicing with juggling equipment.

This was the Heartbeat Silent Disco. Each person rents a set of wireless headphones and can tune into three different music tracks run by the three DJs. All these folks were listening to music and enjoying each others’ company without disturbing the neighbors! Not a bad idea.

We people-watched for a while, then continued around the lake and into the forested part of the park. We noticed definite signs of fall, like these bright red leaves that very easily become art when stuck to the bark of a fine tall fir tree..

On the way home, we passed an old house that has recently burned down. Its burnt out walls and chimney are sad and lonely in this busy neighborhood.

In the cloudy grey evening light, it feels like the house could be haunted, if you go in for that sort of thing.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Friends and Music in the Park

Dear Liza,

As summer is winding down, the activities are ramping up! Sunday was a busy, exhausting, happy, musical day. First our friends John, Jennifer, Amy and Phil came by for lunch. We got caught up on everyone’s news, adventures, children and grandchildren. It was wonderful.

After lunch, I asked our friends to sign my tablecloth. They did, with John (the tall handsome fellow on the left) giving me a real challenge. His self-portrait sure makes things interesting!

When all the shenanigans were done, our guests headed off and we packed some leftovers and went to Laurelhurst Park for some music.

The Providence Stage Band is a very talented group of doctors from our local hospital, and they were performing a concert. We love their Big Band and Jazz era music, and the vocals were classic. “Ain’t that a Kick in the Head?” and “Queen Bee”, “Too Darn Hot” and other songs from the 40s and 50s bounced among the Douglas Firs and picnickers.

As usual, though, the real joy was watching the people! Youngsters dancing by the stage made their own show and got just as much applause as the band.

Couples dancing under the trees had romance, music, and conversation.

There were Dads carrying infants while supervising young stick-collectors.

And of course, everyone brought their dogs!

The air got cooler as the sun went down behind the trees, and the band ended with “In the Mood”, my favorite Big Band piece of all time. We packed up the chairs and walked the three blocks back home, worn to very happy nubbins by the day.

Thanks, friends! Thanks, Providence! Thanks, Portland!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Kickstand Comedy

Dear Liza,

For the past few weeks, Auntie Bridgett has been taking Improvisation Comedy classes at a place called Kickstand Comedy and Improv. She is having a great time and meeting lots of nice folks.

On Friday, we walked over to Laurelhurst for a Comedy in the Park evening. It was sponsored by Kickstand Comedy, and featured local and out of town comics. As we approached the park, we noticed that every inch of street
parking was taken. Were all these people going to the comedy?

Yes, they were!

The nice folks from Laughing Planet, one of our favorite locals cafes, were giving away stuff. We got a turntable cover with their logo… and immediately put it so silly use.

The park was full when we got there, but we found a place off to the side for our chairs. The crowd kept growing and by the end of the evening, the official estimate of attendance was over 3,000! That is a record for a show at Laurelhurst, apparently.

Kickstand folks were walking through the crowd with donation buckets, because the show itself was free and they are saving up money buy their own building in order to survive Portland’s increasing rents.

Since it was a family-friendly show, the jokes were funny without being vulgar or foul-mouthed. One fellow told of his search for a pet dog at the shelter. “This dog was listed as a gentle lab mix,” he began. “I told the guy, that’s not a lab mix! It’s 150 pounds… and carrying a gun! That …. is a murder dog.” Even the dogs in the crowd were chuckling.

Another told about his visit to his bank. “I got recognized! Yeah, the teller said, Oh, I know you! You do comedy! How’s that going? I told her, “Don’t be mean, lady, you’re looking at my account balance.”

When our picnic was all eaten and the last Comic stepped down, the crowd of 3,000 applauded, packed up, and headed off. I was very glad we only needed to walk a few blocks… people with cars were going to be waiting a while.

Love,

Grandma Judy