summers in Portland

July Garden Update

Dear Liza,

It has been such a busy summer, I feel like I am squeezing gardening in between everything else! But veggie plots are relentless, both in the care they require and the joys they give.

This week, I have good news and bad news. Some of my yellow squash are being hit with a blossom end rot. I have looked it up and the solution seems to be ‘maintaining a consistent moisture level’ in the soil. Easier said than done, but we’ll try. We have harvested several of the tasty squash and want more!

The good news is that we are having free salads every day from the curly lettuces and raddichio, which we combined with that lovely squash and some basil from M.J. down the way. The currents and anise are from the community plots of the Blair Community Garden.

Our first tomato, “Isis Candy” by name, came ripe and was delicious.

We are finally seeing success in pumpkins, with “Ribsy”, our fourth named pumpkin. His predecessors (Beezus, Ramona and Henry) shriveled, but this fellow is resting on a step of the ladder and seems happy. The newest pumpkin, “PickyPicky”, had started forming four feet off the ground and needed shifting to the top of the ladder. We’ll see how he adjusts.

And finally, the two gigantic dahlias, Laverne and Shirley, are ready to pop! They are both nearly four feet high and were threatening to topple over last week, until we improvised a support from an old tomato cage.

Now, it looks like they will stay vertical long enough to bloom, feed some bees, and recharge their roots for next year.

And that’s the news from the garden!

Love,

Grandma Judy

An Evening at Zach’s Shack

Dear Liza,

Saturday just kept going! After a bit of a rest, we walked over to Zach’s Shack to see Johnny Franco and his band.

Grandpa Nelson has been going to Zach’s for years. He loves their French fries and sodas, their pleasant back patio, Zach himself, and Riley, the resident Corgi.

I like Zach’s for the tofu Chicago dogs, cold Guinness beer, and the funky style of the place.

And this evening, there was an additional attraction! Johnny Franco, who we usually listen to at Laurelhurst Park, had set up with his band on the patio. Zach was on hand to help with props and serving… there was quite a crowd!

The band consists of Johnny, who sings and plays guitar; his guitar-playing harmonizing vocalist; a drummer; and a fellow who plays both trumpet and flute, depending on what is needed.

I like the sort of retro-modern style of music they play. Some Beatles songs, some Three Dog Night, and a bunch of very good original songs added up to a pleasant energy. Some of their songs are in Portuguese, so I can’t understand the lyrics, but they are still delightful.

Before we left, we got to chat with Johnny and tell him how much we enjoyed his music. He told us he had just gotten back from Santa Cruz, where Auntie Bridgett went to University. She was happy to hear that her old favorite record store, Streetlight Records, had been very helpful to the band and set up some shows for them.

When it started getting chilly, we headed for home, walking through a neighborhood full of soft light and the sweet summer flowers.

I felt like a very lucky woman.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Art Picnic at Colonel Summers Park

Dear Liza,

This past Saturday, we took a picnic and walked to our first Art Picnic. Auntie Bridgett had heard about this event too late to join, but we wanted to see how art and picnics would work together.

We walked through the neighborhood, enjoying all the roses that just started blooming in our newly-summery weather. This one is called “Scentimental.”

The park had quite a few people milling around and artist’s tents set up, but we found a nice piece of lawn in the shade of a fine old tree, got comfy, and checked out the scenery. I love the old brick building at Colonel Summers Park, but I’ve never seen it open.

The first artist we talked to was this talented and quirky fellow who makes heads of all sizes from ceramics. The teeth are made from acrylic fingernails! Adorable in their own way, but a bit creepy for everyday.

We found our friend Jack Kent, who does a series of cartoons called “Sketchy People.” He released his seventh collection book this past weekend.
Auntie Bridgett looked around and chatted with folks for quite a while, but Grandpa Nelson and I decided to relax in the blanket in the shade.

As you can tell from our naked legs, it was shorts weather! What a lovely day.

Grandma Judy

Thursdays in the Park with Johnny

Dear Liza,

One of the great joys of living in a big city is that interesting things are happening all the time. Since living in Portland, we have stumbled onto fabulous food trucks, Shakespeare in the Lone Fir cemetery, and neon-lit naked bike rides.

And a few evenings ago, we found Johnny Franco! This talented musician/performer from San Paolo, Brazil, and his group were playing Beatles-esque music near Firwood Lake in Laurelhurst Park.

In the glowing light of early evening, a hundred or so folks sat on the grassy slopes around the lake. People enjoyed picnics, drinks, dogs and kids as bicycles and skateboards whizzed by.

The music inspired a few young ladies to dance along, adding to the festivities.

And judging from the chalkboard posted near the stage, this is a regular, free, Thursday night performance! Maybe we should make it part of our Thursdays. After all, summer doesn’t last forever.

Love,

Grandma Judy

All the Gardens

Dear Liza,

I started the other day in the vegetable garden, giving everything a water, writing in my new Journal and reading “A Year in Provence.” The temperature was predicted to be in the 90s, so I got started early.

Later, after watching some how-to videos for courage and direction, I wired and trimmed my larch in the Hundred Acre Wood. It was getting too lanky and needed some shape. Bonsai are always a slow work in progress, it helps me exercise my patience.

I had a rest and got up to make dinner, and then Auntie Bridgett and I headed out for a bike ride! The weather is pleasant in the evening, with the sun filtered through the trees. We rode to Ladd’s Addition, where I helped Auntie Katie plant her new Rhododendron.

He is a ‘Tall Timber’ Rhododendron and she has named him Barney because he’s going to be six feet tall and purple.

Life gets very full in the summer! I’ll keep you posted on all the adventures.

Love,

Grandma Judy