Zach’s Shack – Dear Liza

Real Rain

Dear Liza,

After the Belmont Street Fair ended with rain, we had a weird Summer redux week of sunshine and warm weather. My garden’s lettuces kicked back into gear, more tomatoes got ripe, and the last dahlias bloomed.

Then Wednesday, it all broke loose again. A sprinkle caught Grandpa Nelson as he walked to Zach’s for lunch, and by the time Auntie Bridgett and I wanted to get out of the house, it was a deluge!

Still, we bundled up, layered on the hats and water-repellant coats, and headed out.

I do love the world when it is wet and drippy… fresh, shiny, and always moving. The wind and rain takes dust from the air and trees and just washes it away.

In our neighborhood, this means lovely rippled rivers as gutters flow into bioswales. The bioswales hold the rainwater and let it filter slowly into the aquifer, keeping our Willamette River clean.

I was appreciating all this engineering as my coat was soaking through and my completely-inadequate sneakers filled with water. “I’m turning around at the next corner,” Bridgett said. I agreed.

Because an adventure is only an adventure if you live to tell about it.

Love,

Grandma Judy

An Anniversary Walk

Dear Liza,

I WROTE THIS ON DECEMBER 22, BUT BY THE TIME I WAS GOING TO POST IT, GRANDPA NELSON WAS SICK AND IT FELT OUT OF STEP. BUT SINCE I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING CHEERY TO SAY AT THE MOMENT, I WILL POST IT NOW IN REMEMBRANCE OF A SUNNY, FUN DAY.

Hooray for testing negative! The other day was Grandpa Nelson’s and my 49th anniversary and I was well enough to go for a walk out to lunch. It was a bright, chilly day.

It was the Winter Solstice, so all the flowers and most of the leaves are gone. These bright linden berries, hanging around as a buffet for the birds and squirrels, sure gave some color.

We walked through the neighborhood, aiming for Monster Smash burger and making the longest shadows of the year. Alas, they were closed! But I was hungry, so we pivoted south half a mile to Zach’s. I got my tofu Chicago dog and Guinness, and Grandpa got his fries and orange soda, and we visited with Zach himself. He even gave us our lunch for free, since it was our anniversary. He’s a fine fellow.

When we were done, Grandpa’s back was bothering him so we took the bus back to our own neighborhood, enjoying the bright sunshine before another predicted wet week.

I hope you have some fun adventures this week.

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

Riley

Dear Liza,

Grandpa Nelson visits his favorite lunch place, Zach’s Hot Dog Shack, a few times a week. It is about a mile walk away, has great french fries, and everyone there is friendly. They also have a ping pong table and a corn hole game.

Sometimes I go along, too. I like the Chicago dog, and now that I am limiting my meat intake, I have all the spicy goodness on a soy based dog. Very tasty!

And there is Zach’s pet Corgi, Riley. She is a delightful dog. She is friendly, hardly ever barks, and has a sweet, subtle way of letting you know she likes french fries.

In fact, she likes them so much that she is getting a bit chunky, even for a Corgi. Since Zach is a conscientious owner, he has decided to help her stay healthy by putting her on a one-french fry-per customer diet. Grandpa Nelson and I do our part to keep Riley well. We eat all the fries ourselves!

So far, it is up to the customers to limit Riley’s intake, because she has no self control and can’t count very well. I hope the other customers help too, because I would like to enjoy Riley’s company for many years to come.

Love,

Grandma Judy

An Almost-Summer Walkabout

Dear Liza,

Before the rain this past weekend, we had four wonderful days of sun. Grandpa Nelson and I were able to get out for a long walk. After lunch at Zach’s we headed south through the Richmond neighborhood.

The peonies in Southeast Portland this year are absolutely stunning, and this group in a planter along Lincoln are pure sunny pink and and as big as a dinner plate.

As we were noticing all the blooms, I was stopped in my tracks by this piece of chalk art on a driveway. No one was around to ask about the artist, so we just enjoyed it, photographed it, and moved along.

The next piece of art was less colorful but charming, even so. Someone with less art experience had tried to paint a cat hiding in the high grass, failed, and expressed their disappointment.

Further along, these tall lupines graced the parkway, framed perfectly by a 1920s bungalow and willow tree.

As we were walking, Grandpa Nelson asked, “when you run out of things to write about, will we have to move?” I told him that in five years of writing blogs, Portland hasn’t let me down yet. I think we’re safe.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Bright Fall Light

Dear Liza,

This season is mostly a grey one, but every now and the clouds blow away and we have bright, cold, sunshine. That was today.

We did chores during the morning and then headed off through the neighborhood to Zach’s Hot Dog Shack. The noon sun was almost blinding, and made the still-changing leaves magical.

We found some rhododendrons, being a bit early even for them, (or late, it’s hard to know which) popping blooms open just as the rest of the plants have called it quits for the year.

We enjoyed a chilly lunch on Zach’s patio, since the inside was pretty crowded with folks watching football. Grandpa Nelson and I played ping pong, which warmed us up a bit.

The walk home was lit with the warm afternoon light of Fall. This beautiful cat was just so fetching between the orange leaves.

We walked by St. Stephen’s Church, which has been on this corner in a mostly residential area since 1924. It is built of bricks and is very pretty.

It has a large front entrance with doors topped by Mary and Jesus chatting with monks, along with with these delightfully glazed ceramic faces.

And that was our outing for the day. It never really got above 45 degrees, and was just too chilly to be out for long. We came home, read, made art, and cooked.

Just another lovely Tuesday!

Love,

Grandma Judy

A Bird Walk… of Sorts

Dear Liza,

We three took a really long walk Saturday! And there were an unusual number of birds.

First, we visited a flock of plastic flamingos that started out on a front lawn last year and seems to be migrating. One has even adapted to living in a tree!

Then we stopped by to visit the Taylor Street chickens. We had remembered to bring quarters so we could buy some feed for them. Bridgett chatted to them and she was their new best friend.

It was so warm that we stopped for a minute in one of the little sidewalk arbors. This one even has tiny red lights strung up in the branches. We will have to come by some evening to see it all lit up.

We stopped at Zach’s for hot dogs, french fries, and some cold sodas to get re-energized.

After lunch we headed south for our next destination, but before we got there, we found more chickens!

This happy brood of three hens were out in their portable coop in their front yard on 47th Street. Their owners had posted signs with information about them , and it was just like Farm Day. They even listed foods we could bring to feed the ladies, which include soft fruits and veggies.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Walking Out in the Last Day of Summer

Dear Liza,

Grandpa Nelson and I took a walk down to Zach’s Hot Dog Shack on the last day of Summer. The day was bright and warm.

We enjoyed the Morrison Street Chickens on the way, and then had a tasty Chicago hot dog and soda. Zach’s summer assistant, Haley, put on the Elvis Pandora Channel, which also includes folks like (really) Englebert Humperdink. (His real name is Arnold Charles Dorsey).

Once we were full and rested, we wandered through the neighborhood. This wonderful, colorful hodgepodge of a front yard was created by the owner, who we got to visit with.

Some of the balls are glass, and some are old bowling balls. There is even a Virgin Mary, a Hotai, and a few random ceramic animals. It is amazing.

The late summer flowers are so pretty. These tall Dahlias, which are Auntie Bridgett’s favorite flowers, are going strong.

By the time we got home, we were happily worn out.

Love,

Grandma Judy

After the Heatwave

Dear Liza,

Wednesday was the first day of human-level temperatures since our historic heat wave began. We woke up to cloud cover, cool air and even a bit of dampness. It felt wonderful.

I went to the garden early. My friend Tonya gave me one of her parsley plants, and I planted it between my radishes and lettuce. My garden is doing well, even though it isn’t as tall as the other ones. They have five foot tall trellises and arbors hanging with peas and beans. I have a magnificent beast of a zucchini.

I walked around Laurelhurst Park for the first time in a week, enjoying the cool green, the ducks, and all the people out doing their people thing. Tai c’hi classes, guitar practice, dog parties….. it was life as normal, out on the grass.

After a morning of sewing, French lessons, crossword puzzles and cartooning, the three of us headed off to Grandpa Nelson’s favorite lunch spot, Zach’s Shack. Auntie Bridgett got to go because she isn’t working at the SideStreet Arts gallery anymore. Her new comic strip, Auntie Beeswax, allows her more flexibility with her time.

We ate hot dogs and fries, and, since the sun had come out, appreciated the icy cold sodas.

Then came ping pong! Zach’s back patio has a table and enough hard surfaces that even if the ball misses the table, you can keep it in play. We get a little nuts sometimes, and it is fun!

We played until we were played out, then walked home by way of the Taylor Street chickens. The day had warmed up to 88 degrees and we were happy for the air conditioning.

This heat wave was bad. It send a lot of folks to the hospital. We need to figure out how to help our planet heal so we can all be well.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Delightful Weirdness in Portland

Dear Liza,

It was hot in Portland this weekend. I know it was hot in Russia where you were, too. This summer is only a week old and already it is trying everyone’s patience and electrical grids. I hope you are staying safe and cool.

Rather than wander around outside in the heat, I stayed in and looked over lots of photos that I have taken this spring that didn’t fit into any story.

This is a plank of one of the patio tables at Zach’s Hot Dog Shack on SE Hawthorne. It looks exactly like a Chinese mountain painting!

I am not sure why someone felt the need to plant plastic forks with their nasturtiums, but I like the effect.

This creepy piece of wall art is at The Bare Bones Cafe, just down the block on Belmont. There are also several skeletons sitting around with baseball caps and masks. The Bare Bones makes a fine chicken quesadilla and has a nice assortment of really cold beers.

This car looked like it was heading for a wedding, but it was just parked under a chestnut tree that was done flowering. We saw it later, driving along, the flowers still stuck on by a passing shower.

I love looking for (and finding!) the unexpected.

Love,

Grandma Judy