12 June 2007

self portrait #42



dear portland,

I am not used to wearing sweaters in the middle of june. in fact, I'm pretty sure I don't like it. but you are my new natural environment and I am trying hard to be flexible. plus, I hear the weather is about to get really, really good. so... I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt.

other factors working in your favor:

your gardens are spectacular-- including my own. I think you could put an old boot in the ground here and it would grow into something nifty. for the last two months, I have done nothing but prattle on and on about my poppies and my roses and my lilacs. fairly certain I've driven everyone crazy, which is why I've been holding back lately. I want to tell everyone I know that I've planted cosmos and sunflowers from seed and they're actually growing-- I can't believe they're ACTUALLY GROWING. little green sprouts that miraculously popped up one day to say hello to the world. I don't know why I'm so surprised. didn't I just say a boot would grow if you planted it? I stand behind that theory. still, I have never grown anything from seed (never ever) and the rush is delightfully fresh. currently, my window boxes are overflowing with geraniums and african daisies. also, I planted a vegetable garden for the first time in my life. the squirrels have devoured the strawberries (hey, can you do something about that?) but the bell peppers and tomatoes are coming along just fine. also swooning over: frightfully bright fuschia blooms and fragrant gardenias in the backyard, a lavender bush as tall as I am, mint growing wild along the side of the house, hydrangeas beneath the kitchen window and the roses. hard to believe there are more roses. I have missed gardening so much (I had a lovely garden once upon a time) and am overjoyed with the new appearance of dirt underneath my fingernails, the weeding and deadheading (so satisfying) and the daily sloshing around of the watering can. everyday brings little surpises, something new to inspect, something lovely to smell, something to cut and bring into the house. you have me over the moon about it all. I have to admit, I'm impressed. I'm falling hard for you.

also: I like your bridges. I really like your bridges. plus, the view of mt. hood just two short blocks from my house. and the fact that you can see rainbows on the regular around here. all such good things.

almost enough to make up for this sweater-wearing in the middle of june nonsense. not quite, but almost. if you had lightning bugs around here, you'd be close to perfect. I really miss lightening bugs. I miss them so much that I think it might hurt a little. you know, lightening bugs in portland would be a really cool thing. you should look into it. I'm just saying.

p.s. can you also do something about all the one way streets and seemingly random stop signs? it's making me LOCO.


(the self portrait challenge for june is natural environment-- see more here)

21 comments:

  1. just ignore those traffic signs + go

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  2. Sounds like you've got some great soil over there! I'm currently sending everyone mad by going on and on about my vegetable patch, which is going great guns this year. Yay for growing stuff!

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  3. i love your letter to portland. i've never been, but it sure sounds magical.

    and the photo is simply beautiful.

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  4. all that flower growing talk does sound lush, but sweaters in june would be a hard sell for me. off to capture lightening bug pictures for you friend.

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  5. Lightning bugs would be cool here! There is something satisfying about having garden dirt underneath the fingernails and then looking out the window at all your hardwork. Your garden sounds absolutely beautiful.

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  6. One of the great things about Portland weather is that you don't know what you will get from year to year. Some springs are quite warm, and others are cooler and wetter, like this year. I'm a native Oregonian but I lived in Alexandria, Virginia for 4+ years. After suffering through the heat and humidity those 4 summers, I was happy to return to a place that I had to wear a light sweater in the morning and evening hours in early and late summer. Don't worry, it will get warmer, even hot, soon, very soon.

    And, good luck with your garden. We are in the process of selling our house so we haven't put much energy into our kitchen garden this year, but if we buy the house we are seriously considering, our yard will be 5 times the size it is now--more food and flowers! I'm not sure what to advise about the squirrels. They don't seem to bother our berries, both maybe that is because we have a dog who thinks chasing squirrels is fine entertainment.

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  7. So glad you are liking it here. As a native I am very protective of P-town. Have you checked out any Farmer's Markets? - they abound!
    You could net your strawberries - but squirrels are wiley little guys so who knows.
    My husband is from the east and talks about lightning bugs, he misses them too. I have never seen them and it is high on my list. It sounds like summertime magic.

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  8. Oh, beautiful Andrea.

    Your words cause me to remember when I moved to an unknown land and felt the duality of having lovely new experiences and complete disjointedness all at the same time. What a crazy, lovely upsidedown cherished time that was.

    My thoughts and squishy hugs are with you (and your lovely garden).

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  9. So glad to hear praise for your new home out west. And so soon. Great photo too. No lightning bugs? Seriously?? That's weird.

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  10. what a perfect photo and post Andrea. I envy those fresh eyes as you discover a new environment - it sounds like you've found a secret garden in Portland. xo

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  11. Now this is the way to address one's city (as opposed to the list of negative rants that I just tossed at New York City). Lovely sentiments - you're gonna make it there. You and the city are friends already. Friends who tell each other the truth.

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  12. i have two very dear friends who live in portland. i am gonna hafta come visit so i can see what all this talk is about! ; )
    lucky you.

    i'll bring fireflies with me when i come.

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  13. i will admit that this weather is getting to be in a bad way. today i am just bla because of the lack of sun.

    i love the idea of the self portrait challenge, maybe one day i will join in.

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  14. ha!
    Your yard sounds amazing-you are making me jealous that mine is just a wee patch of lawn. But it's all good 'cause I am enjoying everyone else yard. And you have to remember-there were sweaters in June-but a short sleeves for part of April and most of May. It gets better after the first year...

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  15. I am sooooo envious. I want to move to Portland.

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  16. oooh. Your garden sounds lovely. The former owners left you with a great start. Portland is the city I dream of dropping it all and starting all over again. Posts like this only egg me on!

    PS: Squirrels are total stinkers. maybe try sprinkling cayenne around your plants. They don't like it very much. I buy a big jug of it Costco to put in my birdseed.

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  17. found this this morning and thought maybe it might help with the lightning bug pangs....

    http://charlesandmarie.com/lifestyle-gems/quintessentials/modern-living/details/product/sun-jar/?tx_ttproducts_pi1%5BbackPID%5D=292&tstmp=1182193258

    and just know you're not alone in the sweater wearing department in the middle of june....

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  18. I still have the exact same feeling - the sweater in June thing. We moved to Sooke 4 years ago and the cool summers and rainy winters are, well, um, DIFFERENT.

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  19. oh, you are making me miss portland. it was our home for 8 years until just a few months ago when we moved to san fran. we'll be back in portland next year, but oh how i miss all those random stop signs and one way streets and wearing down jackets in june and quirkiness and downtown. summer starts this week in portland. enjoy it. it will be gorgeous from now until novemeber!!! kiss the air. it's amazing up there....

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  20. welcome to Portland!

    my tip is ~ always carry a sweater but never an umbrella.

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