More summer fruit and veg porn

I absolutely love love love summer and fall for all the veggies that are around. This summer was exceptionally good here in the NW. I usually end up at all 3 farmer's markets during the week and also visit the farm stand that is just down the road from my work as well. I think I have a bit of a fruit and veg problem. They are all so pretty. I get blinded by all the colors and smells and start just buying everything that looks good. Only problem is that we rarely can eat all the veggies I want to buy. So, I have to reign myself in and only buy what we can eat.

Here are a few views of the luscious bounty we have partaken of this season.

Long, hot summer

Hi Everyone!

I just realized that it has been nearly a month since my last post....What have I been up to?
We'll not a lot really. We've had family visiting and work has been gearing up for our annual fall craziness, but other than that, not really much of anything.

The weather has been phenomenal! Low 80s and high 70s. But alas, all good things must come to an end. It is predicted to be in the upper 90s and may even hit 100 this week. Ugh. Our air-conditioner is out of commission until we can get an electrician to fix the plug, so that sucks even worse. I've got a pretty ingenious system of fans going, but it is hard to combat the heat when it gets this hot. Luckily we'll be at the coast this weekend.

Anyway, here are some of the things that are making me happy this summer! I can't get enough of them. I must be spending $40/week on berries alone this summer. I think all that wet weather we had made them sweeter or something. They are out of this world.


I hope to have some more crafty things soon. I have been doing little projects here and there, but really want to concentrate on doing some new things soon.

Keep Cool!

Summer Days...but Ahhh Oh Those Summer Nights....

Summer is finally here in the Northwest. And when I say finally, I mean FINALLY! Up until a couple of weeks ago, it was still grey, cool, and rainy here. Heck it was still snowing in the mountains at the beginning of June, and there is still snow in many of the campgrounds this weekend. So, sun and 80 and 90 degree weather feels great to me!

But with summer comes an urge to do everything under the sun and then some. I don't know if it is the extra hours of light or the warm weather or what, but I always feel like I'm running at full speed during the summer with a project list 5 miles long.

So, here is what I hope to accomplish on my 4 day weekend this week.
1. Strawberry freezer jam
2. 3 embroidered onesies for friends who have friends who are having babies
3. finish painting the hallway and touch up areas (finished this one as I was writing this)
4. buy a drill and wall shelves and hang them in living room
5. buy white trim paint--start trim painting
6. buy chalkboard paint--paint cupboard doors
7. attend friend's art opening
8. attend friends' concert
9. prepare finished onesies for consignment
10. misc. craft project--candle holders, frame posters, friends' wedding present, etc.
11. get car tuned up and ready for CA trip next weekend
12. blog new crafting projects

It's a long list....tune in to see what gets done...if anything...

In other summer news...Farmers market is in full bloom 3 days a week and I'm loving it! I've got a serious fresh vegetable addiction....

Also, I'm growing cherry tomatoes in my Aerogarden now! I can't wait to have fresh tomatoes on my kitchen counter. How cool is that?


Happy 4th of July everyone!

Summer has started....FINALLY!!!!

As those of you who live in the Northwest know, We had the LONGEST, FLIPPING Winter EVER!!! It was cold and snowing through Memorial Day weekend. It has been grey and cloudy for months and months. Our flowers and gardens and fruit trees were utterly stalled by the cool weather (so much so that our local CSA farm says that tree fruit does not look good this year). But FINALLY, FINALLY, the sun is poking its shy little face out from behind those grey clouds, and we are seeing the light once again.

Thank you sun for finally coming out. I missed you so.....

To coincide with the beginning of summer, we are on our first of many weekend trips with family. This weekend we are in Ashland with W's mom and her husband. We go to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival every year with them and it is truly a fun experience. Ashland is a great little town with lots of character and lots of culture. The plays are fantastic and the restaurants even better. We always stay in this quaint little hotel up above the shops on Main Street, the Columbia. Right next to the hotel is this awesome little shop called Prize that is a wonderful blend of vintage and new. It has a totally unique style that I wish I could emulate. Lithia Park is beautiful and a great place for an early morning walk where you might run into deer and other wildlife. We saw a great play and even had time to take in the Sex and the City movie in the evening.

At Prize, I poured over all the vintage flashcards, posters, and other educational ephemera the owners have collected and decided to get some for myself.

I got these small flashcards thinking I would use the images as embroidery patterns first and then find some kind of other project to do with them. Here are three that I picked up.

Then I got these larger posters to frame and decorate our kitchen with. I think they are so cool.

I have some more of the smaller flashcards that I'll share with you later.

All in all a great weekend and glad to be home now. :)

Summer Time is the Best Time...in Oregon

One best kept secrets about the Northwest is that it really doesn't rain as much as people think it does, and the summer and fall weather is to die for. Ok, now that I've let the cat-out-of-the-bag everyone is going to want to move here. Well, everyone already IS moving here, so i think i can safely share with you the joys of our Oregon summer this year.

So far, W and I have have a really busy summer. We've had lots of family and friend events and a nice handful of small weekend trips to amuse ourselves with.


We met this little guy at the Hight Desert Museum in Bend. He's a little hard to see until you look closer. We've been to this museum twice in the last four years, and our favorite part is always the animals and outdoor exhibits.


Bend used to be a cool mix of blue collar cowboys and outdoor types, but now, with the influx of a lot of So. Cal. money and people it feels very touristy and at times fake. But it is fun to walk around the downtown and look at the fancy shops, and the parks around the Deschutes River are great.


We headed back up to the Bend area later in July when W's sister and her family came up from San Diego to visit. W's mom has a "cabin" in Sisters, Oregon--another kinda weird touristy town, but in a very deliberate Old West theme. The view of the Cascades makes up for its cheesyness


It is very relaxing there. I think this look on W's face says it all.




Near Sisters is the Metolius River. It is gorgeous to say the least. We visited a fish hatchery there. It sounds boring, but it is really fun to see all the fish, especially the little frys.


Here we are again out in the great outdoors at Shalalie Falls.

Next on our summer agenda, the Oregon coast, the Lane County fair, our yearly trip to Ashland for culture, the Eugene Celebration, and a weekend in Seattle.