It's been the best month of the year so far.
News of no consequence:
Spring is upon us, and I have some new (huge, awful) sunglasses, a ruffly dress, and a fish necklace which I will inevitably never wear. I also bought a skirt with boats on it. Other things:
1) Asparagus, radishes. "News of No Consequence" -- who am I kidding? After a winter full of root vegetables and canned tomatoes, that first bundle of asparagus nearly made my heart explode. And I couldn't even wait to get home before chewing on the radishes (dirt and all). So far I have perfect attendance at the Farmer's Market. This week I came home with a flat of Hood strawberry plants (to be planted out back tomorrow!) and a bouquet of daffodils. My lavender and rosemary plants have made a stunning recovery after being lost under a 5 ft. tall snow drift. The chard is already up, and the tomatoes go in shortly. I also have space for a window box this summer -- what should I plant? Suggestions, please.
1) Asparagus, radishes. "News of No Consequence" -- who am I kidding? After a winter full of root vegetables and canned tomatoes, that first bundle of asparagus nearly made my heart explode. And I couldn't even wait to get home before chewing on the radishes (dirt and all). So far I have perfect attendance at the Farmer's Market. This week I came home with a flat of Hood strawberry plants (to be planted out back tomorrow!) and a bouquet of daffodils. My lavender and rosemary plants have made a stunning recovery after being lost under a 5 ft. tall snow drift. The chard is already up, and the tomatoes go in shortly. I also have space for a window box this summer -- what should I plant? Suggestions, please.
Woman playing Bach near the Farmer's Market
2) I've been reunited with my bike. I won a tune-up in a silent auction (that I was running, but I swear it was a clean victory) and my rickety Schwinn is now road-worthy after some minor tweaking. Yesterday we went to 3 parks, the library, and two coffee shops together, and swerved recklessly through traffic as I talked to Geoff on the phone. In a few weeks I have a bike/camping trip planned, as well as a few other local rides for various events. I'm so excited to be back on my bike and among bikey friends, I'd forgotten how much fun biking in Portland can be.
3) So, it was 70 for a few days. I wore my strappiest sandals and sat in the sun, gossipping with my friend while we were supposed to be "reading" and "embroidering." I now have a farmer's tan as a memento. I also went hiking on Mt. Tabor, which is Portland's resident dormant volcano.
View of houses, standing next to reservoir
View from the top. It's better in person. Will you come?
It's warm enough to sleep with the windows open now.
The inside of a tree.
3) So, it was 70 for a few days. I wore my strappiest sandals and sat in the sun, gossipping with my friend while we were supposed to be "reading" and "embroidering." I now have a farmer's tan as a memento. I also went hiking on Mt. Tabor, which is Portland's resident dormant volcano.
That's our drinking water reservoir. Doesn't it look like a castle?
View of houses, standing next to reservoir
View from the top. It's better in person. Will you come?
4) I foolishly tried to give up sugar. It worked for approximately 36 seconds. What was I thinking? I would rather never be able to button my pants again (a real and imminent danger) than give up my tea and cookie breaks. Also working against me was a package from the Midwest, filled with sugar cookies and Cadbury eggs (my favorite candy of all time) and the fact that one out of every three Portlanders seems to have been celebrating a birthday this month, including two of my roommates. Personally, I'm of the mindset that when someone sets a slice of homemade red velvet birthday cake in front of you, YOU EAT IT:
Mt. Cake!
Also, if you're walking to the park, and it's 70 degrees, and you come upon a roadside stand with someone selling homemade ice cream, YOU EAT IT:
Vanilla rose and chocolate. The nice man also gave me samples of ASPARAGUS ice cream (odd, but nice) and coconut curry ice cream (foul).
Mt. Cake!
Also, if you're walking to the park, and it's 70 degrees, and you come upon a roadside stand with someone selling homemade ice cream, YOU EAT IT:
Vanilla rose and chocolate. The nice man also gave me samples of ASPARAGUS ice cream (odd, but nice) and coconut curry ice cream (foul).
As if to cement my return the Kingdom of Sugar, today I made (vegan) Puppy Chow for a party we're having tonight. My roommate is making Chex Mix as a savory counterpart, so I assume I'll spend most of the evening alternating bites from each bowl. I already feel sick from eating too much, which is the only way I know how to do things.
Glop City, Sundae of Death: Puppy Chow sauce in the making.
Glop City, Sundae of Death: Puppy Chow sauce in the making.
5) Here's what April looks like:
Crack in a stone wall.
Cherry blossoms! When will they invent scratch 'n sniff internet?
Yes, I'm still here. My hairs are getting long.
Crack in a stone wall.
Cherry blossoms! When will they invent scratch 'n sniff internet?
Yes, I'm still here. My hairs are getting long.
It's warm enough to sleep with the windows open now.
The inside of a tree.
Action shot of a neighbor cat climbing onto my shoulder! We walked down the block like that.
