My summer started with a weekend down to Sacramento to see Susanne, John, my nephews and my parents! It was a short weekend but great fun to see everyone together and have a chance to visit. I played tons of games with the kiddos and they always find plenty of ways to make me smile. I wish I could play with them more often.
Last weekend I got out early on Friday and went hiking to Angels Rest which is a hike very close to Portland that has fabulous views of the Columbia River Gorge. There were tons of flowers up there and I had the trail completely to myself from 7:30 til 10:00 and then was reminded that it is indeed tourist season in the Gorge when I saw about 30 people on my hike back down. It pays off to go early! It was great to get out hiking again as I haven't been much in awhile
On Saturday I went strawberry picking with my friends Lisa and Robin. Lisa grew up on an Oregon berry farm so she looked right at home out in the fields.
Oregon Strawberries only come into season for about 2-3 short weeks. So if you blink you will miss them! I can't count the number of people that went berry picking independently of me on the same weekend! I made strawberry jam and syrup as well as some strawberry lemonade which was just the opitome of summer.
The garden has been looking great and looking at the pictures from my last post I can't believe how much its grown in a month! Craziness. I've been eating salads of baby greens, arugula, spinach and radishes entirely from the garden. My cucumbers and tomatoes are blooming like crazy so in a month the garden will be doing great.
I know for a fact that summer this year is going to disappear before my eyes. Here are some major events coming up:
- Susanne and family stopping by this Sunday
- Matt comes back July 20th!!!\
- My friend Angie and her parents potentially visiting the week of the 18th-23rd
- My friend Jen Sanders is getting married August 1st and I am making her wedding cake, so major work the week before, and major planning all this month
- Reed and Regina (my roommates) leave for D.C. in early August, come back August 10th and then promptly leave for Mexico for a year. They will bring back the Mexican teacher who will be living with us for a year.
- Mid August my friend Anya and her boyfriend Stefan visit for a week. Camping trip to Mt. Adams with Anya, Stefan, Robin and Matt
- Trip to the coast and Neahakanie Mountain September 12th-13th to celebrate Matt and my anniversary on September 10th and my birthday on September 12th.
Whew its going to be a busy one but who can complain about so many great things happening!
