Silver Star Mountain

We went for a restorative hike a few weekend ago at Silver Star Mountain in Washington. I felt like a walk though alpine meadows up above everything was just what I needed. It was misty and moody, and all the wildflowers were out, it was wonderful! Although part of the draw of that hike is the amazing views from the top of the nearby major mountains, which of course we couldn't see though the clouds, so we'll have to go back on a clear day.

In The Garden

We've been putting in a ton of work in the garden! In the last month and a half we've put in a raspberry bed and trellis, raised beds for veggies, and we just finished up two cold frames. I also planted all the blueberries that I had been grown in containers the last few years in the front of the house (not pictured because the front is still pretty rough looking tbh). I am just so excited to have a yard and to be able to grow all the things! I'm a menace and I need to be stopped from going to Portland Nursery any more. I keep buying fruit bushes!

Anyway, I know it still looks pretty bare, but it's only March and my over all plan is to really fill it out with native (and some non native) shrubs and small trees and plants for birds, and food plants for our selves. Seeds are coming up nicely in the beds right now, I'm growing peas, radish, turnips, beets and fava beans (which I've never grown before, exciting!). Those trellises are covering them to keep cats out, the jerks.





I hope the rhubarb will be okay where it is but I wouldn't be surprised if I have to move it now that we have these cold frames in place.


I am so excited about them, though of course their real use will start around October. I saw some cold frames on Printerest built using recycled windows, and I was determined to make something similar. After a fruitful trip to the ReBuilding Center we had two identical windows (for $6 total!!) to get the specs to design the frame & buy lumber. That was followed by three weeks of rain, so we only just finished these up last weekend. I think they look soo good but I have to give all credit for design and construction to Aradan



Evergreen Clematis growing on the front porch, smells so good.

So that's what things are looking like for now. I can't wait to see what it looks light at the height of summer!

Do let me know how your garden is shaping up this spring!

More Delights of Autum

I wish I had something more interesting than snaps from some recent walks, but my mind is too full of work or anxiety, or anxiety about work, lately so this is all for the time being.

Delights of Autumn

Some photos taken in September from my phone.

Some delights of Autumn:

•Lighting candles on cloudy dark mornings
•Listening to the Fleet Foxes
•Having some Squash and sweet potatoes roasting in the oven for dinner
•Getting to wear rain boots again
•The smell of crunchy fallen leaves on a sunny day
•Woodsmoke on the air

Oneonta Gorge

Finally made it out to Oneonta Gorge this past weekend. It's not a long hike but it requires you to climb over a huge log jam and then walk up the creek, in water sometimes waist high. It's fun challenge and I told A. it made me feel like an explorer, even though there were about a million people all around me. Oneonta was just as beautiful and just as crowded as I expected. I'd like to go back at 7am on a weekday sometime if I can. Sorry for the blurriness of some of these photos, I was over-excited I guess.

Camp

I want camping with a lovely group of lady friends at the very end of May. We stayed at Trilliam Lake, which I've been to many times but never camped at. We had completely perfect weather and all we did were relaxing things like canoeing, walking, reading and eating. All my favorite things! I hadn't been in a canoe in forever and I badly want to go again soon. This was also another good reminder that I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth and I need to get out into it more.