where one follows the other

Lists are the bomb.com. You know that. You can get so much done in a day, even if you wake up late, if only there is a tidy little list waiting for you to cross it's items out.

I'm back to running and while it is basically pathetic in comparison to what my body was capable of a month and a half ago, it's better than nothing. Everything is a give and take.

Also, my garden is going to be spectacular next year. I have planted a bunch of bulbs, have a little section planned out for the tubers I'll be getting in the spring, and will still have a steady crop of veggies I think. I'm even learning about spacing and whatnot. You're only a novice once. People don't understand the growers excitement but growing things is like witnessing magic all the time. Were does all that plant come from? It can't be that tiny little seed.

This is where my garden is right now. Still harvesting tomatoes off of my cherry tomato plant, got some inside basil working away. The bush snap peas are getting bigger but not a whole lot to harvest yet, two measly spinach plants have decided to grow. Slugs are eating everything. The carrots are taking off, I have at least one daikon radish ready to pick and a couple little red radishes showing their heads, the broccoli is still tiny (thanks slugs) but I have volunteer red lettuce, one kale plant that is hardy as all get out, and a whole bunch of chinese cabbage that I don't even know what to do with.

Next year: I will have radishes, bush peas, kale, spinach and lavender at the very least (I guess thyme and rosemary too) But, I also plan on having another tomato plant, a winter squash plant, a zucchini plant and perhaps an eggplant. Get excited and plan on staying with me come august. Because, there will be too much food for my household (it is best to remain ever hopeful).

MIA

So, I've basically been missing in action for the past few weeks. The thing is, that both my phone and my computer went down at the same time. At said time, I entered into a technological void.

In truth, It wasn't that I had no access to the world of technology (I had a borrowable, roomie computer and many people with phones around) but none of that was mine. Soon, I returned to the land of cellular phones but it was not such a quick process to find the right computer. After much deliberation, I have my "new" macbook pro off of the apple refurbished web site. I can only describe it as buttery. Everything is so fluid and beautiful, it makes me wonder how I made it through the two past years without a mac. This, simple and intuitive, design is what I am made to use. I think I'm in love.

So, what has happened in the past couple of weeks? So much... My sister, and most ardent reader, Katelyn, visited and then skipped town. We went to the highest point in Portland, to the famous international rose testing garden (where they breed new types of roses and keep roses from all over the world), to the gorge for a beautiful hike, on many a run and bike ride. We put fall crops in the ground for the garden and we made sun dried tomatoes and harvested a boat load of grapes and asian pears from my back yard. Also, we went on my personal favorite September activity, swift watching.

Now, if you have been reading this blog for some time, then you have already heard of swift watching but if you haven't you can read about it here. Make sure to check out that picture. It is beautiful. Since, I went with Katelyn, I have gone one more time with Alex- the gentleman that I am dating- as well as some friends and coworkers and I plan on going again on Friday. This year, I will get the most out of swift watching.

Outside of that, I have been getting sweet mail from friends and loved ones. Alex went away for a week and sent me three pieces of rad snail mail. Natalie, who lived in house for the month of August, sent a beautiful handmade card, and Rachael sent a sweet postcard from NH. All in all, it's been a good mail week (not to mention I got a computer in the mail).

Work has me by it's talons for the next couple of weeks. Today will be my 9th day at work and I have 5 more days to go before my break on Tuesday but believe you me, Tuesday will be a sweet lazy day.

Running is getting more intense as we prepare for the longest of our pre marathon runs on Saturday. It will be a 20 miler. But, right after that we go into tapering and I am, as of yet, undecided about what will follow the marathon. Maybe a half in December? Maybe for the winter, I will transfer to an indoor exercise program. Back to yoga perhaps... There is plenty of promise about, as the air grows crisp and fall approaches. Anything goes.

Sorry for the helter skelter fashion of this post. I avow to update more concisely and frequently in the near future.

All the best sweet ones.

Eternal Spring

Summer here is actually eternal spring. Zucchini's are just starting to go crazy, the temperature never gets very high, and flowers are just overflowing your conceptual boundaries of how beautiful flowers should be all of the time. 

I am constantly overwhelmed by the beauty of it all and the promise as well. On my runs I pick figs for snacks and we go outside our front door to snag a sweet bursting handful of blackberries when we need some extra sugar in our lives. 

 These are the zucch's that I picked off my plant this morning. Also I brought in a handful of tomatoes. Plus, my neighbor just moved and hooked me up with his stash of green tomatoes so I made a beautiful and delicious (if I do say so myself) green tomato pie. Things are so plentiful. Feeding ourselves at this house just got so affordable. 

Back in

I'm back in it here at home in Portland. Back to work, back to my garden, back to cleaning the house, back to a sweet boy and unkempt crushes, back to roomies, and cooler weather.

Today, I made a salad from herbs in my garden plus lettuces from my farmshare, I went for a run with my regular running buddy and didn't sweat out all of the fluids in my body. Yesterday, I drank tea with a sweet fellow and walked amongst the eternal springtime of Portland. There are flowers everywhere.

While I was away my garden exploded. My tomato plant doubled in size and my squash isn't too far behind all of that. It is nice to remember how sweet the summer is. Bouquets have been picked and made in houses all over Portland from the sweet bounty of early summer. The next few months is going to be wondrous.

Of course, I miss the east. But finally, the winter here is paying off it's dues.

Richmond: The final hours

I haven't updated you! You know nothing about what is going on in my life! How will you live yet another moment without finding out all the sweet deets?!

I know. Life is a constant challenge. I am tired but here I am plugging away at the ol' blog. Trying to make you people happy.

I miss Portland. There I said it. It's almost true. I am excited for the last day and a half of Richmond before Portland becomes a reality for me again but I miss my roomies, my friends, my plants, the boy I'm super excited about. I miss having a regular bowel movement and my regular running partners too.

Wanting everything is hard. I want 100+ degree weather and crazy humidity and I want the beautiful serene of 80 degree Portland and biking everywhere. I want my friends to all live in the same place and I never want to have to leave my family... BUT I want my space. Quiero hablar espanol but I don't want to have to learn. I am lazy in wanting and filled with desire. What to do, what to do? Enjoy what I've got and work towards obtaining these wants? Deny what I've got and all earthly pleasures? Expand my garden, go for runs, and be a regular, employed member of society (boring but probable).

Since I've been in town, I've spent time with the Grams (shout out Mamaw- I love you dearly), spent time with friends, cooked out, watched fireworks, went on 7 mile runs in near 100 degree weather, ate huge breakfasts, gossiped viciously (well not viciously but with great enthusiasm). Eaten frozen greek yogurt, slept fitfully and attended a wedding.

Still to go are walks along the riverside, a huge brunch as part of a lady date, eating out at a crappy restaurant in the airport with my friends who are flying in as I get ready to fly out. Getting more frozen greek yogurt in my belly, visiting with friends not yet visited with, getting a ride from a cousin I haven't had a chance to speak with and little morning time with my parents. This is an ideal world.

Adios Chiquitos.

Adventure time

I have been hanging out with a bunch of adventurers. We've gone on adventure runs where we ended up sliding down steep embankments to get to roads and finding secret parks and happening upon beautiful rose gardens.
We've gone to parties where we danced all day and then walked across the city stopping only for peanut butter and jelly fries.
We've caught cherries that were impromptu picked from up high and thrown into waiting baskets (made of t-shirts being worn).

Work has been plentiful but oh, there is so much time in a day. Yesterday I visited the Rhododendron garden and stopped by a vietnamese sandwhich spot and ate green tea and red bean cake. It is good to be young and full of hope and energy.

I hope that you are finding some adventures of your own out there.

Best,
Rachel

Weekend War

I feel like our kind of weekend war, the family kind, has more than occasionally been against the yard. Well for and against in different ways. And since I really have no weekend and in fact have only one day off in the next week before I dive right back into my work week again, every morning is my weekend. And I wage my fight against the yard a lot.

In some ways our yard is out of control. We are without a working lawnmower and our grass is, almost, intentionally wild looking. Aphids consumed one of my dear tomato plants. But it is also a constant work in progress. today I released over a thousand ladybugs into the yard and garden to combat the aphid issue and I thinned my carrot plants

little tiny carrot plants

I like working nights. I am really productive throughout the day. I've never been about mornings anyways. Well, it's been a long time at least. I think the last time I was excited about waking up early I may have been 11 and there may have been cartoons involved. Also, it may have been Saturday. Shout out: Saturday morning cartoons

I hope you all are getting it done. With or without a weekend. 

So much, so much

So much to do so little time.
Why do we need to sleep?
Life is full of excitement from starting to train (really pretrain this week, start next week), to getting back to collaging. Shut up blogger, collaging is a word.

I can't sleep at night.

I meet new people. Potentially romantic people, I like my job. I might run a marathon. I, I, I. What about you?

There are new friends to be had and new perspectives to see. There are places to visit for the first time or as a homecoming. I miss you east coast. I miss you bad. But... Portland, might finally be claiming me.

This is the year of eternal spring. Summer starts next week but spring isn't giving up so easily. Spring from the beginning of March to at least the end of June. What happened to winter? Where is the summer going to fit in to all of this? What about tomatoes? Trying to keep the aphids off of my tomato plants. Don't know what will work. The cold of spring killed my ladybugs. Any ideas?

I can't roll this all up neatly. There is no wrapping. I'll see you when I see you and until that time there will be blog updates.

Home, sweet, spring, home Again

I arrived in Portland yesterday afternoon. Starving and dirty, I was whisked away by my generous and driving friend, Dan to visit the good people of the Habitat for Humanity Restore-which made me feel like I belonged somewhere for sure.

I'll back up a minute and say the moment that I walked into the train station in Portland I was greeted by my friend, and former coworker, Nick, which really, really, made me feel loved and welcome back. I am lucky to have amassed a few people that are willing to go out of their way simply to greet me or who will take time out of their busy schedules, when I come back into town, to grab a drink and be a little silly with me.

Yesterday, I fixed up my bike and bought some potting soil.

Today, I planted the tomato plant that was gifted to me by my friend, Rachael and some baby basil seeds(because everyone knows that basil is meant to be had with tomatoes). I bought my first batch of groceries and went to my first prepaid, yoga class of the month. I walked around and explored the spring with friend Natalie reaffirming the realization that Portland is, truly, a beautiful city.

I'm about to miss the East Coast and all of the good people of the East but I am determined to take advantage of all the freedom  and opportunities that Portland (and current unemployment) allot me. Next up: Bagby Hot Springs.

Taking it easy

So, this past week has been full of helping my friend Kristopher move out of his house and become, temporarily homeless. I wanted to take before and after pictures of his house but I forgot to bring my camera over. Moving is always such a huge transition from start to finish and I would have loved to show off my handiwork. Oh well.

An appropriately summery bonus I got out of helping Kristopher out with the move is a brand new ice cream maker that no one in their house knew what to do with. I really get to enjoy summer now as I have the day off and a container full of homemade, watermelon sobet in my freezer. My household also got a kitchen rug and a loner chair out of the move.

The container and my bowl of summery deliciousness

Watermelon Sobet

Since my buddy is temporarily displaced he's been staying at our house for the past few days. Usually, this would be a problem because he has a puppy and I'm not much of a dog person but, she is officially the best dog ever. I have never had so many positive interactions with a dog. I might be falling in love. Today we went for a little run, which is something I've slacked on hard this week with all the moving help and chillin' time that I've been getting. Now she's lounging next to me as I cobble together this post outside (on a perfect, sunny and 72° day).

This is my new best friend Lucy

She's super, super cute.

Yet another thing I'm doing (with pictures too) as I enjoy the beautiful summer air outside is checking on my tomatoes. They're really coming along. I think today I counted 9 tomatoes on the plant but only one of them is getting red so far.

A bunch of green tomatoes

A peak at a red one.

I realize that it has been a serious while since the blog was last updated but please, friendly readers, don't be upset. I found my camera charger which means this and subsequent posts will be loaded with delicious summer pictures with which I hope to appease you.

New Home (yes I know, again)

AllRIGHT! first things first, I'll eat your brains.

But next on the list is: Here's my new address.

Rachel Ogburn

2301 SE 39th Av e

Portland, OR 97214

I'm going to be at this place for a year because I'm signing a lease. So! No more moving! yay yay yay! The people seem really cool too. I sat down and talked with them for a pretty good amount of time yesterday and meet everyone and I think that I'll be pretty happy there.

ALSO! the kitchen is really really clean (deal maker #1 for me) and they have a huge back yard where I can grow things! The location is super and the rent is reasonable. I think on the most expensive months it will come out to be close to 410 a month including all the utilities.

The room is big enough that I can do yoga in it and also have all of my belongings fit too which is going to be nice and it's probably 10 minutes away from work for me.

I am super excited!

New Cities, Jobs, and Homes.

I went to visit a prospective home today. Progress!!

It was a bit spur of the moment seeing as I called the homeowner and he said if I came in half an hour I would have time to see the place before he left for work.

Even though it was rushed, the homeowner seems nice and the room is a good sized room. Maybe too big for someone that doesn't even own a bed. The roommates seemed nice as well and the kitchen didn't look a disaster. There is space for a garden, and strawberries growing out front. There is also a grocery store within a couple of blocks. It is only 2 short blocks from the bus stop as well.

Indeed, I took the bus from where I've been staying and the bus system does seem ideal. It took me about a half an hour on the 72 bus line. That means if I get one of the jobs that I'm applying to in this area I'd have about a half hour bus ride to work or an hour bike ride.

And that brings us to jobs! JOBS, Jobs, jobs. Today I have applied to a grocery store online, several restaurants, a craft supplies store, and a vegan bakery. The day is young but the window for restaurant applications is over so from here on out I've got to apply to other types of jobs. Maybe I'll check out the old idealist.org

Last but not least, cities: Portland seems really nice so far. It's a very neighborhood like place. A lot of houses with porches and residential streets. Not a lot of fast traffic or angry people (not that there are tons of anger people back east). The place that I'm staying has the welcoming smell of lilacs which makes for a good homecoming after all that applying and exploring.

Vegan Vanilla Bean cupcake with Vanilla Ganache Icing.