September

has come and gone, but I'm catching up. All of your comments were so sweet and warming, it was hard to post the follow-up to August. September's been a harder month, and while that older post was up, that still was my life for those of you who know most of me through my blog.

August was like this big dream come true. Come up with an idea and decide to live it. Move yourself and your partner all the way across the country and see it grow. It's quite a crazy and empowering thing to feel like you can really just decide to make it happen.

No matter what you think about how much we make our own days, there is a reality that I had to face, and it didn't really hit me until September. I left my family, my friends, my familiar spaces, and my job, all in such a short time.

(Taken on the first rainy day)

All of these things have to be built up again, and September is the month where I started the process of really working out how to make my new city my new home. I've found that how I feel is still largely based on my state of mind, and so when I feel myself get bummed by what I don't have going yet, I just have to step back and think of what I do have. And I have a lot. And the rest will come. Some days are harder than others. Today is a good day. There are many.

And then after writing that, and looking at my pictures from September, I know I still had a ton of fun. I'm still crazy about this place. And it's hardly rained at all! (yet) Perspective. Ok, picture time.


This was taken the first day of September. Looking out at our plants. We are so proud.

The farmer's market is still bountiful with summer lovelies like peppers, beans, and all kinds of greens. Writing this in October, I can still say this.

It's actually one of the few places here where it feels like NYC a bit -- crowded, but worth it.

Here's AA in the south park blocks after eating his falafel. I love his "I just had a falafel!" face.

and here's some progress on our own vegetables!

watching the peppers start to turn red is so exciting!

and then!

(these are long ago in my tummy)

oh, and these!

the top right and bottom ones made it into my tummy, but the top left one never turned red and then when it did, it was mushy

mmm

and our biggest excitement on the patio:

though we left them on too long, and the leaves got bitter-ish.

still! we grew that!

produce a growing and oven a working inspiring cookdates a plenty

with Jess

with Sare

Portland is challenging me to do things I haven't done in a long time.

Like rollerskating! (with Ross)

and trivia! (Matt and Joanna)

Other creative things I started doing here is drawing. Lots of my neighbors are artists, and sometimes I draw with them.

Michelle M. , drawing

It doesn't matter to me that I don't really draw. It's fun time to spend with them, plus it's cool to try something new.

Zoe posing


what i was in the middle of drawing ha ha!

Josh


this one I had to draw in two minutes (ish)

and I've been back into sewing

the selection at Fabric Depot is awe-inspiring

here I am, making the kitchen curtains

see!

and sewing aprons for last thursday

here's one of them

And I want to say that I'm still knitting, but more accurately, I'm still going to knit night. Each night, something is up: I bring the wrong needles, my jumper for my sister's daughter-to-be is twisted but I take it off the needles and its too big anyway. Or this.

yarn swift-tangle disaster. Leigh helping me tell the yarn who is boss (um, me?)

some progress on the Here and There Cables scarf from Scarf Style (in lovely North Country Cotton gifted by lovely Megan) before I ripped it out. I might be ripping as much as knitting lately. But Close Knit -- I completely love that place!

Melinda and Cash

and Bob

We've been seeing more movies this month. Here's the Kennedy School, a former elementary school house turned movie theater/bar/hotel!

chairs and tables for your beer and nutritional yeast for your popcorn!

Little Miss Sunshine with Siue

and Thank You For Not Smoking with Sarah

Equally as entertaining as the movies, Food Fight had a cupcake eating contest! The winner ate 11 cupcakes in five minutes. The winner is at the bottom center of the frame, and I swear I saw his left hand shaking as he finished up his cupcakes!

Next up, stonewall jerquee eating contest. Look at this guy in a tracksuit, warming up!

the winner is the one out of the frame

there also was a grossout eating contest, but even my camera was so disgusted that the battery died right before it began. This is the only shot I got. I was too ooged out to try the cupcakes or anything else that day.

But I did try bubble tea for the first time. Rooibos+soymilk+strawberry+tapioca pearls=fat straw nirvana. Yeah, I should rotate this picture.

Portland's got lots of free fun, too. Free fun, as many of you know, is my favorite kind.

We went to the Portland Art Museum on a free day to see the biennial but I only have pictures of us coming and leaving the museum

silly days on the patio while it was still super warm

Destined to become our slice of city escape when we decide we need it, we finally got out to Forest Park, the largest forested park within city limits in the country

and I finally got on my bike

I've got a LONG way to go before these guys

(clown house represents at the parade)

(and juggling for Lew)

and thankfully for you, I'm far away from this

yup, the Clowns got naked on Last Thursday.

Um, what else can follow that?

hula hoops?

my first Portland pub crawl?

fresh donuts from voodoo?

blurry green tea soft serve?

Ok, so I'll just leave you with some pictures of my fair city



aa says "we're in the picture" and i say "yeah, i know"

Missing you all. Say hi.