Am I living in a fairytale?
Am I living in a fairytale?
The magic of Oregon summers, plus the usual monthly bits and bobs
Every morning and evening, we take Kona for a walk. Sometimes we walk the neighborhood in a square. Sometimes we walk in a straight line. But my favorite walk is a little bit of both, down a road nobody goes but its residents, where the pavement turns to gravel. I discovered this route in late spring when I was bored of the square and straight line. One day, I took a left and there it was, glowing before us in the afternoon sun. By now, we’ve walked this route at least a dozen times. I can always expect the dog at the beige house to bark. I let Kona sniff a little longer so I can linger near the beautiful blue house with the bamboo-lined fence and string lights. At the end of the road is a park and two houses that share a side yard with a flourishing garden. Purple and white hollyhocks tower 8 feet above, while fuchsia and yellow marigolds fill in the raised beds below. One of its keepers was out watering the other night. I told her how much I love the flowers.
Once we’re ready to turn around, we either walk around the park or not at all if we’re tired. Then back the way we came. Past the flowers, the beautiful blue house, the barking dog. At the other end of the road, before we head home, is a plastic container perched on a wooden stand stocked with dog treats. Kona tugs the leash toward the treat station every time we’re near. We break the milk bones in half and ask her to sit, stay, come, shake. That way she feels like she earned it. A few weeks ago, we discovered yet another reason to end our walks there: two rows of bushes heavy with plump blackberries and raspberries, and a sign encouraging us to pick whatever is ripe. We stop to pluck a handful for our walk back home and the red juices stain my fingers and palms
It was the ripe berries of summer that made me fall fully in love with Portland a few years ago, though I’d had a crush on this city since long before while visiting during my senior year of undergrad. But in 2021, when Steve and I were living in a van for the second summer in a row, we needed a place to boondock in the city before heading up the Olympic peninsula. Conveniently, our friends needed a house sitter to watch their dogs while they joined a group bike ride to the coast. We parked in their driveway, cuddled their pups, used their bathroom and kitchen, read and wrote on their back deck, ran to the forest, and picked copious amounts of raspberries off bushes and cherries out of trees. It was probably after a sweet bite when we looked at each other and said: Should we move here?
Three years later and we live only a few blocks from that house. Our friends have since moved to the other Portland (Maine) but we drove past their old place this week after getting groceries. Steve hadn’t realized that it was so close so I wanted to show him. Indeed, the raspberry bushes are still clinging to the fence, and surely the cherries are dropping from the tree in the backyard.
Oregon summers feel more like a fairytale than anywhere else I’ve lived. The abundance of swimming holes, the park and picnic culture, biking at dusk, live music on farms and in forests, fresh and local produce at every neighborhood’s farmers market, cafes on every corner, and berries ripe for picking.
Let’s savor it.
Latest Stories
For Backpacker, I interviewed David Jeong, an LA-based home cook and hiker, who figured out how to dehydrate Chipotle for his trips.
Another one for Backpacker: When should you hire a guide? Probably more often than you think. This one was inspired by my trip to Baja in April.
My complete guide to Pinnacles National Park appears in Via Magazine, a AAA publication for the Mountain West.
“Deadstock” has a few different meanings. For Field Mag, I reported on the definitions as well as how remnant fabrics are used by outdoor gear brands.
And don’t miss the latest STUDIO VISITS. Laurs Kemp is an upcycle designer turning forgotten garments into retro, avant-garde statement pieces.
August Mood
Monthly Shareables
Reading: My friend Maggie’s house became a refuge for friends after their breakups; incarcerated people are drinking unsafe water in Illinois; You’re Safe Here by Leslie Stephens; ABCs of design with Schoolhouse; how Simone Biles won the Olympic Women’s Gymnastics All-Around Gold; the thrill of taking a huge risk on Kamala; and the trust cost of $900 plastic shoes
Watching: The Olympics duh; a recipe for manioc enyucados with cheese; an explainer for why we call women by their first names and men by their last names; a short film about Buck Mason knitting mills; Abbott Elementary
Buying: Sønderhaus hair elastics ($9 for 3!), these darling Camper heels from Poshmark, Piglet in Bed striped linen pillowcases (50% off!)
Listening: My friend Alex’s July playlist
Subscribing: Lots of new Substacks including
, , , , andMaking: I’m not sewing much right now because I’m getting my office set up to use my new serger, a birthday present from Steve.
Eating: Peaches, nectarines, tomatoes, mozzarella, burrata, herbs, and tinned fish
