July

Summer finally came to the Northwest this month. Daily temperatures of 80F make me excited to get up in the morning. It's nice not to get rained on for once!


The past couple weeks I have been blueberry and raspberry picking at Sauvie Island (and feeding some berries to this sweet adorable pig names Matilda).

Blueberries and Raspberries

Matilda

Blueberry

And then studying coastal plants while waiting for my boyfriend to fish. I am learning so much about ethnobotany (how people interact with plants). Native Americans survived on these Saskatoon Berries. They reminded me of bluberries but not as sweet.

Saskatoon Berries

Saskatoon Berries

They also boiled and ate these Red Elderberries as well. Note: Do not eat these raw and never eat the stem, leaves, or any other part of the plant. I like to think I could survive out here if I had to because I know more about the plants and their medicinal uses.

Red Elderberry

I am such a nerd. :)

Berries and Morel Goodness

Last weekend we went to Sauvie Island to pick strawberries. It was so much fun! I only ended up making a ton of jam and of course just eating the strawberries plain.

We also saw a Bald Eagle there:

So last night we headed to the fruit stand down the street and picked some more up for $1 a pint. I will be making so more recipes with the strawberries tonight.And then we walked around our neighborhood where cherry trees and raspberry bushes grow everywhere (by businesses, city owned property) so we picked a ton of those too - for free! - and saved a at least $10-$15 of buying cherries and raspberries. Score!

We also enjoyed morels all week. Sadly, we did not pick these ourselves but know someone who picks them commercially and we bought blonde and black morel mushrooms. Yum!

Morels with Spaghetti and parsley from the garden.

Morels cooking

This weekend we are off to camp on the beach. Photos to follow!

Hot and Sunny in Portlandia

I make no secret of it- I love the sun. I never really thought about it before when I lived in California. Pretty much everyday was sunny where I lived. Now it is pretty much rainy and cloudy for most of the year in Portland, Oregon. Until summer. It was 85 and sunny and I spent it gardening, laying on the beach reading, walks, bike rides to the farmers market, and naps. Just plain lazy. And the two cats both got their bathes and weren't so happy with us!

Cheeseburger is not happy about the bath.

Sauvie Island

Sauvie Island