Highlights

Below is a link to some highlights from our trip:

http://aimeraloisir.blogspot.com/2009/08/highlights.html

A Few Quick Updates

First things first. How cool is Paul? The other day when he came to meet me to walk home from our separate jobs, I had to snap this photo. It looks like one that should be posted on one of those blogs where people walk around and take snapshots of cool looking people. What a dude. Also, he has a great boss who sent him home with those flowers from his garden to give to me. What college student working an “I answer the phones”  job has a boss that outstanding? 

Secondly, we just got back from camping on Hosmer Lake in the Cascade Lakes region of Central Oregon. Needless to say, it was beautiful. Being too  hot to run, I swam all day out to the center of the gorgeous lake below and back over and over. It was so refreshing and wonderful. 

We had a pretty prime spot as well. 

I think Paul entertained himself fairly well. 

But its hard not to enjoy yourself here. 

Even so, it felt good to arrive back in Portland after a long drive with a late sunset filled with Richard Aschcroft and Daft Punk. 

Felt good, that is, until the next morning when we were greeted with a triple digits heat wave that has no promise of ending anytime soon. What’s the deal, Portland?

Portland Rose Garden Wonderland

Paul has gotten really into Tennis this summer and asks me every night to go up to Washington Park to use their tennis courts. When we headed up there, I had no idea that a tiny piece of paradise was only blocks from our apartment. The trail up there past the Portland reservoir is lined with hydrangeas. 

We stopped for a picnic at a huge outdoor amphitheater; we’re the small figures on the bottom right. 

What a perfect spot to relax after a long, hot day at work. 

When we finished our dinner, we walked over to the Rose Garden. I knew Portland was the Rose City, but I was not expecting to see anything as beautiful as what awaited us. When I was a little girl, I loved Alice in Wonderland and this garden reminded me so vividly of my childhood. The roses were just like the big sloppy painted red and white roses of Alice’s magic world. 

Even well after their June prime, the roses were bright and full of character, presenting themselves in every color of the imagination. 

Rows and rows upon colorful roses of all shapes, sizes, and designs. 

And just like some sort of mystical dream, from the top of the garden, we could see the shiny glimpse of reality down below, the city of Portland peaking at us from between the tall evergreen trees. 

The tennis courts were a jungle of flowers, blossoms, and twisting rose vines. 

Note below how the rose bushes were even taking over the gates. 

Even as we made our way back home, we found a beautiful path I had not yet discovered until that night. I couldn’t believe that the short journey back to our downtown apartment looked like this!

Hidden Library Treasures

I have been working for the history department this summer collecting and citing historical bibliographies and document collections for their online database. This seemingly boring summer job, however, allows me to indulge in my nerdy guilty pleasure of spending hours perusing old and varied books. My inner bibliophile cannot resist making two piles: one of books to cite and one of unique finds for the day. I know how geeky this sounds, but sometimes you find real treasures. For example, below is an early 1900s pilgrimage account of a woman who travelled to several New England inns. Sounded quaint, so I pulled it form the shelf and opened it to a random page. 

I for one love Harry Potter-esque tavern and inn signs with old English sounding names and that just so happened to be what this entry was about. However, it actually gave kind of a fascinating insight to the quirky names of Colonial inns. East coast taverns may have historical and political origins, but my favourite so far is Portland’s own ‘The Leaky Roof’. 

The second unique find today was the egyptian Book of Kings written mostly in hieroglyphics. This book was also published in the early 1900s. 

Lastly, a book on Medieval French court life and the muses and so called “favourites” of members of the Royal family. The book, published in the late 1800s I believe (however the original copy dates back to the 1400-1500s), had this forward from its court hired author. It had so much character and personality for a mere translator’s note that it felt like something from a storybook. 

Here is an english translation:

” The Translator to the Reader:

 Behold here a history compiled by one of the most able, and (let me testify thus much) one of the most moderate and impartial pens of Europe. It was fitted for the hand of a king; and is the life of one whom his own actions will declare to have better deserved the name of Great than that proud Macedonian who wept that he had no more worlds to conquer. For though he gained not such signal victories, nor overran so many countries, yet he was possessed of more virtues than the other cities; and virtue is the fairest mother of true greatness. But reader, I forestall thy delight in its reading: go on, therefore, but with deliberation. 

J.D”

Not bad for a Tuesday morning at work.

Sauvie Island

The other afternoon we attended an old high school friend’s wedding. It was nice to see old friends and faces, but it made me miss my family a lot. 

So, to take my mind off of it, we went to Sauvie Island to pick our own produce and get out of the heat. All of the colors looked almost unnaturally bright.

Our first stop was the U-Pick Lavender farm. 

It was just nice driving around through the many farm roads and enjoying the pristine mountain views.

The Sauvie Island U Pick Farm was awesome as per usual. The best moment, however, was when I looked up from the apricots to see Paul standing in awe before the below:

We did pretty well for ourselves and left the island with our mission accomplished, so we went back over the bridge and into the city.

For a total of 4 dollars, we got a bag of rainier cherries, two walla walla sweet onions, and the largest avocado I have ever seen. Not bad. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend. We, of course, enjoyed the view from our new balcony. 

Ingredients of Summer

Today was it 95 degrees and oppressively hot. On these Nashville-esque (love you guys) days, I try and remember the essential ingredients of summer that come only this time of year and make it oh so special. For example, almost overly ripe peaches.

Summer squash, onions, and zucchini. We used these left over veggies after buying them for an awesome recipe for whole wheat summer squash pasta with sliced parmesan the other night. Check out the Fresh 365 blog if you haven’t already.

Avocados. ‘Nough said, best thing about summer. 

Fresh spinach.

These essentials are always brightened when paired with Paul’s teriyaki tofu. 

But the real cherry on the top is this view and balcony dinner setting. And now, after the sun has finally gone behind the west hills, as I sit with a glass of wine and some Innocence Mission, I can no longer remember any criticisms I once had for hot summer days. 

Summer Catch Up

Above is a blurry shot of a recent sunset form our new balcony! My mom has requested I write something in here. I haven’t really thought about this blog much lately as we have mostly been working and not living in Paris ha. But on the bright side, we totally lucked out and have found a wonderful apartment!

Mostly, because of this incredible balcony!

We also went to Bend last weekend to spend the 4th with my aunt and uncle who are incredible people! As per usual, it was totally gorgeous there and we spent all our time, biking, swimming in the Deschutes, and having a great time! How blessed are we to say that our family is some of our closest friends as well?

We also got to see some superhero action. My uncle flies airlife, which means he brings medical care to people far out in the countryside. 

We brought him dinner on the lawn in front of their garage and then watched their plane take off into the sunset on a recent call.

When we got back, we got to celebrate the birthdays of two very loved family members with an incredible picnic in Sellwood park. Portland is back to its perfect summer self, where you suddenly forget that you cursed it for 9 months of rain, because you are in total aw that such a city exists. Below is our cake for Patty and Amelia. 

Today, we are off to the Mississippi Ave Street Fair and then the Bastille Day Festival in the Pearl. Bon weekend mes amis! On a last note, come the 13th, Paul and I will have been married two years! So cheers to that!

<3

Haircuts and Tunisian Day Dreams

First of all, I finally got a hair cut. Helen, below is the promised picture.

Also, the Semester is finally over. It’s some what a relief and some what sad to see friends leave. 

Its going to be a long summer of road trips (hopefully) and Middle Eastern history books in preparation for my thesis. But my brain is lost in a dream.. one I have had for a long time. One that I hope will lead to a reality of me in an archeologist shirt with a bad tan working against a Saharan sunset.. Someday SOON I hope to be walking these streets at night:

To be perusing the magical, foreign scents and sights of shops like these:

Spending my days working in the hot sun at a sight like this: 

And enjoying my weekends at a paradise like below:

Summer Fairy Land

In the late Spring and Summer Oregon becomes, hands down, the most beautiful place on Earth. Despite all the months of rain, this time of year the state is transformed into a total fairy land. Here are some pictures to prove my point:

See the mountain in the background? I had to try hard with my zoom-less hand held camera. 

Bye Mr Duck. 

Paul and I try very hard to celebrate every moment of it.  

                                

Blessed are Those Whose Hope is in the Lord

Today was another bright, sunny day, which (i’m not sure whether to put fortunately or unfortunately here) was completely unproductive, but very relaxing.

However, a very special package arrived in the mail and made the whole day 100% more fabulous than it already was. Below, is my “ooooh a package” face.

Wonderful cards, mind blowing handmade quilt, and pipe cleaner crown (which I have been wearing since) all in one, score!

You guys are so fantastic and I love my gift so much! I immediately put it on the bed, snuggled up (man is that thing cosy), and took a nap. Not only is it gorgeous and so well made, but I love thinking of the boys’ little toes running across it to the sound of Jude’s artistic guidance. 

Look at that masterpiece! What a bodie of a cherry on top of a perfect week. God is good. I love you all and THANK YOU SO MUCH! This has been the best birthday ever! I can’t wait to see all of you that weren’t here to give you big hugs!!