Green mountains, Portland, listlessness

Tristan at farmer's market

Back from Portland, I am listless...literally - I need to write out a "to-do" list. But also pittering around listless and trying to get back into the groove of being home. On the drive home Tuesday, there was a rare two-hour period of time that I drove. Usually my hubby drives the whole trip, but he hadn't slept well the night before so he and Tristan were sleeping in the backseat. I couldn't take a picture since I had a wheel in hand, but picture verdant pastures surrounded by equally green and gray mountains, covered with a slight mist and occasional sprinkles...it was heaven to me. Oregon is such a lovely place. California ain't bad either.

Portland was great - we didn't do anything extraordinary...took a lot of walks - to the river, around the neighborhood (near PSU), in downtown. We went to the zoo one day. We got a parking ticket one day. Saturdays are the Portland Farmer's market and I go mainly for breakfast and a show. They have scrumptious breakfast burritos and always a great band playing. Tristan made some friends and they danced to the music while I feasted on scrambled eggs, melted cheese and salsa. It is always so festive on Saturday morning. The farmer's market is why I fell head over heels for Portland. That, and the accessible river, the walkable city, a central place downtown called Pioneer Courthouse square where lots of events happen (but it is called "Portland's living room" so no smoking is allowed!!), and the courtesy drivers show you when crossing the street. Pedestrian-ability is my litmus test for livability in a city. 

Anyhoo, I will hopefully get my head screwed on straight over the next few days and get organized. Thank you for this brief hiatus. I post much better when my head is on so my heart can think...

Sign of the Times

couch, lamp, early spring

The "clothesline" collage-card scene that I posted on March 21st seems to be following a trend of ideas that are indicative of the current economic situation as well as the environmental crisis that we face. I sit here everyday and can easily see our neighbors yard. He had a ton of space and used it to create a huge, beautiful organic garden including a small orchard with trees that have blossomed. It's great to see such bounty so close to such a busy street.

I've noticed the trend in my own home too. We are going to farmer's market lately - more often than we used to, and we are making a lot of our own food. My husband makes great homemade yogurt that we all love to eat daily. We strained it through a cheesecloth and made some yogurt-cheese to use hopefully instead of cream cheese. I've been making my own cereal by using old-fashioned rolled oats, nuts, dried fruit, honey, oil and spices and it is delicious. I eat cereal often and it is not cheap, so making it saves us a little bit o' money. We've been eating brown rice and veggies or salad with homemade dressing (also saves a bit).

On the going green gradually front, I've asked my hubby if he minded if we stopped buying the big plastic trash bags for our tall trash can and go back to using the paper bags we get from the store. He said yes - the only downside there is we'll have to be more conscientious about taking it out more often when it gets full. Also, I got the clothespins I've been looking for. Now my hubby has the lovely task of hanging a rope out somewhere in our backyard and I'll try a hand at NOT using the dryer!! We'll see how that goes.

Little by little is how this is going. Oh, and I found this great site through Elizabeth Mitchell's (the musician, not the actress) website. It gives specific info about having a healthier home environment for your children - (and more friendly for our Mother Earth) in "Five easy steps." If you have a child, this is a must. See the website http://healthychild.org/5steps for more information. I've also posted this in my "Places I like to go in digi-land" list.

Happy New Year! No rooz Mobarak!

Happy New Year! Friday was March 20, the first day of spring. In our house this is a big deal - my husband is from Iran and the Persian New Year is the biggest celebration of the year. We made a haf-seen, which is an arrangement each family makes in their home with seven things that begin with the letter "S" - in Farsi. Each item (grass grown from grain, coins, mirror, goldfish, garlic, saffron, a hyacinth and other items that are placed in arrangement for beauty and enhancement) represents something, for instance, rebirth, bounties of the earth, a new start, beauty, light. It is a wonderful tradition and I enjoy the symbolism of it. I don't get as excited about it as my husband, but he doesn't get as excited about Christmas as I do either! Nevertheless it is a wonderful way to ring in the springtime and celebrate along with the trees and flowers and birds.

Yesterday we went to the farmers market in Davis and got some organic veggies. Not so unusual but we are on a kick since leaving Esalen and having been fed so wonderfully for 5 days. All organic veggies fresh from the garden and whole grains - brown rice, quinoa - at every meal. Great toppings and homemade dressings to choose from...mmmm...we were spoiled and came home with an abundance of energy and feeling great! We just want to continue this into our own lives with such a running head start. Keeping away from sugar and dairy is hard sometimes, but the payoff is wonderful when I'm able to do it.

This morning my son woke up yelling for me - he had had a bad dream about DINOSAURS!! Specifically T-Rex. He is afraid of T-Rex, and turns the pages of all books that have pictures of T-Rex. Long necks however, I'm thinking, Brachiosauruses and Brontosauruses, he likes and thinks are helpful. I attribute this to the book "The Littlest Dinosaur" by Michael Foreman. Great book for children. We have checked this book out from the library continuously for about 2 months. I'm afraid if one day we don't have it there might be some tears, but it is slowly going out of our reading circulation. The story idea has not and we are constantly talking about Mr. Long Neck saving -someone- by pulling them out of the mud. Anyway, whenever Tristan is scared he holds his tummy as if to show where the fear is! Amazing...I told someone about this at the Gangaji retreat and they said that's where fear comes from - the solar plexus (if I'm remembering correctly).

It's Sunday and we took our almost ritual family walk - along the river this time - and saw so many beautiful wildflowers! I never knew such beauty could proliferate along a polluted river! Tristan got his train tracks too, although not the train ride unfortunately. The track was under construction, hopefully a sign of infrastructure dollars at work? Some wildflowers we picked and Tristan with his daddy.