Introducing Summer & her acre of milk & honey ...

You're on Puget Sound, right?

No prechilling here - we have plenty of cold weather, so no worries.
SK - the PNW is one of the most interesting places to garden as you can grow an enormous variety of plant material. The only negative is the continual wet. Not good for the soul (why can't it rain at night?). Fungus & molds sure like it though!
I think the further south one gets (from Seattle), the drier & warmer it is. Bulbs do very well in OR.

Fabulous house and property. I don't know how you can wait til August! And they're leaving you all that beautiful and cool stuff?!?!? Wow wow wow. Where in Mexico are they going?

I was also curious as to why you were moving, and I WAS gonna ask but then came across the answer. You'll love the coast. And you'll be here in time for our get together at the end of August, so we'll see you there?!?!?

Where are you in terms of the south/north borders of Oregon? I get down to Oregon fairly often. Two of my kids go to Pacific University in Forest Grove and we have a family cabin on the McKenzie.

Oh, btw, Oregon is a huge quilting state. There's a big quilting week in Sisters every year.

I loved your painting on the previous house. Loved the stripes. Obviously you have a lot of talent! You could always do indoor painting if you get desparate for cash.

Congrats on the property. Hopefully b'friend will join you down the road. Or you'll find a new one. :)

Gwen

Yes, SK, my SIL lives in Philomath and is a big quilter, also.

Gwen, they are in Mulege, which sounds like a blissful little town on the Sea of Cortez. Yes, I bought a few pieces outright, negotiated for the main furnishings and THEN they decided that they couldn't cope with trying to sell the rest, being that Deb can't bear to leave Mulege & Jim is working on 3 other properties. But I will have plenty of time for that kind of thing, so we struck a deal whereby I will sell off their collectibles & stuff I don't want, for a commission.

That's a good deal for me because I will be cobbling together a living from multiple sources! Maybe even a job, bleck. But I'm conversing right now with a potential roommate, which would help greatly.

So glad that there will be a chance to attend the roundup! And the next one can be at my place.

I'm not sure how the roads work from Forest Grove, but that is near Beaverton, which is about 90 minutes northeast of me. Lincoln City is about 30 miles north of Newport.

Portland has quite a community of quilters too. I am Googling all the places you mention, Philomath is next.

Katye, I am thinking that the moisture won't bother me -- I have asthma that is mostly under control but bothers me some here in Kankakee, possibly because the frequent winds only stir up dust from the dry cornfields. (Not to mention that the crackheads around here burn what they can't shoot.) Gives me earaches. At Christmas, wandering around the beaches & forests in Oregon, it seemed as if I could take a deep breath for the first time in forever.

And there will be SO much more opportunity to get out & exercise -- I'm not happy with the 5 or so pounds that didn't melt away this spring like usual! But there's just nothing to do here. Everyone freaks if I swim alone in the river, and the dog & I only have one choice for a running trail nearby. In Rose Lodge, my aunt plans to bring her horses over for riding in the timberlands, and my cousins insist that we can dive off Lincoln City.

So you aren't actually terribly far from Forest Grove. Maybe we can meet up sometime when I'm not doing a quick trip in and out, as it normally the case.

Oh, absolutely. My best friend lives in Beaverton, too.

oy, SK: "Not to mention that the crackheads around here burn what they can't shoot"; almost choked on my fresh picked pea pods!
What "moisture" really translates to is a whole lot of grey, drizzly days. I am native Washingtonian, and although i swear I am part duck - it gets to me every year about March.
PNW'ers are the true sun-worshippers. Every February, it gets warm (relatively speaking) for a few days, and you would think August had arrived. But, seriously, the availability of water is always a v ery good thing. Rare to have more than a 2 month run without rain, and when we get it, it is generally well recieved.
I know what you mean about breathing in deeply - thirsty for real air!!!
We all are blessed to live in such a beautiful area of the country, and very happy that you have joined us!

Summerkid if you are a quilter you must go to Jannilou in Philomath and Fabric Depot (be prepared to spend one day) in Portland.

I do hand applique quilting, as my project where down for 2 months recouping from surgery in Oct I will be making a hand appliqued iris quilt, top is a bouquet of 7 iris all different colored framed the turn over for the pillows are two bouquets of 3 each, the falls are altered 3-5 all around with hummers and butterflies between. All on hunter green...

I have been quilting for a few years and those are truly my favorite shops and oh forgot one in Tillamock, called Janes Fabric Patch...

D

I, um, guess you like irises? Can't wait to see the quilt, perhaps in person.

Fabric Depot has been graced by my presence & charge card during a visit to Lisa (friend in Beaverton). It will be great to have so many sources nearby -- while Chicago is home to many famous quilters, such as my friends Caryl Fallert (now in Paducah), Jane Sassaman & Melody Johnson, we have zilch for fabric shops, strangely.

Well, how is the packing and selling going over there Summer? When is the actual move date/closing?

-Kim

Hi Kim! I move as soon as you show up to drive with me.
My brother is arriving on Saturday Aug. 1st for packing up & then we should leave sometime Sunday. I figure that it will take till Wednesday to get to the coast, with stops to see relatives & whatnot.

The packing is going well -- I've even sold one of the Airstreams. Of course, I've had 4 months to prepare! It's astounding to me that, having packed, sold, recycled, tossed & given away SO MANY THINGS, there are still SO MANY THINGS IN THIS HOUSE.

Looking forward to meeting you some day. No prechilling bulbs here in OR we get enough chill that we do not have that to worry about it.

Enjoy the coast and there are several GREAT fabric shops near you

D

homes are like black holes: they swallow a lot more than we think.
How very fun - you'll be out here soon & then more fun begins.
Oh - if you are adventurous, Britex Fabrics (3 floors) is only one state away...of course, you'd need to drive to bring back your treasures.
I haven't been there in years, but what a place: absolute eye-candy.

Well, one of my first tasks will be to drive to Seattle & drop off some things at a gallery, then deliver an Airstream to Vancouver ... so I will be available for side trips!

Ya know... Lakewood is right on I-5 on the way to/from Oregon... :)

Well OK then!... pony, I can't wait to meet you & the "others" ... I'm definitely on the left end of the color spectrum, maybe not everyone's cup of tea given the spiders & all, but I am a kind, honest person who is adored by many people who count, IMHO. And SO hoping to be back among my own kind soon.

THIRTEEN DAYS & counting! My to-do list is still long but now fits on one page, prioritized by day ...

Summer - Britex is THE fabric Mecca in San Francisco. How I wish it were in Seattle......

But let us know when you arrive. We'll roll out the welcome mat to the emerald city.

Oh, I'll go anywhere. My dog? Found her in Costa Rica, naturally.

LOL Summer, I'm not everybody's cup o' tea myself, weirdo-goth-hippy-tattooed-geek that I am. But I get along with most folks just fine. ;)

Gardeners are very nurturing, so I think we aren't bothered by pickyune (sp) things. We're too busy looking at plants.

The PNW seems to have a strong undercurrent of accepting people regardless of their hair, clothes, piercings and tattooes, etc., and that is what first attracted me to Portland. We applaud differences!

Amen to applauding differences...what would the world be if we were all alike? BORING!!!!!!!

Pony, your description of yourself cracks me up! From meeting you very briefly, MY description would be a little different....I would say that you are every bit as sweet and flamboyant as your personality comes across in your postings!

Summer, you will fit in just fine and you will love it here!

Oh, geez. *blushing* Thanks, Julie... You're a sweetheart too! (and omg she's gorgeous, you guys!)

The good old PNW is quite the melting pot... I wouldn't really want to live anywhere else, no matter how much I complain about the weather. hehe.

Sheesh....now who's blushing! Just a plain ol' country girl!

Summer, Like Lynn said on another thread, make sure not to forget to add the roundup on the 29th of August to your to-do list if you can swing it! It's going to be a great time, and will be a wonderful opportunity to get together in person. I know it is soon after you join our side of the world, and something of a drive....but it should be worth it!

Going to look at Roundup particulars now! Perhaps it's on my way to deliver a trailer to Vancouver?

Depends on what route you take...we're not really on "the way" to anything out here in the Buckley area, but the start of the events are right off of I-5, and that can definitely be considered on the way to many places. We are planning on posting a detailed "itenerary" soon, but the "need round up help" thread outlines most of it. Would love to have you join us!

Yes, I'll be there. It's "on the way" in my book. (I grew up in wide-open Montana so anything within 5 hours is "on the way.")

Can I do anything to help out?

Very nice of you to offer! The biggest help we can get is input as to if what we have tentatively planned sounds like fun to people..... we are totaly receptive to any input for additions and/or alterations. As it is a "first annual", we are really winging it, and are just hoping that we have taken all of the important things in to consideration!

Oh great ... I am sorting through the thread right now. The word ALPACA really caught my eye ...

Hey, maybe the answer lies in there somewhere, but can my dog come too? We are attached at the hip. She is the one I found nearly dead by a road in Costa Rica & we have been halfway round the world together. At the very least she can stay in the truck while I hang out for awhile, then hit the road?

HHmmmmm.... You will have to chat with my DH regarding Alpacas! He got a chance to help our friends shear theirs this summer, and he has ALL sorts of stuff to say about them! Something about big streams of green alien spit.....


Animal welcome will have to be at the discretion of the hostess of each section of roundup. I can't speak for Pixy or Lynnnweidman regarding the pup, but Mom and I are hosting breakfast and a garden tour on Sunday morning, and we are going to ask that no animals come to that portion (or at least don't get out of the car...we have plenty of shaded areas to park). It has nothing to do with not loving animals, but we have eight dogs of our own, and most are on the big side....we would hate to see someone's baby get hurt by one of ours. I think (please forgive me Lynn if I am wrong) that Lynn welcomes critters to stay with their people at her place for the main event. Almost everyone on this forum loves furries, and I don't know if there are any of us who are without them, so we understand the "attached at the hip" part!

Of course you can bring your fur baby. We have a cat, no dogs, but the neighbor dogs come visit us every day. There is plenty of room for them to run, but we do not have a fenced yard, so be aware of that. I would hate to have someone's pet run off and get lost.

Oh goodie. My dog loves cats. She has a pet one named littlejackwinter. And she doesn't run anywhere unless she's on a run with me. And like your neighbors' dogs, she makes her rounds every day, especially if she doesn't like what I'm serving up & she thinks the neighbors might be having pork chops for lunch.

LOL...pork chops.

they watch for ducks out on the river ...

Midwest winters make us bored, so bored ....

OMG they are adorable! The pic with the both of them in the chair is just to die for!!!!!

Summerkid - what kind of dog is that? I think I have her twin.

Omigosh! Look at that! Well, I'm guessing some Costa Rican hot-mess mix of cattledog, chow & shepherd? She has a serious ridgeback.