Winding down the summer, gearing up for the fall, there are a few fun and quick topics I wanted to cover.
Lake Oswego’s Famous Flower Baskets
Remember that flower basket I planted last May? I wanted to share with you how it turned out. This basket is amazing. It hangs about 5′ long and is easily 2-3 feet wide. It is so heavy that I had to move it from it’s original hook, which it was bending. I got a lot of enjoyment out of planting it and watching it grow. I will plan to do it again next year. I also have to confess that I wasn’t as good about fertilizing it as I should have been. Early on, I did fertilize it once a week like I was supposed to. But as the summer progressed, well, I slipped up on that component. That didn’t keep the basket from getting huge. So even an imperfect gardener can grow one of these amazing baskets.
Planning Vacations for Next Year
One of the wonderful benefits of living in the Pacific Northwest is that taking a quick vacation, at not a lot of expense, is really easy. I thought I would list some of the destination spots that my husband and I have been to in the last few years. All trips were 3-5 days long with amazing scenery.
San Juan Islands WA
Joseph, Hells Canyon, and the Wallawas, OR
Coeur d’Alene, ID
Ashland Shakespeare Festival and Jacksonville, OR
Skamania Lodge, WA
Leavenworth, WA
Wenthrop, WA
Bend and Sisters, OR
The Olympic Peninsuala, WA
And, of course, anywhere on the Oregon Coast
And yes, that is me in the photo. My husband and I do our trips on his Yamaha. No, it’s not what I ever imagined doing. Yes, we have fun and my husband loves the adventure. I’ve been riding on the back of his motorcycle since I was 18 years old. I trust him to keep me safe. And that feeling of the wind and the open road really is pretty amazing.
My Personal Commitment
I am once again fundraising for the Portland Race for the Cure, which is being held September 19, 2010 in downtown Portland. Every dollar raised supports awareness, assistance, and research that benefits women right here in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Over 10,000 women received mammograms last year that would not have without assistance from the Susan Komen Foundation and Race for the Cure. As a breast cancer survivor, this effort helps me to make something good come from something very bad. If you are inclined to make a donation, you can do so by clicking here. Thank you!
Thank you for letting me clean out my junk drawer. Let me know if you have any ideas of your own for a great get-a-way in the Pacific Northwest. I’d also love to hear from any of you who planted hanging baskets of your own.
Dianne