NIK AND HIS NEW USED FREE SEWING MACHINE

I hope he can make it work!

ONE OF PORTLAND'S WEIRD CUSTOMS

I've never seen so many "free sales" as I have here in Portland. This particular one took place right across the street from our rental house. Nik nabbed a sewing machine out of the deal and Kent got a perfectly good BBQ grill. A few days earlier, Nik got a pair of green high-top tennis shoes that looked like they'd hardly been worn at another "free sale." I like this custom.

TRUMAN AND THOMAS

Truman's other passion besides Spiderman is Thomas the Train. Here he takes a break after successfully completing a gigantico T the Train puzzle at our house.

TRUMAN IS READY FOR HALLOWEEN

Truman has begun to channel Spiderman; meanwhile, his dad has memorized the lyrics to the theme song of the movie. It's pretty impressive. Here they are, in case you never learned them:

Spiderman, Spiderman,
Does whatever a spider can
Spins a web, any size,
Catches thieves just like flies
Look Out!
Here comes the Spiderman.

Is he strong?
Listen bud,
He's got radioactive blood.
Can he swing from a thread
Take a look overhead
Hey, there
There goes the Spiderman.

In the chill of night
At the scene of a crime
Like a streak of light
He arrives just in time.

Spiderman, Spiderman
Friendly neighborhood Spiderman
Wealth and fame
He's ingnored
Action is his reward.

To him, life is a great big bang up
Whenever there's a hang up
You'll find the Spider man.

"KEEP PORTLAND WEIRD" Bumper sticker

Portland takes an odd pride in its weirdness. It's sort of hard to say exactly what makes it that way, but it's true. Most of the city resembles the bohemian or "alternative" neighborhoods of other cities, e.g., Seward or the West Bank in Minneapolis. I'll post some examples as I see them.

TRUMAN STUDIES HIS FLOWER FROM THE MARKET

SATURDAY FARMER'S MARKET

Kent experienced his first Saturday farmer's market today on the downtown campus of Portland State University. We had biscuits and gravy, italian sausages, fresh plums, coffee and coconut macaroons. Quite a breakfast. We listened to an excellent guitarist, watched a food demonstration featuring sauteed harvest vegetables with garlic and olive oil and bought bread, veggies and flowers. Truman got to have a blossom that fell off the bouquet.

THE ENTRANCE TO RICH TRACY'S YARD MUSEUM

RICH TRACY'S BICYCLE "SCULPTURE"

RICH TRACY'S DOG PENTHOUSE ART

RICH TRACY'S VERSION OF DARTH VADER

JUST ANOTHER YARD ARTIST

On our way back from Olympia last weekend, we stopped to see the yard art of Rich Tracy in Centralia. It's pretty impressive, as you can see from the photos.

IN PRAISE OF PEACHES

We're living in peach country. I've never tasted anything like them. We stopped by the Saturday farmers' market in Olympia last weekend, and I counted six varieties in giant trays like this. They're so juicy you need a bowl to eat them. Then, of course, there are the apricots, plums and pears. (Red pears are my favorite!)

THE GRASSY KNOLL AT EVERGREEN COLLEGE

I kid you not. That's its official name!

THE QUAD (RED SQUARE) AT EVERGREEN COLLEGE

NIK GOES TO EVERGREEN COLLEGE

Last weekend we drove to Olympia to drop off Nik at his new digs at Evergreen College. It's a fascinating, alternative sort of college. He takes one course a quarter, and his choice for the first two quarters is one about war. Spring quarter he'll be taking a some sort of travel course and he will live on a boat for awhile. It's supposedly the second largest campus in the country because it's set in the midst of a 1000-acre state forest. The housing is like summer camp -- cottages set in the woods. However, the campus buildings look like something out of the former Soviet republics -- grey concrete. He has a full week of orientation before classes start. We're dying to hear from him, but have heard nothing thus far. We'll keep you posted.

TRUMAN COMES CALLING

One of the best parts of being here, of course, is Truman, the cutest grandson in the universe. Here he is bringing Grandma flowers when he came for dinner the other night. (Okay, his mother probably bought them for him, but he did hold them.) Last night, Kent and I took him to see "The Wizard of Oz" at a theatre a few blocks from our house. It was a new digitized version that was pretty amazing. I would recommend it. He'd seen part of it on a big screen before, but it was outside at some festival in a park. This was his first time in a theatre, or, as he called it, a "feeno." His favorite part? The "storm," because that's what Kent said he liked. HIS best line during the movie? At one point he jumped down from Kent's lap and announced, "I want to say good-bye to you now." Kids really do say the darnedest things.

I'VE BECOME A BICYCLE COMMUTER

So I returned my rental car and decided to bike to work, partly because I haven't done that for many years and partly because rental cars are so expensive here. Thus far, it's been a joy, but the weather has also been perfect. Portland is the second most bike-friendly city in the world (after Amsterdam). There are many bike lanes, and, more important, drivers are mostly considerate of the tens of thousands of bikers on the streets. I feel more secure because of all the other bikers on the streets at all hours of the day (and night). Alex was kind enough to let me borrow her bike; so I added toe clips and a basket and I'm set. It's 5.5 miles each way, so I'm getting my exercise and getting to know the neighborhoods. I love it!

THE STRANGEST ARTIFACT IN OUR MANZANITA RENTAL HOUSE

Does anyone know what this is? It felt like real fur when I touched it, but it was a bit creepy, I must say.

ALEX THINKS ABOUT HER HOT DOG AS IT COOKS

KENT & I RELAX AFTER EATING ROASTED HOT DOGS AND A BEER

TRUMAN ENJOYS A S'MORE ON THE BEACH

GRANDMA & GRANDPA TAKE TRUMAN TO THE BEACH IN HIS JAMMIES

THE GUYS AT THE BEACH IN MANZANITA

PULLING IN THE CRAB POTS

CRABBING IN MANZANITA

The highlight of the trip is the crabbing. Norris takes Nik on Friday, and both Nik and Kent Saturday. We have a crab feast Friday night on the dining room table covered with newspapers. We crack crabs with nutcrackers and pry them open with our hands. We dip them in melted butter and eat them with the delicious whole wheat pasta with veggies and parmesan made by Alex. We top it off with java chip ice cream. Not bad. It's amazing to watch Norris wash the crabs and boil them in a huge kettle fired by a portable propane stove. It's hard work.

Then on Saturday, I get to go out with him and Nik to set traps in a bay. The bait is raw chicken legs. Apparently, crabs are bottom feeders and love meat. Weird.

We then circle back to where we started and pull up our catch. Norris shows me how to tell the females because they must be thrown back, and the males need to be of a certain size. Friday they catch 11 crabs. Saturday's catch is about eight. It's crabcakes in their household for Sunday. Unfortunately, Alex doesn't like them. Too bad.

OUR WEEKEND IN MANZANITA, OREGON

So, we all pack our bags and head to the delicately beautiful Oregon coast for the weekend: Norris, Alex, Truman, Nik, Kent and I. We rent a house in Manzanita (about 20 miles south of popular Cannon Beach) from a friend of Norris's. It's amazing. It's decorated in an elaborate cowboy theme. It's like sleeping in a popular culture museum. Shadow boxes artistically display everything from Trigger pails, Indian maiden dolls, cowboy pinball games and ceramic covered wagons. One window sill has a display of about 50 miniature cowboy boots. The games in the closets are all cowboy games, puzzles and cards. It's cowboy dishes, saddles, portraits, photos, cowboy bar artifacts, whips, cowboy hats, etc., etc. It's so powerful it feels like it should affect our dreams. But it's immaculate, cozy and well-equipped.

Nik arrives in Portland!

So Nik and his friends Christer and Tielure completed their 1500-mile bicycle journey from Bemidji to Olympia yesterday! Kent picked up Nik and Christer and drove them back here to Portland. We had a fitting celebration with a beer, popcorn, smoked blue cheese and pistachio nuts! Truman was very happy to see Uncle Nik.

Truman visits the UP campus

This sculpture on the campus of the University of Portland is supposed to be the young Jesus in the temple. Truman wanted to talk to him, I think.

Dinner at Alex and Norris's

In the morning, I picked up fresh-caught salmon and oysters at the farmer's market, and that evening Norris grilled both. The salmon was rubbed with cracked pepper, salt, fresh basil, garlic, onions, olive oil and oranges. It was spectacular! We topped it all off with homemade blackberry pie for dessert. Yum!

The University of Portland Campus

I'm teaching four classes here: two sections of reporting and writing, one section of media and society and a weekly evening class in opinion writing. The students are engaged and interesting, the campus is stunningly beautiful and everyone has been extremely helpful. It's a new experience for me teaching at a Catholic university -- makes me remember my days at St. Joe's in north Minneapolis! The college is run by the Congregation of Holy Cross, which also runs Notre Dame University.

More photos of our house

We have a large garret-type bedroom upstairs with a bath, a very well-appointed kitchen and a cozy living room.

Our new home in NE Portland!

We have a very sweet short-term rental vintage Victorian with two bedrooms and two baths -- perfect for guests from Minnesota. Make your reservation now. The price is right for family and friends.

I stayed with Alex, Norris & Truman in their home

My first two weeks were spent here until September 1, when I could move into the rental house where Kent and I would live during our stay in Portland. This is a city of distinctive neighborhoods, and Alex and Norris are in the Moreland neighborhood. Then, of course, there's Eastmoreland and Westmoreland. What I really like about these neighborhoods is their mixed use quality -- we walk one block to the beauty shop, two blocks to a very nice used clothing store, three blocks to numerous coffee chops and restaurants, one block to the Plaid Pantry and four blocks to a supermarket. Quite a change from rural Bemidji!

Off to the Farmer's Market -- which one????

Portland is a city of the most amazing farmers' markets imaginable. It's always the favorite activity for me whenever I come here. So much beautiful food -- so little time! The largest one I've been to is the downtown one on the campus of Portland State, but I understand Beaverton has an even more spectacular one. And, of course, there are neighborhood ones galore; I'll post photos of the Moreland Market later. So, imagine choosing from the following: oven-fired pizza, about 20 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, fresh seafood caught the previous night, purple and yellow and white cauliflower, every kind of flower that grows in temperate climates, organic everything (including meats), homemade cheeses, home-baked bread and pastries, homemade ice cream (lavender ice cream anyone?), etc., etc.

Let the adventure begin!

September 8, 2009

I've now been here more than two weeks. Kent arrive two days ago. Nik arrives from Minnesota on his extraordinary bicycle trip later today. Last night we celebrated by having Alex, Norris and Truman over for dinner for the first time -- chicken enchiladas made by Alex and chocolate ice cream bought by me. (Truman got a Dreamsicle, which he definitely liked.)