I have tried several times to write down some thoughts here, but my mind is going in a hundred different directions these days. We have been busy and exhausted from trips to Portland to clean and paint and fix. I'll not talk about that here because there is not much good to say about it, but I will say that I am so thankful for my wonderful husband who has worked so hard on everything. I am also deeply appreciative of the transformative and cleansing power of white paint. I'm bringing in sandalwood, sea salt, and sage, and have hung lavender in the rooms. Everything about it is beginning to feel lighter, brighter, and more like home. Soon we will be filling it up again with happiness and love and laughter, and feeling those good vibes.
We are excited about having a big back yard again with tall trees just beyond it, and about all the edibles growing right now. The renters put in three little garden beds just outside the back door that we're looking forward to planting in next year (maybe even transplanting herbs into this year). They planted two pear trees, and there are raspberries and strawberries, a plum tree, an apple tree, and a grapevine. All good things! We've picked out a place for the fire pit, and my husband has plans to build a backyard smoker/oven at some point. Interestingly, my sister-in-law told me last weekend that years ago there was a brick oven back there that their dad built. (Have I mentioned that this is the house my husband grew up in?)
In other news, Thor is out of school for the summer! It's been a couple of weeks now, and I must say I love having him home during the day. It hasn't seemed much like summer yet, weather-wise, but it sounds like things are looking up for next week. There's so much to get done, but summer still feels wide open and full of possibilities. Rafting, an overnight backpacking trip to a lake on Mt. Hood, a family reunion, and lots and lots of beach trips are some things on our agenda. What fun things are you doing this summer?