Harvest

The last time I wrote something on here, I was about to start planting things, and now it's harvest time.  The time between sowing and reaping seems to be the busiest time of year.  When the sun comes out, there is so much to do!  The community garden, my church and the farmer's market have all helped me to feel a part of the place where I live, after a year.  Weeding with people makes for good friendships. 

I didn't know a year ago whether I would find kindred folks around here or not, but I'm glad to find that there are plenty, and some of them even have time to hang out with me!  My new community is very easy going and settled, compared to the city.  Grandmotherly Anna emailed one day and invited me over to pick berries that she's been growing and picking for years and years in her back yard.  I know her family well.  Her daughter and I took a hike at Silver Falls in the early summer, and she is also related to Taj's new principal.  Connections abound. 

Picking berries is something that people in my church do a lot of together.  I've had quite a few invitations.  We have a list serve and people put random requests and offerings on it every day.  Today someone asked for a pressure washer to borrow, and another person said she needed a renter soon. I asked where to get my computer fixed, and if anyone had a carseat for a friend who is coming from out of town for a visit.  I got four offers for each.  We borrow tools, share harvests, give rides and advice.  Being indebted to folks makes me feel a part of things pretty fast.  I like that. 

I'll be headed back down to Monmouth to work, twice a week, again in a month, but for the summer I've enjoyed being in my new town full time.  I've been working hard at weddings at the local resort hotel, and making pennies an hour selling fair trade goods at the farmers market, taking my dogs for walks and doing lots and lots of weeding, between home and community garden.  I even have a tan for the first time in my life! 

A week ago a friend came down from Portland to go wine tasting with me, and I brought her to a concert in a church-friend's huge back yard, where another church friend's husband played some folk music.  I know that she must have felt so strange seeing me with this new life, but it was ok with me.  I really felt a part of my community for the first time, and didn't regret losing the one I used to have in the city.  It does help that it has been a summer full of reunions.  I've been to two family reunions for my family, hosted one for Jimmy's, and in two weeks there will be one at the beach with my former home-group "tribe" at Imago Dei.

I live for reunions.  I'm so so sentimental.  With our July reunion that I started for my dad and his cousins a few years ago, I see the value of getting together each year when we lose one of his cousins, and we all remember visiting with them just a year prior at the last reunion.  Death is so hard, but a tradition of being together with family makes for less regret.  In my own life, I haven't had any friends die yet, but I still like to keep up with people, and not just on Facebook.  I really like to be able to visit in a relaxed way.  I used to go to the annual BBQ and baptism at Imago to see my people, but they don't do that any more, so we're starting our own gathering at Rockaway Beach.  I hope it can be a yearly tradition.  Friends from Chicago and Seattle are coming, even.  I'm so excited to see them.

This photo is of the spot where we have my dad's reunion every year, where his great grandparents were married, in Champoeg.

Losing the weekly farmers market ritual next month would have been hard, but I have another venture to replace it!  I have been on the list for a vendor space at the local antique mall for nine months now, and I've finally come up on the list.  This may be just what I need for my creative side to awaken.  I've been scouring country estate sales all over the county, and having so much fun!  There are some pretty amazing treasures out here in the boondocks.  Here are two of them, new neighbors of mine and my new friend's husband and son, just in case you thought everyone out here was politically ignorant.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8xOel2f5pI&feature=relmfu