Open Space Practice, (AKA: A Thousand Shades of Gray)

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1. Peony season in my garden. I’m so glad they opened before we left, and there were so many this year! I put in two more plants because they do so well and I love them so much. The pale pink with the butter yellow center in the picture above is one of the new ones.

bathroompeonies

2. In related news, flowers in the bathroom. There’s something so decedent about this, and I love it even more when they are from my own garden. These smell so good.

Some new flowers I put in this week.

3. Our garden all in and as cleaned up as it’s going to get. It’s been four years of working on the front garden and it’s really starting to fill in.

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4. Strawberries from our garden. This makes me so happy, even though right now there are only a ripe handful a day. I heard a rumor that the season in Oregon may have been ruined by a recent heatwave, so at least we got some before we went.

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5. My tiny family. I can’t wait to walk on the beach with them.

Sam’s new harness

Sleepy boy

“Can I haz some?” (notice the hamburger on the counter ready to grill — and yes, he got some)

Ringo Suave, coat made of stars

Bonus joy: getting to see friends and share food and a laugh before we head out, cooking, strawberries freshly picked and still warm from the sun, homemade pizza, the promise of peach pie, ice cream sandwiches, cold clean water, a new physical therapist so sure she can correct a 30 year imbalance, new seat covers for the car, naps, clean sheets, a shower.

From my garden

1. Truth: We are busy getting ready to leave for Oregon. We compressed two months worth of gardening in to two weeks, got seat covers and a cartop carrier for the new car, the dogs have been to the vet and are all up to date and checked out, we got service done on the new car even though it is brand new (just to be sure), all our reservations are made and paid, and we are working our way though a list of other things that need done before we go. We are so lucky to have a friend who is happy to live here, have a whole house to himself with a/c and a big TV for his own tiny vacation, so we don’t have to worry while we are away, and can have a garden even though we’ll be gone.

2. Truth: We are traveling to one of our favorite places. The central Oregon Coast, more specifically Waldport, Oregon. This is I think our 7th trip there as a tiny family, at least the fifth time we’ve stayed in this one particular house. The first time our first dog Obi was only 4.5 months old. I am looking forward to this trip being a bit easier, since Ringo is a grown up boy now, (he was still a baby last time).

3. Truth: My heart has two geographical homes. One is here in Colorado, and the other is in Oregon. I grew up there, and even though I don’t miss the nine months of rain, or the mud or mold, I miss a lot of other things — the ocean, my big family, the produce, the green, the trees.

One wish: That no matter where you are spending your summer, it’s a place you love with people you love.