Saturday, April 25, 2009

Trip to Yachats


The Oregon coast is truly, truly beautiful... 'Lord of the rings' beautiful. Last weekend we went to Yachats in the central/southern coast. Its a really small yet cool town with 700 inhabitants; but good espresso, wine, a bookshop and even two boutiques (important for any town). We stayed in a cottage behind the Little Log Church. Which was the smallest church I'd ever seen... 4 pews. We hiked Cape Perpetua a rugged stretch of the coastline and found an amazing sunbeam.
While walking through these wetlands, we were adopted by a retriever. We named her Lucy Weerasinghe, and she refused to leave our side. I would have really taken her home in a second, except her nice owner emerged from the woods! I realized how much we'd love a dog.

On Sunday we went to one of our favorite spots with great tidepools and greeted the urchins, mussels and starfish. We loved walking barefoot jumping over puddled and the incoming tide. It was a perfect weekend.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day

Happy Earth Day

I wish I were doing more for Mother Earth. Fortunately, its easy being green in this emerald city. So here is what we are doing that is good and the can do better department.

Good

  1. We have one car, seven years and counting; it’s our biggest achievement. We combine trips and pick each other up which makes us spend more time as a couple/family. And we all use the abundant public transportation in Portland.
  2. I am proud to say that 90% of Anjali’s clothes, shoes and toys are reused/hand me downs. And some of mine too!
  3. Almost never use disposable plastic water bottles, except the gallon ones when camping (need to find a replacement for that).
  4. All my grocery bags are now the reusable kind. I have been really good at this
  5. I reuse one sided paper from work at home for Anjali’s art projects. It’s kind of funny to see colored paper with Strawberry shortcake stickers with an article on Melanoma survival in the back!
  6. I don’t shower! Actually I try to just shower in the gym! I do like long hot showers though!
  7. We compost all our fruit, vege and garden scraps and recycle about 95% of our waste with the city.

Can do better

  1. I do like to water my flowers and vegetables! A rain barrel might help this
  2. I hate when I have just come home from the store and forgot ONE key ingredient for a recipe!
  3. We tend to accumulate stuff whether we like it or not (gifts from my mother might top this category)
  4. I hate to run the dryer but clothes need to be dried. I cant imagine trying to hang them outside
  5. Love the dishwasher too… but try to run it full
  6. Unfortunately, we are not commuter bikers. I just dont get the 'Share the Road' thing.

There are probably dozen more areas where I can improve, but the most important part is to be conscious of our use of resources and keep trying to do better.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Spring Spring!






Oh boy, we are having 70 degree weather for the first time this year. And people here go crazy when its like this. We headed out to Washington Park for some fun and a picnic at the Rose Garden. It was just bliss.

Princess Playdate

Anjali had two of her friends over for brunch and they all decided to put on a performance with as many costumes on! They made tickets and posters; Anjali announced the show by saying "ladies and gentlemen, please turn off your cell phones and computers" (you know what is more disruptive at our house). Then they danced to the Om Shanti soundtrack. They even took the show to the sidewalk shouting "money, tickets". Girls, they know how to have fun!