One year ago today(ish)...

That's right folks, you remember a year ago, don't you? It was that strange time, that almost unreal time, when the four of us + Clyde headed east to the land that is... well, further to the east...Pennsylvania. Along with the anniversary of our fantastical road -trip comes the anniversary of this blog which, as you know, is one of the most pointless things ever to exist! YAY!!!
This carrot was pulled from the ground of our backyard and was the only of its kind to survive the mega-crappy spring/summer weather we've been ,uh, enjoying. It was dang tasty as well. Emily has been taking care of the garden this year and it seems way more successful than the one we both grew a few years ago. Lottsa lettuce. And it looks like we'll have about 50 tons of tomatoes come up right around the corner...
Yet another 5-board bucket bench I've been making variation of these last few months. Made of pine and fir, I doubt it will last more than a couple seasons if left un-attended outside, but as an indoor entryway bench it might last a while. Only time will tell.

This weird bookshelf-like potting bench was something I built that someone asked me to make, which made me worry about how good a job I did, which made me only want to make things I want and just hope someone buys it, just to keep it fun.
On the 4th of July, when 'our' 'nation' 'celebrates' 'it's' 'independence' Honeybunny and I decided to drive around the lower Willamette Valley west of Salem. On the way home Emily snapped this great shot of Mt. Hood looming at us from the horizon.
Oh yeah...I totally forgot about this one. I put a frickin' window in my work shed area! Have you ever done that? Hmmm? Oh...you have? Really? REALLY? well, so...it's still a big deal for me. Just gimme this one, please. I think it looks nice and it gives me some better natural light with which to work.

And this, my friends, is a barn in its natural setting.
Sweet Peas and nasturtiums growing on our fence.

Gettin' colorful 'round here.
Emily caught these aliens creeping around our backyard and chopped their heads off apparently.
Leach Botanical Gardens is some old homesteaders place out on SE 122nd and Foster that maybe the city bought (with what money again?) and runs as a walk-around-and-look-at-different-plants-and-stuff-and-also-you-can-have-a-wayyy-expensive-wedding-here-if-that's-your-thing deal that I have gone to a hand-full of times over the years.
Look at the pretty stuff... And the wacky stuff...

And the other stuff...
Oh Yeah It was Emily's 3??? birthday recently and here are a few presents , including a juice glass, a 33rpm record, two knives for the kitchen, and, well, just take a look at the photo wouldya? I mean, do I have to explain every little detail?!!
My brother Patrick ordered up a Steam-Punk (you look it up) type of bracelet and here's what Emily has come up with. All I'm saying is, if this was an alternate Victorian past, this thing would blow my mind!
This is my impression of Clark Griswold after jumping his station wagon Fifty Yards into the desert.
Don't ask...