Summertime in Oregon

I wrote this last summer, but it still rings true today. . .

Summertime in Oregon slows us down. We linger longer on the porch with that first cup of morning coffee, we take more walks enjoying the brisk, beautiful air, and we wander through the farmer’s market picking out berries and freshly grown vegetables, visiting with neighbors, and talking to the vendors about the beautiful flowers. I think we all just are happy the rains have stopped and we feel the blessing of sun, friends, community and the beautiful bounty of Oregon.

Our driving also slows down during the summer. This has nothing to do with our attitudes of bliss. It’s because the road crews are out in force fixing up the potholes and tackling projects that weren’t possible during the rainy season. Flaggers wave cheerfully as they direct us to slow down just a little bit more. Bright orange signs warning us of upcoming road projects sprout along side the roads with the same abundance as blackberry bushes taking over the gardens. But this is a normal summertime event which we all just take in stride.

Driving also slows down because of the tractors and combines traveling from barn to field. Driving time increases as we become part of the parade of necessary farm implements some of which take up 1 ½ lanes so passing is impossible. John Deere green fills the view in front of us. 


Oregon’s colors really are orange and green, but during the summer months that has nothing to do with the UofO Ducks and OSU Beavers. The ODOT road crews and John Deere machinery carry the Oregon colors for the summer.

My Cinderella Garden

There’s just something about sunflowers and pumpkins that means summertime to me.  I used to plant a full garden every year with tomatoes, corn, beans, melons, lettuce, strawberries. . . and sunflowers and pumpkins.  Gardening is a lot of work, and I love it for the first few weeks.  Then it becomes a chore.

I discovered that I enjoy shopping the farmer’s markets better than gardening.  The selections are amazing, even more than I would have grown, plus I get to visit with neighbors, colleagues, listen to local musicians and enjoy the community that is the farmer’s market.   It is a nice way to spend a Saturday morning.  I love strolling from booth to booth, talking to the vendors, sampling the various types of fruits, trying out homemade breads, sniffing the marvelous floral varieties, visiting with friends I haven’t met yet, and friends I’ve known for years. 

As an accountant I’ve figured this is cheaper than the cost of hours spent in the garden, tools, supplements for the plants, and, OMG, the cost of watering. . .  so, if no other way, I can justify my lack of desire to have a full garden as being cost efficient.  Yeah, that’s it.  It is cost efficient.  And I’m supporting local farmers.  So it’s all good.

But, I can’t live a summer here in Oregon without growing my own sunflowers and pumpkins.  This year instead of the mammoth sunflowers which I love growing, I planted dwarfs which I can keep in pots on my porch closer to me.  They are so beautiful. . . golden heads haloed by deep green leafs nestled in burgundy ceramic pots.

As far as pumpkins go, I normally pick smaller varieties that I can use in cooking.  But this year I changed it up.  I bought some smaller ones, plus the Jack-o-lantern variety.  This should be fun.  I love how their vines sprawl across the dirt, orange flowers open to the sun and evolving into gourds that will become my pumpkin chariot into autumn.

Oooo, I better go shopping for some glass slippers.  I wanna be ready when my pumpkins arrive.