One Local Summer Challenge

This spring I checked out the book Plenty from my local library and I loved following the journey of a couple from the Pacific NW (Vancouver BC) dedicated to eating completely from a 100 radius for an entire year. Between their story, reading past blog entries from a flickr contact who did something similar, and knowing that I live in the middle of one of those most furtile farming valleys in the country I thought it would be fun to join the One Local Summer Challenge starting June 1st!

So far about 80 people are on the challenge to eat one meal a week with all ingredients except oil, salt, pepper, and spices being local from 100 miles of our homes or from wherever we are located that week. My main objectives for this challenge is to use my garden produce first, support local farmers for the remaining ingredients I need, adapt my meal planning to make conscience choices of what is in season and most readily available (products not creating a large carbon footprint to get to my kitchen), and try fresh recipes I have never had before! That last reason is why I planted eggplant in my garden. I've never tasted it but for some reason think I don't like it...that will change this summer as I'm determined to make eggplant a main ingredients for a few of my One Local Summer Meals!

It's not too late if you want to JOIN the challenge! And Mom, I fully expect you to participate in this challenge with me when we find ourselves on vacation to Savannah/Charleston in mid June! Maybe Paula Dean or her boys will make us a delicious local meal :)

Another Month, Another Post

Ok, so it seems like this blog is only getting monthly updates lately. Sorry! I just don't feel the inspiration for writing on the blog like I used to :( Seems like Flickr is my best outlet but I promise to be better in the future with the blog. So much to look forward to...yummy fresh seasonal recipes, summer travel, and living life to the fullest in the bright summer sun! So, don't take BerryBungalow off your "favorites list" yet... I promise to be back on track soon! My academic year ends in a few weeks so I am sure I will be back to being a regular poster soon :)

But, for my monthly update here are a few things I've been up to lately!Our students are always coming up with creative events...like Braine Freeze, a fun slurpee drinking contest. They got even got two tenured faculty to compete! You woman are my hero's as there is no way you would catch me doing this! My friend Rodney is back in town for the week so we of course had a BUSY week but with his trip starting the last week of tulip season we had to go back to the tulip farm! So Lovely!
After tulips we went to Silver Creek Falls and got wet walking behind this fall! Silver Creek Falls State Park is in the area of Oregon I grew up in so it was fun showing it off to a friend! Then the next day we had an AMAZING day snowshoeing on Mount Hood! The Oregon Cascade Mountains has a record amount of snow this year. Check out Timberline Lodge and the snow banks that go up to the third story!! CRAZY!!! The weather was absolutely beautiful and set the bar pretty darn high for the next snowshoeing day!

On Rodney's last day we hit the beach and checked out Cape Disappointment in Southeast Washington. What a gorgeous state park and we enjoyed stumbling onto this gorgeous lighthouse! I'm hoping to go pack to the Cape later this summer to see more of it's beauty!
The last few weeks have been busy with work and me doing a lot of hoeing to get my community garden plot ready for planting! After many blisters from my workdays my dad came for the big day of planting...cannot wait to see Mother Nature do her thing and for the garden to grow!! I'll keep everyone updated on the progress :)

See you soon!

Spring TulipFields

Check out my Flickr Page for pictures of this weekends visit to Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm...over 40 acres of tulips all at the peak of their beauty!!

Slacker Lisa Is Back!!!

Hi Emily! I just had to start with that greeting because last week my good friend Emily told me that I must blog more. Sorry to be such a slacker Em :)

Anyway, no excuse but being busy and uninspired. But today is a BEAUTIFUL day here in Portland and I feel that we have stepped out of winter and feel nothing but greatness with the months ahead. Translation: Inspiration!!

Today was my first day working in my community garden plot! I spent a little over three hours hoeing weeds, weeds, and more weeds...it's so much hard work! I think I got most the uninvited garden guests out and if I'm diligent in visiting my plot then today's work should pay off BIG TIME and there will only be small amounts of weeding to do! Now I need to prepare my soil and plant in the next couple of weeks...yahoo!! Any suggestions on what to plant? Also, one of the fellow gardeners gave me a hoe. Not let me borrow, but gave it to me! How cool is that!! I think I am going to meet some nice people through gardening...that and my beloved zucchini make it worth the effort :)

So, since it's been awhile since I've posted (bad Lisa!) I will share some pics of a few things that have been keeping me busy outside of work. After all, these fun times with friends and family are what I live for!!In early March I went to a conference in Boston (brrrrrrr, so cold!) and had a GREAT time hanging out with friends Sarah, Dave, and Rodney! I spent every free moment out and about Beantown and also enjoyed seeing many colleagues I have worked with these past 12 years in Higher Education. So fun!Seeing my vote for our country's next President! I have never been too interested in Politics but I really feel that our country is in desperate need of a change and hearing Obama and his passion for the needs of this country was nothing but uplifting and inspiring! I felt honored to be in the crowd of 12,000 and loved feeling the positive energy that swept over us because of this agent of change!
Pretty in Pink! I just ADORE when all the trees put on their Spring Fashion Show for us, simply lovely!
Spending time with the bestest little boy and girl in the world! Here they are dressed in their adorable Easter duds :)
Seeing some pretty big dinosaurs over spring break!
Playtime at OMSI. Check out Lily's adorable smile...she melts her aunties heart!
Spring Break SNOW?????? Ya, we were quite shocked by it but I think it is safe that snow will not be in our future anytime soon!
Clam Chowder at Mo's...a must do for any trip to the Oregon Coast!
Yurt camping...it's the best way to camp!!
Last weekend was a fun girls trip to Newport where we made sure to visit park with the best view of the bridge!

I promise to update soon...can't have Emily lose faith in one of her favorite bloggers :)

Hello Blog World!

Dear Blogworld,

Long time no see!! Sorry for being absent these past few weeks. It's not you, it's me :) I've had quite the busy month which was started out with a fun trip to Seattle
followed by work, work, work

then trying to find time to enjoy the amazing Spring weather in Oregon
and more work work work

then seeing my favorite bunnies
and yet more work work work, and work work work! Phew, starting a new academic term is absolute craziness!!!

But, after this week of work work work I will be spending 5 days in Boston where I will finally be doing fun work (a conference) but more importantly tearing up Beantown with these two crazy friends!So, after the good times to be had in Boston I should be more of a frequent visitor to you, my lovely Blogworld, and cannot wait to share with you my spring adventure that is ahead, starting my very first garden (I think I am in for a new kind of work load!) at a local community garden...should be fun!See you soon Blogworld!

Your long lost friend, Lisa

*Oh, and thanks to Mr. federal tax return I think these babies will finally be coming home with me!!

Holy Chicken Poop

I just saw this story and couldn't help but have a flood of memories come back of when I was a Residence Hall Director and got woke up in the middle of the night to a frantic Eastern European student holding back tears as she tried to tell me that there were 36 chickens let loose in the dorm! OH MY GOSH...not fun to deal with!!! It takes me about 30 minutes to tell the complete story but too this day I cannot see a chicken without remembering the horror of cleaning up chicken poop, feathers, eggs, and 7 dead chickens (rip my feathery visitors) from all corners of the three story building. Yuck Yuck Yuck!!! Here are a few pics that were taken about 3 hours after the ordeal started when our facilities department finally came to my rescue!!

50 chickens found loose in Philly school: PHILADELPHIA - Monday mornings are hard enough. Imagine finding 50 chickens running loose in your high school. Workers arriving about 5:30 a.m. to open Northeast High School in Philadelphia found dozens of hens and roosters wandering around the hallways. The birds were apparently brought to the school sometime over the weekend, said school district spokesman Fernando Gallard. "We don't know where the chickens came from or who they belong to," Gallard said. "I'm pretty sure there is a very upset poultry farmer somewhere who wants them back." The floors were covered with droppings and chicken feed. Most of the school's 3,600 students were sent home for the day because the school required extensive cleanup, he said. A farmer was called to round up the birds and bring them to Fox Chase Farm, the district's agricultural school, Gallard said. Police are checking surveillance tapes to see if they can determine the perpetrator of the fowl prank. The culprit will have to pay a hefty fine, said Gallard. "It's not going to be chicken scratch," he said.

Saturday we drove up into the Cascade Mountains to see some of the beautiful snow that has been falling all week. We knew we wouldn't be out in the snow for long but were happy to have our cute boots to keep us dry!

After taking a few pics of the snow we drove back towards home but stopped for lunch and a very delicious hot bailey's at Silver Creek Falls.
How is it already February??? The year is going so fast and I haven't even bought myself a pair of spring shoes yet...I better get on that :)