Portland, OR

Again, another rather misleading title, but then again I never said I didn’t take liberties with this site. It’s not like Portland has a monopoly on DIY stuff or that no one else in the country is into DIY, but bear with me as I try to give you a cross-section of Portland, Oregon here, people.

So, I was reading an article in the NY Times about the recycled materials market taking a nosedive in terms of prices and buyers, and I happened upon a link to another article about how the “crafts” industry is showing signs of being an anomaly in today’s bleak economy/holiday retail season. And wouldn’t you know it, Portland’s own Scrap was mentioned in the article.

First a little something about DIY, for newbies. It’s Do-It-Yourself, obviously, and that kind of mentality is alive and well in Portland, Oregon. From creating your own fashions to building your own bike, if you talk to ten people in Portland, I’ll bet that at least six of them are DIY’ers in some sense. Personally, I am into DIY skincare right now. I grow things in my garden and stick them in a food processor and then slather them on my face…

Anyhoo, arts and crafts are becoming popular in the midst of our economic downturn and depressed consumer spending. As someone who teaches after-school classes in which I build science-y projects with little kids, I can attest to the fact that I have just as much fun making stuff as the kids do. As an extra bonus of being a “crafty” chick, my house is full of pipe cleaners and popsicle sticks which my cats love to bat around. I think it is great that people are more interested in making their own xmas and holiday gifts, regardless of why.

And if money is an issue, kids love making stuff, so why not put them to work in your very own cottage industry/sweatshop in your kitchen or family room.

Ok, ok, I kid. Child labor is not funny. But seriously, whether you have children or not, making your own stuff is a wonderful outlet for all that creativity inside of you that you may not realize is there.

Here are some PDX resources to find you inner Martha Stewart…

Destination DIY

DIY Lounge

DIY Alert

Craftzine

Portland, Oregon, DIY, crafts, children, child labor, arts, holiday, gifts

So, I finally broke it to my family today, that I will not be returning home for the holidays this December. There are many reasons for this but number one is…I don’t want to deal with a Midwest winter, even for a week.

Other reasons…

1. I don’t like flying around the holidays. Way too many kids. Too much carry-on stuff to fight.

2. Flights are more expensive, and more likely to be delayed or canceled due to inclement weather. Not to mention, I really hate hanging out in an airport for more than thirty minutes, after an eight-hour delay from Midway (possibly the lamest of all airports — wait, Grand Rapids is the absolute worst, so I am not taking into consideration minor markets, so Midway is the lamest of the big market airports) to La Guardia.

3. I actually don’t enjoy Xmas or any of the holidays, except Fourth of July. What can I say, I like to light things on fire and then they go boom.

Not to mention, this is a busy time of the year for me and my video game addiction. It’s hard to explain to loved ones that sorry, I’d love to talk about that one time when I was little, but I am so close to finishing another level of Ninja Gaiden.

By the way, has anyone else noticed that commercials for video games have gotten pretty badass lately? Of course, you don’t watch television.

And again, my number one reason for not returning to the cold, continental winter season of the middle of the country is the cold, continental winter of the middle of the country. I hate to sound so callous and perhaps shallow, but seriously, winter can suck in those areas without mountains or something cool to ski down.

I remember everyone asking me, “How was your first Portland winter? Did it just rain the whole time?”

Myths dispelled…

1. It does not rain all of the time. Just most of the time, and even then it is a softer, constant rain, rather than hard, driving rain coupled with a windchill below freezing.

2. It is quite temperate here. For instance, last winter, I had calendula blooming throughout. It is November 17th, and I have zucchini coming in. It doesn’t freeze here, that often or for long.

3. If you dress appropriately, winter in Portland can be a lovely experience. The smaller streams are running high, and the light quality is reminiscent of Rivendell from the LOTR movies.

Portland, Midwest, winter, weather, rain, continent, holidays, Midway, La Guardia, Grand Rapids, family, Fourth of July, NInja Gaiden, mountains, calendula

So maybe I am just really out of touch with the news and all (at least on the local level), but did you know that alfalfa sprouts have been recalled and taken off shelves in some stores in the Portland area?

I went to the Sellwood QFC, a generally pleasant store, and I was looking for alfalfa sprouts or whatever else they call them nowadays — onion sprouts, salad sprouts, radish or broccoli sprouts, I can’t keep up. I stood in front of the little area with the rest of the lettuce and salad stuff, and starting thinking I was just blind as I didn’t see them. Luckily, there was a QFC staff member nearby. I asked him if they had sprouts. He informed me that all sprouts had been removed from the shelves due to a recall.

Huh…didn’t hear about that one. Maybe I have become so numb to constant produce and meat recalls that I missed this one.

For anyone else who missed this story…copied from KOHD news, the ABC affliate in the Bend area.

09/04/08

Oregon State Public Health Division and U.S. Department of Agriculture officials today announced a recall of Sprouter’s Northwest brand alfalfa sprouts due to a Salmonellosis outbreak. Also, Public Health officials said that while most cases of salmonellosis do not require medical treatment, people who have eaten sprouts and develop severe symptoms should check with their doctors.

“These alfalfa sprouts have been identified as the cause of an ongoing outbreak of salmonellosis,” said Dr. Paul Cieslak, an epidemiologist with the Oregon Department of Human Services State Public Health Division. “Consumers who have them in their refrigerators should discard them immediately and if you develop severe symptoms call your doctor. ”

As of Tuesday, 13 outbreak cases had been identified in Oregon and Washington. All cases reported becoming ill since August 1, 2008.

The recalled sprouts were distributed through a number of wholesalers to grocery stores, restaurants, and other retail outlets in Oregon and Washington.

The recalled sprouts were sold in packages labeled “alfalfa sprouts,” “salad sprouts” or “onion sprouts” or were sold as mixed varieties that contain alfalfa sprouts as an ingredient.

“Sprouter’s Northwest has agreed to voluntarily recall its alfalfa sprouts and is cooperating fully with our ongoing investigation,” Dr. Cieslak said.

State and federal agencies are working with the Kent, Wash.-based grower to remove potentially contaminated sprouts from distribution. Retailers and wholesalers who hold any of the recalled sprouts should segregate them from other produce and contact their suppliers for additional information. Restaurant and delicatessen operators should check their stock immediately to identify and pull any of the recalled products.

Salmonellosis is an acute bacterial infection that can cause diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Symptoms usually develop within one to five days after eating contaminated food. Most cases resolve without the need for medical attention, and antibiotics are not recommended for persons with uncomplicated diarrheal illness. The risk of severe illness is particularly high among the elderly, the immunocompromised, and the very young.

People who have eaten sprouts and developed severe symptoms should discuss this exposure with their doctor. Some persons with salmonellosis develop serious illness that can lead to hospitalization and even death.

Raw sprouts have been repeatedly identified as the cause of outbreaks of salmonellosis, Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections, and other diseases. This is at least the seventh sprout-caused outbreak that has sickened Oregonians since 1996.

Oddly, this KOHD story is lifted verbatim from an Oregon Department of Human Services press release. So, KOHD didn’t even bother writing a story on this, just passes along the recall announcement as if it were their own. The site has a video option, but it doesn’t play. I may have too many things going on on my laptop. So perhaps before I start calling anyone out on plagiarism or lazy reporting, I should simmer down and give the station the benefit of the doubt. Still, they could have cited the press release on the report…

That being said, this is what the KOHD article left out from the press release:

The following is a list of package sizes of the affected Sprouters Northwest, Inc., products: •Alfalfa Sprouts 5-ounce cup •Alfalfa Sprouts 4-ounce clamshell •Salad Sprouts 5-ounce cup •Salad Sprouts 4-ounce clamshell •Onion Sprouts 5-ounce cup •Onion Sprouts 4-ounce clamshell •Alfalfa Sprouts 1-pound bag •Alfalfa Sprouts 2-pound tray

I highly doubt that anyone would still be using any sprouts from a week ago much less two weeks ago when the recall was reported, but just in case, you may want to toss any sprouts you have around. If you have any questions, I would recommend contacting your doctor or county health office. As the Sprouter’s Northwest brand comes from Washington, it is likely that a store near you is out of sprouts, whether you are in Portland or not.

Also, may I put in a plug to grow your own sprouts…You can buy a kit for around thirty or forty dollars. I saw some in Territorial Seed Company’s catalog this last winter, and thought about getting one. But sometimes, I get lazy and forgetful. I guess I will view this latest recall as a wake up call to finally order one. I love me some sprouts on my sandwiches.

alfalfa sprouts, recall, salmonella, salmonellosis, e coli, Oregon, Washington, Portland, Bend, food safety, health, onion sprouts, salad sprouts, Sellwood, QFC, Territorial Seed Company

Scientific name: Araucaria araucana.

This is a picture of a Araucaria Araucana that can be found on 39th Avenue, south of Hawthorne in the SE. I took this picture from underneath the huge tree that is missing it’s tip-top.

I had been told that the tree was the Umbrella Pine, which it most definitely is not. The Umbrella Pine is a Japanese pine that looks very much like a pine tree. Unlike the araucaria aruacana. Which is a far removed relative from the pine family, despite the rest of the Araucaria genus does look rather pine-like.

When I moved into the Reed neighborhood, I noticed this tree on SE Schiller between 35th Ave and the Trader Joe’s on 39th Ave. It is a striking tree. Instead of needles, the tree has these terrifying scales with razor-like tips. I have kind of fallen in love with these seemingly prehistoric trees.

So today I bring you what I have discovered about this very unique tree.

The Araucaria araucana is native to Chile. It is in fact the national tree of Chile. And yes, it is indeed prehistoric, tracing it’s origins back to the The Araucaria araucana’s home range also spills over into western Argentina. The tree likes to live in temperate rainforests. And yes, you can say that Portland, Oregon is a temperate rainforest. Additionally, it likes acidic and volcanic soils. No wonder the monkey puzzle enjoys it here.

It was in botanically-obsessed Victorian England that the Araucaria araucana got its common name, Monkey Puzzle. The story goes that someone looked at the tree and commented on how the tree would be a puzzle for a monkey to climb. Good thing that monkeys do not live in the same area as araucaria araucanas. Another common name is the Chilean pine. The native people in the habitat range, the Pehuenche, that have a long history with these trees and their delicious pine nuts call the tree the Pehuen, with an accent over the second ‘e’. The tree’s pinones, the seeds contained in the female cones that grow upright on the outer ends of the tree’s branches, are a valuable source of carbohydrates for the Pehuenche.

Due it’s odd and striking appearance, the monkey puzzle has become a cultivated garden species in Europe and here in the US. In it’s native habitat, the monkey puzzle can be in mixed deciduous and evergreen forests and also in stands by themselves or even alone along cliffs like in these images. The monkey puzzle can live up to a thousand years, and can provide valuable information about the climate during the trees lifetime.

The Araucaria araucana is listed as a “vulnerable” species by the Global Trees Campaign and other conservation groups. The problem is loss of habitat due to logging and also increased pressure from fires. Fires have destroyed large portions of the forests and some say that the fires were started intentially by loggers trying to get protections lifted. The tree produces really strong wood that is naturally resistant to fungal decay in its straight trunk that can reach 50 meters or over 160 feet in heighth.

As the monkey puzzle belongs to the Araucaria genus, I checked out the 18 cousins spread across the Southern Pacific, especially in New Caledonia, and there doesn’t seem to be any other tree that quite looks like the araucana. Maybe the Araucaria hunsteinii when it is a young sapling, but most other Araucaria species have more exposed wood instead of being covered in the scales. However, when I first noticed the trees, I thought they rather looked like Norfolk pines (which my mom used to decorate around Xmas) in the tree’s shape. Wouldn’t you know it, the Norfolk Pine is a species of the Araucaria genus.

Most species of the Araucaria genus are vulnerable, threatened or endangered. It’s trade and export are regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). You can find responsible sellers of seedlings if you would like to preserve your own part of prehistoric flora.

monkey puzzle, araucaria araucana, araucaria, pine, Chile, Argentina, Oregon, temperate rainforest, Norfolk pines, Chilean pine, endangered species, genus, species, vulnerable, threatened, tree, trees, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES

Oh, heavens to Murgatroyd, I have found some ants in my metaphorical pants. I refuse to use poisons around my place, as I have cats and another person to worry about. Also, I tend a small vegetable garden so the idea of spraying something out of New Jersey around my peaceful and organic Oregon garden and yard fills me with abject fear.

So, I have done a little digging and this is what I found.

Did you know that Queen Elizabeth I used borax to bleach her skin to she could be/stay so virgin-ly white? I learned that on Jeopardy years ago.

There is a good reason that no plants are growing here.

But also and more to the point today, borax can be used as an ant killer, or deterrent. However, please note that too much borax can be just as dangerous as any other pesticide, so use wisely.

Borax is the salt of boric acid, and boric acid is known as a great way to kill things like roaches. Borax and boric acid does kill plants, so this borax trick shouldn’t be used directly in the garden.

If you mix equal parts borax powder (20 Mule Team brand borax is 99.5% straight borax and thus a good choice) with sugar, you can make a clever little drink for ants that will kill them and drive them from your house. This is the basis of the Terro ant bait/killer that is available commercially.

You can also sprinkle a little borax around the door frame to be even more uninviting to ants, but obviously, if you have kids or pets, this may not be a good idea.

There are other variations on this Sugar and Borax recipe. I found some of these tweaks on the Garden Web forum here.

Obviously, if you take care, you can avoid having to go so far as to kill ants. Keeping your kitchen clean is the best way to avoid an ant problem. Also, when you do clean around your house, use white vinegar and borax. Both options are great little cleaning agents, so this is an easy way to “go green,” per se, but also, ants don’t like the acid in vinegar and the borax will kill them. So, you see how this works. Use cleaning products that ants hate and the ants won’t hang out at your house.

Ants in the actual garden? Remember borax is technically an herbicide (that’s what makes it such a kickass cleaner, kind of like bleach — also technically an herbicide). You can try my coffee ground trick. Or go with diatomaceous earth (which is just crushed up seashells) which will kill the ants by dehydrating them from the inside. Gruesome, I know. Don’t they say that most serial killers start out by killing insects or small animals?

Ants are also adverse to other smelly things like cloves, cayenne, mint, lemon or orange oil, so you can always experiment and discover your own recipe for keeping those ants at bay.

Or plant herbs like mint or tansy to further make your garden and home uninviting.

Whatever you do, don’t buy and use products like Raid or any other pesticide that clearly states that whatever is inside the bottle is extremely dangerous to your health, your child’s health, your pet’s health, your soil’s health, the water’s health, the air’s health…

Ants, Oregon, house, borax, boric acid, organic, natural, deterrent, pesticide, herbicide, sugar, diatomaceous earth, mint, cayenne, tansy, 20 Mule Team, Terro, Raid, health

I cannot tell you how happy I am now that gardening season is here! Living in Chicago, Illinois for the past three summers made me appreciate the backyard garden so much more for the lack of one. True, many people have gardens in the Windy City, but unless you own the house, there is not much an apartment dweller can do except container gardening. Don’t get me wrong: Container gardening can be fun and rewarding, but it is not quite like planning a landscape or a full garden and digging a shovel into the Earth.

So today, I would like to draw your attention to something I have only just come across. I have been weeding my garden for the past three or four weeks now, and I have been pulling a large amount of these little plants, that grow out low in a circle from the base stem, and send out taller aerial stems to produce tiny white flowers.

Much like this.

And they grow everywhere. They start out quite small, the size of a quarter, but can become quite large, up to maybe twelve inches. I spent an afternoon pulling them from the cracks between paving stones and the mosses along walks. Little did I know that the Shepherd’s Purse is a beneficial weed for this area.

The little “weed” came from Europe, where it was named for the shape of its seed pods, which looks like a shepherd’s purse I guess. Not that I know what a shepherd’s purse looks like, per se…I will take their word for it.

So anyway, not only is the shepherd’s purse edible — the leaves are good early in spring, before the plant produces flowers. When it looks like this…

Toss into a salad for a mustard-y taste (BTW, the shepherds purse is a member of the mustard family). But, check this out, once the flowers go to seed, the seed pods (the aforementioned purses) become sticky and are useful to catch unwanted insects, such as the hated mosquito. The gangly, leggy mosquito gets stuck in the seeds.

Brilliant! As Oregon can be a bit damp, and standing water is commonplace, why not have Mother Nature provide us with natural, non-chemical-based mosquito catchers?

So before you do what I did, and yank out all of the shepherds purse from your yard, why not wait a few weeks, let them go to seed, just in time for the majority of mosquitoes to hatch and become a blight on this fair landscape…

I was out last night, enjoying the seven o’clock sunset and the mosquitoes are already starting to become ferocious. I am now resolved to go into my compost pile and find the shepherds purses and replant them.

beneficial, weeds, plants, Oregon, garden, gardening, shepherds purse, mosquitoes

I am happy to report that spring has arrived in Portland. To all of my friends back east and north, I am really sorry that you are still under the cover of snow, but I golfed two weeks ago.

The crocuses came up two weeks ago, and yes, it is true that the crocus will bloom with snow on the ground. It is still one of the first signs of spring. In the past, living in the Midwest, I would have to watch until late, late March or more commonly April for the crocuses to bloom…not this year.

These happy little friends greeted me Friday morning on my way to work. I really think that the daffodil is the most cheerful little flower.

I moved into a house in September, so I am discovering daily new and interesting little plants coming to life in my little yard. Lots of lillies are coming along nicely, and I have a veritable sh*t ton of these green little spikes coming up everywhere, and I am so excited to see what they will become. Sure, I could poke around in some books and maybe online to find out what these plants are, but I’d rather wait and see. Funny, I would spend considerable amounts of energy as a child trying to find Xmas presents before the big day, but when it comes to flora, I am more patient than Job. Hmm, odd.

I have to wonder if a bloom time of the last week of February is early, late, or right on time. Maybe I shall consult a farmers almanac. More reports on new blooms forthcoming…

Also, if you did not already know this, Portland is a city that gardens.

Portland, spring, daffodils, farmers almanac