Ham, cream cheese and pickles. Yum.

My mom used to make this when she had to take an appetizer somewhere. It's delicious, easy to make and the very 50s color scheme appeals to my sensibilities.

Soften cream cheese. Buy four or five thick slices of ham. Quarter a pickle.
Spread the cream cheese on the ham, place the pickle on the cream cheese.
Roll up the pickle. At this point you can store the logs in the refrigerator until you are ready to leave. Or you can just slice up each log. It's traditional to eat the jagged ends. Don't break that tradition.
Arrange on a plate and go!
MMMMmmmmmm!

King Henry IV part I

I struggled a lot with reading this play, not actually finishing it, though Matt did. There were so many men and the language was difficult and I had trouble getting into it. But seeing the play really helped. I enjoyed it a lot.

We arrived early enough to catch the actors going over a few fight scenes and setting up the theater.

Portland Actors Ensemble was our company and they did a great job. I enjoyed the costumes which ranged from somewhat Elizabethan to modern. Example: Falstaff wore a tie-dyed shirt.

Watching a play in a park can present some interesting "focus" problems. After intermission, there was a wedding in the space behind where we were sitting.

Outdoor theater is fun, too as it provides more people watching during the slow parts (say perhaps Lady Mortimer's Welsh song.) What is going on with this guy's head?

This was fun child to watch. He was having a good time playing quietly in the grass.

The Prince pledges to mend his ways. Butch Flowers was a great Harry.

Falstaff and the rest of the boys up to no good. Matthew D. Pavik was a hearty Falstaff.

Poins was not only a good actor, but easy on the eyes.

Jeff arrived mid-play, because he and Matt were doing something afterward. Just as he settled in, Falstaff recruited him for his army. Along with the guy with the thing on his head and some others.

Here's what Fallstaff had to say about his men:
"I pressed me none but such
toasts-and-butter, with hearts in their bellies no
bigger than pins' heads, and they have bought out
their services; and now my whole charge consists of
ancients, corporals, lieutenants, gentlemen of
companies, slaves as ragged as Lazarus in the
painted cloth, where the glutton's dogs licked his
sores; and such as indeed were never soldiers, but
discarded unjust serving-men, younger sons to
younger brothers, revolted tapsters and ostlers
trade-fallen, the cankers of a calm world and a
long peace, ten times more dishonourable ragged than
an old faced ancient: and such have I, to fill up
the rooms of them that have bought out their
services, that you would think that I had a hundred
and fifty tattered prodigals lately come from
swine-keeping, from eating draff and husks."

Deep down, Jeff likes being insulted.

More people watching. This teenager wasn't super into the play, but did watch the guy next to her spike his drink.

This cute couple were reading along with the play.

At one point, this child rode back and forth along the path, watching the scene.

Eventually, he just stood and watched the action.

All in all, a great play.

Picnic Project: Laurelhurst Park

The Picnic Project.
Established 2006.

Each year, Patricia chooses five parks in Portland—one from each section of Portland: N, NE, NW, SE & SW. She plans food and invites people for a picnic, then records the festivities. By 2028 she will have picnicked in every park in Portland.

Date: 1 August, 2009

Park: Laurelhurst Park (there is interesting information about the history of the park at this link)

Present: Patricia, Matt

Food. Matt: Three English muffin sandwiches, cherries. Patricia: big salad.

Activities: Watching King Henry IV part I

Comments: Nice way to combine two projects into one: picnic project (check!) viewing of the current Shakespeare reading (check!)

We took the bus to the park. The 75 is amazing. It goes by so many different things! Someday, when I have too much time on my hands, I will ride it the full route.

My food photos are not so good lately. Matt got three sandwiches: one peanut butter, one cream cheese and pesto, one cream cheese and tart plum butter. I'm pretty excited that I made all the non-peanut butter toppings.

Here's my big salad. I love big salad. So delicious and filling, so many good things. Hidden under those vegetables is one of the pickled eggs. I rescued it from the floor and it seemed to have no glass, so I took a chance.

After we watched the play (next post) Matt left for another activity and I walked around and took pictures of Laurelhurst Park's features. Like this lake. Where you are asked very nicely not to feed the ducks.

There is a soccer field and basketball courts and this playground. When Matt and I first got together, someone took pictures of us hanging upside down from play equipment here.

There is also a dance studio.

The conclusion of the eggs.

With the beet juice left from steaming the beets, I made pickled eggs. There was an article in the FoodDay section of the paper. I'd not had a pickled egg before, but took a chance. I was surprised at how firm they are and I was a big disappointed because I was hoping they would have pink yolks. Alas, they didn't. I still enjoyed them. That is, until my arm knocked them out of the refrigerator and onto the floor.
I've got some spicy eggs pickling too, so all is not totally lost, but I was quite sad about this kitchen mishap.

A good dinner.

Not a good picture of a good dinner, but a good dinner, nevertheless. That's store bought tortellini and store bought Parmesan, but everything else I either made (the cream cheese, the pesto--with basil from the garden) or grew (the zucchini and the beet greens which went with the tortellini.) De-lish!

Roman Shades, choosing the material

I'm gearing up for my August vacation. That means: PROJECTS! I am planning on making Roman shades for the bedroom. I checked out some fabric samples from The Whole 9 Yards and Sentinel is helping me narrow my choices.

One of these two samples is my favorite. Can you guess which one?

Stay tuned, as the Roman shades are assembled!

Picnic Project: Columbia Park

The Picnic Project.
Established 2006.

Each year, Patricia chooses five parks in Portland—one from each section of Portland: N, NE, NW, SE & SW. She plans food and invites people for a picnic, then records the festivities. By 2027 she will have picnicked in every park in Portland.

2009 Addendum: um, like pretty much all of my projects I am not carrying this project out in quite the way it was begun. Last year, I took a break (I know! After only two years!) because I had the Hungary & Romania trip and thought I would plan the picnics when I got back, but I didn’t.This year, I’m guessing all of the parks will be in North Portland. Back when this project began Matt had a car, but now that we are a car-free household, it is easier to plan excursions to parks near us. So things have changed a little, but the spirit lives on.

Date: 26 July, 2009

Park: Columbia Park

Present: Patricia, Matt, Joe, Mary, Pat, Carol, Atlas

Food: Cold Zucchini & Basil Soup, Chorizo and Lime Salad, Asian Rice Noodle Salad

Activities: Chatting with Matt’s father Joe, walking Atlas, chatting in general.

Comments: Matt’s dad Joe was visiting so we had a picnic in the park. It was very hot, but Columbia Park was amazingly cool. It was a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Joe had to leave a bit early for another commitment, so Matt walked him to his bus stop.

One of the features of Columbia Park, which also includes a water feature, playground, soccer field and Columbia Cottage.

I call this park the "Hansel and Gretel" park because of the many tall pine trees. When I spent more time on my bike doing long rides, I often would come across this park. From the street looking into the "woods" it looks very much like a fairy tale. Their could easily be a troll living somewhere in this park. The Portland Park's website mentions that this park was inspired by a famous park in Berlin (though it doesn't say which one.) They have trolls in Berlin, right?

Matt takes the dog for a walk

The Asian Rice Noodle Salad.

Kimchee!

This melon and chorizo salad was very, very good. So many interesting flavors!

The zucchini & basil soup. Yet another way to dispatch some of your zucchini.