Entries by TATIANA

A gorgeous day here today. And it is Summer Solstice today too.
A bit melancholic because the days will slowly turn darker and shorter now.....
I decided to spend part of this Summer Solstice in Forest Park, I love that place. In the middle of Portland, miles and miles of trails and large trees and green everywhere - so beautiful!



Happy Summer Solstice!



My hiking companion Senna. ❤️













Selfies in the forest.....









Thank You to the amazing trees and plants and all the animals and insects.

I had a fun summery day today. A fun summery day calls for ice cream. So I went to Salt & Straw that started in Portland of all places.....
I needed these three flavors today - Chocolate Nocino Cherry Pie, Pink Rosė and Watermelon Sorbet and Coldbrew Coffee Cashew Praline. And I will go back for more of the watermelon sorbet......it was DELICIOUS!



Cute wall paintings inside the ice cream shop.





If you ever stop believing in magic, eat some ice cream.

It has been raining a lot here all of May and most of June, in fact so much that Portland has had the wettest April, May and beginning of June in 80 years. The Willamette river might flood too.
I just want flip flop weather to start soon and stick around until like beginning of October.
I have some Havaianas to prance around in. A pair of furry sandals (fake fur of course) and the purple Crocs that I am wearing in the picture. I have been living in the Crocs for over a month now when the weather permits. Super easy to slide in and out of and comfortable.
I am all about comfort when I am not working.

Today I had to complain. Went to Stumptown to get a latte before Pet Pack. I don't go to Stumptown too often but it is my fave place for latte in Portland. The price on coffee and other goods as you might have noticed, have gone up. Lattes are pricey. So when I pay for a 16 ounce latte with vanilla I expect that cup to be 16 ounces and have vanilla syrup in it. Had I wanted a 12 ounce latte without vanilla I would had ordered that. I find that highly annoying, like do your job as a barista. Pay attention to what you are doing instead of doing no effort.
So I turned around and asked them to add the vanilla syrup and fill up with oat milk up to the brim.
It has been raining a lot here lately so I did not get an iced one.



Yummy. Then off to Pet Pack. I think next Sunday I am going to have coffee with my friend Mario that I met through Pet Pack.



Afterwards I did errands, had to get groceries and toothpaste. I got black garlic. Ate two whole ones.



I had a pretty busy day. It is almost 10 pm now, I am in bed eating strawberry rhubarb pie and I will find a Dateline episode to watch, then read until I fall asleep.

Summer is here....what are your summer plans?
I wanted to go to Sweden, preferably now but I have to put that plan on ice because I have a work related task I need to stick around for.
By the time I will be done with that there probably won't be enough time left for going to Sweden and preparing for Burning Man. I have my ticket for Burning Man so I hope I will be able to be there this year, sometimes end of August. Perhaps Sweden after Burning Man? Maybe.
I'm working a lot this week and maybe next to catch up on bills but then I am cutting down on the dancing until September. I still have my other job so I will finish my upcoming task for that. And then in between that I want to spend time outside. Hiking. Seeing things. Breathing in forest air. I wanted to do that last summer but didn't.
And I do not want to miss out on doing just that this summer instead of being bored inside of a dark club.
Before we know it Summer Solstice will be here and the days will slowly turn darker again.
The lattes will be iced from now on.

Yesterday I had Pet Pack, something I do on Sundays.....since a few years now. When I arrived at the location I found out that somebody had stolen the van (a large van at that) where the Potluck In The Park crew keeps their supplies. Like tables, canopies, ropes etc. They provide tables and a canopy for us as well since we (Pet Pack) are kind of an extension of them. So I had to turn around and go back to the store where we keep our supplies to get some tables. It rained on and off yesterday so we got rained on without a canopy but it is what it is. The less fortunate have no roof over their heads.
Our tables with cat and dog food.



Today I was hoping to see some meteors. I read that, "Astronomers at NASA told skywatchers to be on the lookout Monday night for the never-before-seen tau Herculids meteor shower, though they are not sure it will even happen." Well.....it did not happen for me. I headed to the closest park and looked up. I stayed at the park for at least an hour scanning the sky but no meteors crossed my vision. Maybe others were luckier.



Then I had to go home to my bed and a slice of carrot cake. Soon sleep.