Sunday, June 29, 2008

City of Roses

*Sorry for the upcoming spelling errors! Blogger's spell check isn't working right now and I am too lazy to edit!*
What a crazy week! By last friday, my brain felt hard-boiled! It was good and I have gone through a lot of learning experiences this week, but boy was I glad when friday came and our weekend was in effect. Casey got his early birthday present (it is next Saturday) on friday, a new Bike! We finally sold our broke down van and so it justified him having this Swobo Dixon bicycle! I am excited for him because I catch him just gazing at it lovingly!
Saturday the weather was 100 degrees. We did as much housework and gardening our bodies could stand before collapsing outside in a daze. That night we had Yakisoba, served cold. The cold noodles and chicken were so refreshing to our depleted bodies. I used Annie's shitake seasame dressing, green onions, and basil from our garden for the sauce. Basil is kind of odd to put in the mix, but it added a nice kick to the flavor. Here is a photo of the leftovers the next day in the park. Today the weather cooled down some, but it was very muggy. We rode our bikes and it was nice to have the breeze flow through our hair. I swear, I could take a shower every hour and still feel grimy due to the humidity! But it was a gorgeous day! We rode to The Little Red Bike Cafe, a new "Bike-Thru" cafe in our nighborhood that a co-worker of Casey's just recently opened. It is so freakin cute! Click on the link to read their blog on starting up the cafe, it is quite interesting, and I also love the charm the place has. Casey's friend, Deacon was working there today, and I got to try some of his famous donutholes I have heard about since last winter from my husband. Wow, they were amazing! Really, I have never had any that have compared to this before! We rode our bikes back to Columbia Park to enjoy our treats
Then we decided to head over to Peninsula Park to see it's famous Test Rose Garden. The rose garden is so breathtaking and magical!

I like it far better than the Washington Park Rose Gardens (which is a beautiful, you could say "royal" park) because Peninsula park showcases the beautiful roses that so many genius gardeners have labored over in such a personal way. The other rose garden is more famous and big, and is always loaded with tour buses. I laid on a park bench in the shade and just gazed at all of the beauty.Portland is called "The city of Roses" so I feel that when the roses are in bloom here, it is part of our culture to admire them, like Japan does with Sakura Blossoms.
And then we headed back to Columbia Park, where we had a picnic and I napped in the grass for a marvelously long time.
When we headed home, a huge thunderstorm started. What a way to end the weekend!
Also, a few things from last week, we got Wiifit for our Nintendo! We got it on Craigslist, an it is awesome! I use it everyday, at least for yoga on busy days. I like it because I feel like I get a good satisfying workout without with the instuction I need. I cannot tell you how ridiculously excited I am about this game! So cool!
And all week I was sososososoo tired, and ate cereal for dinner almost every night, but one night I managed to make this Thai soup called Tom Yum Goong soup with shrimp over steamed rice. It is a very citrusy, spicy soup. It is actually pretty easy and very yummy.
Here are some flowers that are currently blooming in our yard, some vibrant Fuschia, and some Trumpet Lilies
Well, that was my week. Hope everyone out there had a great week, too and has a great week ahead! I can't wait for the next 4 days to move along, we are going camping for Casey's birthday, it is also the date I met him on!

13 comments:

JeromeFo 令狐冲 said...

Omg! You bought the Wii Yoga?
How's the game? Nice?
I only got the Wii-Mariot-kARt =S

Unknown said...

Hello Holly

Firstly, I LOVE TOM YUM GOONG!! The hotter and spicier, the better! I have cooked it many times, ate it countless times here...but still it NEVER taste as good as in Thailand !! So, did you put in those hot small chillies, galangal and lemongrass?

What is Wii Yoga? Is it a game?

Wish Happy Birthday to Casey for me :) and that's one cool bike. I am glad that you're both into biking which is great exercise.

Seems like your life is turning better all the time, so happy for you guys :)

Hugs always :)

Betty said...

Isn't it funny how you work all week for the weekend or in my case 2 days off. They have even wrote songs about it. Casey has taken me to some rose garden in N. Portland and it was just beautiful I don't know if that is the same one or not. Nice bike for Casey's birthday, he as always taken great pride in his bikes.

When you get a chance read on my blog about the Wii fit I got.

Have fun camping, and enjoy the week. BJ

Anonymous said...

Fun!! Love the roses. Our roses in our yard are blooming right now and they're all crazy. I haven't pruned them in a while so they're going every which way. :) I want a Wii just for Wii Fit. Is it fun? Does it really make you feel like you got a workout? Dustin and I are trying to get bikes too, with a child seat. I can't wait until we get them! Too bad you guys can't come down for the 4th of July, but I found out my mom is coming over that weekend so we would have been a little tied up anyways. I heard you might be coming down in August though? That should be fun, I'm looking forward to seeing you! :)

bunbun said...

jeromefo: yeah, its awesome!!!! Mariokart is fun, too, though!

Mkate: Yes, I did put all those in the soup! My husband works for an organic grocer, so we have good access to things like that here. Also Portland is full of markets from around the world. I love lemongrass so much! I know that Thai cooking always is best in Thailand. My husband went there shortly before we met and he told me stories of the food there. And many thai cafes here are pretty weak.
Thank you for the b-day wishes. Casey loves you!
HE reads your blog as much as I do!
Wii Fit is an excercise game for or nintendo that comes with a balance board and ives you a great workout and also helps you figure out how your body is doing and how to change it. It measures you and everything. I love it! I don't play many video games, unles we have friends over, but I use this everyday!

Betty, yes, that is the same park! I love it/ I meet casey there almost everyday on our bikes after he gets off work. And yeah, that workin for the weekend song is always stuck in my head!

amanda: that is how our roses are too. roses are pretty no matter what, and I am totally fine with my yard not being manicured. Not that it couldn't use major improvement, I just don't see myself raising prize roses, you knw.
And I think Wiifit is perfect, esp. for me, cause I am intimidated by gyms and feel like I got something done even if I just use it for 15 minutes. It also helps me realize if I am doing an exercise wrong (i am always mindlessy not paying attention) Totally worth it!!!!! And yes, I am not sure exactly when we are coming to bend, but I do know that we are planning on coming more often, for sure.
I miss you! (Even though I only have gotten to spend a fractional amount of time with you I feel like old friends w/ you!)

ling239 said...

so many roses.....^_^
are there any in purple ?

Christine said...

Gah! Noodles! I ADORE noodles!!!
Ooh, so lucky, everyone got new toys over there. You're such a good photographer! I especially love the sun coming through the trees!
Happy Birthday!

zakkalife said...

Those trumpet lilies are beautiful, they almost look fake because they're so vibrant.

You've got me curious about the Wii Yoga. Too bad we don't own a Wii System :(

Hey Harriet said...

Just had a look at the 'little red bike cafe' blog. Thanks for the link. They make to-die-for looking ice cream! Wish I could sample their yumy treats. I love your flower photos! So happy & bright! Enjoy your weekend, you happy campers! :)

mushroommeadows said...

Your food always looks SO good!!!

Oiyi said...

Nice bike! I am sure Casey loves it, who wouldn't?

I love cold soba noodles.

Ku said...

OKAY, I am moving to Portland. You and all your loverly pictures and happy life always make it sound like the absolute best place on Earth. I promise to leave my 100 degree days behind in Missouri. I would like a new bike, a bike-thru cafe, a rose garden, a Bunbun in the kitchen, a Casey in the yard, and a Nigel running about, please.

(Would you be at all interested in adopting a 24-year old girl? I can do dishes and fix most electronics... and, uh, not much else. ;_;)

Seriously, though, I love it. ^_^ Hope you're staying cool, heard it was going into the 90s today. -_-;

anette said...

nice blog