What to do in Oregon When the Weather is Bad

This is a subject near and dear to my heart, because so many people complain about the weather here. Out-of-staters often wonder if we Oregonians stand around in 2 feet of water all year. In fact, so many jokes have been made about Oregon's weather it was the subject of many popular t-shirts a couple of decades ago.

Although we certainly have our rainy seasons here, (Spring and Fall) the climate is gorgeously mild. I personally think that affords more outdoor activity opportunities than places where heavy snow and extreme heat are common.

Here are some lovely outings/activities for the rainy and cold months of the Southern Coast:

1. Hiking: Put on a rain jacket and some boots if necessary. The air smells fresh and fantastic during the colder months.You'll feel energized and beat the winter blues.

2. Go crabbing: During the Fall and Winter the famous Dungeness crabs have full body meat. Dress warm, bring a thermos, chairs, a picnic lunch and a good book. At the end of the day, you'll have a crab feast to reward your efforts.

3. Fishing: Okay, this isn't for everyone. But if your just needing out of the house, it could be fun.

4. Beach Combing: Although our rocky coast breaks up many shells, there are beaches where excellent specimens can be found. Locals with 4-wheelers know where to find lovely unbroken sand dollars. The beaches between Coos Bay and Bandon are great for agate-hunters.

5. Artisan Glass Floats: The City of Florence hosts a program that hides hand blown glass floats on local beaches. They are 'planted' throughout the year and each one is both exotically lovely and completely original. Search Florence beaches for these beauties.

6. Mushroom Hunting: Yes, I've said this a hundred times before and I'll keep saying it. It's fun, good exercise and has tasty results. Just be sure to use caution and common sense.

7. Country Driving: One of my absolute favorite things to do. Why? Because so much of this area's beauty is down old country roads. Just take one and discover things you have never seen before.

8. Photography: The waves this time of year are big. Go get some pics of the awesome spray that shoots into the air when a large wave hits a tall outcropping of rock. Beautiful!

9. Surf: You won't catch me doing this, but for the young and adventurous it is a local favorite.

This is far from an exhaustive list, but it will get you started. The key to enjoying life is enjoying yourself no matter what the weather is like. Stop complaining and go have fun!

Happy New Year,
-E

The Goat Meat Diaries

Some time ago I wrote a post about goat meat. I wrote of its growing popularity in the U.S. I told of how my teenage son had tried it during a mission trip to Jamaica and liked it. But as of today, I myself have never tried it. All that is about to change.
Friends have given us a "wether', (a neutered male) for butchering. My first thought was one of delight, my second thought was, "oh, now I am actually going to have to cook it and eat."

What is it in Americans that makes us so afraid of food beyond the conventional, pre-wrapped offerings of our sanitized supermarkets? This is certainly not an urban area we live in. Many of us in this town grew up eating deer, elk, or cows and chickens raised on our own properties. Still, I have to wonder, what will Chevon (goat meat) look like? What will it smell like? Taste like?

And so I offer up myself and my family as guinea pigs. Or perhaps a better word choice would be 'product testers'. When we are finally in possession of our chevon, I will document our findings on this blog. If you have any recipes or cooking tips, offer them now.

adventurously,
-E

Cold Snap

To say it has been cold here would be a gross understatement. In fact, it has been "Where the heck are my gloves-The car won't start-Does anyone know where the icescraper is?-I need a new coat , this one isn't warm enough, "MOM, I'm FREEZING" weather.

Keep in mind this is the temperate climate of the Oregon. We don't typically get extremes of weather on either end of the mercury. Thus, a week in the low 20's nearly caused county-wide panic.

1. Our woodstove just couldn't penetrate the cold on that level. It was miserable in the house.
2. Pipes froze and some folks went without water for days.
3. Broken pipes at the stable meant that workers had to haul water to the horses by hand: terrible work in frigid temps.
4. The homeless suffered even more than usual.

God Bless the Green Spot Event Center. They opened their doors during the worst of the cold snap and provided both food and shelter for anyone who needed it- NO questions asked.

As our church meets there, our family had the honor and privilege of helping out. We had so much fun I'm almost sorry the weather has warmed up again. Almost, but not quite!

The Green Spot owner John, and his employees Anthony and Richard, did an amazing job of meeting the needs of the community. They borrowed cots from the armory, provided sleeping bags, and kept hot soup and coffee available at all times.

Word spread to the community and the donations just poured in. Peope would walk in the door with arm loads of pillows, blankets, coats, and clothing. Dante' and I enjoyed sorting and folding clothes. Phil helped wherever needed and Max served as unofficial taste tester. He really enjoys Richard's cooking, which by the way is fantastic.

About the food: There was always a hot soup bubbling in the pot. Usually chicken with noodles or dumplings and plenty of veggies. Boneless turkey and ham were roasted and made in to sandwiches. Breakfast was often biscuits and gravy. We also enjoyed cupcakes, muffins and cookies. In fact, the food was so good I would nearly get homeless to have some. (Okay, a tad of an exaggeration. But just a tad)

So that is what we are eating in Oregon this week. Food, love, fellowship and compassion. When a community turns out to help it's own, it is a beautiful thing.

Love and God Bless,
-Ellen

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle Revisited

It's been more than a year since I read Barbara Kingsolver's book. It details a year of their lives spent growing and raising their own food. Anything they couldn't produce themselves they obtained from local farmers.

While I admit such a stringent endeavor isn't for everyone, I still recommend the book. It is honest, thoughtful, and at times, quite funny.

In our family's journey , we have made some great discoveries, achieved some exciting goals, and experienced some failures as well.

Below, some things that worked well:

1. Gardening- Now that we are getting the hang of it, the results are considerable. The food coming out of our garden is far superior to anything at the store.

2. Canning- Although still a relative beginner, I am really getting comfortable with the process. We achieved our goal this year of canning enough produce to line several shelves in our pantry.

3. "Make-your-own" - Laundry detergent, non-chemical household cleaners, candles, soaps, etc. My hubby is so hooked on our homemade firestarters it's a drag when we run out.

4. Whole foods- It can be hard to get excited about adding more beans, brown rice, and other whole grains to your diet. The good news is, they are delicious. The trick is finding good recipes. Search the internet and you'll find many innovative cooks have done the work for you.

5. Juicing- I admit I'm not in love with the prep time for this, but it is so worth it. Nothing compares to fresh juice. And I'm hooked on the instant "rush" I feel after downing a glass of fresh carrot juice first thing in the morning.

6. Foraging- This year we did a lot better at 'cashing in' on our natural Oregon resources. The cupboard is full of blackberry jam, we have blackberries in the freezer as well. We also have several quart size ziploc bags full of sauteed Chanterelle mushrooms in the freezer. Dried porcini are in the cupboard as well.

Next time I post, I will admit to things that didn't work out to well for us. But for now, I thought I'd just leave you with the positive. :)

Peace and love,
Ellen