~ news/updates... Hello - 17 November 2008 I'm alive... I'm trying to figure out how to breathe a little life back into this blog. Not sure what to say without being too cryptic, so I'll wait on further comments. xo B 1 reply | Reply Does this mean I get a free dessert? - 16 August 2008 And speaking of Etienne, I've just found out that Portland's newest high class restaurant in the South Waterfront is named after none other than my very own great(x6)-grandfather! 0 replies | Reply It's a winding-down sort of night - 18 July 2008 Many constants; many changes. Ted's begun a new adventure as Assistant Project Manager at Clean Green Studios. A quick whirlwind whipped up life and left this opportunity like a little gem in the settling dust. In the newness of it all, I have few words. With time, I'm sure more stories will come. I shared a lovely lunch today and reconnected with a friend from more than ten years ago. How very confirming to swap stories of our very, very similar lives. Each of us went through the "long-time sweethearts parting ways when Called" saga...and were each eventually reconnected and married to our best friends. We're both experienced as over-committed perfectionists trying to respond to the call to shift life rhythms. We swapped travel dreams. Travel experiences. Ate blueberries and raspberries fresh from the fields. I've been struck, as of late, with a fresh liveliness in my heart when it comes to my heritage. The Oregonian published an article last month entitled, "Growth battle line revisited: Foes and friends foresee commercial sites, not farms, springing up in French Prairie", and of course, my instantly response was a territorial sense of ownership of all things French Prairie. (I wonder if I really should have hijacked the family domain name...www.frenchprairie.com may deserve to be something nobler than my off-the-cuff ramblings.) Yes, it's true. My great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather, French Canadian fur trapperEtienne Lucier settled in the northwestern Willamette Valley as the "First Farmer of Oregon." He left his post with the Pacific Fur Company, built the first building on the east bank of what is now Portland, decided it was too prone to flooding, and moved south, near modern day Champoeg Park to the land flowing with milk and honey (or at least pudding, as may be known from the fabled Pudding River story). Having moved to Portland and met countless people from out of state, I've had my eyes opened a bit to the novelty status that Ted and I have as true native Oregonians. It's amazing to me that so many have migrated to the Pacific Northwest in search of our beautiful scenery, excellent coffee, laid-back mix of culture and charm, and lean-green-sustainable-machine way of life. And it makes me smile a little bit to think that way back then...180 odd years ago...my grandpa was farming up a storm in the valley while tales were just barely beginning to trickle back east across the continent to the would-be wagon-trainers. I'm grateful for the ties to my past. The world is quite full, and I'm eager to meet it, but I'll forever be rooted in good old Oregon dirt. 1 reply | Reply Today. - 28 May 2008 Wake. Regular pay-the-bills work. Freelance save-for-world-travel design work. Groceries. Dinner at 11pm. Sleep sometime shortly thereafter. 0 replies | Reply My current challenges: - 20 May 2008 -To sort out time set aside for *nothing* -To allow myself permission to be in a certain chapter of life...and thereby not in certain other chapters of life -To be more intentional about my choices And my current successes: -A couple of satisfying (short, but good) runs in the past few days -Productive meetings -Eating dessert before dinner and loving it -Enjoying the mockumentary genre AKA watching Incident at Loch Ness with fun-loving friends... 0 replies | Reply Back...and settling... - 14 May 2008 I returned to DC almost 10 years to the day after visiting as a bleary-eyed, sore-footed teenager tagging along with household history buff, Susan Buck, through museums, around monuments, into impressive halls, and past grand memorials. This time, the visit was a solo trip. I met and mingled with landscape architects from around the country, visited local Oregon representatives' offices, and realize on a deeper level how thankful I am to have found at a young age a field that pulls at my interest and curiosities. I laughed with Anne about how we're now "adults" visiting our friends in far off locations and catching up on chunks of time measured in years. I enjoyed myself thoroughly at the Flight of the Conchords' Lisner Auditorium show and felt absolutely giddy with excitement for having had the chance to meet Bret and Jemaine in person. I returned home, grateful beyond anything to have the greatest guy on earth to share life with. (Seriously, folks, you think I'm kidding... He's awesome. There's no topping a best friend that thinks you're tops, loves doing laundry, bakes brownies, makes French press, goes on walks around the neighborhood hand in hand, and still wants to be doing it all together in fifty years.) And now...peacefully (well, almost) back to daily life. For example: Quicken's never-ending update requirements ("that'll be another $40, please"). A gnarly to-do list (working on it, though!). Summertime - okay, springtime - sunshine (90 degrees??!). Ted's finished with finals in less than 24 hours... Next trip? Hmmm... 2016 replies | Reply A Successful Conclusion - 27 April 2008 The ASLA Design Awards Soiree came together nicely. Little remnant posies of local flowers and greens will cheer up corners of my house for the next few days or so. We tried to send many home with people as well... An abundance of free native plants stood available at the end of the evening as well, but alas, I have no yard. However -- Ted and I are now proud owners of our own terrarium. (Or "terrainium" as Ted likes to say.) It's a cute little biosphere of rock and wood, charcoal and slow growing green stuff. For now, it will suffice as our bit of planted earth. This afternoon, I spent time at our Garden Partners fund raising committee meeting hashing out more strategic plans for future partnerships and community sponsors. I'm eager to see how we can continue to grow and reach more populations with our garden-based therapeutic programs. If any of you are up for a bite to eat or a pint to drink -- this Tuesday night at McMenamins on NE 15th and Broadway (1504 NE Broadway, Portland, OR 97232) half of the proceeds from the evening's sales from 5pm to close will go to Garden Partners. I'm planning on going by after work...call me if you'd like to come along! I'm looking forward to catching up with some friends this week...and seeing some friends in DC next week! (I can't believe May is nearly here.) I had a little sun exposure yesterday, and my skin's turned a cheerful shade of pink. I had a Sunday afternoon nap. I ate strawberry ice cream. I'm thankful. -Bethany 2 replies | Reply Lessons in Life - 20 April 2008 It seems I'm frequently flooded with 'blog-fodder' thoughts right about the time that I'm out of energy to sit down and write them out... In any case, I'm poking my head out this afternoon and saying to the world, "I like you, but I've had a little bit more than enough." I am too busy. I am disregarding relationship in effort to perform. I am wooed by "good" things and missing out on a balanced life. So I've started saying no. Not very well, mind you. The word still stumbles over my tongue, catches on my teeth, and begs to remain unspoken. I try to justify commitments to myself. Good experience. Worth cause. Enjoyable past time. Great people. But how can that measure up against: A knot in my stomach at the beginning of the day Zero time with my Creator A blank journal and a pen full of ink A smile on my face but a very tired heart *** Newsflash: I just heard an awesome peal of thunder outside my little upstairs window! I love it. *** So, I wrestle on. Thank you to those of you who think of me, pray for me, encourage me, and share this beautiful life. I am glad to be moving toward balance. Ted and I are excited for summer. He has three weeks of classes and one week of finals... Then, perhaps, a big sigh of relief. 0 replies | Reply