For the most part, our farm office is complete. At least, the portion that we're going to be working on... We have to oil the earthen floor and then we'll be turning the place over (and the responsibility of finishing the house) to the land owners. It shouldn't require much more than a couple weeks of work to install the windows and doors, plaster the walls and insulate the roof. I'm a little disappointed that we won't get to see (or live in) the finished product, but still very satisfied with how things have turned out:
That green sheeting really makes the place pop. Can't get enough of this place... It's taught me so much. Well, not it specifically, but the process of building it did.
I'm also nearing completion of my sawhorse (no pics yet) and hoping to start on some benches by this weekend, with the intent of "installing" them in ANOTHER building in progress on campus, a yurt/sauna, or yauna (haha). I'll eventually get some pics of that as well.
Anyway, we ventured up to Portland this past weekend to visit some friends and explore the city:
I did do a ton of exploring on my own and found some really cool stuff (including a bar that shows Flyers games, a shit ton of karaoke bars and open mic nights, among other things) but I didn't take many pictures. I guess I was caught up in the moment. For your viewing pleasure, a real working drawbridge crossing the Columbia River on a beeeeeeeautiful autumn day:
I'm not sure Sizzle Pie thought this through:
And last but not least, some gorgeous fall colours on Sunday afternoon! This late in the season, I was happily surprised:
So with it being autumn, you'd think the bees have gone into hibernation. I wish. I've been stung by bees or yellow jackets or the like at least 6 times this year alone, so I guess you could say I've gotten used to it. But, for the first time, I found out Monday that I'm actually allergic to some kind of bee sting. Check out my bubbling skin:
Why I say some kind of bee sting is because I didn't actually see the bee or whatever did this to me. It was a really baffling experience. I was wearing 3 layers, and somehow it wedged itself through all 3 and stung me in the bicep. When I hastily pulled my shirts off, I found the half inch or so stinger still stuck in my arm, but no insect. I pulled it out and thought nothing of it and proceeded to go about my day, only to start feeling incredibly itchy and swollen all over my body about 15 minutes later.
Some suggested I go to the hospital. I did look pretty gnarly, but other than being a little delirious and experiencing some throat soreness, I knew I'd be totally fine if I just laid down and took lots of deep breaths. Many thanks to Chan and Nicole for making me tea, getting me echinacea tincture and lavender. It really sped up the recovery process, and for all I know, it might have saved my life.
In a seemingly fitting way to end this entry, I'm going to ramble a little. That experience was just one of many examples of love I experience on a regular basis. I loved Portland this weekend. I loved the Redwoods. I love everything I've learned here. But I'm not talking just about tangibles, and also not just about feelings I get from people and things that are here. There is love all around me, all around you, and all around the world, even though there is still so much hurt. It's expressions of love that I had completely lost sight of recently when I was working at a job that frustrated me, living in an atmosphere that overwhelmed me, and felt for some reason that the weight of society was crashing down upon me. It's sometimes easier said than done, but I'm really trying to focus myself to let go of anger and frustration and just love. Everything. Maybe that's what this journey has really been all about: love. Not love between a man and a woman, the love of a career or the love of oneself or family or anything in particular, but just love. Love for the sheer beauty of existing. It's something that's been difficult for me, and sometimes I still struggle with it, but we're all human, right? This was all spurred by a message I found sewn to a shirt I bought for a Halloween costume, a random message of love:
Until next time, love.
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