Underwood Holiday Letter – December 2022

Greetings Friends,

Gardens, gardening, gardeners – that filled up 2022, beautifully. Landscaping experts Kyla and Geraldo helped us plant bulbs (around 500 of them) as well as boxes of annuals and pots of perennials. The old ash tree out front was pruned by young arborists, and our favorite pot store, Little Baja, provided us with critter-pot sculptures. Along our gardens, front and back, the City of Portland cited the public sidewalks and those of our neighbors as pedestrian hazards; the resulting negotiations with concrete companies provided many neighborly bonding experiences.

“Jer’s Garden” — Plants off 85th Ave — blooming hellebore and primrose among lots of later blooming foliage.

The Pad, Mid-Spring, Beside the Studio

Frog from little Baja

We did little in the way of travel – walks around the neighborhood, greeting cats, dogs, tykes, parental units, and elders. Overnight in-state trips to Seaside, Ashland, the Oregon Gardens, and the Metolius River were our out-of-town respites from planting and pruning.

Dragon in Algae, Oregon Gardens Pond

We had visits from grandson Sam, who lives in the Bay Area, weekly check-ins with Jan and Rick (who live in the city, three miles away), a visit from niece Ruth Cannava and her spouse, Marc, from New Hampshire, as well as chats with passersby who were curious about the alien pom-pom (Australian bottlebrush) plant.

Little Baja Snail, with Marigolds

Jan is retiring on December 18 and the next day flying with Rick to Alaska to play in the snow and debrief about her long stint teaching Spanish at Portland Community College. Jer and June are aging as expected, having little triumphs over gravity (replacing the kitchen ceiling light bulb) and arthritis (finding the best buys on Tylenol). When the world overcomes our attempts to handle it, we sink into our soft chairs by the fire and are thankful for living in a beautiful place, in a warm house, with good friends here and everywhere.

Jan and Sam

Patio, Winter-ready Fountain, Hedge and Studio in November

Clematis, Early Summer

Hosta Flower, Late Summer

Happy holidays to one and all. – J & J

Lilies, Mid-Summer

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