Smooth vases from Leah Nobilettte. Photo courtesy of Leah Nobilette. Last month you planted the seeds and starts. Like Mother Nature, maybe you were a bit behind kicking off the sunny season, but all those extra showers will soon (if not already) yield plenty of the late summer flowers we suggested for your last-minute cutting garden. And what better way to show off those blooms than in a beautiful locally-made vase? more...

Elevations proposed for Homeland Security project. Image: GBD Architects   Design Advice: Department of Homeland Security Garage/Office Space Proposed in South Portland The unoccupied building on the 4300 block of Southwest Macadam may be occupied by the Department of Homeland Security. To make room for the Feds, the owners of the building seek to build a new three-story 74,000 square-foot parking garage, topped by more...

Six Great Things to Do This Weekend. LEARN 2010 Tour de Coops Where: various backyards across North, Northeast and Southeast Portland When: Saturday, July 24, 11a.m.-3p.m. Cost: guide booklets are $15 Tip: Bring your friends (the $15 cost covers groups as well as individuals) This strolling tour takes you to the backyards of 25 of your neighbors who display their very own chicken coops for those interested in more...

Thyme in full bloom Herbs are beautiful choices for both your yard and cooking adventures. Most can be planted from early spring until late fall and need virtually no maintenance once established. The favorites listed here are all drought tolerant, need minor trimming in the winter and are versatile in the kitchen. Use fresh herbs in your soups, salads, cocktails, meat and fish dishes, even desserts. All have medicinal more...

Arthur A. Arend House, 1909 After years of meetings, consultations, research, more meetings, paperwork and sweat, the Irvington Community Association (ICA) has submitted its nomination for the Irvington neighborhood to be designated as a Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places. If approved, it would be a significant step for local residents and history buffs, while giving the neighborhood more influence more...

After a wet and chilly spring with difficult growing conditions and week after week of mostly rainy market days, the local farmers market season is finally in full swing, There’s no better time of the year to be a cook in Oregon and for food lovers, nothing beats a shopping trip to a good farmers market. Following the long-awaited arrival of the sun, the next biggest market news in Portland is the new Monday market at more...

Just Us Hens can help with your brood of chickens. Rhonda Piasecki and Sharon Rowland like chickens, a lot. They’re also master gardeners, good friends and co-founders of Just Us Hens, a new urban garden consulting and chicken-sitting business based out of their Portland homes. Piasecki, a Boston native, says she got interested in chickens because it was the next step in organic gardening and growing her own food. more...

Classic Foods' new location in Woodlawn. Welcome. This is the first of many articles to come about development in the spaces near you. This column, which shall published every other week, will hopefully provide you with a general idea of what's going on in Portland's world of land use. Of course, if there's something specific you think your fellow readers should know about, let me know and I'll check it more...

KBOO's new mural. Last week, Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Coalition (SEUL) and the City of Portland’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI) announced that grants were available for graffiti abatement. The funds encourage neighborhood associations, businesses and community-based organizations to keep graffiti at bay as well as create and maintain community-oriented murals. Southeast Uplift is the first of more...

Kids playing in Bill Naito Fountain in Old Town-Chinatown. Welcome to summer, folks! We may have had to wait until the official day on the calendar this year for (some) sun and (a little bit of) warmth, but—fingers crossed, knock on wood, throw some salt over my shoulder—it looks like we’ve finally kicked off the season of carefree fun. And who takes advantage of that better than our youngest people? more...