If the Lents International Farmers Market was in an Alanis Morissette song, it would sing, "I'm small, but I'm global." On Sundays from 9 p.m. to 2 p.m. from June 15th-Oct. 12th, the market's modest lot off of 92nd and Foster offers an impressive array of goods and services. This week, in addition to the selection of colorful produce, I found some unexpected gems, including:

• fresh eggs
• acupuncture services from Pins and Needles Mt. Scott Community Acupuncture
• a booth for kids activities
• gorgeous fall flowers (mums galore!)
• handmade cutting boards
• honey
• soap
• cards
• live acoustic folksy music
• piping hot enchiladas

With only two more markets this season, if you haven't checked out this small, but community-based market, you'd better shake your tail feathers. And if the economy's apparent implosion has you worried, have no fear-- the market's low prices will have you sining along with Alanis, "I'm broke, but I'm happy."

On such deliciously crisp fall days, a mid-afternoon walk is crucial. As a newbie to Fo Po, I've yet to discover the best neighborhood walks, but the walk to Mt. Tabor is one of my faves.

I walk North on 72nd, which dead ends at Mt. Tabor here:

From there on, it's just up and up, until you find the gorgeous view that suits you best. Along the way today, I spotted a camera crew filming filming hipster knights with suits of armor made of Tecate and PBR cans. Keep Portland Weird, indeed. I also spied a family running around in their own private meadow just above the southern reservoir, which was recently drained for renovation. Looks like a fun place to skate:

Bikers, hikers, and walkers passed as well, often as not singles, like myself, out for a Sunday contemplative stroll. I wandered up a hill, following a string of solo-walkers... the path beckoned...

... but I turned back after the first hill, and was rewarded with a lovely view of the second reservoir, with a (somewhat hazy) view of Portland in the background:... (more)

I'm blogging directly from the Foster-Powell neighborhood association meeting, where we've just approved a budget for the Foster-Powell National Night Out Block Party, which will be on the evening of August 4th at Kern Park.  All FoPo neighbors are invited to enjoy live music, accupuncture, and more.  The party committee has a few requests for volunteers:

• Canvassing the neighborhood.  It only takes 15 minutes to pass out a hundred.  Can you canvass your street while you walk the pooch?  We need to get the word out about the party!  If you want to help, email FoPo chair Erica Bjerning.
• Children's Activities.  Looks like we're short a clown.  The kids will enjoy the live music, but it would be great to have a few more activities to keep them busy and happy.  Can you paint faces or juggle?  Email Erica.

So, help if you can, and come on down to Kern park on August 4th!

Hello Foster-Powell Lovers! As you can probably tell from my long absence, I can no longer maintain this website. As of now, I have moved out of the neighborhood. However, I know there's plenty of enthusiastic FoPo neighbors...maybe one of you is interested in taking on this blog? Ideally, it requires about a half hour of checking and story writing per day. The domain fee is paid for this year, and costs about $15. The people who help program this site are awesome-- the (very small) company is called Neighborlogs. One of their flagship websites is for Capitol Hill in Seattle-- that website is http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/.  It pays writers, and the full salaries of the people who maintain it. The dream for FosterPowellPDX.com is that advertisers will fund the site, like any other online publication. Some legwork is required to make that happen, but the readership is possible--when I was consistent, the site was getting 1000 hits/day! If you are interested in spearheading this awesome neighborhood resource,... (more)

Many people may not be aware that State Representative Ben Cannon is the only member of the Oregon Legislature who does not accept contributions from corporations or special interest PACs.

As Ben explained to the FoPo Neighborhood Association recently, by refusing to allow the usual deep pockets to control his campaign funding, he is free to cast his votes based on what’s best for Oregon, and especially for our too-often-ignored communities here on the Portland east side.

Taking this path takes courage and hard work, but Ben says it’s worth it. Over the last five years, more than 500 of our neighbors have responded with small donations of whatever they can afford to support Ben’s work.

Part of Ben’s work has been the uphill struggle to convince more of his peers in the Legislature that the voters will support them if they too reject special interest money. Toward this end, Ben has started The 1000 Twenties Project. The goal is to get 1000 regular voters to contribute $20 each to help Ben and other... (more)

Has anyone else noticed that they're FINALLY beginning the repairs to Marysville?  It's been quite a relief to go by and see through the open window spaces that clean new framing is going up inside.  Let's hope for a good build-out and a speedy return next fall of our n'hood kids to their n'hood school!

I'm neck deep in finals at PSU, but this story floated across my desk and I thought FoPo neighbors might be interested.  Abernathy Elementary School's chef, Nicole Hoffman, was professionally trained at The Western Culinary Institute. As one might guess, she does not serve the rubbery pizza and overdone tater tots I remember from the elementary school lunchroom. Instead, she serves up curries, brussel sprouts... whatever tickles her culinary fancy. Abernathy students also learn about the food cycle in their school garden. This unusual arrangement has not gone unnoticed--Michelle Obama has invited Hoffman to the White House to help kick off the "Chefs Move to Schools" program, which will partner professional chefs with schools for meal planning. You can read the full KGW story here, and view a video straight from the lunchroom here. I would love to hear your comments on this program-- are you already seeing similar happenings at other local schools? What do you think about this new approach?

I'm amazed that this year's rain has lasted so long. Then again, it isn't unheard of that the rose festival is held under gray, stormy skies. Our yard used to turn into a bog under the kind of hail and hard rain we've seen this weekend, but then my gardening master of a housemate created a simple rain garden. He dug a hole in a low part of the yard, away from the house and in the berry garden. Then he lined the bottom with some rocks and a little concrete. Now the rain all gathers there, and it turns into a lovely mini pond.  If you're looking for a little more information on rain gardens, check out this series of free workshops from East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District:

Don’t miss the last of this season’s FREE Rain Garden Workshops! Rain Gardens 101: Learn about rain gardens, the critical role can play in urban stream restoration, and how to construct your own. You will learn the how to decide appropriate location and size, calculate impervious surfaces, determine soil suitability, choose... (more)

Portland: Land of the Artisans. We make our own beer, we plant our own food, and we create our own art, thankyouverymuch.  If you're into all things handmade, check out the Rebel Craft Rumble at Imago Theater tomorrow night! Here's the 411 from CNRG:

This afternoon 150 or so patients, staffers and friends gathered at the Dougy Center to remember the space where thousands of children and families have been helped for almost three decades.

The center, at 3909 SE 52nd Avenue, is a nationally-recognized nonprofit that provides counseling for children and families grieving from the loss of a parent or family member.

Last Father’s Day an arsonist burned down the historic building where this good work was happening. Today, approaching the 1st anniversary of the fire, former patients and other supporters took a last look at the space and swapped stories about how much the Dougy Center has meant to them. Starting this week, the remains of the 100-year-old building will be demolished to make way for a new facility that will carry on the center’s work.

At today’s “Goodbye Ceremony,” it was clear that the emotional impact of the senseless fire was still being felt. Police have yet to make an arrest in the case.

I was privileged to speak with Bev Chapell,... (more)

This week’s Foster-Powell neighborhood association meeting was jam-packed. The session opened with the board election. Co-chairpersons Erica and Christian, like most of those running for positions, ran unopposed and will therefore keep their positions. One newbie, Ali, was voted into the transportation representative position.

After the elections came updates on neighborhood projects and concerns. An officer talked about the crime in Foster-Powell. He said there had been five car thefts in the past month, and encouraged neighbors to keep valuables out of sight.  Apparently, most car thefts are crimes of opportunity—a perp sees your GPS system and breaks in to steal it. To avoid having your car broken into, remove valuables from sight, preferably before you leave the house. (The officer mentioned that some burglars monitor parking lots, watching for people moving valuables to the trunk, for instance. They then break into the trunk, and immediately find the treasure, having seen it placed.)

This discussion dovetailed... (more)

Just a quick head's up that tonight is the second Monday of May, and that means we have a Neighborhood Association Meeting from 6:30-8 at Sweetness Cafe, just off of Powell on 52nd.  I have heard that the recent fatality of a pedestrian on Foster will be discussed, so show up! Hope to see you there...

This just came through on my RSS feed from Nick Fish’s blog, so I thought I’d pass along the info because it relates to our hood.

This Saturday, Portland Parks and Rec will be sponsoring a 5K run here in SE. The link from Nick’s site doesn’t seem to go anywhere, but he promises the route will traverse “Lents park, past the tennis courts, the gazebo, the community garden, and more.”

The run benefits the Mt. Scott Community Center’s scholarship fund, so money raised will help our low income neighbors take advantage of the center’s services and programs.

Now, I personally prefer my exercise of a more relaxed sort, but perhaps folks who like to run would like to participate this Saturday and help raise funds for a worthy local cause. Info at (503) 823-3183.

Walking around downtown, you often see city workers, picking up trash, "Keep Portland Clean and Safe" printed on their uniforms. And it's true--the less grafitti and trash, the safer an area is. This Broken Windows theory extends to our 'hood, too. If we keep it clean, we are sending the message to would-be criminals that this is not a good place to commit a crime. So, if you're interested in a clean, safe Foster-Powell, help out by taking part in the neighborhood cleanup this weekend.  Here's the 411 from the reminder email from the NA:

Foster Powell & Mt. Scott-Arleta Neighborhood Associations’ Neighborhood Clean-up
Saturday May 1, 2010
9:00am–2:30pm
Arleta Elementary School
SE 66th Ave and Mitchell St.

WE ACCEPT/RECYCLE
• Yard Debris
• Bulky waste
• Mattresses
• Furniture
• Scrap wood
• Tires (off rim only)
• Any other large discards
• Bikes & bike parts
• Block foam

SORRY, WE CAN’T ACCEPT:
•... (more)

Interested in your food security? Want to add a lovely tree to your yard? Consider picking up a fruit tree from Friends of Trees. Thanks to generous donations from several nurseries in the Willamette Valley, we are able to offer a great variety of apples, pears, plums, cherries, grapes and more for a fraction of the cost. Due to the very high level of interest, we are limiting participants to three trees per household, with a small suggested donation per tree. It’s a great way to add some flavor and interest to your garden, and help support Friends of Trees.

In addition to all the incredible fruit trees, we will also be slashing prices on our leftover tree stock. Need an elm for your yard? This is where to pick it up.

Representatives from Friends of Trees, The Portland Fruit Tree Project and the Urban Forestry Division of Portland Parks & Recreation will be on hand to help you select the right tree for the right place.

Where: Friends of Trees, 3117 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland 97212

When: Saturday,... (more)

Hey there Lovers of Earth~! The City Repair Earth Day Celebration is this Saturday, April 24th at Washington High School Park (SE 12th & Stark) FREE EVENT! Here's the line-up for Main Stage:

11:30 Earth Day Opening Ceremony

12:00 SaraTone and the Earth Tribe Gospel

1:00 Sam Adams (10 min.)

1:10 Fruition String band

2:10 Off The Grid

3:10 MarchFourth Marching Band

3:15 Tre Arrow (10 min.)

4:25 Medicine for the People

There's also going to be a full accoustic stage, bike rides to the event, processions of the species (parades- come as your favorite species) and well over 100 booths/vendors/food and the City Repair Tea Horse!!!

Going to be a really good time for everyone, please tell your friends, we are all looking forward to seeing you there!!!

Via Facebook

In case you don't follow the Rebuild Marysville FB page, here's a message from the Marysville PTA and organizer Braheem Hazeem:

First of all, thank you for showing your support of our Marysville on Facebook! Months later, many school-related discussions still center around the fire and its continued effects “….and then the school burned down” is still often heard.

A for-instance? SUN, Marysville’s excellent after school program, has seen a significant drop in enrollment. Why? Most students need to catch the bus back to their neighborhood which leaves immediately after school is out. This causes them to miss out on a great opportunity to continue their educational enrichment. And that is just one example among many of the struggles school officials, staff, parents and the community continue to face.

How can you help?

Rebuilding Marysville and Marysville PTA Facebook groups are encouraging our members to show their support by joining in on discussions, asking questions, posting comments, encouraging new... (more)

Portland Sunday Parkways is more than an event – it’s an experience!

In its third year, Portland Sunday Parkways has expanded to five events throughout the summer and all across Portland. Sunday Parkways events - which create an afternoon of car-free streets for families, cyclists, runners, walkers and just about everyone in between to enjoy - require 200-350 volunteers PER EVENT to ensure a safe and fun experience for all. Our biggest volunteer need is for Intersection Superheroes - which is a great way to enjoy and experience the event, while playing a vital role in making these FREE community events possible!

We're really asking all Portlanders who enjoy Sunday Parkways and all that it stands for (livable communities, healthy families, alternative transportation, community building) to step up and volunteer - even just once - to ensure that these events happen again next year.

Here's how the FosterPowellPDX.com community can help:

1. Help us where we need it most and sign up for an Intersection Superhero...

Come one come all to the Foster~Powell Bar Crawl!

For this installment of the UYE pub crawl series, we're heading out to Foster-Powell in the vast wasteland of SE Portland. There we'll mosey and meander our way through the up & coming not be seen scene neighborhood of Fo~Po to Such favorite Dive bars as Bob & Alice's Tavern. We'll hit up the Bar Carlo for some top shelf four star Cocktails and have some Mac & Jack's at Amor. We'll also try some new places like the Rock Bar and even try some of O'Malley's NEW Brick Oven Fired Pizza! and some Hawaiian fare at Da' Hui. Some come on down to Foster Town and get your drink on!

Fun will ensue as soon as we meet up at our first stop the Rock Bar at 7 O'clock On 60th & Foster.

Check Tri-met for bus lines or coordinate with fellow Yeeps for transportation. Hope we can all make it out and make it a great night together and shine the Yelp light out on this cool neighborhood.

Come join us at all (or any one) of the following stops:
7:00-7:45  Rock Bar  ...

Oregon Wild Wednesday - A free quarterly event open to all-ages. No RSVP required. http://tinyurl.com/wildwed0410 When: Wednesday, April 14th, 6 - 7:30pm Who: George Wuerthner, Rob Klavins, Oregon Wild, you, and all your friends! Where: Roots Organic Brewery, event room, 1520 SE 7th Avenue Portland, OR 97214 http://www.rootsorganicbrewing.com/ These are interesting times for wolves, their advocates, and detractors. Though still home to less than 20 wolves, Oregon’s wolf plan is up for review, a Montana judge holds the fate of the species in his hands, and both wildlife advocates & wolf opponents are gearing up for a fight. No wonder the cover of Nat’l Geographic was recently emblazoned with the headline “Wolf Wars.” Bring a friend, grab a beverage, and head on down to Roots brewpub to meet George Wuerthner. George is an ecologist, acclaimed author, & photographer with a long history in western wolf recovery. He’ll share lessons learned from the return of wolves in the Northern Rockies and discuss the potential... (more)

If you've driven down Foster in the last few days, you may have noticed that the vacant lot at 73rd is ripe with color and the scent of peat moss.

Folks may recall that the local A-Boy Hardware chain was about to go out of business last year. Well, uh... something happened and they're not. And now they've taken over a piece of the former Metro Auto property to use as an open-air nursery, selling plants and garden stuff.

Apparently it's envisioned as a permanent thing, though of course that depends on whether it makes any money. Now, I'm no sort of gardener, but I know many in Fopo like to dig in the dirt, so perhaps in future some will try buying their dirt from this local business.