Flying the Coop

Well reader, this likely comes as no surprise since I’ve been writing about painting and packing and the building of the homestead, but we have officially put our Portland home on the market. This June marks a decade since we first moved into our cottage-style home, and after much renovating (including the kitchen and the primary bedroom + bath), many gatherings, and lots of gardening over the years, we really turned this house into a home. It’s bittersweet parting with this place—it was my and Jeremy’s first home that we owned ourselves, and holds many wonderful memories for us with our friends, family, and each other.

This was where I wrote + photographed my two cookbooks, where I shot Gregory Gourdet’s cookbook Everyone’s Table (bless him for putting up with the match-light oven I had at the time, but have now since upgraded), and where I shot The Wicked Healthy Cookbook with the Sarno brothers. When I think of all the recipes that have been made in our cozy little kitchen, my heart feels very full. I always feel like the kitchen is the true heart of the home, and being in ours always felt like a little sanctuary. Maybe it’s all the windows and the light pouring in, or the houseplants who have thrived with said light, but it’s been a very inspiring place and I wouldn’t be where I am without all the support + creative comfort this place has brought me. But the homestead is calling, and we need to say goodbye to our cottage on this tree-lined lane tucked away in the outskirts of the city.

All that to say, if you know of anyone interested in a home + garden in Portland, feel free to share this with them! It would be wonderful to pass it along to someone who finds it as cozy and lovely as we have. The garden is very lush, and already set up with a drip system on a timer, so it’s ready to be enjoyed this summer. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead, and I’ll be back soon with a homestead update. SO MUCH has been happening and I owe you some details!