Quick Overview of this newsletter:

1. 🫐 June Blueberry Magic
2. 🍓 U-Pick Galore
3. 🏕️ Tips for Walk-up Permits, First Come - First Served Campgrounds
4. 🩱 Product of the Month
5. 🫐 Seasonal Treat

Great news, my dears, blueberry season is finally here!!!

June honestly might be one of my favorite months in the Pacific Northwest (along with May and October) because the early blueberries are ripe, my local CSA (community supported agriculture) box has started up, and we likely wouldn’t have any smoke or wildfires yet.

June is that magic transition when all the summer outdoor activities are available, AND harvesting is underway. Ridiculously fresh fruits/veggies, sunshine hikes and swims, and long days. That nostalgia for the last day of school still hits, even if I’m not involved in any schools myself. Do you get that feeling?

Though I will say I sometimes struggle to keep up with my own plans. Thanks to my prep and planning last November, I have a handful of campgrounds already booked. But there is still prep to do before actually going on the trip - researching hikes and activities, food, and getting the gear together. This year, I’m striving for balance between doing, resting, and my own enthusiasm.

Hanna

U-Pick Galore

Let me tell you why I love blueberry picking.

1. You get to pick a lot without breaking the bank or your back, or having to cut up/freeze a dozen peaches, apples, or whatever.
2. You get to stand upright while picking. While there is bending, it’s not as ridiculous as with strawberries. I swear I did 200 squats when strawberry picking this year.
3. The cost savings are insane. The places I go are $2.75 - $3.25 per pound. Compare that to the $6+ at the grocery store for one small pint. Don’t be surprised if I take on a bluish tinge from how many blueberries I eat each summer.

But I almost always love a u-pick experience. In fact, I wrote a post about blueberry picking near Santa Barbara, with some good tips for photographing your blueberry picking. There is something about going out to the farm and choosing your own fruit in the sunshine. Last year I made it a mission to try to do as many fruit u-picks as possible. Here was my list:

• Stawberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries*
• Cherries
• Lavender
• Peaches
• Blackberries
• Apples
• Pumpkins

This year, I’ll probably hit up many of these again. I completely missed raspberries and only kinda got strawberries, so I made sure to u-pick earlier this season, and it was a success!! Trying to hit the early part of each ripening season has worked well for me this year. Don’t wait and go early in the day!

What did I miss in the Pacific Northwest that I must try to u-pick?

Top left: Hope Ranch Lavender on the Mt. Hood Fruit Loop, top right: Peach picking at Bush's Fern View Farms near Eugene, bottom right: Cherry picking at Mt. View Orchards (it really did have a phenomenal view of Mt. Hood), bottom left: Groundworks Organics Farm north of Eugene.

Tips for Walk-up Permits, First Come - First Served Campgrounds

Walk-up permits and first-come-first-served campgrounds always make me incredibly nervous. What if they don’t have space?? However, depending on the trip, sometimes you must rely on these last-minute systems, and everything works out perfectly fine. But to ease my nerves, I’ve made a list of tips for things you can do to better your chances:

1. Go into it at least a little prepared with information about the campground or permit you’re trying to get. In my blog post, I have questions for you, such as: Where to get the permit/campground, what are your top choices, when can you get the permit or snag the campground, etc.
2. Arrive as early as possible.
3. Pay attention to to the details and nuances of the system next time (or when friends/family ask).
4. Have a backup plan, and a backup-backup plan.
5. Remember, where you sleep is only one part of your trip.

For more details, read through the entire blog post. Wishing you the best of luck this summer!

Product of the Month

Just about every year, I get a new swimsuit as part of the summer excitement ramp-up. And practically every swimsuit you see on my blog is from Cupshe. I’ve recommended the site to friends and family, and everyone is pleasantly surprised at the quality of the suits. More recently, they’ve started selling clothing, and I'm not sure about the quality there. Instead, I head straight for their swimmies.

This year I went with a tankini-style suit and this one-piece suit, as I’ve decided to donate two of my older suits. It’s a floral year, which is a change-up from most of my solid color suits. If you get these too, we can be matching!!

One thing I have noticed is that they do not restock every style from year to year. I got the following long-sleeve suits, which I get compliments on all the time, but I have not seen them or even a similar style since the year I bought them.

P.S. I've added two more categories on my Amazon Storefront - one for summer day hiking and the other for indoor plants. Yes, my Oregon home is filled with indoor plants!

Seasonal Treat

Even though it wasn’t fully open to the public yet, I was too excited and texted a blueberry farm up the McKenzie River - Blueberry Patch Farm, if you’re local - to pick blueberries a few weekends back. The bushes with Earliblue (early-ripening blueberry) berries were absolutely packed with massive, sweet berries. These big berries fill your bucket quickly, and I definitely got ahead of myself because the whole season is still ahead.

To use up some berries, I made blueberry jam and rosemary blueberry scones. I’ve made this combo many times now because they are both so easy and delicious. But let me know if you have any other blueberry recipes I should try - ideally vegan!