Sunday was the official start of summer and typically living in Portland means a sense of desperation by the time June roles around. The rain and clouds sometimes make their way into what should be the summer and it makes a person ready for some much needed sunshine. This was one of our dilemmas when considering life in a very small space. We moved in at the end of July last year and wondered if the first few months were so enjoyable simply because we spent so much time outside. Picturing the weather changing and the use of outdoor space declining made me wonder how it would change our feelings for the house. We will be coming up on a full year soon and I am happy to report the weather never gave us cabin fever. There is nothing like a cozy space with lots of windows that has everything you need or want. We have actually had an unusually nice year in Portland and it has felt like summer has been brewing since February. But…I won’t say I am not excited for the gloriousness, the magic, the pure bliss of summer in Portland, OR.
I have a passion for summer, I put summer on a pedestal. Summer represents all things fun, amazing, and carefree. I get a thrill from seeing rhubarb in the store because to me nothing says summer is coming like rhubarb for sale. Before the start of summer I like to make a list of things I want to do while the weather is nice, things like berry picking, backpacking trip, Brew-cycle, sunset picnics, paddle boarding, and the list goes on. Often it is too much to accomplish in one summer but it inspires us to take advantage of any free time we do have.
Our plan has been to live in the tiny house for at least a year before purchasing a house, then use the tiny house in our future backyard to rent on Airbnb. Adam will be done with Academy in July and we have decided that a couple months of good old-fashioned summer fun are much needed. Last summer Adam built this house while working full time and with our current plans of buying a house to re-model, it would be nice for him to have some time between Academy and home renovations. Plus, we love it here and can’t think of a better place to spend the summer. We live next to a 90 acre park so it feels like we are surrounded by nature, on the other side of us we have a lively neighborhood with restaurants and bars that we love walking to on summer evenings.
This year has gone by so fast, but it feels like we really lived it to the fullest. Looking back at pictures from this year I realized how many new things we did or became interested in. Adam is really into fly fishing, and I mean REALLY. I climbed my first mountain with my dad. I think the tiny house has a lot to do with it. Its amazing how fast a year can go by, and when you reflect on it nothing out of the ordinary happened, it just got filled with the day-to-day busyness that all seems to blur together. That still happens occasionally and in no way am I suggesting I have unlocked the secret to living life. I just think we have had the opportunity to be less in our own world and more out in the world. Without being surrounded by a larger house filled with our belongings that remind us “I really need to finish that project” or “why did I buy that” we can focus more on the moment and how we ultimately want to be spending our time.
I hope you all have a memorable summer!
Adam & Chelsea



