An Alternative Wreath and Tree
Sometimes the holidays can be overwhelming. Years ago I decided to abandon much of the decorating, including the tree, wreath and garlands, in favor of sleep and holiday get-togethers. I haven’t regretted that decision, but I might be able to pull off an alternative wreath or tree without too much added stress.


The Portland Japanese Garden’s annual Holiday Gift sale takes place from Saturday November 30- Tuesday December 24.
Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland gets filled with more than 500 potted chrysanthemums during November.


As a dedicated sun lover, this is a hard time of year for me. Very hard. And when life gets hard, there’s really only one thing to do. Shop. Shop a lot. If you also need to distract yourself from wind, rain, falling leaves and a fading tan, here are some outing suggestions.
Researching the history of your house can help you find out who lived there before you or what it looked like originally. Find out how in this class from the Architectural Heritage Center.
Portland Nursery’s 26th annual Apple Tasting takes place the weekends of October 11-13 and 18-20. They expect to have as many as 60 different varieties of apples and pears to taste and purchase.