• 16- and 24-Ounce Wide-mouth Thermoses
• 1-Liter Stainless Steel French Press Thermos
• Stainless Steel French Press Insulated Mug – Make Your Coffee or Tea in Your Mug!
• Yogurt Maker with 7 Six-ounce Glass Jars
• Stainless Steel Rice Cooker (back by popular demand)
• Porkert Cast-Iron Grain Mill
• Ceramic Pottery by Road's End of Banks – Bowls, Mugs, Colanders
• Children's Aprons – 100% Cotton, Various Colors
• Pewter Peace Jewelry – Earrings, Keyrings, Pendants
• Organic Cotton Sheets in Colors! – Lavender and Aqua Blue
• Used Sari's – Great for Home Decor, Sewing Projects, Wardrobe Enhancement
• Photo Albums – Handmade in Indonesia Using Natural Materials Like Leaves, Shells and Flowers; Beautiful!
• Pedal Power – By Local Attorney Ray Thomas; A Legal Guide for Oregon Bicyclists
• Assorted Hemp Bags from Green Mountain Hemp – Made by a Cottage Industry in Thailand
• Bamboo Towels – Yes, Bath Sheets, Hand Towels and Wash Cloths Made from 100% Bamboo!
• Fused Glass Jewelry – Pendants and Earrings by Local Artist Linda Hattershide
• Hand Sculpted Wall Plaques By Local Artist Sandra Rocha – Lovely for Garden or Home

• French cookware – stainless steel, carbon steel and enameled cast iron
• Select Salt & pepper sets
• Bodum Electric Hot Water Kettles
• Multi-Pure Water Filters
• Barbecue tools

We have decided to continue carrying Multi-Pure Filter replacements. We make very little money on them and had decided to stop carrying them but so many people have asked for them that we decided that we would continue carrying them as a service to our customers.

Canning

The canning season is here and we are ready. We have water bath canners, pressure canners, canning tools like funnels and jar lifters, jars of all sizes, food dehydrators, vacuum sealers, books, etc. And if Steve or (especially) Lael is around, they can answer many of your canning questions.

Ceramic Crocks Disappearing

We learned from our crock supplier, Down to Earth, that the company that makes our crocks went out of business. This was a one hundred year-old company from Ohio. There used to be a crock company in Portland; I've seen their crocks in collectible shops. Most likely there were a lot of crock companies around until modern times when people started buying all their foods ready-made. Too bad this company couldn't have held on – it seems that there is a definite upsurge in people pickling and fermenting vegetables; now, where will they get their crocks? Doing a web search found one company whose 1-gallon crock retails for $60! That won't sell here, so we will keep looking.

In the meantime, we still have a few crocks left – but hurry, they probably won't last long!

Recycled Tire Mats

The 90+ year-old farmer that made our recycled tire mat finally had to give it up. He's selling his house and acreage and moving into a nursing home. We will miss his tire mats and wish him well. We think we have another supplier, but from another state so the shipping will be sky-high. In the meantime, we still have a few of the others left, so if you have any thoughts of one, now's the time! (Yes, we know it's the wrong time of year, but...)

Incense 101

Incenses are aromatic substances often combined and then shaped into various forms. When burnt, aromas are released into the air. Some people merely enjoy the smell while others says that the scents actually encourage specific feelings such as calmness or love. Incenses are made in several forms.

We have one of the largest incense collections in Portland. But incense remains a bit cloudy even to long-time users. So I thought that an ongoing column on incense is in order.

Today’s topic is on the different types of stick incense. Part One is here.

• Masala incenses are made by blending a number of solid ingredients (such as woods and resins) into a paste which is then rolled onto the stick. They do not contain perfume oils. I think of them as the most pure and natural of stick incenses, most like the Japanese (except usually stronger).
• Durbar incenses blend solids (resins, etc) and oils in a gummy base which never quite dries, making the sticks soft to the touch. They often contain ingredients unfamiliar to the West and are rich and highly fragranced.
• Woodbase incenses blend solids (resins, etc) and oils in a gummy base which never quite dries, making the sticks soft to the touch. They often contain ingredients unfamiliar to the West and are rich and highly fragranced.
• Dhoop This is a masala that has been shaped into a thick cylinder. Made by both Indians and Tibetans.
• Charcoal incense are charcoal-coated bamboo sticks that are dipped in perfume oils. Although many poor quality incenses are made this way using cheap oils, there are also many made with high-quality oils. Low quality incenses are often made this way, although it is possible to make decent charcoal incense if good quality oils are used.
• Combination incenses are masalas that have also been dipped into oils or have essential oils added to the masala before rolling the sticks in it.

Next issue we will start to mention some specific incenses.

Division/Clinton Street Fair

Join us July 23rd from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the Division/Clinton Street Fair. Things really get going at 11:00 a.m. when the parade takes place from 20th to 39th. The parade is open to participants so if you have an interest in marching along we can put you in touch with the organizers. All up and down the street there will be kids events, food, sales, community awareness tables and crafts for sale.

Two things about Mirador specific to this day. We have hired local entertainer Joe Mishkin to be in our parking lot from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Joe is just a riot – he juggles, he makes jokes and his balloon art is out of this world. Great for kids of all ages. Also, we open our parking lot to anyone that wants to sell their art that day, read tarot cards or promote their non-profit. Just let us know if you are interested. So far we have heard from several peace organizations, a tarot reader and someone selling cruelty-free gifts.

Stop Wal-Marts in the Portland Area

There are currently three Wal-Marts in varying stages of planning in the Portland area; one in Gresham, one in Cedar Mill near Beaverton, and one in Portland near Milwaukie. Since Wal-Mart's rise many years ago I have been aware of their destructive results in rural towns across America. And though they claimed they would never open one close to or in large cities, this obviously isn't the case (they probably said that to keep us city-types from fighting for the rural-types).

The arguments against Wal-Mart are too many to go into here. Instead, we want to give the websites of the people trying to keep their communities safe from Wal-Mart here in Portland, the WalmartWatch website, and also one website that can give you some good reasons that big-box stores, and Wal-Mart in particular, are bad for our local economy. There are plenty of links from these sites to give you a full, nauseating education about Wal-Mart. If you are one of those who thinks that Wal-Marts are okay or good, please read the information these sites give and lead you to; you may be shocked.