Amazing Tree

 On Friday, we decided to put on our knee boots and pick our way up the river.  The river was very low, but heavy rain was predicted in a few hours. This was our last chance to work our way up through a practically inaccessible section of the river.

Walking up the river, I'm standing about where our property ends.  Due to the vertical basalt bank on the left, we normally can't access this area without getting wet.

Walking further upstream, we could see the cool tree bridge up ahead.

It's hard to capture in a photograph, but years ago this large cedar tree fell across the river, but had enough roots still in the ground to send up a row of cedar branches that look like small trees.  It is up high enough to avoid high water.

Large Big leaf maples tower over the river in places.  Can you imagine the force on the base of those trunks as they lean out at extreme angles?

This bobcat track was one of many various tracks we saw - mostly raccoon and deer.  

Someone lost his brakes years ago!

Gail enjoyed sitting on this elephant trunk.  

We later worked our way down the river below our house.  It was a fun morning of exploring.  The next day, after two inches of rain, the river came back to life.  We would have needed hip boots to repeat this!

The Past Four Weeks

 The past four weeks have seen a transition towards fall, without any rain until last night.  In the past 22 hours it has rained over two inches, the river has about quadrupled in flow, dust has been washed off, and once again we hear the song of the river from within our home.  The following will once again be kind of a mishmash of photos.  

Going back to early August's visit from friends, Gail snapped this one of me. Mary, and Daisy.

September 6th was Daisy's 5th birthday.  Gail baked her some homemade dog biscuits, which to me seemed like perfect backpacking food - much better than Clif Bars I bet!

Gail's homemade dog biscuits.

The next day, we took Daisy out to lunch at the Drift Inn (thank you Andria!).  Daisy was well behaved, and the patio was a the perfect dog spot.

It was also Andria's birthday, in August, and I made her this birdhouse for her garden.  It is designed specifically for swallows, but bluebirds are also welcome.

We couldn't resist buying these quail eggs from Blossomwood Farmstead down the road.  Gail turned them into wonderful appetizers!

Meanwhile, our farmstead has been plugging along.

Early Girl tomatoes finally ripening in August.

The Helda pole beans behind that 7 ft. ladder clambered up anything they could.  We ate beans, beans, and more beans as well as froze a lot.  

I made a table to sell extra produce out on the road.  I made a few dollars, but now I have to figure out how to launder the money 😕.

Penelope, here, appreciating the catnip I planted for her.

Our Asian pear tree is loaded this year.  There should be plenty for us and the bears!

While on a hike, we saw what appeared to be a male garter snake following the scent of a female garter snake.  The female looks very fat already! 

We have a number of different hydrangeas.  I love the blue color on this one.  The color blue is supposed to be relatively rare in nature.

I planted 3 different salvias in the planter boxes I rebuilt last winter.  Maybe I'll try dahlias next year.

I couldn't believe my eyes!  There has been a ban throughout the county on all outdoor fires including campfires, beach fires, debris burning, and even in the fire pits at state parks.  I went to check our mail box and I saw this fire burning away at the fire station with no one tending it.  I called the main station to report this.  Apparently a volunteer thought this was ok.  

Gail in the morning fog.

Sadly, a 30 ft. juvenile gray whale washed up the mouth of the Yachats River.  Biologists thought it had been killed by orcas judging by its wounds.  That is the Highway 101 bridge in the background.

Down at our big spruce, one of our favorite meditation spots.

                                        Our almost resident doe and fawn enjoying our apples.

A screenshot of an owl, probably a barred owl, caught on my trail camera.

Well, that wraps it up.  

Tease:  yesterday, Gail and I took advantage of the low river to plod upstream and then downstream to places people never get to.  Photos coming soon!

Visitors = Summer Fun!

 This week we had a convergence of five visitors, all friends of mine going back to the 70's.  Gabriel came up from Vallejo, coming over from Salem with Bob and Mary. Coming up the coast in their very well restored VW camper were Lon and Linda from Glen Ellen.  Linda and I were co-group leaders in the adolescent program at Napa State Hospital in 1973.  I met Gabriel earlier that year in Atascadero when he was visiting my neighbors there.  Mary was a rehab therapist on my ward, and Bob worked in the program as a psych tech like me.  Lon and Linda had been living in Bali, but when coming back last year to check on their house, became stranded by COVID restrictions and are still awaiting to return to their home in Bali.

From left to right: Mary, Lon, Gail with Daisy, Linda, Bob, and Gabriel

We were having a heat wave during the 3 day visit, so a trip to our favorite beach, Ocean Beach, was in order.  The temperature on the coast was about 30 degrees cooler than at our house 8 miles inland.

                       Bob, Linda, and Mary enjoying the refreshing air and coastal discoveries.

                                     Our turnaround point was this rock outcropping.

Cooling off in the river.  Bob D. got accolades for doing a full immersion in the deepest part of our swimming hole.

                                                                  

                                                                Happy hour, yeah!

The first night, we had a BBQ.  Gail was the hostess with the mostest, as she had prepared all the side dishes, planned the presentation, and a whole lot more.  I did my man job of watching the chicken grill on the BBQ.

                              Linda making friends with Daisy by offering her the new squirrel.

The second night, we grilled fresh wild caught salmon that Bob and Mary had brought.  After dinner, Gail prepared her famous flaming B-52 nightcaps.

                                                                        B-52's coming to life.

After the B-52's we turned out all the lights and had great viewing of the Perseid meteor shower.  We saw numerous meteors, some being extra bright and leaving trails.

Friday morning, and it was time to say goodbye.  Lon and Linda headed off towards the Olympic Peninsula, and Bob, Mary, and Gabriel headed back over to Salem.  

This past week has been a highlight of the summer along with Andria, the kids, and Nick visiting in June. It felt wonderful to be around old friends, share stories, and know they are doing well.  

Bob's Bionic Heart

 Last Wednesday morning, I found this waiting for me when I came to the table.  Thanks, Hon!  

Thursday morning we took off for Corvallis at 4:00 A.M.  I had my new pacemaker implanted, and we were back in the car for the 2 hour drive home by 1:00 P.M.  The staff were super, very caring, friendly, and experienced.  The routine ran like a well oiled machine.  

Below is my old pacemaker, which I asked for while I was "under the knife".  This little device had kept me alive for the past 8 years and 3 months.  Without it, I would have had no heartbeat.  

On Friday, the next day, we did a 5 mile hike at Enchanted Valley down by Florence.  What a difference a day makes! The ten days before yesterday, I had to stop and catch my breath and wait for the dizziness to subside just to get the mail at the end of  our driveway due to "Old Faithful" going into power save mode.

                                                       Purple Martins

Yesterday, I went with Wally and Jim down to Florence to look at and photograph the Purple Martins that have colonized numerous martin boxes that have been installed on pilings over the years.  Purple Martins are the largest species of swallow, and they are very social.

Some of the Purple Martin condos.

The adult males are a dark blue purple.  Females and immature males are the lighter birds.

I read that Native Americans in the distant past, and currently, hung gourds for the Purple Martins to nest in near their crops because these birds devour so many flying insects.  The Purple Martins in the eastern half of the U.S. nest only in boxes and gourds put up by people, and no longer nest in tree cavities.  A big reason for this is the introduction of House Sparrows and Starlings to North America. They occupy so many of the natural nest cavities.

Highway 101 goes over that bridge, with sand dunes behind.

It was a beautiful morning with great light and no wind.


                                                 Cardinal Meadowhawk

                                                           (Sympetrum illotum)

I photographed this dragonfly  at our fish pond using my macro lens.

                                                              Lynx rufus

                             This bobcat appeared below the house.  Catch some gophers, please!

                                                         Ardea herodias

  This Great Blue Heron was down at our Baboon Beach.  Please, stay away from our fish pond!