Wednesday, July 18, 2007
We're getting some rain now, not something we get much of during the summer, even then it won't do a whole lot, but it helps. It will definitely help keep the fire danger in check and I plan to cut fire wood Thursday.
I am a bit excited because I am finally getting a log splitter! Rather than get a engine mounted one, I found a good deal on a tractor driven one at a fraction of the cost of a engine mounted unit and I won't have an extra engine to maintain. This splitter hooks to the tractors 3 point hitch and runs off the tractors hydraulic system. The unit should be on a truck headed west as I write. I have a small mountain of wood to test it out on too.
We are so glad that we did the Mt Hood trail last year. Last winter, around November, there where some floods that wiped out some highway around Mt Hood and now we have learned that the Eliot Glacier ravine of the trail is washed out and the Forest Service said it may not even repair the trail and the environmental wackos are trying to suggest that it can't be rerouted due to it's wilderness designation. I say it will be repaired/rerouted in the near future, folks will see to that.
Mt Rainier (Wonderland trail) in Washington also had a section of trail washed out last winter and reports said it would take a while to fix. The Wonderland trail is around 93 miles and we talked of doing it some day along with the Mt St Helens loop. We plan to be back in the Three Sisters Wilderness this summer.
I am a bit excited because I am finally getting a log splitter! Rather than get a engine mounted one, I found a good deal on a tractor driven one at a fraction of the cost of a engine mounted unit and I won't have an extra engine to maintain. This splitter hooks to the tractors 3 point hitch and runs off the tractors hydraulic system. The unit should be on a truck headed west as I write. I have a small mountain of wood to test it out on too.
We are so glad that we did the Mt Hood trail last year. Last winter, around November, there where some floods that wiped out some highway around Mt Hood and now we have learned that the Eliot Glacier ravine of the trail is washed out and the Forest Service said it may not even repair the trail and the environmental wackos are trying to suggest that it can't be rerouted due to it's wilderness designation. I say it will be repaired/rerouted in the near future, folks will see to that.
Mt Rainier (Wonderland trail) in Washington also had a section of trail washed out last winter and reports said it would take a while to fix. The Wonderland trail is around 93 miles and we talked of doing it some day along with the Mt St Helens loop. We plan to be back in the Three Sisters Wilderness this summer.
Monday, July 16, 2007
One of my nieces is staying the week, she is from my side of the family and is from WY. I just hope my little one doesn't go into social overload, but at the moment those two girls are making lap quilts. There is material all over the living room floor!
A few potatoes in the compost heap decided to grow rather than compost and boy did I have a great potato dish the other day. I have a couple of other volunteers to look forward to, plus all the potatoes that I planted this spring.
We tried our first farmers market last Saturday, it was a failure, but worthwhile to boot. We had fresh picked blueberries, some potted trees and plants, such as horse radish and Hebe's bushes. The problem is that our town farmers market is new this year and they moved the site so it was possible that a lot of people didn't notice the new location. The other sellers said that it was an anomaly and we should try again. Also it was a town holiday and they had a parade and race going on in town at the same time. We only managed to sell two bags of blueberries, but it wasn't like no one was buying, but no one was there to buy. I did meet the other merchants and it seems like it can be like an eccentric little group family if you stick with it.
I did trade some blueberries with Bernard for some of his home raised Shiitake mushrooms and another lady made up a bouquet of flowers for us, so I offered her some blueberries, but she wanted a Hebe bush, so I gave her two and gave the flowers to my DW.
I found Bernard fascinating, he was selling home produce, mostly greenhouse raised and seemed to be the one who sold the most, he also like to chat with everyone and give detail descriptions of his produce and then constantly babied the produce during the long pauses between the few folks that did find there way to the new location. We learned you need to bring your own shade too, or the sun can be brutal, the lady with flowers, Heather, had an extra big umbrella she loaned us.
A few potatoes in the compost heap decided to grow rather than compost and boy did I have a great potato dish the other day. I have a couple of other volunteers to look forward to, plus all the potatoes that I planted this spring.
We tried our first farmers market last Saturday, it was a failure, but worthwhile to boot. We had fresh picked blueberries, some potted trees and plants, such as horse radish and Hebe's bushes. The problem is that our town farmers market is new this year and they moved the site so it was possible that a lot of people didn't notice the new location. The other sellers said that it was an anomaly and we should try again. Also it was a town holiday and they had a parade and race going on in town at the same time. We only managed to sell two bags of blueberries, but it wasn't like no one was buying, but no one was there to buy. I did meet the other merchants and it seems like it can be like an eccentric little group family if you stick with it.
I did trade some blueberries with Bernard for some of his home raised Shiitake mushrooms and another lady made up a bouquet of flowers for us, so I offered her some blueberries, but she wanted a Hebe bush, so I gave her two and gave the flowers to my DW.
I found Bernard fascinating, he was selling home produce, mostly greenhouse raised and seemed to be the one who sold the most, he also like to chat with everyone and give detail descriptions of his produce and then constantly babied the produce during the long pauses between the few folks that did find there way to the new location. We learned you need to bring your own shade too, or the sun can be brutal, the lady with flowers, Heather, had an extra big umbrella she loaned us.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Oh crappy day. My youngest girl wants a dog and brought one home last night from the neighbors, we picked up a kennel the other day and now there is a dog outside. I don't want it! I was hesitant and now that it is here, I just don't want another animal, especially a dog, to take care of. We are not committed to keeping the dog and my daughter isn't completely sure she wants the responsibility so I am looking to talk her out of it.
She is baby sitting today and my oldest did get the job she was hoping for and my DW is working today so I am the one stuck with the dog alone, so when my little girl gets home, we will discuss this situation.
Now that my oldest daughter got a job, she takes my rig to work 4 days a week and when my DW is working, I am stuck at home. This situation is okay most of the time and when I really need to go some where, I just have to get up at 5-am and take her into town. She is working for the school district working 4-ten hour days a week. A couple of weeks ago we took a trip to Oregon Institute of Technology for a two day ROAD event where our oldest gets an orientation and signs up for fall classes. Parents get advice about what the school is like, what to expect, and things to keep in mind as your child transitions to college.
So life is changing around here, in some ways it is really challenging as children begin to leave the nest and dealing with changes. Worrying for your kids that things will work out has literally made me lose some sleep this past year.
She is baby sitting today and my oldest did get the job she was hoping for and my DW is working today so I am the one stuck with the dog alone, so when my little girl gets home, we will discuss this situation.
Now that my oldest daughter got a job, she takes my rig to work 4 days a week and when my DW is working, I am stuck at home. This situation is okay most of the time and when I really need to go some where, I just have to get up at 5-am and take her into town. She is working for the school district working 4-ten hour days a week. A couple of weeks ago we took a trip to Oregon Institute of Technology for a two day ROAD event where our oldest gets an orientation and signs up for fall classes. Parents get advice about what the school is like, what to expect, and things to keep in mind as your child transitions to college.
So life is changing around here, in some ways it is really challenging as children begin to leave the nest and dealing with changes. Worrying for your kids that things will work out has literally made me lose some sleep this past year.
