Christmas Tree Hunt

The weather had been chilly for our area. On this particular day it was below 30 when Becky and I left the house to pick up our daughter and her one year old to go look for a herd of Nobles and maybe take out a couple of the younger bulls (a lead bull would simply be too big). Winds in Eastern Oregon were blowing dust over the Cascades and the temps were in the low 20's when we reached our destination more than an hour up Hwy 224 into the upper reaches of the Clackamas River drainage system. Fresh snow was everywhere, but not difficult to get around in. We all worked up a sweat as we pushed through the brush and up the hillside through the Douglas Firs and Hemlocks. The younger ones headed back to the truck to get out of the quickening breeze and snow that had begun to fall.





Pretty soon Becky shouted that she thought she saw a few Nobles heading over the next ravine and into the thickets beyond. I followed Becky's voice and sure enough! There they were. Becky had snuck up and caught them off their guards. They couldn't move. I dispatched two and we drug them down the hill by their extremities.

Oct/Nov Update

Discus. Genus Symphysodon. Found in Brazil and Peru. Four main strains with a bunch more created by breeders. A pair just laid eggs about a week ago, followed by the parents eating them when they didn't hatch. Beautiful fish with lots of color variations.

Our eldest and her two kids stayed with us for short time while all their belongings were being trucked across the Continent to dad's new job on the Eastern Coast. They moved into a home with a HUGE back yard that doesn't seem to end. It's so big, you could almost launch model rockets and not bother the neighbors. Well, sorta.









































































Our oldest granddaughter hit the ripe age of five. Becky was there to help celebrate the event.













































Our youngest granddaughter celebrated one year of being the youngest. She wasn't too sure about the taste of sugar; this was her first experience with this basic food group. We all figure she'll get used to it - it's not really an acquired taste!

September Update

Fall is Becky's favorite time of year and she really gets into decorating. I liked this pic, not only 'cuz it has great fall color, but I sorta miss the two youngun's who've moved on to check out what life is like outside of Oregon. I bet they come back...



Becky and I didn't do the big garden thing this year. Too much other stuff. The raspberries and blackberries didn't know this tho', so they went ahead and produced. So, we picked. And picked. Becky makes some killer jam. Had some this morning in fact!
















Most grandchildren enjoying helping in the kitchen, especially when it comes down to organizing the recipes that have been collected over the years from other family members and old recipe books long since forgotten. Thanks young lady for all your help.

With the Great Opossum Scare of 2009 behind us, one of the three rabbits got out. We set a live trap. Sure doesn't look like a rabbit.



Our annual September camping trip took us back to our favorite little lake in Eastern Oregon for 8 days. The weather was perfect. My hunting partner came back after a 5 yr break. It was good to have him back - he's quite a woodsman.


We ran into elk almost every day we were out. My son-in-law got an up close and personal experience with a very larg Bull Elk. We didn't get to bring home any deer or elk. Nor did Becky blast any Grouse this year. The Grouse population seemed really low.



There's a restaurant in Prairie City that has changed hands. I don't remember the new name, but it used to be called Shoshoni Winds. The walls were covered with taxidermy - record sized animals of all kinds. The current owners left most of it up, but where a moose was removed there now hangs a quilt. It's just not the same. The Buffalo Burger was no longer on the menu. Drat. Times change.





The one thing we must do each time is make it up the 4x4 road to the top of Lake Butte. The view is incredible providing visibility isn't hampered by forest fires. The smoke does make for a beautiful sunset! The dogs love climbing all over the rocks.

August Update

Ok, now last night was really strange. T'was a cool December evening when I got home to the smell of smoky butter mixed with something slightly familiar. I stepped into the kitchen and my bride was just pulling two lobster tails out of the oven! Wahoo! Amidst the ringing of our telephones, we tried to eat in peace. The third call could not be ignored and we hurried through our awesome dinner. Back into the truck and we drove south 40 minutes to take some pics and video of a nearly completed aircraft fuselage of the same model Becky is about to start welding. We came up with some questions over the weekend and seeing the real thing would give us the answers. Back home and finally able to relax, we put on one of our favorite Christmas shows, Die Hard. Lots of good Christmas music and decor throughout the film.













About 11:15, we shut down the entertainment and attempted to go to bed. First, the dogs had to be let out for one final time. As soon as they were out the back door, they went berserk. An Opossum was in the yard! Well, Opossums and Raccoons don't do well with Chickens. At least, the Chickens don't think so. After about 20 minutes, the situation had been neutralized and we were able to get a good nights rest. Sheesh.


Now about the pics, which have nothing to do with Christmas. Becky's Mom's side of the family held their annual reunion at our place. We had a wonderful time getting caught up on who's doing what. The weather was fantastic and the yard looked great with nary an Opossum to be found.


Also in August, Becky helped coordinate the wedding of a couple really cool people we know. The event was held at our little airport. Coordination involves things like having someone ride their bike up and down the runway with an aviation radio in hand and talking to pilots of incoming aircraft instructing them to go somewhere else for an hour or so! It involves setting up yellow jacket traps everywhere, trying to create a safe environment. Yes, Becky got bit by one of the little buggers.

A wedding platform thingy was built by the impending groom across the runway where the back drop was perfect - a nursery with lots of trees and Mt. Hood off in the background. Just before the wedding, the owner pulled out all the trees. Now, the backdrop was dirt. Lots of brown dirt. It sure didn't stop them from getting married!

The reception was held back on the hangar side of the runway. At about 10:30pm, a helicopter landed to pick up the newly married couple and whisk them away! Very exciting way to see them off.



No pics of the wedding or the couple. Just the planes I was offered the opportunity to decorate. Lot's of little white lights. They looked great at night! I would've liked to have seen them from the helicopter.

July Update

Here I sit on a Saturday morning in December with a cold cup of coffee, trying to get the blog a little caught up. It was supposed to snow last night for about 6hrs. Nothing. Even the pond is starting to melt. The closest we got to anything white is fog - visibility is about half a mile.

For myself, one of the most exciting things in July had a lot to do with visibility! I had the privilege of taking a test. An examination of my ability to safely get our airplane from one point to another without looking out the window. AKA the Instrument Rating. It was quite the windy day, which made the event a bit more of a challenge, but I passed on July 1st. On the 4th, we headed off for our annual California trip, this time better prepared for the coastal low clouds that California Summers are known for.


Becky flew us down to Redding where we stopped for fuel. Both the plane and our bodies needed it. I can't say how much I enjoyed the food at Peter Chu's restaurant just above the commercial terminal at the Redding Airport (http://www.peterchu.741.com/). Huge windows for watching planes come and go. There was quite a fire to the NW of Redding (somewhere near Trinity), so the fire fighting planes were constantly on the go. After lunch, I flew us into Pine Mountain Lake Airport (http://www.airnav.com/airport/E45) just outside of Groveland. This little community is about 30 miles NW of the NW corner of Yosemite and has an absolutely beautiful Golf Course and possibly the best Bed & Breakfast we've ever been to. The Cub Inn (http://www.thecubinn.com/) is brand new and has 3 guest rooms, each with it's own bath. The owners, Joe Riley and Charleen Beam picked us up after we landed and treated us to three wonderful nights. Strange, the only pics we took were of the home and a couple of deer. Just too busy I guess. The day we arrived, we went to the lake that evening for an incredible fireworks show over the water. Beautiful against the clear Sierra Nevada Mountain Sky!


The town of Groveland is known for having the oldest operating Saloon in the country. Well, of course, we had to go for a steak and a little Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.



We drove up into Yosemite for a day. Controlled (?) fires were burning near the SW entrance (Hwy 41) and the westerly winds were blowing the smoke into the upper reaches of the valley. This sorta ruined the view. The top of Half Dome actually disappeared at times due to the smoke. We hiked up to the base of Vernal Falls. The trail is practically paved so that anybody can get to a fantastic view point a couple miles up river. At that point, the trail is for the strong and courageous only. Becky drug me up the hill to a point where the mist from the falls was making the trail a bit to slick, so we enjoyed the moment and headed back down.





There's basically three main roads into Yosemite. The one from the east is from Lee Vining, hwy 120. In 2002, we came in this way from Hwy 395 out of Reno and loved the high country scenery as we made our way down into the Yosemite Valley. This trip, we headed east on 120 to a point where we could get out and stretch our legs and meander amongst the granite slabs.





























After a good day's hiking, it's always nice to find a frigid mountain stream to cool off in. It wasn't too bad! The sun was intense and dried us off quickly.


After the three nights, Becky flew us to San Luis Obispo to stay at my sister's place in Arroyo Grande for several nights. This is always a treat. We have a wonderful relaxing time whenever we go. While we were there, we took the road north to Carmel. On the way, we stopped at the Mission in San Miguel, which is under a complete renovation. They have a long way to go, but we were free to wander around a in small areas and look at the old architecture.




























































































Upon entering the east end of Carmel, we visited the mission there as well. It was established in 1770 and completely restored in 1931.






I filed for an IFR departure out of San Luis to go down to Oxnard to visit some cousins. The morning dawned sunny and clear! No clouds except over the coast south of San Luis Obispo. Drat. So, we flew VFR instead and had a nice lunch next to the docks in Oxnard. Quite the place. Channels have been built throughout the area, allowing homes to be built along the waterways. Boats everywhere.










































The rest of the trip was spent exploring the beach or sitting in the hot tub watching the sun go down. Of course, on our way home, we had to have lunch at Peter Chu's again! The winds were quite strong - 25 knots or so - directly down the runway. Becky's comment as we landing in Redding was that she felt like a helicopter! Looking forward to 2010!