With all the adventures and shenanigans this Spring and Summer, it's taken a little while to settle in to the new homestead, but now that the settling in is more underway, there has been some serious exploring for me to do in my new surroundings. One of my favorite things about my partner, Corey is his love for hiking. Over the last several years he has hiked the trails all over the McKenzie River ...
Life
Me and My Posse
Some people have minions. I have chickens. (Photos by Sheila Desai) ...
Summer Bread
As with so many other things, I always plan on baking bread much more often than I actually do, but at least always end up making a loaf around the beginning of August in honor of the ancient Gaelic first harvest festival of Lughnasadh. The Carrot Herb Bread recipe was looking mighty delicious in my favorite bread book; Uprisings: The Whole Grain Baker's Book, so we gave it a go. My partner and I ...
A Black Canyon Wilderness Day Hike
I had been noticing the Black Canyon Wilderness Trail in William Sullivan's Eastern Oregon hiking guide for quite a while, so it worked out beautifully to stop for a short morning dayhike on our way back from Fall Mountain Lookout Tower. This 13 mile trail is supposed to be fairly difficult, but makes for an excellent summer hike criss-crossing back and forth along a creek to it's confluence with ...
Fall Mountain Lookout Tower
There is nothing quite like watching the sun rise and set from a fire lookout tower on a mountain peak. Having stayed in several across various forested parts of Western Oregon, I decided it was time to visit the drier side of the state, and booked two nights in Fall Mountain Lookout near John Day at the edge of the Strawberry Wilderness. My adventure partner and I headed out from our McKenzie ...
Wildflower Seed
"Wildflower seed in the sand and wind, may the four winds blow you home again." ~Robert Hunter ...
Home is Where the Hearth Is
Having made the personal decision some years ago that life without a woodstove would be cold, dull and unacceptable, I always strive to make sure one is involved in my living situation. My experience has been that a woodstove is the center of a home most months out of the year, providing heat, cheery light through the dark months, a place to dry clothes on racks, the perfect spot for ...
July on the Homestead
July has been a busy month on the homestead, and we've had our share of long days catching up on work, gardening, projects needing attention and putting up food for the winter in between fun summer adventures, but it's been coming along beautifully. The garden is looking mighty fine thanks to all of Corey's hard work weeding, and things are filling in now that the cats have evicted the chipmunks ...
Down at the Swimmin’ Hole
With the heat of July upon us, and everyone back from their early summer adventuring, we have been enjoying the delightful treat of visiting local swimming holes. As a new resident of the McKenzie River watershed, friends have been happy to show me their favorite spots up Blue River and Lookout Creek, and as a longtime swimming hole dipper, I must say there are some excellent swimming holes in ...
It Was a Faire Week
Another year, and another Oregon Country Faire has come and gone. I never get tired of my favorite art, music and food extravaganza every July on the banks of the Long Tom River, but this year was special because I got to camp out overnight for the first time as a volunteer. I even got my partner to dress up in a lime green polyester leisure suit to celebrate the occasion. (Photo by Marc ...