IT'S HOT!!!

The last few days have been record breaking heat with temperatures as high as 110 at my place.   By afternoons all I can do to survive is retreat in doors in hopes the air conditioner does not breakdown or the power goes out.    The power did go out Sunday night from 9  to 11pm.  Not knowing how long it would be out, I got my generator going to keep the refrigerator on.    Trying to catch any sleep with a generator running on the front porch is a challenge.   Just about the time I felt sleep taking hold to the hum of the generator the bed side lamp came on.  I got up to shut the generator off and returned to bed until the rising sun got me up with the overwhelming need for coffee to jump start the old body into action.   The first chore of the early morning when the outside temperature is in the sixties is to water plants.   One of the benefits of living in the hills with no nearby neighbors is no need to completely dress, so out the door with just my underwear on.    No fear of anybody turning me in for being indecent.   The only food that appeals to me is cold pasta salad, cold beams or just a bowel of cereal.   Just think on the positive side of life, I'm 18 degrees cooler than Death Valley, where they had a recent high of 128.  

SILENCE

Sometimes silence can be my best friend.   One of the first things I do in the morning is turn the radio on to get the latest news and weather report.   After about an hour of hearing all the negative things humanity is inflicting upon it's self it's time to turn it off.    Just the sound of the wind, rain, birds and the frogs at night can be enough for me.   A trip to the city with all the traffic, construction, and other noises makes me just want to get back home ASAP.   

I will never forget when Celia and I were in Costco years ago when she was getting a hearing test when an older man left his hearing aids off to have them cleaned.   As he walked off to do some shopping he said out loud--SILENCE AT LAST!

GARDENING 2024

With the recent warm weather and a break from all the rain the urge to dig in the dirt and plant a few seeds takes a hold of me.   Something in my DNA I guess that always kicks in this time of year.   In my younger years I always planned to have the perfect garden or at least better than what I had the year before--weed free, perfect rows and a bumper crop of veggies, which was usually zucchinis.    Not anymore as perfect is no longer in my vocabulary, now I just take a shovel, turn over the muddy ground, weeds and all, put seeds in the ground hoping for the best.   Peas are the first seeds I stick in the ground as the Stellar Jays sit in the nearby tree looking down on me.  I know what they saying to each other, "hay, look at the human down there sticking those seeds in the ground for us to go dig up for our dinner later when he is gone."    Even putting chicken wire over the newly planted seeds for protection is no deterrent as the next day I see it has been removed.    Maybe they get together with their rat friends during the night to help remove the wire and share in the bounty.   One year I noticed something was eating my climbing string beans.  I placed a motion camera out one night to see what varmint was guilty.   The next day it showed a mouse up the bean stock chewing on a green bean.   At the end of the day my back hurts, my hands are dirty, my boots muddy and best of all, I will have the opportunity to do it all again tomorrow if the weather permits.   

BLACKOUT

Last night I was sitting in my chair reading on a stormy night.   About 7:30pm the light flickered and a few seconds later the lights were out.   It was pitch black as I sat in the chair knowing the flash light was on the table by the bed in the next room.   I don't recall such blackness, not a glow of light anywhere.   It was like having my eyes closed.   I slowly made my way toward the bedroom with arms stretched out feeling for furniture and the walls.  I made it to the bedroom door, then to the bed feeling my way to the bed side table where I turned on the flashlight.   After lighting some candles my neighbors called to ask if my power was out as they had lost power also.    Later we learned most of the northern portion of Douglas County was without power due to storm damage to the BPA transmission line to the north somewhere.    After receiving some text messages about the situation I retired to bed thinking how unprepared I am for a long term power outage; dirty diches in the kitchen, have not started the generator in the last year, camp stove somewhere in the shop and way too dark to deal with any of it on a stormy dark night.   My biggest fear--how would I ever make coffee in the morning?   At 9:30 the lights came back on and I could rest easy knowing I would not have to boil water on the wood stove in the morning for that precious cup of coffee.   

FALL 2023

We are blessed with rain this week after a brutal hot dry summer.   It was last April when I received substantial rainfall for that month with 5.12 inches.   Since May 1 to date I have recorded only 2.19 inches.   Presently I'm 6.36 inches behind on annual rainfall of 42.31 inches.   

I always feel like a survivor after making it through the summer without getting burned out.   With the change in seasons comes the usual change in the daily chores and preparation for winter.   Yesterday I rolled up the many hoses around the house used to water plants and that provide water to the sprinklers on the roof  in case of a fire.   In the afternoon I cleaned out the chimney and today cleaned out the woodstove. The 500 gallon water tank that collects water from the shop roof was almost full so pumped that water up to the house tamk.   Only had to order two truck loads of water this summer.     

With El Nino in effect  there is a lower snowpack and lower rainfall predicted for the northwest.    Sometimes the opposite happens, like last year it was a La Nina and most the rain and snow went south into California when it was predicted to come to the northwest.    The Farmers Almanac predicts a hard winter.    I guess we will find out one way or the other.  

MY MORNING WALK

 After having my morning coffee and peanut butter on a English muffin I venture outside for my morning walk.   Five times around the driveway is about a mile or for a change in scenery I walk the road about my place.  Whenever the rain prevents walking outside, I will get on the thread mill and go a mile at 3 mph for a little over 20 minutes.   On real nice days I have gone around Fords Pond or walked down to Bachelor Creek at Mildred Kanipe Park. Walking is vital now to my sanity, health and gives me time to ponder life during this uncertain time.    

  

THE LAST DAY OF AUGUST 2023

Finally some rain on the last day of this dreaded month.   The only rainfall before today was during the thunderstorm on the night of the 24th with 0.15 of an inch.   This thunderstorm touched off many fires in  Douglas County, including the Tyee Ridge Complex of fires about 8 miles to the west of me.   The smoke from these fires has made the air quality unhealthy.  Even with the rain today there is still the smell of smoke.   I had the windows open this morning but had to close them as it seems the rain pushed the smoke into the house this afternoon.   Now the air purifier in running to clear out the smell from the house.   

What will September bring?  

CRICKETS AND THE WIND

August can be a real bummer of a month with hot dry weather, yellow jackets buzzing throughout the day and the threat of wildfires.   My biggest outdoor chore is watering plants and some have given up and died not so much for a lack of water, but just too hot.   Eating a hot dinner does not even appeal at the end of a hot day.  Sometimes a bowl of cereal is all that taste good.   After the sun has gone down and the cool evening air brings life back to my old body, I go outside and sit watching the wind blow through the trees with the sound of crickets bringing me comfort before retiring for the night.  

FIRE SEASON 2023

The grass is starting to turn brown and my rainfall for May was only 0.84 of an inch when the average for May is 2.58 inches.   The NWS reports a little over an inch of rain in Roseburg for May.  That has to be a record low, while last May of 2022, I received 4.58 inches which must have been a record high.   This all leads up to the beginning of fire season starting June 9th.   Already there has been the smell of smoke at times either from the Canadian fires or a fire west of Eugene.   There is even a small fire in the Layng Creek drainage on the Cottage Grove Ranger District, which was considered the asbestos forest when I worked there from 1988 to 1995.   The last measurable rainfall I recorded was for May 11th and there is nothing in the seven day forecast.    What will this fire season be like and can we survive until the Fall rains? 

SECOND ANNIVERSARY

Today is the second anniversary of Celia leaving this world.   It still seems like yesterday.   In many ways she is still here in this house with all her decorations, furnishings, paintings and other things she cherished.    It still feels like home to me.    Family and friends are still my greatest support, especially friends who have also experienced the loss of a loved one.   They have given me much emotional support that I will always cherish.   One thing for sure, love never dies.  

HOT DAYS IN MAY

Had a high of 95 at my place yesterday and I'm sure I will beat that on this Mothers Day.   Falling behind on rainfall for May with only 0.84 of an inch so far.   Average for May is 2.58 inches and last year for May I received 4.58 inches.   Even April of last year with 5.92 inches was more than this April with 5.12 inches.   The average for April is 3.11 inches.   I did beat last years rainfall for March with 5.88 inches compared to 4.02 inches last year.   Average for March is 4.24 inches.   Another indicator of low rainfall this month is shorter grass as I'm in the process of cutting it as the heat and my old body permits.

With a strong El Nino forming in the Pacific this could be the Mother of all summers.  

Note:  Rainfall measurements are taken at my CoCoRaHS station OR-DG-22

Happy Mothers Day!

RAINFALL DATA FOR CURRENT WATER YEAR

 At my CoCoRaHS station (OR-DG-22) I have received 22.76 inches of rain from the start of this water year on 10/1/2022 to 2/28/2023.     The average for this time period is 28.57 inches giving me a deficit of 5.81 inches.   

CELIA AT THE CABIN

 This picture was taken on 2/5/2011 at the cabin where Celia did many of her paintings.   She was taking a break and enjoying her favorite can of beans.  My kind of woman!

A COLD MORNING

So far this is the coldest morning this winter at 22 degrees.    The coldest I have recorded here is 9 degrees.   The coldest place I have ever been was at Fall River Mills in northern California in the winter of 1972 when it was minus 25.  A few of us went over there from Orleans to go duck hunting and stayed in an old ranch house with a gas heater.    When we went outside to hunt we could only stay outside for 20 minutes before our noses started to go numb.   By noon we called it a day and went in to Fall River Mills to get something to eat at a restaurant.  The high for the day was zero as we started the long drive back to Orleans with no ducks.     

RAINFALL UPDATE 10/1/22 to 11/30/22

Since the start of the 2023 water year on 10/1/22 to 11/30/22 I have received 7.31 inches of rain at my CoCoRaHS station (OR-DG-22).   The average for this time period is 9.56 inches leaving a deficit of 2.25 inches.  

LIVING ALONE

 Living alone has its challenges and benefits.  Trying to keep order with the day to day chores can be more than one person can handle at times when living in a remote setting where there is a yard and house to maintain, a water collection system to operate during the wet season and keeping the place warm using firewood during the winter.   In addition,  there are 20 acres of forest land to take care of which provides an escape from some of the other not so enjoyable tasks.    A routine is important to keep loneness at bay, but there is always time to reflect back on what life was like when there was the two us here to share in the daily rituals of life.  In many ways there is still the two of us here.  

 Living alone is nothing new to me.   Except for times when my children lived with me in Eugene, I spent a good part of 14 years living alone before Celia and I took up with each other in 2000.   Over the 20 years we were married many habits and routines were developed and they are hard to break.   For now I do not see myself moving to some strange place as long as I'm in fairly good health and have the support of family and friends.   Who knows what tomorrow will bring?  One thing for sure, the price for love is grief.  

 

THE DEER ENCOUNTER

 This morning while working on a trail up to the pump house a deer ran by me so fast I did not realize it until it had gone by me.    All I saw was the flash of the deer just a few inches from me.   The deer was being chased by another deer and I believe it did not see me until the last second.    At the speed that deer was going I don't think I would have survived the blow if it had run into me.   It was my lucky day and I still have a hard time thinking about how close it was.

DANGERIOUS WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS

My only encounter with any dangerous wildlife in the years I worked for the Forest Service was my first summer of 1969 on the Modoc National Forest.    A badger ran along side my pickup truck trying to bite the front tire as I was driving slowly on a forest road.   In all my remaining years until my retirement in 1995 nothing, not even with the bears of Alaska.   

Since living on this forested property for the last 16 years, I've had a close encounter with a cougar and a mad mother hen turkey.   

Sep 22, 2022

THE END OF AUGUST 2022

We have finally come to the end of another forgetful August feeling neglected that the annual tradition of smoke filled skies would pass us by.   But, last night the haze and smoke moved into the valleys of the Umpqua making our summer complete.    How long it will last is anybody's guess depending on when the Fall rains return.     

TICKS

One of the most worthless insects in this world are ticks along with mosquitos and they are both bad this year.   It must have something to do with the wet spring.  Over the last few weeks I have noticed a few very small ticks crawling over my decrepit old body.    Yesterday morning I discovered one burrowed into my upper left arm.   I tried the alcohol treatment to get it to back out with no success and in the process must have killed it buried under the skin.  This morning I went up to the Peacehealth walk-in clinic at Cottage Grove, where my doctor is located.    After an hour's wait I actually got in to see my doctor who proceeded to dig out some of the tick's body and prescribed some antibiotics.  

Be careful out there, these little b***ards are everywhere.