Bright and Beautiful

 I love my yard so much this year. 

Probably many people would say its overgrown but I'm not cutting anything down that's flowered out.  I need the bright cheery flowers and the bees and butterflies and birds who love them too, like me.

I went to the Lebanon Farmers Market today.  The only thing I purchased was some fresh blueberry lemonade which was so delicious.

Then I went to the Grocery Depot.  It's run by the mennonites, and that store has great food bargains.  Today I got a black watermelon for $.99.  They're small and I've never had one before.  I got a bag of cherries for $.99 a lb.  I got some black grapes, organic, large container, for $2.99.   It was like finding buried treasure.  I scored.  And I got some bokchoy.  I like bokchoy almost as much as I like leeks.  I got two large green peppers for $1. 

I have everything I need now for salads and my stir fry and also some soup.

Since its Taylor Farms lettuce causing the "explosive diarrhea" cyclospora outbreak, I sadly had to throw out the chopped Taylor Farms salad mix, that was mostly iceberg lettuce.  Taylor Farms, a CA outfit, imports their lettuce from Mexico.

At least I heard about it in time to not even open the bag yet.   

Today we had 70's and clouds.  But I guess by Saturday we will be in the 90's for a few days.  I don't mind heat.  My poor brother in Idaho is mowing lawns in over 100 degree heat.   He's gotten in good shape mowing lawns.  For a 72 year old.  

I might be able to go visit him soon.  A friend goes to visit her relative in a care facility in eastern Oregon via Idaho and she said she has enough miles to take me along, drop me at my brothers, go on back to Baker, Oregon, since she flies into Idaho, and pick me up on the way back.  I told my brother about it and I think he's excited but not sure.   First I have to get a real ID or I can't go through airline security.  I don't know how long it takes to get that but I'll start tomorrow because I'm excited.    

Hot Day at the Lake

 Ha!  It wasn't that hot.  I drove up to the lake and got there before 11:00.  I don't remember exactly when I got there.

This is the reservoir, not Waldo.

Not too many people there.  I immediately discovered I forgot the skeg, the rudder so to speak, that clips in on the bottom of the blow up board, to make it track easier.

I nearly went home, thinking I couldn't control the blow up board without it.

Good thing I didn't.   I had a blast going up the S. Santiam from the reservoir.  I quickly adjusted to paddling without the skeg.  It rendered the board light on the water, easily whipped by wind or even current.  But I adjusted and liked the freedom of less friction in and on the water.

I meandered all the way up to where I could go no further--the beach on the corner by the rapids.  Only the water level was high enough, there were no rapids or beach at that corner.  So I went on to the beach beyond, that I call Smooth Rocks.

Smooth Rocks

A lady was there, flopped facedown across a half deflated small raft.  She had on fins and was looking down into the water--rock hunting.  This area is extremely popular with rock hounds of all sorts.  She hadn't come down from the campground, Riverbend, farther upriver.  I surmised she came down from the road.  She wasn't talkative.  

I dropped my sunglasses at some point into the waist deep water.   I beached the board and walked back out into the water, clutching onto the old boogie board for balance.  The rocks were very slick and uneven.  My sandals do not fit well enough to maintain stability on slippery uneven rocks.  I was able to reach down in and retrieve the sunglasses.

I didn't want to intrude on the woman and left soon after.  Heading back downriver towards the reservoir.

Lots of tiny fish fry here, racing around as one in large schools.  Farther back down river I encountered large schools of about four inch long fry.

With sun reflection, its tough to get photos or videos.  I can't even tell, with the phone camera and sun reflection, if I am getting anything.

There were a few areas with algae blooms but not many, not yet.

Most areas, the water color was an inviting emerald.

On the paddle back, the wind died down and I paddled hard to try to get in better shape since I've been slouching it with my knee issue.  My knee issue remains.   I have to just buck up though, and drive to lakes, so I have no regrets when the summer is over.

Paddling seems so easy to me and I was back at the boat ramp in no time at all.  However, only when I got home did I realize how tired out I was and took a two hour nap.

The blow up board is super easy to carry and use but it does not offer the comfort of the hard shell kayak.  It's light weight and ease of use make it currently my favorite of the two.  Skeg or no skeg.

I got home before 4:00.  At 3:00, when I left the lake, or therabouts, it was only about 80 degrees.  We may or may not get hotter the rest of the week.  Not much hotter, however, mid 80's is all that is forecast.  Perfect weather.

I was not happy to see an alert from Watch Duty about a new fire at Miner's Meadow, which is up Quartzville road, not that far from Foster Reservoir---on past Green Peter reservoir, beyond, by a few miles, where I caught all those cats over two years ago now, left behind to die along Quartzville road.  The entire corridor along that road is highly popular for all kinds of summer recreation that sometimes results in fires.  Homeless camping too.

I hope they can put out the fire quickly.

The smaller blue splotch to right of Sweet Home is Foster Reservoir, with Green Peter reservoir to right and above Foster.  And beyond Green Peter, the fire alert.

Flower Day

 Most of my bushes that flower have been here since I moved in, 18 years ago.   Or was it 19 years ago.

Including the Rose of Sharon.

I'm not sure what these red flowers are.   

I thought day lilies but nope.  They may be red columbine.

The sunflowers are all volunteer from dropped bird seed.

When the flower wilts and the heads are seeded out, I cut them off and hang them in the butterfly bush for the birds to eat the seeds.

And the Butterfly bushes.   There was one large one when I moved in and now two more, I grew simply by sprouting twigs off the original then planting.  I love them.  I call them the Tree of Life because everything on earth loves them--birds, bees, butterflies, dragonflies, and the neighbors cats love to lounge in their shade.

I cut them back yearly quite a lot.  There's a lilac out behind the cat yard too.   It's not doing so well.   Too old I think.

My raspberries, grown from cuttings a friend gave me, have done so well this year too, giving me every morning a handful or two.  They are of two varieties.  When they stop producing, I cut them way down but every spring they come roaring back.

The only vegetable I grow right now are leeks, but I grow them the cheat way.   They're really expensive at the store but I like them..  When I get some at the store, I plant the bottom in a pot and regrow it.   They're usually smaller regrown but still works for me!  Then I replant the bottom again.   Never ending leeks.

Last Minute to Waldo

 My knee has been very bad lately.   Night before last it kept me up most of the night.

I'd become despondent over my future with all the pain.  

So I put the inflatible board in the car and headed to Waldo Lake.  I knew it would hurt to drive but at this point, I wanted away from this place to somewhere beautiful.

I stopped three or four times along the way, when the pain was too much.   When I stop and walk around, unbend my knee, the pain vanishes magically.  I don't know why because I don't know what's wrong with it.

At Waldo I spent many hours paddling around.  Went down to the south end, hung out at two different beaches, waded in the cold water, which makes my knee feel good, just relaxed in a beautiful place, without another soul in sight.

The inflatible whatever it is, I don't know what to call it, only 8 feet long and it weighs just 15 lbs.  It inflates with a pump in five minutes.  So its easy.

I got back to the launch about 4:30.  The mosquitos were coming out and I'd forgotten my repellent.  Three young folk walked out from the trail that goes around the lake, or used to.  The fires left the trail a mess starting at the burn just beyond the south end.  One of the young folk carried a chain saw.  They had tin hats on.  I paddled over and asked if they were doing trail repair and they said they were til their chainsaw broke.    I told them thank you and said I wish I was in better shape (younger too) because I'd sure love to volunteer to help.  One replied its great just to see people up here enjoying the area.  

Enjoy it I do.  Wish I lived up there?  Yes.

Before I left I went swimming, which later I realized was a mistake.  Didn't hurt to kick behind my boogie board in that nice cold water.  But my knee was throbbing and painful to the touch before I could even get back to Oakridge.  It doesn't like movement, like leg kicking when swimming.  Kayaking is fine, swimming not so much.

In Oakridge I bought a ten lb bag of ice and put some of it into a gallon ziplock bag and tied to over my knee and leg to drive a little further.  I stopped many times on the way home.

Was it worth all the pain?  Yes.

My doctor had finally replied to me on mychart a week ago, stating he referred me to sports medicine but did not specify who and also said I'd have to wait for them to call me.   Did he really refer me?  I have no idea.   Nobody has called.  The medical system here, what can I say, I don't even know how to describe a system so encumbered in referrals, lack of communication and waiting.  There is seemingly no way through it to get a medical problem help in timely fashion before a small problem becomes a huge one.

I went through my notes and previous blog posts and although I had inklings of pain, beginning in mid Arpil, it hasn't really been bad until a little over a month ago. Just seems like forever I guess.

Dragon flies everywhere.

Many of the dragon flies were tandoms, with the one out front appearing attached to the second via a spike at end of tail to just behind the head of the one in back.   I knew this was part of their mating thing and found it described here:

"You are witnessing a mating ritual known as the "mating wheel" or tandem flight. The "tail spike" is the male's specialized clasping organ (claspers), which securely grips the back of the female's head or thorax to tow her through the air. [1, 2, 3, 4]

How This Behavior Works

• The Lock-In: A male dragonfly uses anal appendages at the tip of his abdomen to firmly grasp a female behind her head. The shape of these claspers acts like a lock-and-key, preventing males from accidentally attempting to mate with the wrong species. [1, 2]
• The "Charging" Process: Before latching on, the male curls his tail forward to transfer a packet of sperm from his primary genitals (at the tip of his tail) to his secondary genitalia (underneath the front of his abdomen). [1]
• The Mating Wheel: To actually transfer the sperm, the female loops the tip of her abdomen forward to connect with the male's secondary sex organs. This unique linking position forms a circular or "heart-like" shape while they fly. [1, 2, 3]
• Tandem Guarding: After they are finished mating, the male will often continue to hold the female by the head while she lays her eggs in the water. This prevents rival males from interrupting her or removing his sperm before her eggs are fertilized. [1, 2]"

.

It's the 4th. So....Fireworks of Course

 There was an iconic post on facebook describing so well the mentality around here regarding fireworks.

Shooting off fireworks seems the only way some people know to be patriotic.   Not volunteering to improve your community, nothing like that.  Or even joining the military. Noise, lots of it, maybe burning down a house or two in the process.   Ha!   I do know people need to cut loose sometimes, let it all hang out.   Yeah, I'm old and that was a saying back when I was a kid.  Let it all hang out.   One time my boyfriend of the time and I were talking about the excess at the university football tailgating parties.  I'd been going through them that year to get cans and bottles, to help pay vet bills, and I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. John said its because people are so locked up in boring jobs, if they can cut loose a few weekends a year with their buddies tailgating, they can get by the rest of the time.  I thought, that makes sense.

I go out in my driveway to watch completely illegal firework displays on all sides.   This years show included a lit Japanese lantern, ball of fire, passing over the house.  Windy night too. Pyromaniacs out and about tonight galore.  I gave up watching after awhile.  I got bored.   It was windy.   Lately watching anything makes me bored.   Fireworks are all similar.   If their loudness didn't scream "look at me" would I even bother to look, I think to myself.  I strung a bunch of short clips I took outside this evening for this video.  It may bore you.

They're still going on outside.   But I'm going to bed.  They'll go on off and on all night and probably tomorrow night too.  Some people have lots of money, to buy that many illegal fireworks.  I've heard they are extremely expensive.  Anything that shoots off the ground is illegal here. I bet that's part of the thrill of shooting them off, that they're illegal.  I don't even know the pipeline process of how or where they get the illegal fireworks.   I'm not in the know on that.  But a lot of people are in the know.  Just among my nearby neighbors in fact.  I won't ask.

Happy Indepence Day

 Well its the big holiday.

Various old movies have been on TV, like Armageddon, where a gang of oil drillers are sent off to put a nuke on a planet killing asteroid.    And Independence Day, where various stray characters save civilization by finding a way to destroy a spaceship destroying America (while others destroy the rest of the world).  

I invited several people to go to the pancake breakfast in the park yesterday morning, but only one showed up.   Very long line to wait in but it was fun.   I paid for mine with a $10 bill I found on my front porch two days prior.  I have no idea where it came from.  And it could have been out there awhile since I rarely go out the front.  One corner had a "bite wound".  Maybe a cat brought it, as pay back for destroying my catnip bush.

There are no festivities in this town, that I know of, outside of the pancake breakfast.   That's fine.    

The butterflies showed up on the Butterfly Bushes, like clockwork.   It blooms, they come.

How do they know?

Happy 4th of July!   Don't blow off a finger!

I believe the cat reflects the Independent spirit best of all.

Rascal comes to see me everyday.   He knows my cats really well, and greets them through the cat yard wire.  Yesterday he really wanted into the cat yard and climbed up the fence and tried to find a way in from the top.   This riled Jack, my sometimes territorial orange boy, who dashed at him from his side of the wire on a high run.   Jacks' that way.  Jack is getting older now so its harder for him to be, in reality, very tough.   

Weather Improving

 Our weather is finally improving somewhat.

We've had rain and clouds awhile.  Today it may get up to 70.   Only goes up from there, depending on which weather app you look at.

Friday I asked folks at the trailer park where I caught all those cats if anyone wanted to go to the pancake breakfast at the park Friday.   I know isolation isn't good for a person and I"ve been quite isolated since this knee thing happened.   I got at least one person interested.  I usually go every year, but didn't last year.  I think the weather was bad, or something.  I can't remember why I didn't go.   

Still haven't heard back from the doctor after the xrays, nearly two weeks ago now.

I've called the office, been promised I'll get a call back.  Haven't.  I've tried on mychart, nothing.   Its frustrating.  I was hoping to get a cortisone injection in my knee, to help calm it down.  

One of my brothers suffers back pain nightly.  The other has tendons falling apart in his shoulder, from over use.  He's a contractor and has worked hard physically his whole life.   His ortho is elderly, he said, and told him straight up there's nothing can be done but also said to get a second opinon from a younger ortho doctor, who may have knowledge of newer procedures that could possibly help.

So he did get an appointment where he got one of his knees replaced.  I sure hope there's something can be done.  

Old age isn't really very fun, is it?  (to those of you in the same position)

Prissy of Quartzville Road

That's Tball, up on the cat run.  He's a bit of a bully.   He and Smudge have a love hate thing going.  They chase each through the house, out to the cat yard and back and fight but sometimes they will play.  Nemo in the background is very very old.  He and Tball love one another.  Oldsters Nemo, Huckleberry, and Clover congregate above the TV now, atop its cabinet, along with Tball and sometimes Machi and Stachio.

The video below is Smudge, who is cantakerous.  She is not tame but does allow me to pet her daily, follows me to get pets but I can't pick her up unless sitting in my chair, reaching down to pet her, then scooping her up fast to my lap.  Then she's ecstatic to be on my lap and loves to be brushed with the soft silicone Kong.  She will start drooling like crazy.

The Hydrangea is in full bloom!

The butterfuly bushes are really blooming.  Still no bees when usually they're alive in them, especially bumble bees.

That's Stevie, the neighbors cat, coming through.  The neighbor cats love to lay in the shade of the Butterfly Bushes when its hot.