Blackberries from the Lake

 Every year I pick blackberries from the banks of the lake.  

I took a container yesterday and drove up, late for me, near 1:00 p.m. when I arrived.

Shoot.  No parking spaces.  But.....

A fisher woman was headed up from the banks and I figured she'd be leaving from one of the single car spots.  Yes!  I was right.  By the time I unloaded my kayak, one spot was open.

My lucky day.

I fixed my heat wave melted sandals.  So far they're holding.  I used different glue.  My first attempt to glue them back together had failed.  I clamped them for two full days after using the new glue.  I'd bought another pair of plastic sandals in the meantime, but their hard edge wore a hole in the top of one toe.  The strap edges are just too hard on them.  I'll find a suitable liner.  Until then, back to the meltables.

There were so many  berries along the banks, overhanging the water.  I picked the container full with no problem and could have taken lots more.  I don't venture onto the banks, where its possible, because the poison oak has thrived this year.  I wonder if it can be caught from swimming in the water, where it overhangs, since its the oils that get you with it and oil would float on the water.

I think it was Saturday a Lane County deputy, off duty, paddle boarding with her sister and young son, at the lake, drowned.   It was awful to read about. It happened over by the Lewis Creek picnic area, same place an out of control jet ski killed a child last summer and badly injured another.

No new fires have erupted in Oregon and thunderstorms with drenching rain beyond the Cascades have helped reduce the ones burning.

We are back to triple digit forecasts next few days, I hear, although I no longer pay close attention.  All I know is its hot and has been hot for a very very long time.

I'm going to make a blackberry pie today.   I haven't yet replaced the range.   I use the toaster oven and when I need an element, I use the sterno stove.  It's no big deal.   I have a crock pot too and a tiny microwave.  I don't need a range, but my brother and I will get one in there as soon as that can be done.  The supply chain issues mean it could be months.  

The pie will  fit in the toaster oven.  Be interesting to see how it comes out.  You have to reduce the time immensely in the toaster oven because it heats so rapidly and is so small.  The toaster oven has a fan function with "bake" so the heating is more even.  I like it more and more.   The instructions with it said to unplug when not in use, so I do so faithfully.

My brother returns from his Alaska trip today or tomorrow.

A kitten was seen on the dike trail that forms a half oval, seperating the park from residential.  The park is between the dike and the river.  The dike originally was built to keep the river out of the town.  The place the kitten was spotted is a quarter mile from where I trapped the other two kittens and their mom but is likely from the same litter, as I knew the mom and kittens were not remaining in the area where I trapped them, but travelling back and forth.   It's a massive area and will be difficult to locate that kitten, to help.  Or it could be from yet another unfixed unknown female.  

 I talked to the woman who lives right behind the dog park.  The dog park is down inside the park.  There's access to the trail along the dike from the dog park, but also trails go right down to residential on the other side, from the dike trail.  People who walk that trail often have no clue they are under a hundred feet from houses.  Residential cats are always coming into the park via the human trails up from that side or their own.  I was telling her about a neutered tabby male cat lost from a car at the dog park, to be on the lookout.  The owner had told me she had contacted residential folk with flyers so I was surprised to find out the people closest to where she lost her cat knew nothiing about a lost cat.  Great job looking for your lost cat, lady.  Why a cat was in a car, at the dog park, and how it got loose, I didn't even bother to ask.  

Anyhow, that residential lady's neighbors are the ones who have the unfixed female I tried four times to get fixed and each time they failed to contain her, didn't even try.  Now they want me to get her fixed.  Really?   Like how many times do I fall for that.  And to boot, they got another kitten, who also needs fixed.  And, the neighbor lady said, there's a gray unfixed fluffy male hanging around there too with a badly mangled tail, who needs help.  Great.

Anyhow, yes I'll probably try to get that female fixed again.  Depends on if I can get any appointments anywhere.  She lives inside their place, how hard could it be?   Just takes a tad bit of effort on their part, not much.  Then, as an added bonus, unfixed males won't be showing up all the time too.

Here's what I made this morning with those blackberries from the lake.