Squeezing In The Outdoors

Indian summer and I'm lovin' it. Two weeks ago it was gray and rainy. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy all kinds of weather for different reasons. After a long and very fruitful summer of events, I was getting a little bit pooped. Gray skies and rain made the desire for hot tea, pj days and a bright orange comfy blanket deepen, along with a great tv day.

But last week dawned with spectacular sunshiny days and the ache to get away from work to enjoy the outdoors at least once more before the white stuff starts to fall.

Kevin and I were originally headed for a small lake named Little Cultus Lake, which we did stop at. But the kayak call was minimal. Pretty, out there, no big boats and lovely. Then we thought we'd check out some other lakes, Irish Lake and Taylor Lake that were supposed to be just a few more miles ahead. On a straight away, a few miles flies by in minutes, on a 4x4 Jeep road, it takes f-o-r-e-v-e-r!! Head-banging, kidney-jolting and neck-wrenching is more like it. For thirty minutes. And was it worth it? Ohhhh yessss! There were no kayaks on this day but the call within me was bursting, I so wanted to get on top of that water and scout the edges for whatever; foliage, critters, birds, a fantastic photo, maybe even a fish skirting underneath me. As it was, we simply enjoyed the peace and quiet. If it weren't for forest service burning, it would have been absolutely perfect. But hey, we all have to get along. There were campgrounds way up there and since it is after Labor Day, kids are back in school, we only came across a few cars. Hunters were setting up camp for the opening day of deer season. We stopped and chatted with a few who were just out walking, rifles slung over their shoulders. You see, we do have mountain lion (open season all year) and black bears in the area. It's just smart unless you want to do a Timothy Treadwell. And even then, he ended up calling for help.

We finally found a great spot to have a tail gate lunch of egg salad sandwiches, our munching being the loudest things we could hear. Every now and then a Douglas squirrel would scold an intruder, a dipping merganzer would call out a hello to a companion or a helicopter-sized blue dragon fly would flit by our noses. Even though there was a prescribed burn going on, it wasn't enough to hide the scent of the forest or fog the beauty of our surroundings. It was refreshing.

And yes, we will stuff the kayaks in the back of the truck and christen those lakes next year.

2010 Family Reunion

The "Girls' Road Trip of 2010" came to a climactic finish. I think we did rather well considering we were in a small vehicle with a 2 year old and a 4 year old coming and going for almost 15 hours both ways. And the fact that mother and daughter were together for six days, everyone survived and we still love each other and we're still on speaking terms; that is a successful adventure!
I had been thinking about this trip for a couple of months so no matter what occurred, I was going, it was important to me to keep family ties together. Just a short while ago Sara had asked if she could come along if the timing were right for all of us. "Of course I would love to have you and the boys come!" Thus the planning began for the reunion of Mom, Mike and Sara--the three of us not having been together at the same time for almost 13 years. Having Evan and Eric with us was simply the icing on the cake.

On the 31st of August, I drove over to Corvallis, Oregon and left my car with Bret so he'd have a vehicle if he needed one. Oh and Bret--thanks for loaning me your little family for the week! I know you missed them and it was terribly quiet around the homestead!

Then on the 1st of September, we headed out of Corvallis at 4:13 a.m towards Butte, Montana. When Sara crept into the boys' room to get them up for the trip, Evan popped up wide awake with, "Are we going to see Uncle Mike???" The truck had been loaded the night before so all we had to do was get dressed, brush our hair, toss the boys in their car seats (still in pajamas), say our goodbyes to Bret and hit the road. Shortly after hitting the highway we just HAD to get some coffee, makes the trip a little more tolerable. I think I've now tasted a fair share of interesting flavors other than my favorite hazelnut latte; toasted marshmallow and then a coconut something or other. Sara was the pilot and grandma was the dropped teddy bear picker upper, blanket fixer and drink cup filler/retriever. Sara's little truck had one of those new modern tvs that pops down from the ceiling (like airplanes) and that was surely a saving grace for the little guys. Sara did play a few "I see something blue" games with Evan. All in all, the boys traveled very well.

We got into Corvallis, Montana that evening around 7:00 p.m. and stayed with my old co-worker and girlfriend, Judy. I've known her since Sara was ten years old...hmmm, that's 18 years now. Thanks, Judy, for letting us spend a night at your place and you finally were able to meet the real kids, they are now more than a picture on your refrigerator! Just before that, we stopped at a restaurant for dinner and were able to have two friends of ours stop in to see us as well. Talk about squeezing in the opportunities!

Thursday morning (9-2-10) we were in Butte by 10:00 a.m. to pick up Michael. Sara had not seen him in 4 years and how they hugged! It warmed this moms' heart to watch that. "Uncle Mike! Uncle Mike!" was hollered in unison when Michael leaned in and finally met his nephews!

Well, he had met Evan when Evan was a tiny baby but he had never seen Eric. Oh how these few moments had made the long way so very worthwhile. I had booked a room for all of us at the Best Western downtown and we headed off for three days of family fun!

Our adventure included a picnic at a fantastic park where the little guys (and the big kids, too) could ride swings, go down slides and roll down a big hill. When we returned to the hotel, we made good use of the indoor swimming pool; the boys loved the water but hung around the steps the first day. By the second day they were wearing their arm floaties and paddling off alone (adults within reach, of course). We all loved it, I hadn't been swimming in years and boy was I out of shape! Sara, Mike and I were having a ball with the kids. Our stay primarily consisted of finding the right places for all of us and we succeeded so that all of us were happy. We were able to take in the view of the Berkeley Mining Pit and read about it's history (in 1917 there was a horrible accident and fire that killed 168 miners, 11 people survived and Kevins' grandfather was one of those!) We also were able to view Evil Knievels' grave site. WHat a visit, incredibly happy just to be together.

How I would do this again. Warm fuzzy feelings. I am so greatful and thankful to God for letting all this come together without any flaws.

And oh how hard it was to leave.

Shoeless and Clueless on The Highway

I have just returned from my last road trip for the 2010 year and I have this recurring question about; Highway Shoes. Hundreds of them. Where do they come from? What was the circumstance that left them sole side up in the middle of the fast lane? And have you ever noticed it's always just ONE? Was it left on the top of the car? Were the kids playing in the backseat and one threw a shoe out the window? There was one that was purposely stuck on some outcropping on a cement center divider wall, toes up. There is no way it could have landed like that. Somebody being funny or bored or a sibling payback when the family stopped at the side of the road for a potty break?
And then it was this trip that I thought about starting a Lost and Found Shoes of Route Whatever. You know, picking them up and posting them on a website, maybe along with all those lost hubcaps you see peeking through the roadside weeds. Yeah well I have better things to do than that, really. I'd never get to where I am going if I did that. It just makes me think about them because I have never lost a shoe on a trip. These aren't little tykes' shoes, they are adult sized shoes. And I bring this up because I thought I was the only one whoever thought about them. Until Sara mentioned it on this trip. So...if there is anyone out there who has ever lost just one shoe, call me. I might have seen it on that scenic route to Butte, a hundred miles from anywhere.

Everybody Loves A Chick

What is cuter than a little bouncing chick? A fluffy, grey and white bouncing chick! Yesterday was another great kayak day and so we loaded the boats up for another adventure, this time over on Wickiup Reservoir just a few miles south of home.

Sunny skies with a few cottony clouds, a gentle breeze, snacks made earlier and our sunscreen and cameras made our trek an easy and sweet one.

We drove to an area of the reservoir that was a connecting river channel between Wickiup and another lake, a great place to begin since it was easy access with the trailer. The area held a small meadow that the Deschutes River meandered through, tall green grasses swayed in the breeze as the red winged black birds hung on for support. Kevin and I had made an attempt at paddling UP the stream and decided rather quickly to abort that idea; the current was a bit stronger than we anticipated. We let the current turn us around and then we were off. There is not a lot of vegetation alongside this portion of channel; it consisted mostly of very sandy soil or round river pebbles, the water was fairly shallow and one could see the bottom 90% of the trip. The pine trees and old aspens hung back along the ridge

line mostly, making it seem almost barren. Still, there were lots of places to pull up on a shoreline and take a brief respite. After first launch, our speed was pretty brisk for 6 or 7 hundred yards, then turned into very calm waters and easy cruising. Lots of land-side fishermen and women casting in to try their luck. We saw quite a few trout underneath us, I could have sworn they looked up and laughed at the beach casters.

The weatherman said it would be close to the 90's and I don't think he was too far off. I was glad I had brought frozen drinks from the night before. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches probably don't sound all that great but after a few hours of heat, exercise and fresh air, they tasted pretty darn good! We had pulled up on a beach where a few aspens and poplars were grouped together to make a great shaded area. And thanks to a beaver from a few years previous, we had a nice fallen tree bench to sit on.

After lunch break was over we hopped back into the kayaks, spying huge bird tracks in the sand as we trudged back down the beach. These turned out to be either a great blue heron or possibly a sand hill crane, both of which frequent the local lakes and reservoirs. "Big Bird" indeed.

Off down the far side of the smooth channel, we coasted around a point that led to a smaller, winding stream. Nooks and crannies are what make the kayaking fun, being able to go into shallow and tight areas that other watercraft cannot. We could see by looking down at the plants waving fronds that there was a strong current coming from around the bend. Paddling around the bend, the water was no deeper than one foot in some places with sharp drop offs leading to 3 and 4 feet deep. Heading around one more bend we heard the roar of a falls, this turned out to sound much bigger than it was. We couldn't paddle all the way up due to several tree stumps placed across the six foot wide creek. Kevin latched onto one of the roots of the stumps, handed his oar back to me and hauled me up next to him so we could both sit there and enjoy the sounds and the view. It wasn't a big falls, probably 2 or 3 feet high at the most, but we were the only people there, no other ugly human sounds to spoil the ear fragrance. Soon we let go, turned ourselves around and floated back out the way we came, letting the stream push and spit us back out into the lake. It was time to head back and we were in no hurry. No appointments, no weather making us fear rain or lightening. It was on the return trip that we stopped at another sandy point to beach and stretch our legs a bit. That was when I heard the distinctive sing-song of either a plover or a killdeer; both of which inhabit the areas and like to roam the waters' edge. I've seen killdeer and I think this was a plover, it was rather small and I thought it was a chick at first. But this bird began it's diversionary dance, the injured/broken wing gig to take us away from its young. That was when I began to look for the chicks and spied movement off to the left of Mother. Little gray fur balls were blowing amongst the beach grasses. They skittered and chirped to mama, all the while they were running they were staying in contact with Mother, never getting outside of earshot. These little grey and white fir balls were hardly bigger than a golf ball with legs on them! And as they would run, every two or three steps they would aim their tail in the air and bounce. I don't know how they ever get away from a predator--other than flying--if they count on their fleeing gait. Step-step-bounce-bounce a grey fluff goes through the reeds.

For those of you who are curious and smart: where did I get the photo of the plover chick if I didn't have my camera? I would like to thank Chris Thody of the Tern and Plover Conservation

Partnership (Wayne Hathaway photographer) for granting permission to use this image.

Summer Fun and Visits

When summer was first arriving here in Central Oregon (and that's how it is always described by other writers and those of note) I was pretty sure that it was going to pass me by without my having had one adventure or family get-together before fall and winter set in again.
How wonderfully wrong I was! We have had the pleasure of my daughter and grandsons' visits several times and the last one we all shared the visit with my brother and sister-in-law Cathie, who came up from Rio Vista, California. Lots of firsts at this mini family reunion and so much fun. Cathy celebrated her second year cancer free with a jump into a kayak on the water, as well as my brother Pat, the "Oh I'm not getting in one of those things" brother. Not only did they man the boats, but Sara and I did as well with each one of us hosting one of the boys. We didn't venture far from the shore line but just enough to give Evan and Eric the excitement of kayaking--they loved it! The BoyZ were so busy this time that they totally forgot about..THE MOUND. That's good, because when they come next week they'll be able to get down and dirty, jump in the pool and slide down on the park set, too. I am hoping this warm streak stays through for the next visit. Sara is going to go hiking for one of the days so the BoyZ will have Beema and Kpaw all to themselves. Or is it the other way around? Kpaw is excited to have the little guys, too, I can tell when he starts to talk like this;

"Ay, maties, we'll be walkin' the plank with ya thar if ya aren't lissnen to yar elders, arrrrghhh!"
Guess I better make sure all the swords are dull and the yard arm is broken so thar won't be no hangins.

Arrrggghhh!

Schumachers' Preserve for Tots and Critters

Here is a shot of the latest project Kevin has been working on; actually, he's been working on this one along with the other projects he's completed this year; Kevin has been quite the busy rascal!
It all began with a swing set for The BoyZ. Who are The BoyZ? Well, Evan and Eric, our favorite grandsons, of course. In anticipation of the first visit where they could actually play outside, Kevin began construction on a huge play set that consists of two swings, a slide and a 'climbing wall'. That swing set now boasts a gigantic black "Captains' Flag" (it is really a pirate flag but Evan and Eric call pirates captains and pics to follow soon).
Out on the other side of the garage is a little boys' dream; a humongous (is that big enough?) dirt mound with plastic shovels and rakes and hoes and even a big yellow Tonka truck. Their mother tells me that long before they pull up into the driveway, Evan and Eric are talking about "playing in the dirt" and going to the park at Kpaw's and Beema's house. It has been so much fun to show the little guys something new every time they come to visit. The last visit Kpaw had a little three-ring pool set up and ready to go. When they boys came in the house, I took Evan over to the dining room window and told him to look outside. "Ohhhhh! A pool, Beema!! It's a pool for me!" The exclamations, the excitement, the absolute happiness of a 3 and 4 year old are priceless joys.
And this is my opportunity to save and savor all of that.
Now, back to our little chippie there. We seem to have two sizes; large and TINY. The big guy is probably about as big as a cell phone and the TINY guy, who's name now is Tiger, is half that size. They scoot and scamper all about the front deck and all over the property looking for the seeds and peanuts that Kevin puts out for the critters. Tiger has burrowed his way under the house somehow and made himself a little home over in the master bedroom corner. I guess we'll leave him there as long as he doesn't chew himself into the house, he's rather warm and protected where he is.
So yesterday as I was standing on the front deck with Kevin, he was enticing Tiger up close by rattling a peanut. Tiger wasted no time coming in for a treat that is almost as big as he is. I stood very still as he came up and took that peanut right out of Kevin's hand, it was just too cute. And off he ran, rattling down the stairs to his secret lair to stash another prize.
Happy summer!

Mothers Day

Mothers Day.

Brings lots of thoughts and lots of memories and a lesson or two...

I learned a long time ago how unimportant many of the days are that society deems crucial to celebrate. When I became a Navy bride in the mid '70's, I learned quickly to appreciate the days and the times I had WHEN I had them. I learned in my first year of Navy bride hood that holidays like Christmas and Easter and Thanksgiving only existed on the calendar. My very first year of marriage there was only my father and me and having just lost my mother eleven days after my wedding, dad and I found that having each other was what counted.
At my age now I don't remember a lot about that time but I do know that where I stand today on the importance of family was outlined in June of 1975.
My husband-to-be came home to California from the Virginia coast shortly before he was to leave on an 8 month Med. cruise. In a two month time span I managed to put together a small wedding event. We were married in the backyard of my childhood home, primarily because my mother couldn't travel anywhere. We stood underneath the tree I had climbed since I was 8 years old and said our "I do's" after dad walked me across the back patio deck that he had built a few years prior. The gathering was small with a few of my cherished friends and family.
We spirited away on our honeymoon (a cabin at Soda Springs donated by one of my best friends' father--thank you Debbie and Colonel Wiley!) and upon our return it was the next day that mom passed away, on my 21st birthday. The day after that my husband left for his long cruise.
I remember simply daily survival and numbness, I don't remember Thanksgiving. I couldn't tell you what we did. I just remember that having my dad around was pretty special.
Christmas came and that brought my husband home as well.
The years went on and as they did holidays would coincide with a mini-cruise, duty nights on the ship or just plain work. The Gub'ment stops for no personal celebrations. We were fortunate enough for daddy to be available when our two children were born; although there was a tentative duty trip for daddy when Number 2 was to arrive. Daddy was headed out for a recruiting session with a young applicant and the parents when #2 woke mommy out of a sound sleep at 4:00 a.m. with back cramps! I took my bath (sheeesh, I even shaved my legs! got my clothes together and drove myself to the hospital). When the nurses said "you're dilating and you're not going home" I called daddy and said, "We're having a baby today!" he canceled his work day. Much easier done on land and out in the boonies than on a very busy ship even in port.
Birthdays came and went, anniversaries come and gone and finally some time around 1995 when the kids were 5 and 6 years old, daddy moved away to Long Beach, California courtesy of U.S. Navy transfer papers. We were living in rural Montana. I stayed behind with the kids in the home we owned and shared my life with other single wives and kids. And believe me, there were quite a few of us. I was a stay-at-home mom and so were my closest friends. We were all the kids had left. So we had dinners at each others' homes, we went on picnics and hikes and celebrated the kids' birthdays the best way we knew how. I remember the Christmas of '95 and the wonders of technology. Our neighbors Terry and Jeannie had loaned us a telephone with speaker capabilities! We would now be able to share our Christmas with daddy long distance! Daddy was able to hear the rustling of ripped papers and the squeals of the kids as they opened their presents and we all were able to share our excitement and via telephone. At least we had that.
That was just one segment of the years of learning that have finally brought me to the place I am now.
The other day my daughter called and wished me happy Mothers Day. It wasn't THE day and she spoke of feeling guilty about not sending a card and that she had been waiting for "a present to come and it wasn't here yet and mom I feel bad". My words to her? "Why on earth would you feel guilty? I get you and the grandsons next weekend! It doesn't matter that it isn't on THE DAY". Besides, I had to work on Mothers Day so I would have been a little sad if they were in the area and I couldn't share that day ON THE DAY that is marked on the calendar. These times make the times I do get to share moments so much more precious.
In my life I have some great mommies I include in my Mommy Circle:
My wonderful mother-in-law Dorothy, my beautiful daughter Sara/mommy of two fabulous boys, my spiritual girlfriend Gracie who is so like me she's the sister I sat next to on the Bus Bench in heaven, my sister-in-law Rhett who I touched base with after a long long lost time and she was my maid of honor and my stepmother Fran who was the only real grandmother my kids ever knew and took over being my friend and mother and Debbie/mother of 5 who was my single wife girlfriend when our husbands were working elsewhere.
These are the people who share my heart and love and I love them. No matter what day it is.