Simply Me

New Space

2010-10-21T20:10:00.000-07:00

Moving to WordPress. Won't you join me? New blog space: here.

What's your message?

2010-09-29T22:31:00.000-07:00

We saw a coyote by the road, near Tiger Lake this morning. I saw a coyote in the exact same spot coming home, late, on Saturday night. Do you think it's a sign of something? Some kind of message? In my Spirits of the Earth book it says, "Coyote is one of the most ancient symbols for most Native tribes. He is often portrayed as either the creator or the trickster. He is full of magic, special powers, and teachings. We learn from the lessons that Coyote gives us about the mistakes and/or accomplishments he has made in life. Depending upon the circumstances or situation in your life, the sign of Coyote is usually a good sign, but beware, it can also be misleading."

Sometimes I'll be inside the house and I catch the sound of coyotes through the window. It's almost always dark outside when I hear them. I like to step outside, into the darkness. And there, in the perfect darkness, I stand as still as possible and let every part of myself LISTEN to the coyotes. Their yips and yowls are full of energy, that much I know. Whether or not they are good sign, or bad, you can't deny that energy.

I can't help but wonder, will I see a coyote in that place along side the road again? And if so, what will I do? What can I do? Is it a sign for me, or for someone else? Or is it just a coyote along side the road?

A taste of Alaska

2010-09-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Alaska was good to me. Cruising was good to me. I've given much thought to traveling via cruise. I'm still skeptical, but, you know what? It was fun. And, a couple weeks past arriving home I'm left with fond memories and missing this-and-that.

Most importantly, going on an Alaskan cruise gave me the experience of visiting Alaska. I cannot fathom not returning, it felt like home up there.

And, the past few days I've been mulling over the feelings of connection to the Inside Passage. Journeying into and through the Inside Passage is not a completely foreign idea to me. I've thoroughly enjoyed various reads of such accounts of adventure.

Standing on the cruise ship everything inside of me felt energized and excited seeing island upon island meeting with the waters inside the Passage. How can one see those islands, see the rugged seashores, and not want to explore further?

I think I likely left part of myself up there, along those rocky sea swept shorelines.

And that feels okay.

If nothing else it gives me fuel to dream about my return to those magical waters.

Sections of the coast

2010-09-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

While waiting for Dom to pick me up from work the other day, I sat studying a map of Olympic National Park. My gaze fell specifically to sections of the coast. It occurred to me I'm quite close to completion of hiking the entirety of the ONP sections of the Washington Coast.

I have four sections left, and, if you want to get technical, I suppose I would need to ford the Ozette River to really complete the whole coast.

Either way, sections left include:
+Point of the Arches to Seafield Creek
+Yellow Banks to Norwegian Memorial
+Chilean Memorial to Hole-in-the-Wall
+Toleak Point to Jefferson Cove

Undoubtedly it seems the most difficult section left is likely the bulk of the southern coast, Toleak to Jefferson. Earlier this year my dad and I made attempt of Oil City to Mosquito Creek. Many people hike this section of the coast (Oil City to La Push is quite popular). For various reasons, this will likely be the hardest section for me to complete.

I wonder, shall I make completion a goal? In the next year? Or can I knock of at least three of these sections in the coming winter?

Should I finish with the southern section? Or would another section lend itself better to such a memory?

And, all the while I can't help but think hiking the entire coast as a thru hike would be pretty awesome too. Such daydreams do fill my mind.

Books

2010-09-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

Beluga Cafe, by Jim Nollman, was a good read. I would recommend.

And, although I'm not yet done, I would also recommend Yvon Chouinard's Let My People Go Surfing.

Good words, good reads.

Running

2010-08-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

This morning there were sheriffs radaring in the speed zones near our house. I had to slow down. Thankfully, I wasn't going more than 5-10 over the speed limit. As we rounded a particularly sharp corner I saw a black truck come swerving up behind us, nearly out of control. I thought, "He must be running from the cops." And, he was. He proceeded to pass me, and speed off. Behind me, lights from a sheriff. I pulled over. The sheriff sped by. A chase.

A half mile or so further, we came upon the sheriff with his gun drawn. The guy, hands behind his head, on his knees, facing away from the cop. Man, this kind of stuff really does happen. Right here. Right now.

I wonder why he was running? I couldn't help but think he must be running from something more severe than speeding ticket. But who knows. We all run in our lives, from time to time, don't we? Not necessarily from the law, but maybe from fear, from other people, from uncomfortable situations - from a wide variety of things. I know I have run from time to time. I know I still run from time to time. Fear is such a powerful motivator, possibly a motivator of debilitation?

Yet, just like we witnessed this morning, eventually the chase will likely end. The running must stop. The road, in one way or another, becomes too curvy, too narrow or lacks any viable escape. And so, we do stop. We come face to face with what we fear, with the reality of consequences, or possibly with the truth we knew all along.

. . .

I can't help but think, maybe instead of running from, we should be running for? If we can realize we are running, maybe there is power in that very awareness to change the cycle from a negative to a positive. If we can't solve everything today (if we must keep running), and if we manage to avoid fate coming in an and making us stop (like a sheriff pulling us over), what if we start running for? For freedom, for happiness, for life. Run towards good, instead of away from bad. Or is that just a silly thought?

I don't know. I'm reminded of Yann Martel's Life of Pi. If we have to chose, we might as well chose the positive and hopeful, right?

You have the map you need

2010-07-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

"Take control of your decisions today, Kelsie. People might often like to tell you what direction to take and what choice is best for you, but ultimately, you are the person who knows best. Stop looking to others for guidance about your life and start finding those solutions within yourself. You already know the answer. You have the map you need tucked away in your back pocket. Pull it out and use it."

When did horoscopes get so smart?

Paper Cut on the Eye

2010-07-26T19:50:00.001-07:00

Yeah, no joke. I just flipped a map corner into my eye. Painful.

But that isn't what I want to write about. Dom and I stopped at the bike shop today. I think he found a bike to purchase! I'm so excited to have his company while biking! As we were finishing up with the sales guy a young girl walked up to me and asked, "Are you the owner of the Subaru?"

"Yes," I replied.

She proceeded to tell me she'd just hit my car. I felt a sinking heavy feeling in my stomach. We went outside. Next to me was a huge blue truck. But that wasn't her vehicle, rather, she drove a Subaru too. Where did she hit me? Near the back of my car. I didn't even see it. She had to point it out. I was in somewhat of a shocked state, literally. I really didn't know what to do. Dom knew this and offered it was my vehicle, but if it was his he'd just say, "Bah! It's fine!" But, that didn't seem like the "right" thing to do.

What was the right thing to do? I felt shaky. The young gal's father, likely sensing my own uncertain state, offered, "Why don't we go ahead and exchange insurance information?" Yes, I guess that sounded appropriate. I think, even at that point, I knew I wasn't going to "fix" this or make a big deal out of it. But, what if I didn't get their information? Did that mean I didn't care about my car? And, if I don't care about my car - well, that must look bad, right? Yes, let me get your insurance information. I fumbled through jotting down her contact information and awkwardly said thank you.

After leaving the bike shop I drove somewhat aimlessly through Silverdale. All I could do was question my own actions. Did I do the right thing? Did it really matter? Why had I taken down her information to begin with? I wished I would have just told her not to worry about it, but for some reason that didn't feel like the right thing to do, at least not at that time.

We stopped at Barnes & Noble. I browsed some books and looked through a few magazines. Books are always calming. Back out at the car, Dom sensing I just felt "off" encouraged me to call her. I did. Still feeling shaky, I left a message telling her not to worry about it, that she didn't need to call her insurance company and that I did not plant to get the scrape "fixed".

Afterward I did feel better, hoping in turn she would feel better. Upon arriving home I had a voice mail. It was from the young girl. She thanked me for my message. She apologized if she, "was a bit shaky" - explaining she was absolutely mortified and had never had anything like this happen.

Me too! I felt the same way!

I wish I could have brought myself to the present moment then and realized we both felt the same way. It's a good reminder that sometimes, when I feel completely out of whack, possibly someone else does too. And, if I can focus on that - I can likely alleviate my own feelings of anxiety and worry.

And, seriously, you REALLY have to look for the scrape. A scrape. Life is full them, right? Get up and move on.

Mahalo Moloka'i

2010-07-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

Back to the Pacific Northwest. As we flew into Portland Sunday morning we were high over the cloud bank. Below, a swirl of clouds - gaining warmth with the rising sun. As we descended into the clouds, into the grey, everything felt heavy. I immediately missed the sunshine and the vibrant colors of Hawaii. Home felt positively grey!

On the drive back to Belfair we spoke of the concept of home. We spoke of dreams. We pondered life purposes and pathways.

Home. Where is home?

I love the Olympic Peninsula. It is a fierce love, one that impacts my every waking moment. I long for the steep ascents into the rugged wonder of the Olympic mountains, I daydream fondly of the Pacific Ocean and the expanse of black basalt seastacks that dot the wild Washington coast.

Home will always be the Olympic Peninsula. It has captivated my heart and mind, it fuels my soul.

But, sunshine. Wow! The consistency of the sunshine in Hawaii is like having smiles rain from the sky. I daresay I had not really experienced "sun" until Hawaii. Sure, we have nice sunny days - many bright sunny beautiful days. We get sweltering spells where the heat is oh-too-much! But, constant, reliable sunshine? What a concept.

It was a concept I liked. A lot.

I experienced much while on Moloka'i. Although I traveled with Dom and his fantastic parents, it often felt a very personal and independent trip for me. Lots of thinking. Lots of BEing.

In my mind, I've never given much thought to visiting (or liking) tropical places. Plagued with longstanding self-image insecurities I'd be much more comfortable layering on clothes and braving the coldest of winters in Alaska.

Well, that is what I thought. Prior to Hawaii I found myself worrying about silly things like: What will I wear!? How will I do my hair? I owned a bathing suit I'd never once worn. I had maybe two pairs of shorts. Tank tops? One or two. And so, before leaving I stressed a tad trying to find "outfits" that would be better suited for the heat. I courageously bought not one, but two, dresses, new bathing suits, and several new sleeveless shirts. At home I dug out a never worn, but always liked, hiking skirt. Tank tops that I didn't even remember I had.

Aside from not really enjoying shopping, I packed my bags for Hawaii feeling pretty successful. Now I just had to wear this stuff.

I left Portland wearing capris and a T-shirt. I came back wearing a sleeveless dress.

In Hawaii, surround by the warmth of the sun and rejuvenated by the vibrant colors and sounds of singing birds - I let go. I wore things I would never wear at home, or at least not out in public. I quit worrying about my hair and wore it in braids daily. I did not put makeup on once. And, most importantly all of this felt okay, natural, and good. I felt pretty, alive and at peace with myself.

My smile was big.
My heart felt full.
I felt a deep connection to the land. To the earth beneath my feet.

Leaving Moloka'i was hard. I was sad to depart, and I felt uncertain of when I'd be able to return. But return I will. Visiting Hawaii opened a door for me - a manifestation of a quiet voice that sings: "Travel while you can! Explore! Adventure! Live!" And, that voice - quietly consistent for many years, just got a little bit louder.

Kindness

2010-06-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

After five years a neighbor who was unkind apologizes. I'm touched. This is what it's all about. Let's get along and be friendly. That community I want? It starts here. And, there is no better time than now.

My High Horse

2010-06-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

I read this great post dealing with keeping secrets as secrets, among other things. I often struggle to give words to those very feelings. I think the author of that post sums it up quite well, when he says: "a secret" stops being "a secret" when EVERYone knows about it.

I believe I know exactly what stretch of beach the author is referring to. I've seen what an offhanded remark about that location can do. A simple, "I went here last weekend," to a friend or family member turns into you, you, and you are now going there? Regularly? And telling others about it!? Oh no. Not cool.

I'd like to believe my own actions don't add to the overuse of any one location. I keep a tight lip.

I'd like to believe we CAN make a difference by being aware of what information we put out there - be it by word of mouth or written words on the internet. It's fun to share pictures from hard-to-reach locations or write about the trail from hell that leads to the ideal spot: but at what cost? Is our gain enough to open doors to possible destruction of these locations?

I don't think it is.
Deep down in my heart I always go back to that, no matter how positive I'm feeling about others actions and behaviors.

If I could protect the entire Olympic Peninsula in a big safe bubble I would.
The entire peninsula.
I want to protect it.

Does that mean I cannot share pictures from my hikes?
Does that mean I should not write up trip reports to publish for family and friends?
Who should and shouldn't I be hiking with?
Who is it safe to share information with?

Where is the line?
How do I/we find balance?

I know there is importance in bringing awareness to causes.
I know we need leaders and strong voices to keep wilderness safe.
I know we need to grow the next generations into stewards of the environment, for the environment.
I know to love a place you need to know that place, or at least be aware of it.

So, I ask - where is the balance?
Should people that open their mouths about "secret" places be chastised?
Should I feel overwhelming disheartened when secret places become not-so-secret?
I know the wilderness is not mine.
But I do love it and I do want to protect it.
This might not be a popular high horse, but it's my horse.
I've been riding it a while, and I think, for me, it is my truth.

4 months to 30

2010-06-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Taking a moment to check-in, looking back at my list of 29 to-dos for my 29th year. Where am I at? Is the list attainable? Are revisions necessary? 30 seems to be approaching quickly.

The Wonderland Trail. I had high hopes for the Wonderland in 2010. I'd still very much like to round Mount Rainier, but I don't think this will be attainable in 2010. Therefore ~~Hike the Wonderland Trail.~~

Hike as much as possible. Yes.

Alaska Cruise. Still on for August.

Sell my art/photography. While I could definitely be putting more energy into this endeavor, I will have a photo for sale at this weekend's Edmonds Art Festival juried gallery. It's an honor to have a photograph selected for the gallery, even if it doesn't sell.

Shoot another wedding. Done! This past weekend for our friends Nicole & Kelly. Pictures to share, after they get back from their honeymoon and have had opportunity to see them first.

Enter more photo contests. I have entered several this year, and I have several more I would like to enter.

Ride a horse. I might do this in Alaska. I DEFINITELY would have gone on the mule ride on Molokai next month if the trail down to KLalaupapa hadn't washed out. Pretty bummed about that.

Go kayaking. Also thinking of doing this in Alaska.

See a Broadway play. Haven't done this yet. Mel, still game?

Volunteer on a WTA Trail Crew. Have not done.

Shoot waterfalls in the Columbia Gorge. I did this late 2009, but would welcome another opportunity for more serious shooting in that area.

Visit Canada. While I will finally set foot in Canada when I'm coming back from Alaska, I would like to visit Vancouver Island or even mainland BC.

Take Dom on a romantic getaway. The Beam Cabin was romantic. So was Seabrook this past weekend. I won a free getaway to Leavenworth from WA State Tourism earlier this year. I need to plan that getaway!

Host more game nights. While we have not "officially" hosted a game night w/our game group, we have had friends over for games on several occasions.

Dinner parties for friends/family. Done, and will continue to do.

Play more disc golf. I joined my brother and dad for disc golf last month. Gosh, I'm terrible at it!

Get more ducks. Done! Acquired two new males, one is a black runner the other a black runner-muscovy.

Establish connections and sell more eggs. Been slacking on this lately, but earlier this year I was selling a dozen or two eggs per week.

Be festive over the holidays. Dom's parents invited me to decorate my own Christmas stocking over Christmas. Yay!

Read more books. I haven't done a very good job of this, but the year isn't over.

Freelance design work. Both Dom and I have been busy with this. We've got another job opportunity on the horizon, it's exciting.

Go to a festival. Well, this weekend I will be attending the Edmonds Art Festival. I think I had Folklife, or similar, in mind when I noted this goal, however. Didn't get to Folklife this year.

Go to the zoo. Have not done.

Revise "Where to Next?" and publish a follow up book. Done! I published "Where to Next? A Collection of Hiking Memories 2007-2009" this past Christmas.

Complete book project with my Mom. Have not done this.

Visit and ecovillage. Have not done this.

Adventure to somewhere completely new. Yes!*

Be healthy, in all ways. This goal is never complete, and there is always room for improvement. I did get my bike tuned up, and have been out biking since. I've used my treadmill way more than once. I've gone hiking/backpacking every opportunity I can. I think a major stride for this goal was when my office moved downtown. I attempt to walk the stairs, at minimum, once a day. When my work schedule allows I always walk on my lunch breaks. These day-to-day improvements have definitely added an overall sense of health. I recently had extensive food allergy testing done, and need to focus on making changes with those results in hand.

*When I wrote, "Adventure somewhere completely new" - I hoped for just that, even though I had no idea where that "new" would be. As if to further prove to myself if you throw an idea out there, put some energy behind it, and just believe things CAN and WILL happen: next month Dom and I are going to Hawaii. I never would have guessed I'd be going to Hawaii this year, or any year. But, in less than a month, I'll be doing just that. As departure grows nearer, I find myself more and more excited. This is all kinds of new for me, and that is good.

Challenges, Rewards

2010-06-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Well, the ocean was muddy. And wet. And popular. We were ready for mud. We suspected rain. The crowds were not anticipated, and ultimately caused us to change our plans, 2.5 miles into our trip.

Past the sandy flatness of Ocean shores, past the ever-popular stretches of beach at Kalaloch and Ruby, lie the beginnings of the southern WA coast. The trail starts on the north side of the mouth of the Hoh River. At Oil City. I saw no "city" at Oil City. There was roaming livestock however. And a small parking lot at the trail head. Be prepared for mud. Gaiters are a must. The first creek crossing will tell you if your boots are going to leak (mine are leaking again).

Pay attention to tides. Diamond Rock requires a 2 foot or lower tide to pass. We rounded about an hour past a -1.8 low. Plenty of room, but still a chore to navigate in and out of the big rocks. Jefferson Cove. High clay banks. Landslides and downed trees. Where would one camp in the Cove? We passed a group of seven taking a break near a small creek. We hurried on, wanting to give ourselves some time to climb the headland at a reasonable pace. Where was the overland route? Our eyes inspecting the cliffside. Our feet pounding the sand. Ah, there is the rope ladder. Do you see it? It's easy to miss from afar.

And, it goes straight up. Other than the Goodman Creek overland south of Toleak, this is the BEST rope ladder I've seen. My goodness, it's going to be a chore to climb this one. And it was, even more so with a full pack strapped to my back. Atop the second ladder we paused to let a group of three go down. They looked like they had been wallowing in mud for miles.

Likely becuase they had. 3.5 miles to Mosquito Creek, and they said: all mud. Complete mud. I asked, "How is the ford at Mosquito?" Big eyes, one of the guys replied, "Deep," pointing to his waist. He was a tall guy. Swift? Yes.

Hmm. Although on a noted mad dash to try and beat the tide around Diamond Rock, they took a final moment to inform us there was a big group of 20+ ahead of us on the trail. Twenty plus? What the!? They were set to camp at Mosquito. Would there be any room for us?

Hmm. And so we took pause, weighing the options. With another muddy ladder waiting for us, we decided to let the group of seven go first. They were headed to Third Beach, so any decision about "turning around" was not an option for them. Their decision was already made. But ours? Well, we had some flexibility.

With regret, we decided to bag Mosquito Creek, at least this time. But, first, we had to navigate back down the ladders. Going down was increasingly more difficult. The only way was to attempt to hug the ladder and slide down. Rung by rung, inch by inch. Mud by mud. It felt good when my feet finally touched the sand.

Our "plan" was to wait for the second low to re-round Diamond Rock. Taking a break on a log, we discovered our plan would result in failure. The second low was too high for us to round the rocks. It was now, or spend the night in Jefferson Cove.

And so, we beat feet. In every literal way. With adrenaline pumping, I couldn't help but think of how stupid this new plan was. This is the kind of plan that gets people in trouble. Thankfully that was not the case. Rock by rock we worked our way south. Along the way, a couple holding coolers. Coolers!? They said they were aware they were "pushing" the incoming tide. Past the bulk of the rocks, a second couple, part of the group of 20+. They were lolly-gagging along, taking pictures and just standing around! Weren't they aware of the incoming tide? They had better hurry!

Back at the mouth of Hoh we took a quick break. What a crazy walk that had been. But, we'd made it. No reason to hurry we lolly-gagged our way back to the parking lot. More cars. More groups getting ready to head out.

The weekend wasn't a total bust. Before heading north, we visited the Hoh Indian Reservation. Although there is definitely access to the coast from the reservation, we didn't feel welcomed to explore. North to Norwegian. Salvaging the "trip" we made a quick jaunt out to a favorite spot to watch a glorious sunset. The next day we awoke to rain. With no end in sight, we decided to head out a day early.

So, the southern coast, is, without a doubt wild. It's going to be a challenge getting to know this stretch of coast. But, I look forward to it. Often it seems, the bigger the challenge the larger the reward.

Holiday Weekend

2010-05-25T20:58:00.000-07:00

Up until yesterday I had every intention of being home this coming holiday weekend. But then, Dom being supportive of my never ending desire to go hiking and backpacking (it really doesn't end, no joke), encouraged me to plan a trip. I had a handful of 'but this' and 'but that' - but, with a smile, he told me to just make it happen. To go have some fun.

On the hunt for a location there were several factors at play. Most significant, the seemingly low snow levels. Consistent snow is still being found around 4000 feet. You can't go too many places in the Olympics without reaching 4000 feet pretty quick. Granted there are the rivers and lower elevation destinations, but, another significant factor: it's a holiday weekend. THE holiday weekend that kicks off the return of camping and outdoor recreation for lots of folks. Go-to places like Cape Alava or Sand Point are back to reservation-required status starting this next weekend. I'm sure it will be packed out there. Many campgrounds open this weekend. The Hoh, the Elwha and even more distant locations like Lewis River by Mount Adams or anything along the Columbia will likely be somewhat zoo-like this weekend. With that in mind, those places aren't really an option.

Ultimately, I settled on the coast. But instead of familiar standbys, someplace new along the southern coast. Now, I just hope everyone else doesn't have have the same idea.

Time to pack. Time to apologize to friends for my absence this weekend at get togethers. Time to get ready for a new coastal adventure.

Worthy

2010-05-19T16:00:00.000-07:00

This morning on NPR there was a piece how cell phones are helping Pakistani women learn to read. I enjoyed hearing them speaking Punjabi. It's like music to my ears.

Then, a touching piece about brick-making in Pakistan. I'm not sure why the story touched me so but I think it stemmed from an 18 year old saying: at 18 he is what he will be. There is no dreaming of what could be, no hoping for education, because, he says, his parents are too poor. But, the reporter noted, this young man firmly believes in the dignity of his labor. He is happy because he is a builder of the nation, he is happy because his work lets Pakistan develop.

Brick-making is one of the oldest industries in the world and there are an estimated 3 million brick workers in Pakistan alone. Children are growing up doing this work. It is a lifestyle, a trade, passed down through generations.

I can't imagine how backbreaking this work must be. But, I feel inspired by that 18 year old's sense of dignity, his sense of purpose.

Soar

2010-05-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

Four eagles.
In the air.
Over the bridge.
They soar, in a circular pattern.
Rising without even moving their wings.
A practiced action with known outcome.
Around and around.
Higher and higher.

Good Books

2010-05-11T22:26:00.000-07:00

The other day I started reading Ghost Walker by R. D. Lawrence, his study of the mountain lion (cougar, puma, etc). Lawrence also wrote Paddy, a true story of raising a baby beaver in the Canadian wilderness. I think fondly of that book, quite often. Lawrence's writing style roped me in then, and he's doing it again in Ghost Walker. It's not just a book. And I suspect a great many, and more likely all, of his books are written in similar fashion. His passion is contagious. His writing is very real. His writing brings you THERE, with him.

As I was pondering, yet again, how it seems books appear at just the right times (even if they've been in reach, on the shelf, for years) - I realized, the next time someone asks me, "Who are your favorite authors?" I can reply, with certainty, "R. D. Lawrence!"

New Office

2010-04-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

Sunny all day. Now the wind blows. I took a walk at lunch today. I will enjoy walking around here. In the city. I walked down to Evergreen park. The birds singing. Squirrels scampering. Saltwater air. Gentle breeze making small waves. Up the hill. Admiring the inspiring urban gardens and designs. Feels like, summer. Feels like, a day for a BBQ.

I count the steps up to the 6th floor. 120. I'm really excited about the stairwell. In rain, cold or crappy weather I can walk the stairs. Currently they wind me. But soon my lungs will adjust. The stairs. The bridges. More movement. Already this office wins.

And the view. Well, shucks. I got my Olympics view back. Back and improved. All day, just a glance out the window.

Rain on the horizon. Now. Almost time to go. I have an office. An office that feels good. Still hasn't sunk in, but this is exciting.

On Biffing Out and Making Flash Work

2010-03-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

Last night I biffed out. I nearly knocked the wind out of myself it was such a good fall. I landed on my left hip. Today I'm sporting bruises that look like some of the stuff I've seen (proudly) displayed by roller derby chicks. Have you ever knocked the wind out of yourself? I think I nearly did that last night, and it made me think of those times on the swing set where we'd swing really high, really fast and then, at the last minute on the up-swing we'd fly from the swing and try to land on our feet. More than once I knocked the wind out of myself that way. I can remember doing that in my parent's backyard.

Well, last night Dom asked me to come outside and take pictures of the baby chicks hatching from their eggs! I was slightly reluctant about going out (for no particular reason but maybe I subconsciously knew I was going to fall!?). It was pretty dark out last night. I stopped to take a 'night shot' of the shed. Then, noting Dom was already in the shed, waiting for me, I attempted to hurry into the shed.

Unfortunately, a huge log round met my right shin. I fell with pretty awesome force. My left hip and then chest SMACKing into the log while the underside of my left forearm met with the gravel driveway. Holycrap. That hurt. My right arm was extended up in the air, an attempt to save my camera. After a few stunned moments and hugs from Dom, I ventured into the shed wondering if I'd totally whacked my back out of alignment.

I think I'm okay.
Other than a super-bruised hip.
Stupid log.

In other news: I spent a great deal of time today attempting to make a Flash application work. Do you know when you finally get something to work, but you're not quite certain how it's working? Well, I kind of feel like that. I've created enough Flash animations at this point to understand how that works and how to recreate with success.

But, today's Flash animation need to link TO a new URL. I quickly discovered I could not do this with a simple HTML anchor element. Thank goodness for online tutorials (some of which contain correct information). I eventually got it to work but don't ask me the specifics on how. Guess what I'll continue learning more about!?

Below is the application. I used to have these images changing only with browser refresh. Clicking on the animated flash on the City's site opens the City's event calendar (which I'm hoping to replace with a much improved Google Calendar soon) in the same window (this doesn't work here, I'm sure I'll figure out why sooner than later).

Through the Years

2010-02-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

Is who you are now who you want to be now
Or are you someone you don't wanna be?
Is what you wanted what you really wanted
Or is it nothing like you dreamed?
-Mason Jennings, The Tourist

We recently rewatched the Curious Case of Benjamin Button. There is that part in the movie, towards the end, when he's giving advice to his daughter by his written word...about how if you wake up one day and realize it's all wrong, may you have the courage to start over. I find the very idea of starting over somewhat scary. I suppose part of me also feels a sense of failure when thinking about starting over, as though, I wasn't able to see something through to the end or not willing to "stick with it" and keep going.

But, life is, in reality, pretty short. More and more I find myself feeling restless and unsure. I'm comfortable and quite happy overall, but, well, there is a but. I want more. I want to be doing more, or doing something different - I haven't quite decided which it is. Often I think about the mark I will leave. I think about, and question, what is the purpose of MY life. I believe on the day-to-day basis I'm able to touch others with kindness, and while I know this is good, is it enough? Am I doing enough or should I be striving to doing something more grand?

I know things now that I did not know five years ago. Like, I got a steal of a deal on my property. But, I wasn't prepared to develop the property on my own, nor was I knowledgeable about building techniques, natural or otherwise. And, while my choice to go with a manufactured home wasn't a bad, or extremely expensive one, it is the manufactured home that makes up the majority of my mortgage. When I was 25 it wasn't in my mind to build my own home, or live in a temporary shelter for X amount of years so I could own my land outright. And, even if it had been in my mind - would I have walked that path alone?

Fast forward about five years. I now have a partner that knows a great deal about these things. Is now the time to walk that path? Are we meant to walk this path together, as one? The two of us could, very likely, pay off the mortgage on the current property. But, would that be a wise choice? Or something five years from now we'd look back on and think, "If I only knew then what I know now." New land isn't being made, either. Both of our hearts yearn for property on the Olympic Peninsula.

So, is who you are now, who you want to be now - or are you someone you don't wanna be? Is what you wanted, what you really wanted, or is it nothing like you dreamed?

To Build

2010-02-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

Dom wants me to build things. In our relationship thus far my help with building has been somewhat limited. It is not that I don’t want to build things, I am in no way adverse to the idea of building. On the contrary, I derive much pleasure from looking through building books, poking around online or just daydreaming about quirky structures one could erect. But in practice? I am not a builder, yet.

In lieu of a rambling commentary exploring the root of why I feel overwhelmed by the actual DOing of building, I will share just a few of the awesome and inspiring sites I found while trying to find building opportunities/resources and workshops in the Pacific Northwest.

Mud Girls

White Oak Farm & Education Center, Oregon

House Alive!

Ancient Earth School of Natural Building

Hobbit Homes

O.U.R. Ecovillage, Victoria BC

Yarrow Ecovillage Yarrow BC

Bullock's Permaculture Homestead Orcas Island WA

SunRay Kelley, Natural Builder

Natural Building Network

Cobworks.com

Kleiwerks

You big stinking liar!

2010-02-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

Remember the story of Stinky Feet? Maybe you don't. Maybe I never wrote the story of Stinky Feet on here, but I did write about her on Flickr here. So it seems like we've had Stinky Feet for a long while now. Long enough to know she's kind of annoying, bossy and for about the last month I questioned her gender. It all started with her attempting to mate young chickens. Then a duck. Yes, a duck. What was her deal? Was she just trying to show dominance? Does she have a Napoleon complex? While she is a pretty bird, and I've grown relatively used to having her around (bossy ways and all) I can't help but look at her and feel the urge to kick her. Now I've never done this, and nor would I, but just look at her. Doesn't she look like a funny looking soccer ball or something?

So for about a month I've been keeping my eye on Stinky Feet. I daresay I've been waiting for her to crow and reveal herself. And, you know what happened? The other day sHE did. That's right, silly snobby Stinky Feet is a ROOSTER.

As plain as day, I watched HIM crow. Not once, not twice, but three times in a row. My mouth dropped! I slid the back door open in a hurry, "Dom! Dom! Stinky Feet is a rooster!!"

I suppose we should have came to this conclusion months ago. Stinky Feet is a bantam cochin. Bantams lay smaller eggs. We hadn't seem smaller eggs until our recent addition of additional bantam hens. No eggs? No hen.

This morning I was awoken around 5AM to a persistent crowing. One, two, three, oh man, I lost count. I do believe it was Stinky Feet. sHE might not be long for this world. Might have to boot her right out to "freezer camp".

Oh my gosh there is mold on the wall, the house is falling apart.

2010-01-27T22:04:00.000-08:00

Well, not really. But there was indeed mold on the bathroom wall, the wall on the backside of the shower. Dom (bless his heart) calmly pulled up the carpet and we determined the whole house (okay, okay, just one bathroom wall) is not falling apart. It's not even wet. So, the conclusion? The caulking around the shower drain isn't perfect. First step? Let the shower dry out and then re-caulk. I recently took on another re-caulking effort in the kitchen, I'm ready for more.

Why do little things seem so big sometimes? What fear is behind my thinking of "everything" being wrong when one little thing MIGHT be wrong? Plus, stuff happens in houses. It's easy for me to recall first moving into my house, four years ago. It was new, clean, and about as "perfect" as it will ever get. Sometimes, I forget time has passed and the home has been lived in. Sometimes I find myself thinking things, like, "Well, if you ever want to sell this you had better keep it as perfect as you can." But how can you live in a home and keep it perfect? Oh, I'm sure some people do, I know they do - but do they have chicken poop and mud in their backyard? What lifestyle do I want to live? I enjoy the chicken poop and mud (or at least the reasons behind it). The dirt, the "un-perfect" (no matter what form that takes), comes with the territory. At least for now.

Once again the lesson presents itself: let go of "perfect" and be happy with now.
When will I finally learn that lesson?
Let the fear go.
Live for now.
Be here now.

New Chickens, New Names

2010-01-19T16:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we rehomed two roosters and two male ducks back to the woman who originally gave us the ducks. They are freezer-bound. I gave pause over seeing "Hoody" our fast-growing rooster go, he sure was big. Possibly he could have replaced our main cuckoo-maran rooster, for size-alone. But our cuckoo-maran is a relatively nice and I've grown used to his crow. Plus, we finally named him, well, kind of. I think he named himself. Adolf. This name stems from his awkward walk. I'm hoping he's okay, I speculate his high-formation-step has something to do with his spurs? Or maybe he's just odd? Again, I'm hoping something isn't wrong with him. Until then, the name fits. Welcome newly-named rooster, Adolf. We also said goodbye to our "mystery" chick. When ordering chicks from hatcheries, they often throw in a "mystery" chick. Undoubtedly it seems this chick always ends up being a rooster, or such is likely the case with our recent "mystery". The chick looked similar to a white Americana rooster we had last year, and though we did not see him crow, I think his size alone fit the "it's a rooster" checklist. This poor chick had no friends, all the other chickens pecked off his tail feathers. Pecked his rump to a near bloody pulp. Poor guy. And, we said goodbye to two male ducks. Next month we will say goodbye to at least two more, for a co-worker's Chinese New Year celebration meal.

All these goodbyes! But we did say some hellos - specifically to four new chickens, all of which are bantams and only one of which is a rooster. The duck-lady's son begged us to take his bantam rooster, Gomer. I met Gomer last night, and I've got to say, he's one handsome looking bird. We also acquired a beautiful grey bantam hen who is just lovely. Two other black bantams, one of which is frizzle-feathered and wild looking. I'm hoping they will get along with all the other birds.

We introduced them as darkness fell last night, but there was enough light to allow for some drama. Once in the coop one of our giant white cochins came over to inspect the new arrivals, specifically Gomer. She pecked at his comb, which brought out the fight in the little guy. In no time Adolf was high-stepping his way over to the commotion. After a few head shots on both the boys' parts, the crow-war started. And, all Dom and I could do was laugh. We thought Silkie sounded funny!? I think Gomer has him beat.

On a side-note, this whole time Silkie was peacefully sitting across the coop. Minding his own business. Not making a ruckus. La la la!

Soup

2010-01-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Last night I made soup. That's right, me, Kelsie. Not from a can either! No, I bought ingredients to acutally MAKE soup. And you know what, it turned out pretty good. What kind? It was a chicken noodle soup with parsnips. Even more exciting than that is discovering how awesome parsnips are! Why haven't I had them before? First cut and I caught a whiff of their earthy scent, all I could think was, "Oh we are going to have to grow these this year!" Sweet potatoes now parsnips. Root veggies are seriously good. Next on the list? Maybe something with turnips? Beets?

Here is the soup recipe, courtesy of myrecipes.com (image by Melanie Acevedo):

Chicken Noodle Soup with Parsnips and Dill
1 1/2 quarts canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
4 parsnips, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3)
1 cup wide egg noodles (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1. In a large pot, combine the broth, onion, carrots, parsnips, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken breasts to the pot and simmer until just done, about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken; bring the soup back to a simmer. When the chicken breasts are cool enough to handle, cut them into bite-size pieces.

2. Meanwhile, stir the noodles into the soup. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the noodles are done, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken pieces to the pot and then stir in the dill and the parsley.

I used regular chicken broth (instead of low-sodium) as that is what was on sale, chicken thighs instead of breasts, added three cloves of minced garlic, and used at least two cups of thin egg noodles (might want to add more liquid next time if using more noodles).

Homeward Bound

2010-01-13T07:30:00.000-08:00

Last night, I stopped to get the mail. A slight wind was rustling the tree tops. The sky was nearly dark. I smiled. No matter what we want for our future, I do like where we are at now. I spotted Bobaloo. He's hesitant around me unless I'm in my car. I get back in the car, "Bobsy, Bobsy," I have a nickname for a neighbor's dog. I love seeing Bobaloo. He always puts a smile on my face. Sadly, no treats to give him today. I roll the window down, "Come on! Let's get outta the road!" I call after Bobaloo. He follows me, in Great Dane-trot. The other neighbor's house is dark, but all of a sudden I hear a very vocal, "Maaa" coming from the goats. I laugh out loud as the "Meee's" and "Maaa's" grow quieter. In my rear-view mirror I see the white of Bobaloo's chest as he gallops along behind my car. He stops at the same place on the road each time, I've never seen him venture beyond that point. At home I hear our roosters. Mostly Silkie who's crow is unquestionably off. Every now and then I catch the sound of our neighbor's rooster and "Baaa's" from their sheep. Home, yes.

the greenhorns

2009-12-17T10:54:00.000-08:00

Saw this over at Cold Antler Farm. I hadn't hear about this, but it's inspiring and worth sharing!

Gazzam Lake Wildlife Preserve

2009-12-10T18:21:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I discovered a lovely trail at Gazzam Lake Park Wildlife Preserve on Bainbridge Island. Now, I'll be honest with you, I had no idea Gazzam Lake even existed. I happened to see a small recreation sign pointing the way and though, "Okay, I'm game." It turned out to be a wise decision, as I found an awesome little trail that leads directly to Puget Sound's salty edge.

Gazzam Lake Park and Wildlife Preserve includes about 445 acres! The park has an extensive trail system, which has been mapped out on Google. Pretty cool!

I found myself at the Marshall Road parking area, which is a fairly small parking lot, located on the west side of Bainbridge Island. Past a locked white gate I encountered a trail intersection: Gazzam Lake or Close Property. Without a map on the reader board, I chanced it and headed down the Close Property Trail. Per the above linked map it appears the Close Property trail is about 0.66 miles one way. What I really liked about this trail was it had a nice drop down to the shoreline, which in my book equals exercise! The elevation difference on the trail is about 386 feet. Not bad for a on-a-whim jaunt.

Start of the Close Property trail

The path wanders through both deciduous and coniferous stands of timber

After several switchbacks and elevation loss, the Sound comes into view through the trees

Made it to the beach!

While on the beach I spent a half an hour or more taking pictures of the incoming waves. With the increasing wind the waves grew bigger and bigger. I also enjoyed the swooping madrone and the various photo ops of the tree.

The full set of pictures can be viewed here.

More Information
Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation
Gazzam/Close/Peters Trails Google map
Bainbridge Island Trails Gazzam Lake map
Bainbridge Island Trails

The Wider View

2009-11-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

My horoscope for today says, “Family, home and hearth are very much on your mind today…” Are they using hearth as “home life”? Regardless, this made me laugh – as actual HEARTHS are on my mind today. I’m several steps closer to purchase/installation of a wood stove. I anticipate this will happen in the next couple of weeks, depending upon the fireplace companies work schedule. And, although this will be a fairly major expense, I think the benefits of having a more efficient heat source plenty outweigh the initial impact of purchasing.

My horoscope goes on to tell me that, “Sometimes you get so caught up in work and the daily hassles of life maintenance that you forget there is a whole world outside of the working world. It does the heart good to adjust the lens to take in a wider view.” I especially like that last sentence.

Adjust the lens, take in a wider view.

Last week a surprise came in the mail. A surprise from a dear friend. Tucked in the envelope was a little book, “Meditations of John Muir, Nature’s Temple.” What a gem of a book. And so incredibly thoughtful. I was touched!

The past several days, during moments of free time, I’ve been reading passages from the book. Muir’s words feel so GOOD, so TRUE. I find his words to be a reminder of a greater connection that exists in life. A connection with something grand. Something pure. Something simple. Something very real. And while I most easily find this energy when I am surrounded by nature, reading his words while sitting at my desk at work, or curled in a chair at home – I know that energy is present, right here, right now. This gives me hope. Hope to face the little things that often manifest into the big, huge, and scary.

“You are going on a strange journey this time, my friend. I don't envy you. You'll have a hard time keeping your heart light and simple in the midst of this crowd of madmen. Instead of the music of the wind among the spruce-tops and the tinkling of the waterfalls, your ears will be filled with the oaths and groans of these of these poor, deluded, self-burdened people. Keep close to Nature's heart, yourself; and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean from the earth-stains of this sordid, gold-seeking crowd in God's pure air. It will help you in your efforts to bring to these people something better than gold. Don't lose your freedom and your love of the Earth as God made it.” –John Muir

Adjust the lens, take in a wider view.

My mind, and heart, drift on the winds today. Through the trees, branches a blowing. Through the fog and clouds that encircle the mountains on this grey-November day. Out to the sea. To the ever-crashing waves and huge expanse of wide beauty.

Facility Rentals in (and around) Kitsap County

2009-11-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Much like my recent lodging search, this morning’s facility rental search, stirs me into enthusiastic action. I like doing research like this. Similar to finding quirky and fun lodging options, finding facility rental options isn’t as easy as a simple Google search.

In my limited AM search, I have come across the following options (and information). Our criteria, to the best of my knowledge, is pretty simple: group size ranging from 15-50, preferably under $150 fee, on-site parking, use of restroom and kitchen facilities, and use of tables and chairs.

The City of Bremerton Parks & Rec offers facility rentals, but due to budget constraints, this department lost their building attendant position and therefore can only accommodate rental requests if the department already has a program scheduled (since this event would be staffed through a different fund). Unfortunately for our group, Parks & Rec has no programs on Sundays. The Bremerton Senior Center (also part of the City of Bremerton), might be an option as they have a kitchen in the building and may have Sunday programs already scheduled. I await reply from staff.

City of Bremerton Public Works & Utilities no longer rents its conference rooms to outside agencies due to prohibitive costs as the City’s end (maintenance, security, etc.). Bummer, I was kind of hoping this option would work.

I was quite excited to see IslandWood offers facility rentals, but a quick inquiry to staff relayed the following information: IslandWood requires groups use their culinary services for all food and beverage needs. They also restrict building rental to non-profit groups, with the exception being if they are providing IslandWood facilitated programs to the group. IslandWood’s per day meeting space pricing also negates them as an option as their spaces range from $295-$595. Meals cost additional.

Washington State Parks offers various day-use sites, although I’m unsure if any would suit our needs.

Golf Courses, such as McCormick and Gold Mountain, also have banquet/facility rentals. I presume they are out of our price range, however. A quick look at McCormick also tells me one might have to use the Chef on-staff for culinary services.

The Bremerton Masonic Temple looks like an interesting rental location. Once again, fees prohibit further investigation as they range from $175 for 4 hours in the Club Room to $425 for 12 hours of the banquet hall. It appears they do allow non-Masonic activities to rent out their facilities.

Which leads me to question churches and restaurants – wouldn’t both also benefit from renting out their facilities? Churches might have stricter guidelines and prohibit use by non-affiliated parties. Restaurants would likely opt for their own catering as opposed to a potluck-style party. Still, both may be options to keep in mind for future parties/meetings.

Kitsap Regional Library has various meeting rooms, but limits use to gatherings that do not charge an entrance fee. Meetings must also be open to the general public. KRL notes that meetings may not disrupt the use of the library by others. From this I deduce noisy board game play might not be welcome.

What about local Granges? Lots of groups hold meetings in granges. We once attended a cavy show at a grange in Olympia! I’m aware of the grange in Olalla, looks like there is the “Crystal Grange” in Poulsbo, off Paulsen Road. Finding a contact point for either of these granges, or others, however, seems like it might take a bit more than a simple Google Search. On a whim, a search for, simply, “grange,” turned up The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. A quick search on their site leads me to the Washington State Grange site, which does in-fact, have various local grange contact information.

It appears the Bremerton Chamber of Commerce has put together a list of meeting facilities in Kitsap County. It appears to be fairly extensive. Possibly one of these places will suit our needs?

Kitsap County Parks & Recreation has various facility rentals, most of which appear to be cost prohibitive to our event.

Mason County Parks & Recreation also has facility rentals, and per their website, it appears their rate is fairly reasonable. It is, however, in Mason County – possibly too far for the group to travel?

It feels like I’ve come full circle, and return to waiting for a response from the Bremerton Senior Center. Beyond this option, it appears our best bet might be private residence.

After my recent lodging search, I found myself asking questions like, “Why isn’t there more affordable options out there?” “Why isn’t there a better website to find lodging options?” The same feels true for facility rentals, and just like lodging, a bit of thought as to being the one renting out the space (be it room or home), I can understand why “affordable” might not be doable for the owner.

Mushroom Hunting

2009-11-10T23:29:00.000-08:00

With the return of the hard frosts and freezing temperatures looming close on the horizon, we utilized this past weekend to go mushroom (chanterelle) hunting. We were not let down, and returned with well over 20 pounds (more than five grocery bags full) of chanterelles.

I've been going chanterelle hunting off-and-on since I was a kid. Much like golf ball hunting (exactly what it sounds like, on the skirts of golf courses), mushroom hunting is a treasure hunt of-sorts. In my experience chanterelles tend to grow in wetter areas, and an area that proved "good" last year has a good chance of being "good" next year. Chanterelles have a symbiotic relationship with living trees. These mushrooms gather moisture and minerals to feed the trees, and in return, the trees offer the chanterelles food. In the Pacific Northwest chanterelles favor Douglas-fir and western hemlock forests and pop up after the rainy seasons arrives in the fall. They will remain until the first good frost.

I know how to hunt for mushrooms thanks to my dad, who took us out chanterelle hunting when we were young and continues to join us on mushroom hunts now. I can't imagine mushroom hunting any other way, it's incredibly beneficial to learn from, and go with, someone who is experienced in what is what. It goes without saying, when in doubt - don't pick it, don't eat it. Thankfully, chanterelles are fairly easy to identify. They appear as bright orange or yellow clumps near the base of trees. Mature chanterelles are funnel or goblet-shaped. Another identifying feature is the gills that exist on the underside. These often extend well down the stem. Young chanterelles appear as rounded caps, but still have distinguishable gills. they range in size and can be as small as a fingerprint to as large as a fist.

I have always been under the impression it is best to cut chanterelles (or any mushroom) from the stem, but I found information online that states otherwise, noting that doing so may introduce infection to the remain stem. We will need to do more research on this.

Fresh chanterelles can be used in a variety of ways. In eggs, casseroles, pastas, rice, potatoes, soups, and with meats like chicken. Dried they can be rehydrated and included with any of the above, or eaten as-is like chips. They are also an excellent addition to several dishes while backpacking. I like to bring and have them with mashed potatoes or top ramen while on the trail.

Currently we are in the process of dehydrating our mushrooms. We only have three trays for our dehyrater, and they fill up very quickly. Thus far we haven't had any spoil (we picked on Sunday). I anticipate we will be through the entire (five bag) batch sometime tomorrow. Last year we were sans dehydrater so we attempted to dehydrate in the stove. This process worked and although it introduced a smokey-taste, they turned out quite well. This year, we are just using the dehydrater. We have done both cut pieces, and whole caps. The whole caps dry up like pieces of art, they are gorgeous!

Chicken Hunt

2009-11-03T21:25:00.000-08:00

With evening light dwindling, we are trying to make the most of letting the chickens out when we get back from work. Soon it will be dark when we get home, and once it's dark the chickens don't want to leave the run. This evening, three chickens strayed from the flock and remained outside after the door was shut. Armed with a flashlight I set out to find them in the chilly air. Chickens tend to roost once it gets dark. And, once roosting, they grow sleepy and are quite easy to catch. I quickly found the buff orpington hen, she always roosts on a stump near the chicken run. I returned and was surprised to see the black australorp on the stump too, I'd missed seeing her the first time. The only hen left was Prolapsy, our cuckoo maran. I like Prolapsy, and feel like if I'm going to risk leaving a hen out overnight it's not going to be her.

I set about looking for her. I rounded the entire chicken run, not once, but twice. There was no sign of her. I ventured a distance from the pen, but knew she likely wouldn't be that far. I peered under bushes, I looked into the trees.

Still no luck. I returned indoors and sweetly asked Dom to accompany me outside to find her. I told him, think of as a treasure hunt, of sorts. Him being sweet, and also liking Prolapsy, found his headlamp and met me outside. He rounded the chicken run, peered into the brush, and looked in the trees. No sign of her. Had the neighbor dogs get her? Was she gone?

One more look around the run. As I inspected the popular stump, Dom said, "Hey, is this netting up here, or Prolapsy?" I looked back to the pen, and peered up under the tarp. There she was, tucked into the netting completely under the tarp! I would have never found her, but it's likely nothing else would have either! Smart gal!

Succeeding in our chicken hunt, we carried her to safety and said goodnight to all the birds. The roosting hens, and two roosters. The big ducks with freshly clipped wings (no more rooftop ducks). And the 24 noisy peeping chickens, who, thankfully, seem to be taking well to the outdoors. And this is hopeful, especially considering the very noticeable chill that has been in the air the past few nights.

November!

2009-11-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

I ended last week contemplating furlough days for 2010. It was last minute. The last day we could put in for them, actually. It was the first day I learned we COULD put in for them. I did put in for them. Now I wait, patiently, to see if they will be approved. Though I am quite skeptical a little bloom of excitement colors a small spot in the corner of my heart. I took enough furlough time that I could hike the Wonderland Trail. There is hope in that. For me, this time, is a sacrifice (monetarily speaking) that I am more than willing to make. CAN I afford to make this sacrifice? Honestly, my well being is worth any amount of struggle it may cause when it comes time to pay the bills.

Outside the weather grows cold. It is noticeably chillier at night (reminding we need to move forward with purchase/installation of a woodstove?). Yesterday we had a bonfire. Periodically I’d stop work and go to warm up by fireside. When darkness fell we took to the fire for longer breaks as we contemplated if the young chicks would make it through the night. It was their first night outside, outside of the shed, out in the real elements. We moved the galvanized tub into the chicken run. We turned it on its side and threaded a light through the drain hole. LIGHT in the chicken run. Our hope was they would be drawn to the light. Instead they were huddled in a corner, far from the light. We herded them over to the tub, into the straw, beneath the light. Later, I went to check on them and discovered all of them were in the vicinity of the tub. It’s a start.

We still have a gimpy-footed (or legged) female duck. She’s able to get around though, and this is an improvement. The other ducks continue to pick on her, literally pinching and biting at her with their long bills. We wonder why they are doing this. Is it a dominance thing? Maybe she was the dominant female prior to injury? Or maybe they know that she is injured and, therefore, see her as a hindrance to the herd?

Yesterday we made the disheartening discovery that our shed kit has gotten wet during the recent rains. Forced into a decision we considered our options. We could 1) leave the shed kit as-is and let it mold and be destroyed over the winter. This was not a particularly popular choice for either Dom or I. We could 2) build the shed, now. This option is the most logical choice, if you can get past the small details like: where will we build the shed? Finally, we could 3) take apart the shed kit and store this new shed in our current shed. With the chicks outside we had just enough room to opt for choice #3.

But, even after two truck loads of moving materials from one half of the property to another, we realize this is not a long-term solution. The materials take up too much space in the shed. It’s crowded and hinders any progress to further organize (not to mention) use our shed.

So, we need to build Shed #2 and we need to build it fast (preferably before snow falls). This choice feels rushed and sudden, not something I easily warm up to. My mind is a swirl with many things this second day of November, one of them being, where the hell are we going to put this shed? Originally we purchased the shed kit thinking we would use it for the chickens. For whatever reason we have moved a bit away from that though, instead thinking we need additional storage. For my bike. I kid – but it’s true. Dom is eager to have his own outdoor space. A space for his tools. A space to work on projects. I support his desire to have this space, and, therefore, it’s all the more important that we get Shed #2 built.

I suspect November will be a busy month around the house. A quiet voice within wonders, will I have time to be creative? Will I have time to go on a dayhike (or two)? Will I be able to visit the ocean? I hope so, just as I hope my sacrifice of work hours for 2010 will be approved.

100 Things

2009-10-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Late last week Dominic shared a blog with me where the author wrote about participating in the 100 Things Challenge. The 100 Things Challenge was started by a guy named Dave. Apparently it's taken off and lots of people are joining to declutter and simplify their lives.

Since Dom told me about this, I've shared with several others and just can't seem to stop thinking about it. And, while I'm uncertain if jumping in and vowing to live with just 100 things is what I want to do at this exact moment, what I know for sure is, I like the idea behind this. I like the exercise this challenge provides. Just my initial introduction to this challenge has me questioning "What do I really need," and taking a look at all my material possessions, asking, "Necessary versus unnecessary?"

In my younger years I collected a handful of things. One of these things were the lovely Harmony Kingdom box figurines. And, while I still "like" my Harmony Kingdom collection I am not using it, nor am I even deriving joy from it at the moment. Currently they are boxed up and tucked in a back closet. This is partly due to not having proper space for them. Possibly when we create our spare bedroom I can display some of these, but that is just it: some. I highly doubt I will have room for hundreds of little boxed figurines to put on display. Plus, I just don't need all of them.

Earlier this year I ventured into the eBay world for the first time. I really don't wish to spend a great deal of time on there, but it would be a good resource for selling Harmony Kingdom pieces (among other things). I found a HK message board and sent out feelers to see if anyone is looking to buy. If YOU are interested in buying a specific piece, let me know, I may very well have it.

I suppose my focus on my HK collection goes beyond the 100 Things Challenge and comes in the form of a free standing wood stove. I'm in the process of obtaining estimates for purchase and installation. And while my initial thought was this purchase and installation would cost me, I was unaware of just how MUCH it would cost me. I'm simply not comfortable with the figures of that expense. At the same time, now IS the time to purchase due to the 30% tax refund for green-energy purchases in 2009.

If I can sell some HK pieces, if I can decrease the amount of things I have, I will feel much more comfortable making a big purchase that goes a long way towards additional savings during the winter months as well as increasing the overall value of my house.

The big picture. It's about the big picture, right?

I saw a whole lot of small cabins up around Mount Rainier yesterday. That quiet voice in my heart that hums and whistles of dreams and desires is beginning to sing even louder, even more clear. I find myself excited about the idea of building a small structure out of wooden pallets! I read about using crushed tin cans as roofing material. Styrofoam peanuts stuffed in plastic bags as insulation!? Exciting!

These things are simple.

Just thinking about them makes me feel FREE.

I want to be free.

Ducks as Natural Pest Control

2009-10-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

Photo by Dominic Ebacher

There is a great article on Mother Earth News' website about Natural Pest Control for Gardens with Ducks!

And, it's true!

Even in the short time we have had ducks, their ability to gobble up pesky bugs and slugs and snails is amazing. And, without question, they are much more entertaining than TV. Our ducks have started to fly. No more trying. They are doing. Over the fence. On the roof. Looks like we are going to need to clip wings. The woman we obtained the ducks from is supposed to take back the hybrid males and possibly even Chessie. But, Dom has yet to set up solid plans for this transaction. Until then, ten ducks entertain us and keep our gardens relatively pest free.

Mid-October

2009-10-18T21:34:00.000-07:00

This weekend we made a big dent in putting the garden to sleep for the winter. Dom cleaned out the majority of the beds. We gathered up the unripe tomatoes and the last of the cucumbers and squash into a big container. We're going to have some happy worms. The vegetation is piled high in the yard, into two separate piles. In my herb bed I pulled out the dead basil plant and trimmed back the oregano and thyme. Those should winter over, as well as the rosemary. The chives were all cut back, next year we had better make use of them. Dom said the onions will over winter, so I left them. Towering green spikes reaching towards the sky. We left the collard greens, but the ducks ate the remaining foliage from those plants this afternoon. The beds are ready for tilling and planting with a cover crop (if we decide to do that this year).

We spent the afternoon working in the chicken run, which sorely needed some attention. We spread a bale of hay on the mucky ground (it's been raining HARD all week) and tended to the tarps overhead. Though we did not construct anything major for the chickens this weekend (will it be the shed, a new structure, or something we haven't even though of yet?) we did manage to give them more covered area by way of utilizing already built structures. We moved the second pen (which was in the backyard and previously used as a chicken tractor) into the run and placed the 'triangle' coop on top of the pen. This gives them the space underneath the triangle, which should do a decent job of sheltering them from the elements. Now, hopefully, they will figure out how to get up into the triangle. We also utilized boards and PVC pipe to create an awning on one of the sides of the pen, giving further area to get out of the rain. For the most part the chickens are smart and do seek cover when it rains. The ducks don't seem as bothered by the rain, they are, after all, ducks.

It feels good to have made progress, and it looks much better out there, something that goes a long way in letting me feel a sense of accomplishment. As we were standing there watching the ducks and chickens Dom asked me if I was getting a hang of this animal thing, if I felt like I could give advice on keeping animals. After a moment of thought I said yes, and although I'm no chicken pro, I have learned a thing or two.

While walking down to the clearing I saw Prolapsy running towards us (Dom said we should name some of our chickens. I reminded him Prolapsy already has a name, likely not a very nice one, but if the name fits...). I called out, "Prolapsy! Prolapsy! Chicken! Chicken!" and she followed us through the clearing. For some reasons she's nicer (more tame) than our other chickens, probably because we have handled her more than the others on account of her condition several months ago.

We still have our roosters. Both of them. With increasing dark in the AM hours they no longer bother me with endless crowing before I awake. They are, for the time being, tolerable. I watched Silkie attempt to mate with our Silver Laced Wyandotte. He's not very good at it, and it's quite comical. Persistent, but his small size doesn't really lend well to his maleness. Our other rooster, who we've never bothered to name, spent a good half an hour or more following around one of our Australorps making ridiculous growling noises. At first we couldn't figure out what he was doing, what was his deal? But after watching for a while it appears he was attempting to mate with the Australorp. He tends to be a bit more successful in this endeavor.

The ducks have started to fly, or are attempting to fly. Today we were surprised to see one of the ducks fly on top of the chain link fence! He teetered on the narrow wire line, and appeared unsure of what to do next. He made a move to fly onto the roof, but wasn't quite able to get high enough, and landed back on the ground. It occurred to us, unless we cut the duck's feathers, we can no longer assume they will not be IN the backyard when we have the gate shut. We will need to be mindful of this when letting the dogs out, less we want less ducks.

The three outside chicks are getting bigger. One is a rooster for sure. I'm not sure how much longer we will keep him, it seems a shame, however, to kill him when he's so young and cute. In the shed, we spent time with the chicks. Hand feeding and holding them in attempt to make friendly and tame chickens. And, even though it's Dom's plan to sell off most of these Americanas and Australorps, I'm sure their new owners will appreciate our effort now.

We sold the little yellow male guinea pig last week. I was slightly sad to see him go, but we cannot keep them all. Right now Boo is fat and pregnant. She looks like she is about ready to pop. I wonder what this batch of babies will look like? Maybe she'll give us a Himalayan like herself. Dom and I need to reassess the guinea pigs, decide if we want to keep breeding them and/or if we truly wish to pursue showing them. They are fun to have, but is that enough? Do we really need more "pets"?

In the past few days, all of a sudden, the fall colors popped. I'm sure in the next week or two the rains and winds are going to sweep the beautiful colors from the trees and leave them barren and naked. I had hoped to get out and shoot some fall colors before this happened, but I'm not certain I will have opportunity. With the return of the rains it seems the waterfall season is upon us too, such will last well through next spring.

The holidays are fast approaching too.

And then, New Year and Dom's birthday. I'm in the process of planning a romantic getaway. That is as much as I've shared with him, but behind the scenes I'm scouring the internet in search of the PERFECT destination spot. Contacting people. Asking questions. Thinking. Planning. It's much harder than it seems, even with our simplistic desires for amenities on a retreat. More and more I find myself returning to the thought that it might be fun to pursue owning/running a vacation retreat/cabin/etc. Yet another feather in the hat of our future property? Seems like it might fit very well.

10/10

2009-10-10T06:39:00.000-07:00

29 today. Reflecting and pondering the year ahead. A quick list. I ask myself, what do you want to accomplish in the coming year. Can I think of 29 things? 29 things to do before I turn 30?

Maybe it's just my mind frame as of late, but I can't help but immediate think: "Hike the Wonderland Trail." So, hike the Wonderland Trail. I'm unsure of specifics (mainly will I have enough vacation time?) but the desire is there.

Hike as much as possible. Be it dayhikes or long backpacking trips. Get out there as much as you can, it's where you're most happy.

This might not be a fair addition, as I'm already aware this is to happen, but: take an Alaskan cruise. I will be joining my brother on said trip in August of 2010.

Sell my art/photography.

Shoot another wedding.

Enter more photo contests.

Ride a horse.

Go kayaking.

See a Broadway play.

Volunteer on a WTA Trail Crew.

Shoot some waterfalls along the Columbia Gorge.

Visit Canada! (I've never been!)

Take Dom on a romantic getaway.

Host more game nights.

Host a dinner party for friends and family.

Play more disc golf.

Build a chicken coop.

Get more ducks.

Establish connections and sell more chicken eggs.

Be festive over the holidays.

Read more books.

Do more freelance design work.

Go to a festival.

Go to the zoo.

Revise "Where to Next?" and publish a follow up book.

Complete the book project with my Mom.

Visit an ecovillage.

Adventure to somewhere completely new.

Be healthy, in all ways.

Now. Off to finish morning chores. Dom and I are headed south today to visit a farm that raises miniature donkeys among other things. Donkeys put a smile on my face and today seems like a great day for smiling!

October!

2009-10-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

It's October! Without thinking, I wore an orange shirt today. Very October. This is a happy time of year, always has been. Autumn is happy. I love crisp sunshiny days. The other morning we had a light frost. It's getting cold. This evening we fired up the furnace. Even turned on the space heater in the bedroom. Outside we spent time watching the ducks and chickens. We've been letting them free range in the evenings for several weeks now. If they could talk, I do believe they would tell us how happy this makes them. This evening I noticed Chessie and her line of ducklings (no longer small!) coming back from the clearing. Each day they roam further and further. A few days ago we were surrounded by birds. One side of the house: chickens, the other: ducks. Dom and I keep telling each other this is pretty cheap entertainment, and so much more fun that TV and movies!

On a walk at lunch today my mind wandered. I thought about the seasons. About turning 29 in a handful of days. Of my ever-graying hair. About beauty and fashion. About farms and the simple life. About inspired writing. About art, and selling art.

Wander, wander. On a hilltop I could see out beyond several distant hills. All were blanketed with a thick mist. The rain was coming. It has since came and gone. For now. Snow at the high elevations? It all seems so soon.

Tomorrow I'm off to the mountains for a few days, to a special little spot that gives me calm and balance. I feel thankful, already.

Stuff

2009-09-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

We lost Brown Girl yesterday. I accept death is a part of life, and that in itself, makes death quite logical. Part of the equation. Guinea pigs are just guinea pigs, but it's still hard when they pass on. Something was wrong with Brown Girl. Her belly was full of gas/air. She was gasping for breath and/or choking. She was one of our better pigs. Better because she was a good mother to her always cute little babies. Better because she had personality and was 'sweet'. I'll miss seeing her smooshed nose pushing out through the cage ready to take food from my hand. Goodbye Brown Girl.

Yesterday we were supposed to have our shed-kit delivered. But, due to errors at Lowes end it never arrived. A phone call, and discussion with the delivery manager, later and our shed will arrive today, free of delivery charge.

Saturday night Dominic and I went to see Wicked at the Paramount. We both had a wonderful time and look forward to seeing more plays in the future. It has been several years since I read Gregory Maguire's Wicked, and I've never read Son of a Witch or the third, A Lion Among Men. I'm excited to re-read Wicked, and read the other two for the first time.

Friday night Wendy and I went to see Mason Jennings at the Showbox. As usual, he was brilliant. Absolutely. Yes.

If the weather holds I'm returning to Mildred (Lakes) later this week. I look forward to greeting her, it has been too long.

Updates and Uploads.

2009-09-20T21:54:00.000-07:00

Uploads from home take f o r e v e r. I feel like I've been on the computer all night (likely because I have). However, I/we did accomplish some things today. First, I visited Scenic Beach State Park in Seabeck and got my beach/sea fix (for now, I do miss the ocean).

Next, Dom and I finished placing the boards on the backside of the shed. We still need to place the batons and trim, but the shed is now pretty much sealed from the elements. Currently we have young chicks housed in there, along with the guinea pigs. In guinea pig news one of our black females gave birth to a cream-colored little boy! What a surprise!

The chickens and ducks are doing well. The ducklings appear to be nearly full sized. Yesterday Dom gave them a colander full of slugs. They ate them down, lickity split. They are fun to watch and listen to. The roosters are crowing a little later in the morning now, thanks to the return of darkness in the AM hours. This is about the only benefit I can see to the returning dark. There is a chill in the air at night now, fall is just around the corner.

Peaches went in for her annual appointment. She's now on a diet (only two cups of food a day, I feel like I'm starving her!) in attempt to help her eliminate some of her chubbiness. Poor girl. Always something with her. In her old age her knees continue to give her trouble. I pray she doesn't blow them out when she goes romping around the backyard after Chubbs. The only telltale sign of aging on Chubbs is his graying snout. He's still acts like a puppy.

As noted I've been fighting slow uploads on the computer all night. In two forms:
Flickr and,
My website!

Life & Death. Win & Lose.

2009-09-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Dom and I nursed a nearly drowned duck back to health. The poor thing got stuck in the water tub. The water level was just low enough it couldn't get out. Thankfully Dom discovered the little duck before it was too late. We brought it indoors. Wrapped it up in dry towels. Dried its small feathers with a blow dryer. Warmed it up with a heating pad. It shook and shivered for an hour or more. It wheezed and sniffed. After a while, it stopped shaking and wheezing. It grew less tolerant of being held. We placed it on the rug and it let out a goosh of poo and urine. It was, indeed, most gross. But, the little duck appeared better. It waddled around as ducks do, in a fashion well enough that we decided to place it back outdoors with its kind. It wasted no time cuddling in with the other ducklings. Ducklings that have wasted no time growing and becoming ducks. Success! We nursed the duck back to health.

Last week one of our older guinea pigs died giving birth. Only one of her babies was alive, and marginally so at that. I took to nursing the little baby with milk and water in a small syringe. It's eyes were goopy and crusted. Each day I'd feed it and make sure its eyes were clean. Pet it and give it attention, as the foster mother this little girl was placed with - just wasn't taking to this little one. And, maybe the foster mother knew, as animals usually do, that this little girl just wasn't long for the world. Yesterday we found the little baby had passed away. Poor little thing, I can't help but wonder if I'd fed it a little more often, or brought it inside for round-the-clock care, if it would have pulled through?

Chickens, Ducks and more!

2009-08-18T20:41:00.000-07:00

We Got Ducks!

2009-08-18T11:36:00.001-07:00

That's right, we now own ducks. Nine babies and one mama. The ducklings are larger than I thought they would be, which is good, as they are going to be housed with our chickens in the chicken run. The lady we obtained these Muscovy ducks from kept them with her chickens without problem. I'm hopeful the same will be true for us, however, we are already contemplating housing that will allow them full access to water. The mother duck's name is Chessie. Chessie apparently fended off a raccoon to protect her young. We are told she's blind in one eye. As it was dark last night when she arrived I wasn't able to really inspect her. I did hold one of the ducklings. They smelled of cedar shavings and poo, a smell that overwhelmingly reminds me of raising puppies. Dom and I carted the pet carrier into the coop as darkness grew. We situated it in the corner of the run/coop. This morning I went out to see them and discovered several chickens in the pet carrier. Chessie and her babies were out and about eating bread and huddling together as a duck-unit. Cute.

So begins another adventure!

Golly Gump Goats Galore!

2009-08-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Wendy and I ventured into the mountains. We climbed Mount Ellinor, starting at the upper trailhead. From there it was about a 2,500 foot climb in 1.6 miles. Today, I feel sore. A sign of success. A sign of a good workout.

We saw A LOT of goats. I've seen A LOT of goats while camped in the Enchantments in the Cascades. But, this is the first time I have been so close to mountain goats in the Olympics. All those stories about the herds of goats at Ellinor and the goats hogging the trail - are true. There are herds. They do hog the trail.

After summiting Ellinor Wendy and I wandered down to a nearby pass to escape the noisy crowds and enjoy the views. Disturbingly people were throwing food at the goats on the summit. We both bit our tongue. I mean, come on folks, it's not zoo. From afar we watched as goats blocked the trail. Hikers were left with no option but to scramble to the summit via steeper routes.

On our way down we encountered five more goats. A mother and kid were close to the trail. As we grew near, we stopped. The female proceeded to close in on us. Eating. Looking. Walking. I snapped pictures. Marveled at her beauty and size. Through the viewfinder I saw her forcefully snort through her nose stomp her foot. For lack of better words, it was a charge and she meant business. With my heart racing and tension in the air, Wendy and I dropped off-trail and downhill. Wow. Exciting and scary!

Friday I am headed out into the mountains for five night+six day backpacking trip. And, even though I'm feeling a bit frazzled about getting all my gear+food together for this trip, I derive much excitement from these planning stages. I feel this excitement well up inside of me. It feels like I'm about to return. About to go home. About to live more fully.

My Journey

2009-07-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today I learned about the 2009 Tribal Canoe Journey which is coming to Suquamish on August 3rd. What a fascinating annual event. This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the original Paddle to Seattle from Suquamish. The evening before Paddle to Seattle, Frank Brown of the Heiltsuk Nation challenged the assembled canoe nations (both US Tribes and Canadian First Nations) to travel to his peoples’ home in Bella Bella, B.C. in 1993. Many canoe families answered the call and traveled to the Central Coast of British Columbia. Since then, Tribal Journeys occurs annual at different tribal hosts sites.

It seems the Suquamish have worked hard to prepare for this day. They’ve completed a new dock and Celebration House in preparation for the event. In keeping with hosting tradition of their ancestors, the Suquamish will provide visiting nations with camping, services, meals, gifts and presentations during their week-long stay on the Port Madison Indian Reservation, home of the Suquamish on the shores of Kitsap Peninsula. During this time the Tribe is expecting 12,000 visitors and 5,000 campers; they will serve an estimated 70,000 meals, coordinate more than 400 volunteers, provide emergency services and transport thousands of people in and around the area.

It’s going to be quite the sight as 100(s?) of canoes cross Port Madison from the tribal property at Indianola to downtown Suquamish. This sure would be a beautiful event to witness, I wonder if they are allowing the public to attend?

In doing some research on this event I found the “10 Canoe Rules.” I found these quite inspiring, especially number 8, “The Journey Is What We Enjoy”…

Although the start is exciting and the conclusion gratefully achieved, it is the long, steady process we remember. Being part of the journey requires great preparation; being done with a journey requires great awareness; being on the journey, we are much more than ourselves. We are part of the movement of life. We have a destination, and for once our will is pure, our goal is to go on.

There are moments when words for feelings, emotions and internal concepts are summed up quite eloquently. In discovering the above ‘rule’ – I had one such moment.

Granted, my own journey has not yet been a grand canoe trip. Rather, my journey exists in the form of hiking. It exists each time I plan, prepare and set out for a dayhike or a multi-day trip. And, for a long time, I’ve pondered why I am so drawn to these trips. I’ve concluded beyond my love of Nature, bet it the Olympic Mountains, Cascades, the coast, the woods – I also seek out time in Nature because I feel I am learning. Learning not only about my self, but about life. I realize now, it is in these trips I find my own journey. And in my journey everything really does feel right. I AM part of the movement of life. I have a destination. My will IS pure. My goal IS to go on.

Poor Prolapsed Hen

2009-07-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

One of our hens has prolapse. What is prolapse you ask? I did not know much about this until last night, and there is still much to learn. One of our new hens (what we thought was a hybrid Black Australorp, but what I’m now thinking is a Cuckoo Maran) displayed a mess of a mess on her rear end yesterday. Upon further inspection we discovered it wasn’t just poo, it was a prolapsed vent or blowout. Apparently this happens when a hen lays an egg a bit bigger than normal and her vent (cloaca) turns inside out. It’s graphic and it’s pretty gross.

Thankfully Dom is fairly unfazed by stuff like this. He was able to gently push the prolapse back in. I did some quick research online and read about how some folks swear by honey. Slather the prolapse and area with honey. This is said to shrink the prolapse, suck it back in and kill germs. It’s kind of a sticky mess though. Mess + mess = more mess.

Doing more research this morning, some also recommend use of preparation-H, Vaseline (but it’s petroleum based), K-Y jelly (water-based and water-soluble). One of the biggest recommendations is removing the hen from other chickens. Chickens like to peck red things. Prolapses are red. Can you see where this is going? Cannibalism and death for our poor prolapsed hen.

We moved prolapse-hen into the shed with the guinea pigs last night. She has her own cage with water and food (everyone recommends a diet of wheat?). It is somewhat darker in the shed, but I don’t think its dark enough. Possibly we should cover three of the cage sides with towels to block out light? If it is darker she’ll be less likely to try and lay.

Unfortunately, even after pushing the prolapse back in, she’s pushed it out one or two more times. Dom checked her this morning and it was back out. He did say she put up more of a fight to being handled this morning, maybe that is a good sign?

I found mention of manually removing eggs when this condition occurs - but Dom says he doesn't feel any eggs. I also read about snipping the vent to slightly open it. Goodness I don't even know where to begin with that, it just looks like a blob of red mass, no 'vent-like' qualities. I though I would handle stuff like this better, not be so...girly-girl? But I find myself cringing as I think of these things. Even if we mend her, it looks like there is the possibility this will happen again in the future. Suppose I had better learn to deal with it now?

Go figure. I like THIS hen. She’s sweet and follows me around. Eats out of my hand. Talks. Hopefully we can mend her.

ps. We recently lost one of our female guinea pigs (Fat Mama) to a prolapsed uterus. There was no opportunity to save her, we found her dead.

Vacation = Soon

2009-07-13T14:15:00.000-07:00

I shot my first wedding with Dom: combined album. The other day Dom posted an add on Craigslist to see if we could drum up some business down this avenue. I'm surprised to say: I'm game. I'd really prefer to shoot outdoor weddings+portraits, as indoor lighting and flash is something I'm not overly familiar with. But, I can learn and learn I will.

One of our "hens" was masquerading. So, after the big rooster cleansing, it turns out we still have one rooster. The lone cuckoo maran is decidedly not female, I saw him crowing myself the other morning. He proceeded to prove his manhood the other night, several times, before growing quiet in disguise once again. Currently, he's not a noise nuisance. Until he becomes one, I guess he can stay.

Dom's incubating nearly three dozen eggs at the moment. Tomorrow we can candle them and check for progress. One of our hens is sitting on a clutch of golf balls at the moment, the plan would be to replace the golf balls with live chicks come time. That way, we don't have to mess with the mess of raising chicks.

Our neighbors got goats! Four of them. It was such a surprise, a surprise that warranted a long overdue introduction. I'm hopeful we can cultivate a friendship with these folks, they are very much on the same 'homesteading' path as Dom and I. Their goats are milk goats, they have chickens and a lovely garden. Most excellent! We also learned our other neighbors (the ones with pigs) now have sheep! Dom and I spent some time discussing how we fit into (and enhance) this self-sufficient neighborhood equation.

Sam Beam is magic. We saw Iron & Wine on Saturday. I cannot wait to see him again.

Wednesday I'm off to the mountains for four nights, five days. I can't wait. Now I just need to gather gear and pack.

Rooster Free

2009-07-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

Today, thanks to Dom, we became rooster free.

No more 4AM, 4:30AM, 5AM, 5:30AM, etc. wake up calls.

No more very odd and sickly sounding young rooster crows.

No more fowl welcoming committee upon arriving home.

I must admit, although I will relish in the morning quiet and feel much more certain we are not making neighborhood enemies, I will kind of miss seeing the roosters.

Our big buff orpington rooster was so handsome. The young roosters were enjoyable to watch, minus the slightly sexually-violent white americana rooster.

Yes, I am somewhat sad to see them go and eventually, would like to have rooster(s) again.

But, how does one have roosters without annoying the hell out of their neighbors? One option might be creating a run/coop further away from neighbors (and your own bedroom!). I'm uncertain if that will ever be an option on Trudeau, but, hopefully one day it is something we can consider once again.

So, for now, goodbye roosters.

Murhut's Magic

2009-06-25T15:11:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I visited Murhut Falls. I have to admit, although I like waterfalls, they have never been an obsession for me, that-is as a hiking destination or subject material for photographs. That isn't to say I don't like waterfalls, no, no - that isn't the case. I like all things natural. Water, trees, rock, sky, etc. It all makes me feel alive. It all makes me feel happy.

However, recently, in hanging around Lance I have rediscovered how much I love working natural destinations. By 'working' I mean, spending four or five hours getting to know a specific spot. This, I have to say, is the best kind of work.

I love what I've rediscovered while visiting Murhut, or various creek beds as of late. I remember what it is to just let go and become part of a destination. To take it all in. To breath in the river, the trees, the fresh air. The greenness that is so predominant here in the Olympics - be it in the drooping moss or towering ferns.

And, maybe, being around others with a stellar and consuming love of waterfalls and all things water, I am reminded of the power of water. The lure of rushing streams and cascading falls. It is, quite magical.

Murhut was a blast. She is beautiful and I was left thinking, hey, there are lots of other magical falls around here...where to next?!

The other night some coworkers threw a 'goodbye' party for Dom. His employment with the City is at an end, for now. At the party we enjoyed good food and good company. Kathleen and John were kind enough to let us try out their kayak too. I'd never been in a kayak before, and quite honestly, I was fairly reluctant as I'm not super confident of my abilities to keep out of danger while around/on water. Having said that, I absolutely loved being in a kayak. My friend and I paddled all the way down Marine Drive, to the inlet that is formed by Marine Drive and Rocky Point. It was so peaceful and calm. I'm very eager to try kayaking again, and, I can't help but see the doorway in front of me. Realizing I could carry upwards of 200 pounds of gear with me on trips if I elected to travel via kayak. Sweet!

This weekend my dad and I are off to the coast. Dom has kindly offered to stay home and take care of stuff around the house, as well as watch the dogs. I learned that 'the gate' is open out by La Push, allowing us easier access to one of our favorite spots along the northern WA coast. With really nice low tides upon us I'm sure it's going to be a real treat to be out there. Plus, I'm really excited to 'work' these familiar beaches with camera and tripod.

Hoh Pig Chicken

2009-06-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

A couple weekends ago we ventured up to the Hoh River for a couple nights. We night-hiked in Friday to camp at Mount Tom Creek. Dom's dad and sister, Jim and Maddie, arrived to camp about midnight. Saturday we packed up camp and made our way to Olympus Guard Station. The trail is in excellent shape to OGS. We ran into a couple volunteer rangers, apparently they are taking a yurt up to Glacier Meadows this year? We also chatted with some climbers, who were making their way out from Glacier Meadows. Thought the creek crossing at Martin Creek is out (per ONP) they did not mention any trouble on the trail. In fact, they said it was snow free until the meadows. I asked about the avalanche chutes and they reported the first two were in good shape, but the last one was scary.

Dom and I tested out the new tent, REI's Quarter Dome T2. Two thumbs up. I'm excited to use it again. I like that it's free standing. Setup was a breeze, moron-proof, really, as everything (poles, fly, etc) is color coded. Toggles all over the place allowing for ease in opening vestibule doors (it has two!), venting and more. I was especially thrilled by the fact that I didn't have to tie knots in cord to stake out the fly (the cords that came w/the tent have toggles that adjust to allow easy staking). We had light rain Saturday night and stayed completely dry. The following morning the inside of the fly was wet, likely from condensation, but none of that made it's way into the tent. Perfect!

The hike out on Sunday was everything a 9-mile hike out typically is. Fun, long, and somewhat painful for the feet at the end.

The second Group Camp at OGS

OGS @ 9.1 miles

I think this might be my favorite picture from the whole trip. Possibly because there was very little lack of sunshine, other than that on Maddie's tent!

Around the house, our broody hen(s) never produced little chicks. In fact, the eggs they were sitting on mysteriously disappeared. Do you think they ate them? Did a chipmunk steal them? Other predators would have a very difficult time getting in/out of the chicken run. So: we scratch our heads.

Another head scratcher is this little guy:

We aren't quite sure how he is even possible, but Dom has a couple theories. He is from Clover, who is a golden agouti. Clover was bred to Al, who is also a golden agouti. Belle, is a silver agouti, but not related to this guy. This is something that might be more expected from Belle, though, the broken color pattern seems unique for agoutis. All the breeder-friends have expressed quite the stir of excitement over this pig..."keep him!" "breed him," and even a few "show him!"s.

Chocolate gave birth to three cute little pigs the other day (note Chester's coloring, as well as Chocolate's):

We now have at least four roosters. Two of our three cuckoo marans are male (one has even started crowing). Our 'mystery' chick (the white ones seen directly above the metal water can in the picture below) is also a male. Bummer. I was hoping it was a female, it's kind of pretty (and I think, possibly, an Americana?).

Mount Townsend

2009-06-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Once out of the trees, the trail starts offering views. In the valley below, Sink Lake can be seen. One starting from the upper Mount Townsend trail bypasses this lake, as well as 600 feet and about one mile.

Very little snow on the trail except for patches around Camp Windy and one larger patch near the summit. Two hikers make their way towards Townsend's summit. The prominent peak in the background is The Brothers.

Ah, Protection Island: I miss you.

Although the lighting was less than desirable, the views were still spectacular. From the summit we saw: Mount Baker, Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, Hood Canal Bridge (opening and closing!), Protection Island, Seattle, Edmonds, Warren Avenue Bridge, lots of Oly peaks, and more. Really: more. What a treat!

Places to go, things to see

2009-06-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of ideas. One that gives me hope and excitement. Goals and challenges. Photos and adventures. How did I compile this list? Most of the following have at least 2,000 feet elevation gain, others have long mileages. Many, if not all, are hikes I'd take solo (or with others if I can convince them to go!). Some of these I have already done, others I've considered and a few I have never even heard of.

In no particular order, trail/elevation gain/round trip mileage.

Mount Townsend (2900/8.2)
Mount Zion (1300/4.6)
Mount Muller (3200/13)
Mount Storm King (1700/3.8)
Mount Jupiter (3600/14.4)
Mount Ellinor (3200/6.2)
Wagonwheel (3200/5.8)
Lake Constance (3300/4+Dose road miles)
Mount Rose (3500/6.4)
Baldy (3700/9)
Green Mountain (1000/5)
Copper Creek (2400/5)
Flapjack (3200/15)
Lake of the Angels (3400/8)
Mildred (2500/5+hooray! the road washed out miles)
Sunnybrook Meadows (4000/12+Dose road miles)
Mount Walker (2000/5)
Tunnel Creek (2450/8.5)
Notch Pass (3000/8.6)
Marmot Pass (3500/10.6)
Silver Lakes (3400/11)
Dirty Face Ridge (3000/7.5)
Tubal Cain/Buckhorn Lake (2000/12)
Royal Basin (2650/14)
Lake Angeles (2350/7.4)
Heather Park (3800/10)
Klahhane Ridge (1700/5)
PJ Lake (1000/1.8)
Griff Creek (1500/3.6)
Happy Lake (3900/10)
Boulder Lake (2600/12)
Pyramid Mountain (2400/7)
Kloshe Nanitch (3200/6.4)
Petes Creek-Colonel Bob (3500/8.2)

Good Words for a Sunny Friday

2009-05-29T13:27:00.000-07:00

It's so pretty out today. This morning, as I rounded the corner about a mile away from my home, I glanced backwards, towards the Olympics. It's the first view I have of them, nearly every day. It's a view I never tire of. On days like these, especially, I cannot help but think, hear, feel and see: it would be a great day for a hike.

Yet, Mon-Fri=work, for now.

So, while working my thoughts wander. Up in the clouds, and between the trees. They dance along ridge tops and reminisce on past adventures.

I came across a lovely poem today. A fitting and "yes, yes, yes!" type of poem.

how to climb a mountain
Make no mistake. This will be an exercise in staying vertical.
Yes, there will be a view, later, a wide swath of open sky,
but in the meantime: tree and stone. If you're lucky, a hawk will
coast overhead, scanning the forest floor. If you're lucky,
a set of wildflowers will keep you cheerful. Mostly, though,
a steady sweat, your heart fluttering indelicately, a solid ache
perforating your calves. This is called work, what you will come to know,
eventually and simply, as movement, as all the evidence you need to make
your way. Forget where you were. That story is no longer true.
Level your gaze to the trail you're on, and even the dark won't stop you.
-Maya Stein

A Little Me

2009-05-22T08:07:00.000-07:00

I'm so touched by this idea.

She Be Broody

2009-05-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

We have a broody hen. Possibly two, in fact. Yesterday I went to pick up the eggs for the first time in a couple weeks. Dom would really like to see our hens be successful in raising a few chicks, even though we most definitely don’t need any more chicks at the present time. Regardless, with his desires in mind, I’ve quit picking up the eggs as of late.

This led to a hefty pile of eggs. I questioned, how could you tell which ones were good or bad? And, if I wanted a fresh egg to eat, would I have to dig through a pile of eggs and find the cleanest, freshest looking ones to try my luck with? This seemed silly. And so, in a compromise, Dom sacrificed several of the possibly fertile eggs and weaned the number down to a reasonable amount. A clutch, if you will.

The clutch eggs were marked with a sharpie, a continuous line around the whole egg or a simple “X”. Dom told me he wanted to see if each hen kept her own eggs. Last night I discovered the Xs and lines mixed with one another, so the answer to that question is: no.

The broodiest of the two broody hens looks like crap. Her appearance is disheveled and her attitude is equally lacking charm, especially when away from the nest. Her wings remain slightly spread and she makes awkward noises.

While on the nest she pecked at me in attempt to defend her eggs. I pushed her out of the way, using an egg box as a shield.

Yesterday I gathered five fresh eggs. We are back in business!

In other chicken-related news, we are hoping to secure an additional piece of netting to finish covering the chicken run. Our remaining Silkie is still hanging in there. The wound on her side is definitely healing, and at this point I would be surprised if she doesn’t make it. She’s quite dopey and lovable, more than willing to sit on your shoulder or be held for seemingly any amount of time. It seems the Cuckoo Maran roosters, or even she, have taken a liking to one another. When let out to roam in the coop this pairing seems to stick together.

We still have our ‘other’ rooster. His crow continues to sound off in ways I can’t properly describe. 5AM every day. Often times he sings to us middle of the day and at night as well! Neither of us really want to kill him, me more so than Dom I suppose. We joke about ‘drive-by-roostering’ a local farm en route to work. I’m open to just giving him away if someone wants him, preferably to a ‘good’ home, or at least one where he won’t suffer in his death. If push comes to shove, I do believe we will have to ‘take care of him’ before introducing the young chicks to the older ones.

On that issue, everything I’ve ever read stresses the need to introduce the younger chicks to the older ones in phases and/or take precautions to avoid the older chickens picking off the younger ones. I wonder, if they are the same size, would they still go through this ‘picking off’ or would the scuffles be limited to initial pecking order establishment? If so, we could, feasibly, raise the young chicks to near the size of our adult hens before introducing the two. On the other hand, our garden might suffer considerably if we don’t get the older chickens out of the backyard soon.

I continue to be amazed by all there is to learn about chickens. Thus far, I most definitely have just scratched the surface.

Chicken Tragedy: Part II

2009-05-11T16:05:00.001-07:00

Earlier this year our chicken coop burnt down. We lost one hen.

Yesterday, amid our excitement in completing (or so we thought) our new, bigger and better, chicken run, Chicken Tragedy: Part II struck.

We stepped inside the house to clean up. Not more than twenty minutes later, Dominic heard an awful ruckus outside. He ran out only to returned in swift fashion, asking me to join him.

Inside our new chicken run, blood was shed. A raven, a humongous one to boot, had decapitated one our our poor little Silkies. Of all the chicks! The sweet little Silkies!?

Silkie number two was alive at last check, but she has a fairly large wound on her side.

All chicks are now housed in cramped wired enclosure until we can place sufficient netting overhead (hopefully tonight).

It's a good thing we were home at the time, I have a feeling we would have come back to 17 dead chicks had we of been away.

Words of Yesteryear

2009-05-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

I've been reading through some old posts, back from the days Xanga. I wonder, as I read my past words, if I will look back on THESE words and feel the same way? I am struck, reading through old words, that I was/am full of much hope and happiness. I was thinking a lot. I was busy. Reading a lot. Discovering new (awesome) music. Moving. Home ownership. Hiking. Photo adventures. Good stuff.

And yet, a lot of my deeper thinkings are things I'm still thinking about today, a handful of years later. Thoughts and ponderings of goals and purpose. Knowing that 9-5, five days a week, really isn't for me. I knew that then. I know that today. And yet, hello 9-5, five days a week. I quietly wonder, when will I stop thinking and just do? When will I start that adventure? Because, I'm fairly certain, it will be grand.

When I turned 26 I took a moment to reflect...

Reflections, Quarter of a Century + One
So, today I embark on year 26. What to reflect upon as I close the door on 25? Am I where I thought I would be today so many yesterdays ago? Or has my path led down road I never even knew existed? What do I hope for this new year of my life?

I doubt I'm where I thought I would be at, at 26 or even in my 20s for that matter. I don't vividly recall ever being that little girl that dreamed of a fairytale wedding, children by a certain age or really any part of the "American Dream". In that regard I haven't let myself down. Society's dreams have never been my own. That aside, I do believe, in my later teens I just assumed I'd be married by now - being in a long term relationship at the time. But things changed and I discovered my path would not include (at least not yet) the assumptions I'd grown comfortable with.

Of course this was a blessing in disguise, for a variety of reasons. I know that now. In fact, I'd venture to say all of the things in my life thus far that seemed terrible were simply a blessing in disguise. The "bad" was necessary to experience the "good". And I've been blessed with much good in my life.

26 isn't really a milestone year, is it? Not like 30 or 40 or etc. But, I really do feel like age is just a number. I definitely have more grey hair today than I did a year ago (slightly bothersome). I get aches and pains (yes, really, I do). Sleeping on the hard earth while hiking kind of hurts now (it never used to). I have been told it only gets worse with age. I don't dispute such, I just choose not to focus on that. I feel good right now, and that is all that matters.

Currently, I feel like the path I'm on is surrounded by much uncertainty, or rather, a great deal of unknowns. Which isn't necessarily bad. It often feels like I'm gazing out at these lovely trees. Trees of all shapes and sizes. Yet, to describe or, more importantly, experience these trees I must first know their names. And currently I do not have that knowledge/understanding.

I think the tough part is acknowledging the unknown without the ability to gain some insight beforehand. I want to know what I should be doing with my life. If I grow too comfortable where I'm currently at, might I miss my big opportunity - that is, to serve out what my life's purpose is? Beyond being a force of positive energy in my life and those which surround, I can't help but wonder/think/feel that there is something greater. Bigger. More.

I don't think I've ever attached goals to specific ages, and I'm sure not going to start now. Yet, any day, including birthdays, can't be a bad day to ponder the coming year. Do I have personal goals I would like to accomplish? Do I have endeavors I'd like meet with success? I do, of course. Don't we all? I guess the key is to not be so rigid with goals that one cannot incorporate/experience the unknown if it suddenly becomes known.

And with that, goodbye 25 and hello 26.

Nearly three years later I still can't help but wonder/think/feel that there is something greater, bigger and more.

Mount Si

2009-05-01T21:29:00.000-07:00

Mount Si exists as a great workout, which is something I've really been trying to incorporate into my life lately. Four miles, nearly 4,000 feet of elevation gain? It sounded like the perfect hike for my spur-of-the-moment vacation day.

It took about two hours to drive to North Bend. After briefly questioning the trailhead location I found the correct road and made my way to the HUGE parking lot at the trailhead. No joke. 700 cars can fit in this thing.

Solitude would not be found today, but that was okay. I felt good knowing others would be around, mainly because I was solo.

Up, up and more up. I passed a few people, I encountered a great deal of people coming down. My "hi" quotient for the the entire month was easily met within the first mile.

Mile markers appear along the trail. In no time I saw the 0.5 miles. It took a bit longer before I reached the 1.5 (where did 1.0 go?). The 1.5 appeared shortly after a 'flat' spot with a bench. When I reached 2.0 I felt certain it should have been 2.5, and likewise, I momentarily questioned that the 3.0 marker was mislabeled, shouldn't it be 3.5?

Recent trip reports (April 26) told me snow had been encountered at 3.0 miles. This was not the case today, at least no significant snow was encountered before 3.5 miles, just past the 3.5 mile marker fairly significant snow greeted me.

I met a crying child and an apologetic mother ("We are really hating this snow!"), and figured I must be getting close to the top...blue sky was taking over the trees.

Abounding views confirmed the top, or at least part of it. A sign told me that the scramble up Haystack Rock was further beyond as well as a view of the Snoqualmie Valley. I stopped briefly to admire the view of Mount Rainer and valley below before continuing onward toward Haystack Rock.

I had no intention of scrambling Haystack Rock, and truly with all the snow on the ground I felt slightly disabled in picking out a good stopping spot for lunch and view admiring. A kind gentleman told me great views were just ahead.

And, he was right. There existed benches well below what appeared to be Haystack Rock. I carefully walked snow to a perch further up with wondrous views. I felt like a giant, playing Settlers of Catan or similar. Below me; far, far below, lie sectioned quadrants of farmland and overly-developed housing areas. Helicopter pads, unidentified buildings with humongous parking lots. And, beyond that? Seattle. Beyond that? The glorious Olympics and more. Hazy or not, the views atop Si were absolutely spectacular.

I basked in the sun and wind for at least a half hour.

It took me two hours to summit, which, surprised me. Nearly 4k elevation, in four miles? I assumed it would take me longer than two hours. Regardless, I was pretty proud of myself.

Solo hiking. You hike your own hike, you set your own pace. I suppose some part of me feels 'safer' hiking with company, but hiking solo allows me to zone out and simply hike. I felt very peaceful hiking Mount Si today. Truly, there is a magic that exists in hiking a trail solo.

Atop Si I was with myself. I was surrounded by others, comfortably so. But, it was my hike and my hike alone. I think, when hiking with others it is harder to envelope yourself into your own thoughts so entirely. Sure, I gave out my "hi's" freely and often (very often) but for X amount of hours I basically existed within my own head in a world that IS my world (nature).

Such is, I suppose, the draw of solo hiking.

The simplicity is tangible and very real.

Down, down, down. Beyond the snow sections I found myself walking at a fairly decent pace. I jogged, I jumped down steps. The mile markers came and went. I drank water. I let the wind play with my hair. I passed folks. I stepped aside to let uphill climbers access. I briefly passed a couple, only to be overtaken by them once again. I glanced up at the trees and smiled.

When I hit 0.5 miles I let out a, "Nice!" and slowed down - to enjoy it, to wrap up the hike on a populous trail.

Back. I saw a house nearby. I saw the parking lot. No biffing out now, just go slow, no one is behind you. Enjoy the earth below you. Be thankful for your legs, your knees, for yourself. Thankful for being able to hike this hike, thankful for this adventure.

And, that is exactly what is was. I can now check Mount Si off my 'list' - I can say, "Yes, I've hiked Mount Si!" And, that's pretty cool. I was able to descent in an hour and a half. Writing this now, I don't feel crippled or injured. I feel well. Climbing Green Mountain once a week is paying off.

And so, I welcome May 2009 with Mount Si. May the remainder of 2009 bring much more adventure and accomplishments.

Late April Update

2009-04-22T18:54:00.000-07:00

Rain falls, slowly, overhead. Echoing louder than normal on the skylights in the kitchen. I write by the fluorescent light hanging over our tomato seedlings.

This evening we cleaned the guinea pig cages. I fear, sooner than later, they will have to be moved outside. They just tend to get too smelly, too quick. And, while I do not mind cleaning their cages, more than once a week seems a bit overkill. Tonight, instead of the usual wood pellets, we tried rabbit food. Dom said growing up his friend, who had rabbits, used rabbit pellets for bedding. Price-wise I don't think this will be economical beneficial, but as an added plus to the pigs, they can eat their bedding (in addition to all the other various foods we give them). It seems the better we feed them the more stinky they get, especially after feedings of fresh cut rye grass or other fresh greens.

We continue to sell baby guinea pigs. Recently we sold one of Belle's. Elvis and Zippy recently had litters, totaling seven new pigs. None are showable, but all are cute and should sell without trouble. We have recently begun rehoming some of our adult pigs that we no longer need for breeding purposes, thus far: Einstein, Two Paws. I believe Shawniqua, Zippy and Elvis are also on the list.

We've had a few warm days recently, in fact it was pushing 80 degrees yesterday. Everything is starting to bud, bloom or otherwise show signs of growth. It's a welcomed sight.

We are still housing the chicks in the shed, although their size will soon dictate that we move them outdoors. It's amazing how quickly chicks become chickens. The Silkies, as predicted, are super cute. We continue to get 4 or 5 eggs per day from our grown hens. Our remaining rooster still crows, noisily, and in groups of 12 or 14 crows every morning.

I put in for time off this summer. Combining furlough days and vacation time I managed to secure time for four longer hikes this summer. In June, five days. August, six days. September, six days. And, in October, four days. It's possible really bad weather may thwart plans, or at least postpone/change the date of these trips - it's impossible to really know, this early. Thus far, the only destination I'm fairly certain of is some kind of Hoh-Bogachiel loop in August. This is "Dom's" hike - a hike he's taken numerous times over the years. Depending on route variations it is likely to be anywhere from 40 to 60 miles. I'm excited.

Troubled Tuesday

2009-04-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

"Trouble, oh trouble set me free..."

Okay, maybe it's not sign-song worthy trouble, but from today's troubles I think the following thoughts...

The Appalachian Trial/AT, and the idea of it, has really taken up a strong residence in my mind. It's becoming a happy (unannounced) goal I'm truly excited to consider.

I want to be better because I AM better. You (Dom) are right to say: stop trying and just BE.

It's a life lesson. To be. To be fully. To be fully alive.

Out of stormy seas and skies I often find myself surrounded by clarity. During these times, I actually find myself thankful for the disturbances that have brought me here.

Because: I win. I won. Long ago. At the start. There has never been a real fight. I am beyond this. I am better.

We shall be happy, free and alive because at our core: that IS who we are.

The rat race and the troubled times are...a challenge we can face to grow and learn.

But, let us dream big and get serious about making our big dreams reality.

April Hail Showers. April Update.

2009-04-13T21:13:00.000-07:00

Outside the frogs sing. Loud. Clear. Wow.

I sit, inside, and can hear them: outside. So loud. Such a welcomed sound.

We have one rooster now. Stories aside, we are left with the younger of the two. He is silly. His crow is...not right. It sounds funny and makes me laugh at 6AM. I think Dom is going to look into re-homing him, as neither of us are fond of, well, taking his life.

He could, in all reality, exist as is for some time. But, we have seventeen little chicks in the shed. I'm assured at least SOME of these will be roosters. The process starts all over again.

What if I can't kill animals? What kind of farmer will I be? What if Dom decides he can't kill them either? Goodness. Can we still call ourselves farmers?

We have decided, until we erect the new coop/chicken run it is pointless to plant our raised beds in the backyard. If there is one thing chickens can do quite well, it is scratch up the dirt. Be it on the ground, or in raised beds. They are not stupid, they love those raised beds!

Dom's been busy digging holes to set timber pillars out in the woods. We are planning on using these debarked logs as the posts in our chicken run. We have decided on placing the chicken run in the woods. Netting will be utilized overhead, in addition to digging the fencing down six inches into the ground, to keep out predators. My grandma has had such horrible luck when it comes to predators getting her chickens, I hope to do everything possible to avoid that mess.

Tomorrow we say goodbye to Einstein, one of our black crested male guinea pigs. Although we recently acquired several guinea condos we have decided to downsize our guinea operation, at least in terms of the males we have on hand. Silly me, I got attached to Chester, Leo and Al. Unless I find the perfect home for them I will likely keep them, regardless of their breeding status. Dom is eager to get rid of Chester, but he is kind enough to let me keep him - Chester does, after all, make me smile.

We need to board up the backside of the shed. Battons are required for both front and back. We will finish, and likely sooner than later. Frankly, I'm quite surprised a hawk or other large bird, hasn't flown in to attempt stealing of the young chicks. With the back side open this is indeed a possibility, though the netting we have over the chicks box would likely deter any predator. The chicks themselves are doing well. The two Silkies are quite adorable, one is noticeably smaller than the other. For whatever reason it appears we have some Black Australorps in addition to our Cuckoo Marans and Americanas. Not to mention our mystery chick.

What about the pups? They are well. Peaches continues to show signs of aging, most especially with her knees and hips. Chubbs on the other hand only shows sign of his eight years in the grey hair on his snout. He still bounds over the couch, bed and whatever else as though he is a young pup. The other night we left the door to the bathroom open - when I awoke I couldn't find Chubbs. Where was Chubbs? Well, Mr. Chubbs was comfortably curled up in dirty laundry in the closet. Oblivious and happy. Silly boy.

Work? Work goes on. I'm happy to remain employed during this difficult economic time. But, I'm dreaming of the Appalachian Trail among other dreams. Apart from these grander dreams I'm dreaming of hiking in general, I mean, we had to make concessions, so, hello, eight furlough days. Hike, hike, hike.

Get A Move On

2009-04-09T15:57:00.000-07:00

Homesteading. Self-sufficiency. Chickens. Bees. Goats. Pigs. Animal husbandry. Gardening. Milk. Cheese. Eggs. Vegetables. Canning. Wine. Brewing. Blueberries. Orchard. Clover. Cabin. Sheds. Coop. Fencing. Etc.

My head is full of so many ideas. It's almost overwhelming.

I decided, spur of the moment, to take a vacation day yesterday. It was great. I slept in and then worked outside.

I'm a very visual person. Lately this has served as more of a hindrance then benefit, however. How things look is almost never as important as functionality. I'm specifically thinking about various projects we have going around the house. Take the clearing - it's in, it's planted, it's working.

But, it feels messy to me. Messy often leaves me feeling frustrated. So, yesterday, I did something about the 'mess' in the clearing. I raked at least three or four wheelbarrows full of woody/plant debris.

Does it look better? Yes.

Was that a worthwhile way to spend time? I'm not sure. I suppose if I feel happier, yes. But wouldn't it be even more productive if I changed my own feelings towards 'messiness'?

Right now I'm acutely aware of the need for us to start/finish the new coop. Those 17 chicks are fast becoming chickens.

I read these inspiring accounts of others really doing it - taking action and being self sufficient. Completing projects. Learning. Trying new things. Living the life. I want that, but am re-learning that want is not enough. And, until want spurs on action not much is going to change. So it's time to bridge that gap and get a move on it.

This is not the first time I've really felt the possibilities my property holds. This land I call home is really the perfect opportunity for me to transition into the ME that feels most happy.

Ditch the Snow. Warm Weather: Hello.

2009-04-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

Sunshine. Finally. Warmth. Finally. Spring. Finally.

The past few days have felt like spring, possibly even summer with temperatures creeping into the low 70's. I welcome the sun. It truly feels marvelous. As though, I am waking up from a long, dark, slumber.

On a short walk I smelled fresh cut grass, gazed at the yellow blooms of forsythia, heard birds in the trees and smelled salt air from the nearby beach. Lovely. So simple.

I've been looking at blogs today. Gosh there are a lot of creative folks out there. It's such a joy to discover new, fun, blogs. These discoveries leave me feeling inspired. What a wonder it would be to be the author of such a blog. To give to others, via thoughts, words and pictures.

Belle's Babies

2009-04-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

Miss Belle had her babies the other morning. What surprising results her and Al(falfa) produced. Cute little buggers!

Tomorrow Dom is of to pick up more guinea pig condos. Not just condos...nesting boxes, travel cages, scale, grooming platform, etc. If we didn't already consider ourselves guinea pig breeders, I suppose, after this, we have no choice. We will be guinea pig breeders.

We plan on selling at least two of Belle's babies. The male, who is the self crested silver agouti, has nice form - and a nice crest. If we were in Canada I believe he would be showable, but self cresteds are not showable in the states. Possibly we will breed him back to Belle to eliminate some of the white spotting we saw in this litter?

And Clover? She had her baby too. That's right, one single pig. A black one. How funny is that!? I thought for sure we'd see some surprising results from her too. Not this time!

North Coast Trip

2009-03-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

March 27-29, 2009. Toleak Point lies south of La Push. Specifically, one can access Toleak by entering the coast via the Third Beach trail. The Third Beach trail seemed quite popular, possibly from the eruption of the Twilight books/movie? On our way out we actually saw a black “Twilight Tours” bus. Yet even with this popularity, when we arrived at the trailhead mid-day Friday there were only a few other cars in the parking lot.

I became accustomed to my new (lightweight) REI Flash 65 backpack as we hiked the 1.4 miles out to Third Beach. It is a fairly level trail, dropping shortly before reaching the coast. A small creek was easily navigated and then, voila! We hit the beach.

The tide was high. In planning this trip we were aware we’d be battling the tides. Typically, I think, having low tides during the middle of the day offers easier travel. Regardless of high tide, we pushed south, heading for our first overland trail. I felt anxious as we dodged waves, certain, the moment I stopped paying attention one would crash high on shore and thoroughly soak me.

The first overland trail bypasses Taylor Point. In looking at the Department of Ecology’s Shoreline aerial photos I’m quite convinced, even at a significantly low tide, passage along the coast may be questionable. That is one rugged section of coast. A warning sign, cautioning of serious injury or death, exists on the south side of Taylor Point.

The overland trail from Strawberry Bay to the south side of Taylor Point is long. And it’s not just long, it was super-super muddy. I’ve hiked muddy trails before (Shi-Shi comes to mind, along with various river hikes) but the mud, oh-the-mud we encountered on this coastal trip sets a high bar! Wow!

The steep uphill climb away from Strawberry Bay was aided by ropes and ladders. We’d noted a waterfall a short distance from the base of the climb and eventually crossed a creek. The trail was a mixture of roots, mud and carefully constructed slabs over particularly nasty spots. Just past the creek, footholds were cut out of rock. And then, more mud. The trail back down to the coast was via many wooden steps.

We exited the woods and found ourselves in a small cove-like area. With the tide high, passing the small rocky outcropping just south of Taylor Point was out of the question; it was up and over the backside of the rocks.

We continued south to the next overland trail. In the process I managed to get thoroughly soaked by incoming waves AND, as if that wasn’t enough, quicksand-like clay tried to eat me. Not just part of my feet, or ankles, or calves – my whole freaking leg(s)! I came away from that mess with nerves slightly shaken. I think the worst part of the whole ordeal was it arose out of poor route choice. Had we of watched the waves a bit more we would have noted we likely could have crawled UNDER the fallen tree instead of trying to bypass it at its base. Live and learn – we would not make that mistake again.

Dirty and wet we arrived at the base of the next overland trail. More mud, big surprise, huh? We climbed our way up the fairly steep hill, aided by a thick rope. Atop the headland my dad fell. This one is a contender for the best fall during a hike award, though I think his fall up at Mildred still has top honors. It all happened so suddenly. Just when we though we’d conquered the mud or at least the fancy footwork needed to traverse this stuff, my dad made a mistake. He erroneously decided the ground at the bottom of a three or four foot HUGE hole was safe for jumping upon. It was not. He jumped down and promptly flew/slipped backwards as quickly as he’d gone down. Into the roots he fell, flat on his backpack. I let out a scream, I was certain he must have hurt himself. But, he was okay, thankfully. Other than not being able to get up. Without much time to consider the best way to get myself into the deep hole, I sat down and edged myself into it, mud and all. Once down there I helped him up then we shifted our attention to the next task at-hand: how to get out of the hole. It took a bit of doing, namely use of all fours, but we managed to hoist ourselves, and packs, back onto the trail. Onward, southbound!

More mud was the name of the game, but at this point we both felt like we were carrying around a few extra pounds of clay and mud in our gaiters – a little more mud never hurt anyone. Stomp, stomp, stomp.

As we neared the coast the trail dropped into the forest bottom. Salal towered above us as we made our way past a few camp spots, none of which looked very exciting. We came upon Scott’s Creek, which was flowing quite well. A few slippery-looking logs provided crossing, but I opted for crossing on the shore. A good chance to clean the gaiters? Plus, I was certain I’d slip and fall into the creek if I tried to walk over those logs.

We found a pretty nice camp spot just south of Scott’s Creek. We’d both opted to bring our tents, opposed to hammocks. There were two, possibly three tent spots at our camp. A huge rootball marked the entrance to camp. Over the next couple of days we covered the gnarled roots with floats found nearby.

With the tide finally going out, and camp set up, I took a few moments to wander further south. More headlands. More rock. Back at camp we began gathering driftwood to make a fire. And, a nice fire we had! We roasted hotdogs and sipped wine. To hell with all that mud!

Over the course of the evening we paid close attention to the tides, for a couple of reasons. We were particularly interested in seeing if we could round the headland just north of Scott’s Creek at low tide. Even at the lowest low this did not seem particularly safe. To our south, we estimated what time we needed to leave camp so that we could round headlands and make our way to Toleak Point. We knew we would likely have layover somewhere, as high tide was roughly mid-day.

On Saturday we awoke to rain, showers, drizzle and more rain. Wind too. Whee! Regardless we both wanted to reach Toleak, so we packed daypacks and headed south.

We made it to Toleak before the high tide. We continued on, heading towards the headland that leads to Goodman Creek. This headland was equipped with ladders, broken steps and a really steep, near vertical rope-ladder duo. We stood and pondered this ladder for several minutes. We considered the incoming tide. We knew fording Goodman was likely not an option. Recent reports had it at a 3.5 foot ford. That’s, like, up to my neck! But, seriously, with rain falling and wind blowing, neither of us really wanted to trudge through more mud-laden trail. Not to mention this bit of vertical did not look very fun!

Deciding against continuing further south, we returned north, scoping out possible camp spots around Toleak Point. Several possibilities exist, tucked into the woods, just past a thick barrier of sun-bleached, driftwood logs. Most had opportunity for hammock use too. With travel becoming more difficult on the beach, due to encroaching waves, we took to staying in the woods until travel became too difficult there as well. We were able to make it back to Strawberry Point for our tide-dictated layover.

Prior to reaching Strawberry Point, we discovered an emergency shelter. I would never have known it was there, but my eye caught something in the woods, up a steep muddy embankment. It was a privy, but south of the privy was an old A-frame emergency shelter! It’s fairly run down at this point, obviously no longer maintained, but what a fun find.

Strawberry Point = wind, rain, cold. There exists a lovely camp spot at Strawberry Point. Not only is it the only camp spot on the point, but it has a magnificent spot for a tent that lies lower than the rest of the camp, behind a massive driftwood wind block. Excellent! My dad made the wonderful discovery that he had put a lighter into his pocket earlier that morning. We passed two hours by building and tending to a fire. We spotted seals in the water. They poked their heads out from bobbing beds of kelp. As the tide grew further away we watched a seal swim, and then hop its way across an exposed sand bar. Two guys with huge packs and soaking pants appeared from the north. They told us the rock outcroppings were passable. But...you have wet pants? We decided to wait another half an hour. A group of four showed up. They too said everything was passable, and they had dry pants. Okay. We packed up and headed back towards Scott’s Creek.

Back at camp we opted not to start another fire. We had a quick dinner and waited to see if there would be any photo opportunities with the sunset. Not many, but brilliant storm clouds on the horizon mixed with rays of sunshine were ample compensation. With the early morning low tide, we agreed we’d have ample opportunity to utilize low tide on the way out. We agreed upon a wake up time and called it a day.

Of course Sunday broke with beautiful blue skies and sunshine. Go figure.

The hike out was, you guessed it, still muddy but we managed to forgo any more falls, attack of the leg eating quicksand or rouge waves. As we neared third beach we met with crowds of people. Twilight fans? I couldn’t help but wonder.

Toleak Point? Check. Strawberry Point? Check. Next up? Possibly Seafield Creek, or the portion of coast in between Norwegian Memorial and Yellow Banks? That section has a reputation of being pretty tough. Rocky, but, sans mud: hooray!

Lighten the Load

2009-03-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

The other day I pondered the following.

I really believe, at the end of the day, the most important thing about life is to live it. And, for every person the "living" of life has a different definition. A different path. As I travel my own path, more and more, I FEEL allowing others definitions of living be my own is not really true to myself. It's not really ME to get comfortable like this. And, I suppose that means, for me, I do not agree, 100%, with the definition by which I've allowed myself to live thus far.

Over the weekend I learned that my friend and her partner are simplifying their lives and moving into a VW Bus! How awesome! I'm super excited for her and her man. I have no doubt their journey will be inspiring and beautiful.

It's one thing to have a plan, it's an entirely different thing to start taking steps to make that plan a reality.

And so, I wonder, what is my plan? What steps am I taking?

. . .

Today I decided to buy a new backpack. Although I'm quite fond of my current backpack, the thing is fairly heavy (over 5 pounds).

This was slightly spontaneous.

Not only is this not something I'd normally do (backpacks are usually in-person purchases for me) but it will really challenge me to cut back on the gear I take while hiking. Simply put, the volume is nearly 1000 cubic inches less than my current pack.

Now, hours after my purchase, it occurs to me this purchase was quite timely, without even knowing it.

It mirrors a challenge to 'lighten the load'. Not only do I face this in regards to hiking and backpacking, but internally as well.

It's time to inspect the gear and decide what is really important. It's time to decide if this item or that item is really worth carrying. Because, the heavier the load the slower the go. The slower the go the longer it will take to reach the destination.

Be it out on the trail, or in life.

What Matters Most

2009-03-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

People enter our lives all the time. Some stay for a long time, others just briefly. Some leave, but return at a later date. Some leave, and never come back. I think all of these people, all of the people that enter our lives, do so for a purpose. As with the whole of Life, I believe everything has a purpose.

I'm often torn on what to write in this blog, this public-give-everyone-permission blog. When I sit down to write, or when I have the sudden urge to put paper-to-pen (so-to-speak) the words I transcribe are personal. Full of emotion. Full of deeper thoughts. Full of quiet ponderings. And sometimes, quite possibly, they don't even make sense.

In times like these I often blog on a private blog, only shared with my partner and his sisters. And, sometimes, even though I know why I'm writing privately I feel like I'm doing myself a disservice. Because, I have things to say and thoughts to share. Because, maybe, just maybe, a person will come along who I am to connect with and, what if, the message we were to connect upon is private and not there for them to find?

I had lunch with a friend today. We both work for the same company. During these tough economical times there is much to discuss, especially with the threat of layoffs overhead. Layoffs, furloughs, pay cuts, alternate work schedules, etc, pretty much everything is being discussed. There aren't a great deal of answers to be had, and I don't know if there will. Change is upon us whether we like it or not.

What came from our talks was the realization and solidification of where I'm at. Where am I? Ready for something different. The life I have is great. I've been blessed in numerous ways. I own my home. I own my vehicle. I have a loving and supportive family. I'm intelligent. I have food on the table. I'm doing well. Quite well. But, what troubles me at night is being part of THIS society (the society of want+want+want, need+need+need, buy+buy+buy) does not make me happy. I exist, at my core, as a happy person. It's written in my smile. It's just part of who I am.

But THIS? I don't want to sign up for this.

It's complicated, stressful and not wholly important to me as an individual. And that is what I know for me, today, at this age, at this time, in this moment. I'm completely okay and welcoming of the notion that these ideas, these thoughts, might seem like absolute nonsense to many, maybe even to you, dear reader!

I feel a strong sense of BEing. The path I have traveled thus far has been my own. It's not always been easy, but I've made it. In the past ten years I've come a long way. Endured much change. Spent time alone. Spent time together.

These past two years I've shared with Dominic. He is a good person to have entered my life. Thank you, Dominic, for giving me opportunity to stop and consider life. Thank you for pushing me to see/feel I don't have to buy into IT if IT's not me! Thank you for giving me a helping hand to step off-path and consider alternate routes. Just as with hiking, a good bushwhack almost always has great rewards.

Winter, Still

2009-03-15T17:37:00.000-07:00

Mid-March and winter just won't let go. We awoke to snow this morning. This past weekend's cruddy weather negated any opportunity for Dom and I to bask in our friend's lovely views. Regardless, house-sitting went wonderfully. We truly couldn't have asked for a more magical location.

Back home, we fired up the DSL - we're connected! It's noticeably faster than dial up, thank goodness.

All 15 chicks survived the weekend, as did our older chickens. Upon arriving home, we discovered sleepy (?) chickens out back. Dominic literally scooped up the five hens and carried them over to their pen. We went back for the roosters expecting a fight, but they just stood there and let us pick them up!

Darkness seems to be coming sooner today, aided, I'm sure, by the grey sky overhead. The wind flies through the trees, bending and contorting the branches, making the pines and firs dance a late winter dance.

Busy Week

2009-03-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

So busy. But good busy: Chicks. Guinea pig selling. Visit with friends. Visiting with my grandma. Concert. Company at the house. Bottling wine.

This past week we acquired 70 baby chicks. We kept 18 of them and it was our responsibility to get the other little chicks to their new owners. All went well. At home we have our chicks in the shed (no more raising chicks inside, they're too messy!). Chickens are fun. Our new breeds are Americana, Cuckoo Maran, Silver Laced Wyandottes and a couple bantam white Silkies. We also have one mystery chick. Of the remaining 15 (sadly, some have died) we estimate there will be at least 5 or 6 roosters. Hopefully not more. Our current roosters have taken up crowing in the morning, in the evening and whenever you look at them funny. I've discovered you can egg them on too - if I make silly crowing noises they watch me and soon, tilt their heads and raise their necks and, voila! Cockadoodledo! I like the roosters because they are pretty birds, more striking than the hens. Their color is more vibrant, they have more showy feathers and they are just bigger. However, this crowing at 5-6AM might not be a welcome addition to the neighborhood?

I learned last night that fertilized eggs shows signs of an embryo after only a few days of a hen sitting on them. We are going to need to be more industrious about picking up eggs - less we want a slightly disturbing surprise. Because of this, and our current sans coop state, I'd prefer to refrain from selling eggs to our customers for the time being. Once we have a new coop we can keep better watch of the broody hens and ensure we are getting all the eggs on a daily basis.

This weekend we will be house-sitting for our friends. We visited their home for the first time this past week. It's absolutely amazing. Sitting high on a ridge views abound and there are really no nearby neighbors. It's a win-win situation. They get to take a mini vacation and we feel the same! No kidding. People would pay to stay at this place. Lucky us, for sure.

Dominic has been busy selling guinea pigs this week. We have five left to sell before the next batch of babies are born. Before too long we should be able to move the pigs outside once again. Of course, we have too many males to have them all be outside. Maybe we can come up with a rotating schedule as I think it's important and healthful for the pigs to be outside part of the year. We see a remarkable improvement in their coats, and overall health, when they have access to fresh grass.

The clover we planted recently has started to sprout down in the clearing. Most of the fruit trees show signs of new growth. Dominic showed me how to differentiate between fruit buds and normal buds on an apple tree. It appears some of our apples may actually bare fruit this year! Several of the raspberries are shooting out new growth. Most of the bamboos are doing well, though I'm not sure that Moso is going to pull through in the clearing. The golden bamboo that my coworker gave me also looks dead, but I know that type grows profusely and believe the snow damage I'm seeing is nothing compared to the new growth that will be shooting up in the next month or so. My pilfered bamboo is growing like a weed and the various clumps in the "gap" look great. The day lilies, irises, quinces, and columbines all show promising sings of new growth. I'm excited to get some seeds out in the raised beds (spinach, greens, radishes, etc), but want to wait until we've re-cooped the chickens as they are likely to disturb and/or eat anything we put out there.

Hey There Lady

2009-03-09T10:24:00.001-07:00

There is a ladybug on my wall today. In the office. How did she get here? What message does she bring? One of luck? Of happy times ahead?

We spent this past weekend in Bellingham. What a lovely city. I look forward to going back and exploring the area more. We discovered the Eclipse bookstore in Fairhaven. This shop takes the cake, Dominic and I could have easily spent hours upon hours browsing through their extensive (and impressive) book collection. We attended the WWU Men's Baskeball game. They played Central. You know what? It was fun. I really enjoyed the energy of the crowd. Miesha and Chris performed during the time-outs and half time, along with the other members of the STEP team. They did a great job. Yesterday Dominic and I poked around Fairhaven a bit more. We found the coolest toy store! It was packed of fun stuff (and quite a few adults!). On the way home we stopped near Burlington to take pictures of the amazing clouds. Massive, brilliant clouds.

Today our new chicks arrived! Dominic bottled the Riesling wine last night. It's spectacularly clear. I hope it tastes as good as it looks!

We are currently sans dogs, due to being away this past weekend and having a concert Wednesday and house sitting for a friend next weekend. The house is quiet without Peaches and Chubbs, and the bed, well, a little less warm at night.

A busy week lies ahead. I do hope this little ladybug brings a message of good.

February Thoughts

2009-02-05T09:38:00.000-08:00

...I'm going to order some DVD's from the Turtle Island Preserve. I'm pretty excited to check these out. One is Eustace Conway's story - on film. I finished reading The Last American Man, I would recommend. What an amazing man. Amazing author too, Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) is wonderful.

Turtle Island offers a 5-day adult workshop. Do I hear sound of a possible vacation? I mean a REAL vacation? Hmm.

Following links online I discovered two eco villages up in Port Townsend. One sounds like a really great place! They offer monthly tours and work parties. I think this might be another great opportunity.

We acquired to roosters recently. They are buff orpingtons and they are BIG! I'm amazed with how much taller they are then our females. Thus far they seem to be adjusting, but the simple fact remains: there is really no reason to have TWO roosters. Possibly we will make friends with our neighbors at the start of the road and ask them if they need/want a rooster!? Last night we heard/saw one of the roosters cock-a-doodle-do for the first time. Yep. It's a male. The darn thing did it at least six or seven times. He is the older one, and much bigger than the younger male. I suppose we should give him a name?

We need to build a bigger chicken coop/run. Dom and I have been discussing location and design ideas. We need something that the chickens can grow into. I'm also very interested in building something that looks nice.

Secretly, and I guess not so secretly if I'm posting about this, I had hoped to hike the Appalachian Trail in 2010. Ideally, I envisioned summitting Katahdin on my 30th birthday (10/10/10). How cool would that be!? Super cool. But, in lieu of that, my dad recently showed interest in the Olympic's Bailey Traverse. That is nearly equally as exciting to think about, and local.

Regardless, hiking the AT is definitely something I would like to consider in the next few years. Now is the time.

I feel myself transitioning into greater acceptance and excitement of a more farm-oriented lifestyle. Without giving up on future dreams/goals (more acreage on the peninsula, possibly near Forks), my current situation is allowing me wonderful opportunity to learn, acquire and hone skills that I see as valuable, important and integral to future developments of my self. This area, this place, this state of being, feels very right for right now.

Rag Rugs

2009-01-07T15:29:00.000-08:00

Recently I purchased a beautiful rag rug from a local artist (Bag Lady) to give as a gift to Dom's mother (see above). Rag rugs remind me of my grandma. I have one of her's in my spare bathroom. It's a multi-color smile! After watching some YouTube videos on how to make rag rugs, I thought, "Might as well give it a try."

This is what I came up with (above), which I gave as a gift to my mother. My stitches are much tighter than those I've seen in other rag rugs, which leads me to wonder - what's the trick? Are others crocheting with a hook? Are they sewing the fabrics into one long string? I know Bag Lady makes tubes with her fabric scraps and sews together. I'm using a huge safety pin as a 'tool' and increasing/decreasing stitches accordingly to keep the rug flat. I did not sew anything other than the end pieces into place. Regardless of art, it's a rug, right? I will make more; I've really enjoyed scouting out fabrics from thrift stores to use in future creations.

I recently set up an Etsy account. Nothing for sale yet, but I hope to embark on selling some of my art in 2009 - be it rugs, hats, beaded bottles or photography..

Snowed In

2009-01-07T15:20:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year.

Happy Happy 2009.

We’ve been inundated with snow! Lots and lots of snow! Enough that the Subaru got stuck: once, twice, too many times to count. We were snowed in for: one, two, too many days to count! I fear I didn’t make the best of it. I should have relished the time at home and basked in the silence of the winter wonderland. Instead I found myself consumed with worry about getting into work (what the heck!?), mostly because I was acutely aware every hour I was NOT at work meant I HAD to use up precious vacation time. In my mind vacation time equates to time in the mountains. Time out on the trail. Time at the coast. Etc. I find myself antsy when said time is in jeopardy.

We spent the Christmas holiday in. We had an enjoyable time visiting with my family.

Equally as enjoyable was spending the New Year (and Dominic’s birthday) down in Camas. We made the always-fun trip to Powells. Watched movies. Played Wii. Sipped wine. Cuddled with the two boxers (and Bean the dachshund!). Slept in. Arrived home to, yes, MORE snow.

Today brings (heavy) rain and wind, promising to melt more snow. At this point: I’ll take it.

Winter Approaches

2008-12-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving weekend in Camas with Dominic's family. Good food. Good company. Good times.

While down there we went on a hike up Eagle Creek. It was lovely! I really enjoyed discovering a new beautiful spot and I look forward to going back, possibly for some backpacking!? There is a lot of hiking along the Columbia River. In some ways it's nice to explore a new area, as the possibilities for discovery of NEW is vast.

But, I miss the Olympics. I miss the Coast. Soon. Soon I will getaway. Soon I will return.

Life at home got busy with the arrival of eight new guinea pig babies (from Shaniqua AND Boo). Our other three females are also pregnant, time to sell more pigs.

We completed roofing the shed, save cutting off some extra shingling hanging over the side. My parents, and Dominic's, were kind enough to lend a helping hand. Truly, without them, we never would have got done by winter, at least not this easily. We finally figured out the silly+silly door. It does lock AND even better, it does open after locking. That damned door. What a fiasco.

The addition of lights in the chicken coop are giving us more eggs. Yesterday we got FIVE! We haven't had that many since they started laying.

Peaches & Chubbs are well. Chubbs is really going grey on his muzzle. My sweet boy.

I started making a rag rug this past week. I'm having so much fun with this. Granted, my efforts are not producing the quality of rag rugs that my grandma made, but they are rugs and they are usable. I'm excited to continue this project.

Happy Holidays!

Dewatto's View

2008-11-20T15:42:00.000-08:00

Found this one in the archives. Taken at Dewatto. I love the view from this location. The water stretches out, towards the foothills and juts upward towards Mount Washington and Mount Ellinor. And, much like when this picture was taken, the snow has returned to the mountains. Right now, it's raining.

Dom and I are hoping it will let up, and/or stop all together as we are planning on roofing the shed this weekend.

And then, just like that it's Thanksgiving.

Christmas is just around the corner.

Yikes.

Heavy Rain

2008-11-14T12:38:00.001-08:00

Last week heavy rains brought flooding to the area surrounding the well, including beneath the shed, and to the lower half of the clearing. Our “pond” which is merely a four or five foot hole dug in the ground was full overnight. Brimming with groundwater, as no surface water had been directed into it yet. The water beneath the shed was a good foot or more. And the poor back half of the blueberry bushes were swimming in their own foot or more pool of water. After digging trenches to get the water flowing away from beneath the shed we were able to spend a bit more time assessing water drainage issues on the property.

Some of these drainage issues have been known to me since day one. The area surrounding my well has always been wet. Building a shed in the vicinity of the well may not have been the wisest of choices, but this was the most logical and reasonable placement for our first outbuilding. I believe with appropriate ditches and drainage piping we can keep most, if not all, rainwater from pooling under the shed. With a little work, and possibly a piece of machinery, I also think we could drain the area around the well, and get that water moving down towards the lower half of the property.

Our “pond” gave us insight as to the level of groundwater during storms. It’s high, and in no time, holes fill as the water filters through the poor, rocky soil. I’m still amazed that the hole filled as quickly as it did. Dominic spent a little time directing some of the surface water from the side of the house into the pond, and although most of this has stopped flowing now, the pond still remains full.

The seasonal drainage flows into the clearing. In that the clearing is new, this was the first good look at how the earth down there would handle a larger rain event. It acted as we may have though, the lower half and entire side pooled water. I did not expect the amount of flooding in the lower half of the clearing however. What can be done down here, besides letting nature run it’s course and suck up the water as she’s able? I think maybe the best bet is to move the water beyond the clearing, down the slight slope, towards the back of the property. In lieu of that, maybe digging out a seasonal holding pond would be appropriate.

The other day we purchased roofing for our shed. We had high hopes of getting a good deal from a roofing guy, but he wasn’t able to find what we needed. We seriously considered roofing with political signs. I still think this is a great idea; we just weren’t able to collect the desired amount of signs in time. We did manage to acquire about 30 or 40 though. Maybe we can use them for another structure and/or various other projects.

The guinea pigs grow fatter each day. We patiently wait for more babies; Big Mama is due any day now. These will be the first babies from Chester, our only male. Boo now joins the ranks of obviously pregnant. Dominic has spoken with Sheryl about acquire a trio of tortoiseshell guinea pigs. We hope to do this early next month.

We finally finished the chicken coop. Next year I’d like to see creation of a larger scale enclosure to house them in, but what they have now is more than adequate to keep them safe, dry and hopefully warm, during the coming winter months. Last night we installed a light in their coop, this should encourage more regular egg production. Thus far they seem a bit reluctant to use or be in the covered space. They have spent the last several nights huddled in the exterior coop/tractor area. Silly birds.

Last Saturday I did a short dayhike up the Elwha River with a small group of folks. The river was angry and raging from the recent rains. I have never seen the waters at Goblins Gate so high. The water bubbled up with a ferocity that kept my feet firmly planted away from the edge. Across the way, at Anderson’s Ranch, I spotted about four or five elk. The restoration of Hume’s Ranch continues. It will take a few years for the cabin to regain its ‘rustic’ look, but in the meantime all that freshly cut cedar sure does smell good! The restoration of Michael’s Cabin is complete. The trail itself still shows signs of last year’s major storm, portions are simply gone, completely eaten away by the river. One such portion, just before Hume’s Ranch, hasn’t been properly rerouted. There is slightly misleading flagging in the vicinity, but walking straight up the hill allows one to intersect with an established trail that leads directly to Hume’s Ranch.

The Light Returns to America

2008-11-05T11:41:00.000-08:00

I don't feel like I should be at work today.

It feels like a holiday - as though we should all be out celebrating, smiling and connecting with others.

There is HOPE in the air, a sense of hope I've never felt before.

And, it feels really good.

Very real.

For the first time in my life I feel a sense of community and pride in being an American.

Fort Worden

2008-10-28T15:08:00.000-07:00

I took a trip up to Port Townsend over the weekend. Gosh, the fall colors were brilliant!

The farms nearing Chimacum were adorned with towering, dressed-up maples. Cows in a line, eating. Buffalo roaming in an open field. Egg and I (a good book if you haven't read) Road. Cheaper gas at the Chimacum Chevron. Cenex. It's a happy farm area!

Port Townsend is a fun place. Even as an 'outsider' I felt the sense of community traveling down the roads towards Fort Worden. Cute houses. Fun landscaping. Logical political support. Food co-ops. People walking. Dogs on leashes. What a nice area.

Before Fort Worden I made a quick jaunt up a favorite beach. The tide was high, so beach combing was not as good as it could have been. Nonetheless, views of Protection Island and the steady sound of crashing waves made it well worth the trip.

Back at Fort Worden I parked and walked. Here and there. Gazing up at decorated deciduous trees. Watching a family play croquet in the field. Feeling the wind in my hair. Smiling at the sunshine. Atop a hillside I gazed down at the Point Wilson lighthouse and skimmed over crowds of people on the beach, on the sidewalks and in the campground.

If you're not familiar with Fort Worden, it's a huge park. 434-acres, two miles of saltwater shoreline and a variety of services, facilities and old historical buildings (lots of bunkers!) from its days as a 19th century military fort. The park rests on a bluff overlooking the Puget Sound. Fort Worden, along with Fort Flagler and Fort Casey, guarded nautical entrance into Puget Sound. In the late 1890's Fort Worden became the first line of defense against enemy fleets trying to reach targets such as Bremerton, Seattle and Everett. The property was purchased as a state park in 1955. Learn more about Fort Worden State Park on the WA Parks website.

Shed's Progress

2008-10-21T11:39:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we nearly completed siding the shed. We only have the trusses left and I think we are going to cover those areas with board and baton, from Dominic's milled lumber. Looks like a small cabin, huh?

We completed 'putting the garden to bed' this past weekend too, at least the portions in the backyard. We collected all the vegetation and made a monster compost pile. After only a handful of days pile decreased in size by about half! Steam on!

After a few days of minimal production our chickens gave us four eggs yesterday. Maybe it was our reward for giving them new beds to till up. We've been moving the chickens to recently emptied raised beds to scratch, peck and till to their hearts' content. In the process they deposit additional nutrients to these squares of soil. Dominic planted a couple of the beds in rye grass, as a cover crop. If we don't use for the guinea pigs, we can simply till it under and utilize in addition to compost. Next year I wouldn't hesitate to plant root crops in these beds, the soil is looking that good.

We weighed the guinea pigs last night. All appear to be doing well. Brown Girl lost some weight, which we think was likely caused from nursing. We've sold all but one from her recent litter, and Dominic lined up a new home for the remaining little girl. Big Mama is obviously pregnant, and possibly due as soon as October 25th. Last night we separated her from the others. PigPigPig and Shaniqua also appear pregnant. With these new litters we should start to see Chester's crest appear.

Projects Around the House

2008-10-08T14:39:00.000-07:00

Today we brought tomatoes, beans, acorn and spaghetti squash into work to share with our coworkers. This has not been a good year for growing much of anything, but we did manage some production. We also learned a lot along the way. Next year, less tomatoes but more varieties. Thus far we have salvaged only a few of the supposedly delicious Brandywine heirloom tomatoes. Our best tomato? An unknown orange variety. Go figure. The garden has been a great project for us this year. Starting with just a few raised beds early this year, we now have over 12 full of growth.

On the side of the house we successfully established two rooting beds. We got a good deal on some old skylight windows from the local builder's exchange and utilized as a cold frames until the temperatures got warm enough. Currently one of these beds is housing our worms!

Dominic spent a great deal of time working in the forest at the start of the year. He braved the thick brush and tackled the tree limbs that grew to the ground. Using Timber Stand Improvement techniques he hacked, sawed and otherwise cleared his way through a good chunk of the property. We established a trail along the south side of the property, along which we currently have many of our mushroom logs.

The mushroom logs, specifically shitake, have not bore fruit yet. We aren't certain they will, but I remain hopeful. Last time this year we were hunting chanterelles. So far the weather hasn't been very conducive to such hunts. Will this change? I don't know, we had a soft-frost greet us this morning.

The application of fertilization to the garden has been very successful. I was apprehensive as to the effectiveness of biosolids application, but ten months later and I'm convinced. I'm now quite comfortable with Dominic's mindset of: "It's not growing well? Give it some biosolids!"

In February the clearing was established. This was a pretty substantial undertaking, but thanks to help from my dad and brother, Dominic and I were successful in creating area for a multitude of plantings. Within the clearing we have several apple, pear, peach and figs establishing themselves. Beneath the fruit trees, and in the entirety of the upper half of the clearing we planted clover. The clover has served as barrier to invasive weeds, along with providing food for the guinea pigs and chickens.

Our blueberry rainbow, the arced planting of about 100 blueberry bushes in the lower half of the clearing, has done significantly better since the application of fertilizer. Thankfully the tiny plants we put into the ground earlier this year DID grow, and are not more easily seen. Nonetheless, the rock circle we placed around each bush, has served well to keep us from stepping on precious new growth. In between all these blueberries (of which there are several varieties) we planted a few varieties of strawberries. The strawberries have really taken off in the past couple of months. I don't know if I've ever seen such wide strawberry leaves.

Our trip to Raintree Nursery at the start of the year gave us opportunity to purchase three fig trees, among other plants. These figs are planted in the middle of the clearing. We took cuttings from Dominic's parents house early this year. After application of rooting hormone, these little cuttings braved freezing temperatures, thick snow and lots of rain. They survived magnificently! This fall we hope to plant several more, as well as, give them to friends and family.

Late April, six baby chicks became our responsibility. Three Buff Orpingtons and three Giant Cochins. Housed in the back room, along with six guinea pigs, it often seemed like we were establishing an indoor petting zoo. As soon as we could put the chickens outside: we did. Indoors they were messy and smelly. I seriously question if I'd ever raise chicks indoors again. They are definitely inhabitants for a shed, or non-carpeted area. Outside we fashioned a tractor-coop. Dominic trained Peaches & Chubbs not to nose into the birds space, and after several weeks and many sprays from the hose they quit caring about the noisy, flappy-winged creatures taking up space in their backyard!

The guinea pigs were soon to follow. Once the weather warmed up we moved them into the backyard as well. They became our furry grass mowers, and did a surprisingly good job. Fast forward a handful of months later and we just purchased a five-floor cavy condo to extend our guinea pig breeding program. Upon completion of the shed, we will over winter the cavies in this location.

Since buying my property, nearly three years ago, building a shed has been on my to-do list. This year has seen the necessary steps to completion of that goal. Though we still have siding and roofing to complete, the bare bones of the shed are done. It's a welcomed site to step out the front door and see erection of this building. It will serve as storage and workspace, something we definitely need for outdoorsy (and often dirty) equipment and tools.

As of August 29 our chickens became a worthwhile addition to the property: they are laying eggs! And while this is a welcomed progression, it further increases the need to complete their coop. We've designed and revised our chicken coop plans several times since original conception. Out back we have a nice plywood triangle that commits us to an A-frame style coop/tractor. The new design includes nesting boxes, covered space free from the elements as well as an area open to the ground (for scratching) and air.

Dominic's increased skills with the chainsaw this past year have seen progression into the world of chainsaw lumbermaking. We are hopeful the coming fall and winter will allow us opportunity to further hone these skills. We have plans to build an outdoor rabbit hutch and other smaller outdoor storage spaces from the lumber we are able to mill ourselves.

The properties soil became home to a wide variety of plants this year, including, but not limited to: forsythia, flowering quinces, day lilies, snowball bush, olives, grapes, rhubarb, raspberries, bamboo (golden, moso, etc), Japaneses maples, wildflowers, sunflowers, poppies, garlic, crocosmia, iris, elderberry, and rye grass. Within the raised beds: tomatoes, radishes, onions, fava beans, climbing and bush beans, zucchini, squash (gold nugget, spaghetti, pumpkin, acorn, etc), climbing and bush peas, brussel sprouts, broccoli, grafted apple trees, corn, and cucumbers.

A busy year, with time still left!

Words + Photos

2008-10-03T08:12:00.000-07:00

checking out
of the beach cottage...
my old shoes feel new
-cjd

For several years my Mom and I have talked about putting a book together. She writes haiku, I take pictures. The two creative endeavors compliment one another quite well. I'm continually impressed by her success with writing. She has really found her niche as an artist, and through her words I see her growing ever more happy.

It is a good thing.

I'm proud of you Mom!

Her birthday is Sunday. My gift? Let's make that book happen. This will be the year.

Back Home

2008-09-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

The Enchantments were glorious. I had a lovely time.

The photo opportunities were endless.

What a joy.

I took over 400 pictures, narrowed it down to about 100 for posting on Flickr.

Highlights: the ascent/decent of Aasgard with a full pack (40#), staying IN the basins, climbing Little Annapurna, visiting Prusik Pass and Gnome Tarn, views of Temple Lake and Shield Lake, crazy gusty winds, sunrises, sunsets, stargazing, the quiet silence, crystal clear water, my Excalibur adventure, no bugs, the many many goats, baby goats mewing, ridge walking, granite and being surrounded by such beauty for five days.

Public Waters

2008-09-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

Driving into work this morning, I glanced up and caught sight of a 50 pound bag of chicken feed in my back seat. It made me smile. Life is going well. I'm transitioning. I'm becoming. More me. More free.

Tomorrow it's off to the Enchantments. It's been two years since I've ventured up there. The weather is going to be unbelievably perfect, which is just amazing, considering we put in for this hiking permit at the start of the year. I will miss Dominic, the dogs, the critters and our little home.

But, I shall return. Exhausted. Refilled. Calm. Entirely happy.

I've been blogging for over a year now, sharing various spillings with just a few readers in a private blog. But, today, I set sail on more public waters. Opening up and painting my picture for whomever to see. Writing, be it scribbling thoughts into countless journals or punching out posts online, is part of me. Here we go!