Busy Day in the Gorge

Today was action-packed!  I headed off to Multnomah Falls to join my sister Denise for lunch at the Lodge before our afternoon volunteer shift in the Visitors Center.  We had a great afternoon talking to people from all corners of the world.  The Falls are rather skimpy this time of year as the snow melt is mostly gone and it's been dry, no rain, so the only water coming over is mostly from the spring that feeds the waterfall.

We had several visitors come in asking about Oneonta Gorge, so I went down to get a photo to show you.  This rock bluff and tunnel are at the entrance to the gorge, and are a part of the original Historic Columbia River Highway. 

This photo is an example of when nature takes it's course, not to the benefit of those of us who would actually like to SEE down this gorge.  It used to be clear so you could see the rock sides and the narrow winding gorge, but you can hardly see down there anymore.  There is also a big log jam down there that hikers have to climb over to continue on down the gorge to the end where there is a waterfall.  The USFS says it's natural and they can't clean it up, but last year a young man fell off the log jam when trying to climb over it and hit his head on a rock and died.   

I zoomed my lens in and you can see some hikers, the log jam and on down the narrow gorge.   

If you hike to the end of the gorge, this is what the waterfall looks like - I found this image on google.  A hot summer day is the best time to hike back into this gorge as in some parts of it you have to wade or even swim through the water.

There are mosses and lichens that grow in this gorge and no other place in the world.

In the last few years this tunnel was re-opened and secured with a wooden interior - it had been filled in with rock debris since the 50s. Now the public can ride bikes or walk through it again. 

I then drove further down to snap a photo of Horsetail Falls.. it's a beautiful one that has a huge flow all year long, no doubt a spring.

Driving along the Historic Columbia River Highway is always lovely with the tall forests on the cliff side and the river on the other. 

When I arrived home, I asked hubby.. would you like fried chicken for dinner?  He goes "SURE!!" - so I said, well, hop in the shower, let's go to Tad's Chicken 'n Dumplin's!  He told me he'd taken a fall off the top of the step ladder, he climbed to the top and then realized one foot was in a mole hole and he went flying backwards onto the ground.  Nothing is broken, but he's sore.  Tsk tsk.  ::sigh::


Then he told me he'd waiting until I got home to cut the door from the chicken coop into the new run.. isn't that sweet?  He knew I wanted to watch the chickens discover their big new space.  So, I pulled a folding chair into the pen to see what happened.  

The first ones to venture out were the 2 Ameracaunas that will lay aqua eggs.  We bought them from a woman who had them in her back yard and she realized she had too many chickens.  The chickens we got from a poultry raiser are more timid as I think they were caged until we bought them, poor chooks.  

These two are the bossy ruffians of the flock - a pecking order is being established.  I've named the one with a black pouffy topknot "Beyonce" and Kristi, our DIL, named the other one Shelby as she's the color of a Mustang car. :-)   

Dayle has wired this run up like Fort Knox.  And he has more securing to do, running wire fence down into the ground around the perimeter of the fencing.  How do you like his cover?  I love it!

The Buff Orpington who will lay pinkie-brown eggs.  Her name is Buffy. 

The Blue Laced Red Wyandotte - her name is Lacey. 

Weeeee.. room to get chased around by the mean chickens!  The two groups are like rival gangs.. and the 2 Ameracaunas bully the other 3 pretty bad.  The low man on the totem pole is the littlest one, the Black Copper Maran who will lay dark chocolate brown eggs.  Her name is Hershey.  :-)  Now to wait for the eggs to come.  

When I came into the house I saw this big box on the table.. and it was the fabulous and generous giveaway gift from Shari at Shari's Crochet.  OH MY GOODNESS.. I absolutely am enchanted by the "Bucket of Seashells" bag she made and sent to me!  And a sweet card with a handwritten note, 3 balls of lovely cotton yarn, 2 note pads and a darling little stack of beautifully printed sticky notes!  Wow... thank you SO much, Shari!!  I will be carrying my crochet projects around in this soft, lined, lush bag!  :-) 

While I was admiring my prizes, hubby was getting ready to go out to dinner and off we drove, just 10 mintues from our house - we got a great table by the window at Tad's.  This was our view of the sun going down over the lovely Sandy River.

We were in the "old dining room" and I got this photo of the newish dining room, it's the neatest place ever. 

I just loved seeing the river flow by with the leaves illuminated by the late afternoon sun.  I looked downriver and saw at least a dozen people playing in the river, and fisherman going by in boats. 

My dinner arrived, crispy fried chicken and mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans with ham and onions is served family style for us to share.  We had some healthy stuff first, a veggie platter and a salad each.  They make this chicken in a cast iron pan and oh my goodness... this may have been the tastiest, crispiest, tenderest chicken in my entire life.  Neither of us could finish the chicken.. it's in the fridge for lunch. :-)

 Dayle had the same thing, except he had the dumplings.  

This is the back side of the sign - the locals call it the "Chic Dump".  They tried to fix the sign several times and the 2nd part would burn out, and the locals begged them to leave it be, so it stands.  :-)

This is the other side, and what people see when coming from the city of Portland to dine.  Us locals see the other side as we come and go down the Sandy River Gorge. 

And so, we got home with full bellies in time to watch "Big Brother" on TV.. and life is good.  Very very good.  I'm a happy "chic".  OK, I'm off to go swimming and hubby is going to a gun show with our oldest son, Shawn.  Boy stuff.  Have a great weekend!!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)