Friday, May 25, 2018

So Much to Share!

Hello my friends!  Our koi are growing!  We have 5 fish, one old white pond goldfish and 4 koi - can you see the dark one, too?


We so enjoy our deck and pond with 3 waterfalls, it's so peaceful.


Our big cotton candy pink Rhododendron - do you know the variety name of this one?



It's a really pretty variety and is next to our bamboo that is really full and lacy.



This is on the back corner of our house next to our little forest of Douglas Fir and Cedar trees.


Shirley wasn't able to volunteer with me at Multnomah Falls yesterday so Dayle had to postpone a couple of errands and was pressed into service with me.  :-)  We had a great time chatting with this family, they had just driven 9 straight hours with 5 young children so they were having fun with our drawers of natural things such as antlers and raccoon pelt.  I asked them to pose for me and then I sent them this photo via text message.  :-)


As you can see the living green things are making Multnomah Falls beautiful again, the burned trees on the ridge top are a constant reminder of the Eagle Creek Fire that eventually burned over 50,000 acres and was started by a 15 year old boy who threw smoke bombs from a trail into a tinder dry forest.  Luckily a woman saw it, chastised him and hiked back to the parking lot to notify a USFS employee who called the police who just barely stopped the boys as they tried to leave the scene in their car.  She's my hero.  Of course it did not stop the fire from devastating the forest, killing untold wild creatures, burning a family's home and outbuildings, closing the freeway, the loss of jobs and income from many small businesses and hundreds of people being evacuated from their homes and much more.


I snapped a photo of Multnomah Creek as I walked out to the freeway parking lot, unfortunately the sun was hitting the screen of my iPhone but I still wanted to share this with you.



My purple Iris captured by Kristi on my Lumix camera.



Kristi also captured a pair of Turkey Vultures who were probably looking for mice or something after the kids mowed our upper pasture with our tractor.



She also captured a raccoon who was curled up in the crook of this big tree in our forest, he was 25 feet up, it was pretty cute.


We met the new owners of Stargazer, Erica and Warren.  We had such a fun lunch sharing information and stories of our time with Stargazer.  We plan to meet again and I'll bring a book I kept during my time of the "Ranger Round-Up Commodore".  I started the group, designed the website, organized a database of owners and planned several rendezvous of owners and boats over the years.  Click HERE to see my story of saying goodbye to my beloved boat.


My sister Denise and her husband Steve and some friends are in China for several weeks, how cool is this photo of them while hiking along the Great Wall of China?  :-)


This is the book I'm reading right now and even less than halfway through I can totally recommend it to you.  I got it when I learned that the writer of the book that spurred one of my favorite movies, "Under the Tuscan Sun", had written another book.. it's the one below.  It's a very good read!


See why I couldn't come up with a good title for this blog post?  LOL!  Dayle and I are off to do those errands he put off yesterday and get my Ford Flex in for it's 40,000 mile service.  A lunch out will probably figure in, as usual.  :-)  Have a wonderful day and THANK YOU for your thoughtful comments.  It's what keeps a blogger going, knowing someone is reading one's musings and appreciating your photo efforts.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

16 comments:

  1. Wow that was sure a fun post Teresa! I love the photos of the family at the Falls and the one of Denise at the wall and also meeting up with the new owners of your beloved boat. Such a busy time in your life. I’m sitting at the trailer looking out over the lake as I catch up on blog posts today. It’s a gorgeous day and a beautiful weekend as predicted. I hope you have a fun weekend planned too.
    Blessings, Betsy

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  2. Teresa, thank you for documenting your adventures and home life. Your photos and stories are appreciated! I did go back and read about parting with your beloved sailboat. It was poignant. Life is full of closing chapters and opening new ones, I think. So cool that you keep up with the new boat owners. Have a great weekend! We are adding plants to our empty spaces in the back yard, despite a wiley wabbit who wants to eat them!

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  3. Very nice post about saying goodbye to the Stargazer. Lots of history and she is a beauty! I'm so happy for you that you have connected with the new owners and she is back in local waters. I think the Universe knew you missed her. ;~)

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    1. I'll have to thank the universe!! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  4. Teresa, you have a lovely full life staying busy with wonderful activities. Such a sweet family enjoying their visit with you at the Falls. That's such a sad story about the fire, but with an ending that could have been much worse. The raccoon up the tree is so cute! And I really enjoyed seeing your fish and of course your lovely flowering shrubs. I hope you enjoy a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. ♥

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  5. So many lovely photos and interesting reports...but I especially enjoyed seeing Denise and Steve on the Great Wall! Wishing you and yours a good weekend. I drove up to the National Cemetery today and met Lis and Gary there...lots of fluttering flags defied the gloomy weather and celebrated those who served for the cause of peace. xx

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  6. Everything is so beautiful all around you. That little raccoon sleeping in the tree is precious. Of course, we all knew you'd have a great visit with the new boat owners. I'm sure they welcomed your knowledge and enthusiasm. Happy weekend.

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  7. Beautiful happy photos. That pink Rhodo...... is stunning.

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  8. The falls are looking beautiful. How lovely that you’ve met the new owners of Stargazer. Have a good weekend. CNx

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  9. Thanks, Teresa! You sure are busy! You live in such a beautiful area and always have so many interesting things to share! I appreciate how you give us sweet pictures and great information all at the same time! Keep up the great work!! Thanks again!

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  10. I am always reading but seems to me I have to catch up on the weekends. I am so happy you met the new owners of your boat, it must feel good to know it is in good hands. Hope you have a beautiful weekend Teresa.

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  11. Lovely rhodys and koi too! It was an interesting trip through the gorge on our way to Spokane. Not as bad as I'd expected but still saw all the black trees on the rim by Multnomah Falls. Wow! lots of damage but hopefully it will become green again in a few years. Glad you got to meet the new owners of your boat! I've often wondered why I have so many readers but few comments....but I keep writing cuz people are reading! Today is warmer than yesterday when we need a sweater in the late morning even when we went to Chick-Fil-A in Clackamas for lunch with our son's family! Have a good week!

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  12. Wow so much to love in your post Teresa and that gorgeous family ♥ A Raccoon how neat in the tree ♥ I have lots of readers but only you and Gracie commenting and it is the best. Not worried about comments just love that so many enjoy a little read of what we all do in our days. xoxo

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  13. I'm getting pond fever! At a friends house on Friday night, we saw their pond. The froggies were all over it! I'm ...in .. the ...thinking about it phase! FUN photo of the family wearing antlers

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  14. Great to see you fish growing Teresa. What a fun time you have had the last few days.I love that raccoon, a sight we could never see here! I'm afraid that Blogger is playing with our blog comments...we no longer get email notifications here..so annoying! You know how much your blog is loved, comments or no comments!! Hugs xxx

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  15. Love all your water pictures - both at home and at the Falls. Great shot of the visiting family too - looks like they were having a lot of fun. So cool that you and Dayle met the new owners of your boat. The picture Kristi got of the Raccoon up in the tree reminds me so much of summers in Vermont at Lake Dunmore (there were ALWAYS raccoons up in the trees). I always wanted one as a pet....

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