Tuesday September 1st 2026

We had the first couple of weeks in April enjoying pool bobbing before packing up to leave for the summer.

We didn’t even have to heat the pool. The sun warmed up the solar heating panels and we had toasty 87 degree water.

We had planned on spending some time in southern Utah on our way to Oregon. Several snow storms had dumped quite a bit of the white stuff. Since it was still snowing we carried on.

My homemade slippers came very handy on the drive. Thanks Leslie for your nifty knitting skills.

The Beast and Brutey got settled back into our old spot in Hood River.

We got in quite a bit of hiking before the greenery dried up.

Shrooms were popping up.

Plenty of ladybirds were out and about snacking on nectar.

We picked and ate huge amounts of cherries during the whole month of June. They were so cherrylicious.

Mount Hood still had quite a bit of snow.

Mount Hood Meadows was in full bloom. We hiked on a great trail around the ski area.

I color coordinated with the Lupines and Indian Paintbrush.

A Shroom colony.

A ladybird sunbathing.

Memaloose State Park, just a few miles down the road, had great fruit trees free for the picking. Lots of nice cooking apples.

The plum trees were so overloaded that many of the branches were capsizing.

Just some of the bounty.

I even snagged some Elderberries.

Prickly blackberries bushes were plentiful. It was worth getting scratched up to harvest their juicy goodness.

Blackberry jam, plum jam, blackberry, plum and elderberry syrups and some apple sauce. I only had to buy sugar and lemons. I sure do love foraging.

We had a lovely day out hiking near Mount Adams across the river in Washington.

There were lots of Gentian in bloom by the streams.

I saw a few batches of rarely seen Pine Sap growing near some pine trees.

These bugs were having a community meeting on a Rock Rose flower.

By late July much of central Oregon was on fire. The Grashopper Fire is one that is closest to our area. When the wind calms down we have so much smoke.

It’s hard to see across the Columbia river when the smoke drifts down.

We managed to have a few get-togethers with our lads and ladies. As always it’s fantabulous.

We are heading back to Tucson and our besties Leslie and Stuart for the winter.

Family and friends this will be my last blog. Now we have a house we will not be on the move as much. It seems like only yesterday when I first started this blog but it has been 13 years. I have really appreciated all your lovely comments over the years. To each and every one thanks for the memories.