A Full-time Life

Category: Oregon homes

  • SMOKE GOT IN OUR EYES

    Linked to the blogging community at OUR WORLD.  Click there and then on the links to share what bloggers from around the globe are seeing these days.

    Range fires in Central Oregon created smoky conditions in the Willamette Valley last week.  The fires, East of here, are miles away, but when the wind was blowing this way, we got the smoke.  (And we're definitely not seeing any of the Three Sisters mountains as shown on a clear day earlier this summer.)  Some days last week we could barely see across the Lake at all.  We worried for the people whose homes were closer and happy to read today that the fires are nearly contained.

    036 

    Boat tied up Last week was also quite warm (for Western Oregon) … kind of summer's last blast.  We were able to take our boat out on the Lake one afternoon when the smoke wasn't too bad. 

    A combination of cool weather and being-busy-with-other-stuff has kept it sitting in the dock ever since we've been here. 

    It's always pleasant to see the Lake from other angles — and there's nothing like supper al-fresco on the water.  We tied the boat up to a snag on this quiet channel and reflected on the peaceful view.

    Coyote creek 

     

     
     

  • SKY UPSIDE DOWN

    This post is linked to SKYWATCH FRIDAY 

    Wetland sky refl 
     
    A little bit of late summer sky.  In an odd twist for skywatching, on this particular September day the view was better looking down than looking up.

  • RED SKY AT MORNING

    FOR SKYWATCH FRIDAY

    Sunrise15 

    From last week, a beautiful early morning at the Lake.  On this particular day, the sun showed all its glory early and then faded.  

    Black refl touch red 

    Less than an hour later, the red had faded and the sky looked like this.  And it got grayer as the day progressed. 

    The old saying goes "Red sky at morning, sailors take warning"…and there weren't many "Lake sailors" out that day.   

    So it was a good day to wake up early!

  • A DIVINE PLACE TO LIVE?

    FOR LESLEY'S SIGNS SIGNS  Click on the links for some fun roadside reading. 

    Divine lane Would you want to live on this street?                     

    Would you feel  hallowed, holy, or  sacred?  Or excellent or delightful?  Or blessed?

    (All of those, according to my dictionary, are synonyms for "divine.") 

     Sadly, I will never be able to let you know what this divine road is like.     

     

    Divine lane no tresspassing Because when you live on a street that is hallowed, holy, sacred, blessed, excellent or delightful, you don't want just any old person walking down your street and spoiling it all!  

    And so you add a 'no tresspassing' sign to the bottom of your street sign.

     

  • IN GRATITUDE …

    FOR OUR WORLD.  This week we are deeply grateful for having not much news to report!  (And grateful too to the hosts for continuing with the second generation of this meme.  Click and visit!) 

    Sailboat race-1 
    August 2011, Fern Ridge Shores, Oregon

    Things remain calm and peaceful here at the Lake.  We had a week of "hot" weather.  (Hot for this part of Oregon, where hot means a high of 90, usually mid-80s and cooler in the mornings.)    The mantra that we hear from everyone is "Why would anyone want to live anywhere else?" 

    We are not smug about our good fortune.  Just grateful.  Grateful for being here and being able to spend time with family and friends and grateful for the calm. 

    And we know that peace and calm are not guaranteed.  A year ago this month we were in North Carolina camping on the beach near Rodanthe.  It was incredibly beautiful and I am sure people who live there were also saying "Why would anyone live anywhere else?"  

    Cape hatteras beach August 2010, Cape Hatteras North Carolina

    The  pictures of this beach and the nearby towns and roads that we see on the news today do not look at all like this.   Our hopes are for a full recovery of this beautiful area and all others affected by Hurricane Irene and its aftermath.

     

  • AFTERNOON VIEW FROM OUR PORCH SWING

    FOR SKYIWATCH FRIDAY

    Thankful to be where skies are calm and peaceful and temperatures are moderate.

    002 
    Fern Ridge Lake from the RV Park, August 2011

    Like all Skywatch participants, I am thankful to Wren, Sylvia, and  Sandy for continuing to host this  meme after the untimely death of fellow host, Klaus.   And like all the other participants, I will remember his work whenever I take part.   

  • BLACKBERRY BUSHES

     Blackberry picking is an iconic part of late summer in this part of Oregon.  It's going to be REALLY late summer this year.  We need some hot days, because most of the bushes are still in this state:

       Blackberry flower 

    008-1 Lovely to look at, not so delightful to hold.  (You really have to watch those thorns.)

    And not very many ready to eat.  There are tons of bushes on the border of the  RV Park. This morning I managed to find a scant cupful of ripe berries. 

    Just right for breakfast, but I wonder if there will be enough this year for those who still like to make jam and freeze them. 

     

    004 Unless it warms up pretty soon, this just may be the year of the green blackberry.

     

  • SATURDAY SILLINESS

    Two persons pretending to be trees and one tree pretending to be a person.

    Frs july 2011 funky tree MOON 
    Fern Ridge Shores RV Park and part of the crowd at the Oregon Country Fair.

  • OUT IN THE COUNTRY ….

     

    Having fun while taking part in  SIGNS SIGNS.  Visit or add your own.

    005 "Out in the Country Past the City LImit Sign…"  the country boys on the radio used to sing.**

    Where we stay when we're visiting Oregon, we do them one better.  We're parked in the country past the "Road Ends" sign.  The entrance to the RV Park is located between these two signs.  

     006 And after that there really is no more.  

    (Sorry 'bout the blur — apparently my hand was tired from the walk (?).)

     

    (**The song is "Boot Scootin' Boogie" sung by Brooks and Dunn.  We don't have elevators out here, but if we did, country and western music would be played on them.  It's what you hear everywhere…. in the grocery store and in the car next to you when you are driving there.  It could be worse.)

    So yup we're out in the country, a few miles from civilization, but it's definitely worth it:

    Roads end 

     

     

  • JEANS ROAD RAMBLE

    That's My World

     Dogwood cr

    The dogwood trees along Jeans Road have been especially beautiful this summer. 

    And as a fallen-away, non-practicing gardener, I am grateful for the dedication of these RV-Park neighbors. 

     Pink dogwood bush 

    Pink dogwood close For more views of the world as people from all over know it, click the That's My World links.

     And join me in thanking the hosts for bring us this opportunity every week.

    Dogwood cu