Salmon Creek Meanders

Our time here in Vancouver on Salmon Creek Avenue has knit together many memories from Terry's life.  In fact,  little Salmon Creek at the edge of the property where Terry's mother lives now has meandered through Terry's life.  He was born here.  His parents returned to live in the area 10 years ago.  His Aunt Betty, who was a nurse in the hospital where he was born, has always lived here.  She has generously shared her home; good eats (Cassoulet and homemade Almond Roca),  garden (for the horseradish harvest) and neighborhood with us on every visit.   Our Vancouver memories include many good times with her.

When Terry was preschool age his grandparents bought a 60 acre farm along Salmon Creek in a little community a few miles northeast.  They grew blueberries and harvested the creekside blackberries for sale.  Terry has often shared his memories of tractor rides and roving the blueberry patches on the farm.

We knew the farm was located in the town of Brush Prairie, but we didn't know where until yesterday. Terry's, Aunt Jean, lived on the farm through her junior high and high school years and gave us a tour with stories about growing up there.  The farmhouse was torn down to make way for a 5 acre mini-farm neighborhood, but at least we had easy access to the property.

This is the old driveway looking back from near the house site.  Jean remembers helping to plant the tallest trees on the right near Ward Rd.  Amazing!

The old farmhouse sat at the top of this incline going down toward the creek where Terry remembers riding on the tractor behind his grandpa.  The saucer magnolia to the left was in the backyard.

Jean mowed this steep hillside braking the tractor carefully as it moved down the hill!  Not a favorite memory she said, for such a pretty spot.

The old fence is still visible in the south field beyond the drained farm pond.  The parcel that includes this view is for sale.  So when we win the lottery..............!



The last 3 and 1/2 weeks here in the Salmon Creek neighborhood  have helped us learn that the cloudy, misty days have the gift of a thousand shades of green and pink for this spot in Vancouver.   Here's a neighborhood photo of the amazing rhododendrons up the street.  Look at those bloom stalks and count the colors of green!!!

Vancouver----Washington that is!

We have enjoyed 3 weeks already in Vancouver visiting Terry's mother.  She is recovering quickly from foot surgery on April 11 and is already getting out and about.  Terry's Aunt Jean is here visiting from near Mt. Ranier where it snowed the last few days before she left.  The blooming redbuds, azaleas and rhododendrons here are a welcome sight to her.

We had a week of bright sunny weather soon after we arrived and the Cascade Mountains were more visible than we had ever seen them from all over the city.  Most days you can't see them at all and then with the sun comes views of Mt. Hood to the south, Mt. St. Helens to the north and Mt. Adams to the east.  It's enough to make us repeat the question we find ourselves asking each other all the time,
"Where are we now?"

This is Mt. Hood, so often photographed with a view of Portland, OR and about 50 miles southeast of Vancouver, WA.

This is what's left of Mt. St. Helens' after it blew it's top in 1980.  The city of Vancouver was the first to be notified as the eruption was happening.  Sadly, the reporter did not survive the blast.  If you ever get a chance to visit the National Monument, the observation area nearest the volcano is named for the reporter who gave his life there.


We will be here until April 23 when we go to our 4 day training for Oregon State Parks in Salem, OR.  On April 27 we are looking forward to an overnight visit with Greg and Jennie in Corvalis.  It will be great to see them again and see their new place.  We will include pictures in our next blog.  On April 28 we will get set up at Washburn Campground next to the Lighthouse where we will stay for 2 months.

I love this picture Terry took of Kate and I at Scotty's Castle before her tour.  So here it is.

The Gorge-ous Gorge

It is hard to remember how much fun the Columbia River Gorge can be.  The waterfalls cascading down the steep gorge walls,  the dense fir forest, the huge ferns lining the trails and roadsides, the barges chugging up and down the river, the Historic River Highway.  So much to see and do!

And such a lovely camp ground at Memaloose State Park.

Here's sunrise down the Columbia River Gorge (taken from our campsite)!  Just too pretty!

We took a little hike on a closed section of the Historic Columbia River Highway (like the Blue Ridge Parkway) looking down at the River.  Lots of bicycles and dogs walking people.  We found the Trailhead in the town of Hood River where Terry celebrated his birthday at the Full Sail Brewery.  Great eats and drink!

We passed the famous Multnomah Falls on the way to Portland and had to stop by for a photo.  It is such an awesome place!  Don't miss the Champagne Brunch on Sunday at the Lodge!

I read a comment about the Gorge that said, "Always stay at least one day longer than you planned, since there will always be more you want to do!"  We agree!

From 103 to 23 and Snow

  Our journey from Death Valley to Eastern Oregon (near Burns), wasn't from the frying pan to the fire, but from the frying pan to  the freezer.  As we shivered in the cold of Oregon the heat we left behind in Death Valley didn't seem so bad to me.

On our way to Oregon we spent a night in northern NV, our first Rest Area overnight, in a beautiful spot in the Quinn Valley.  We had stopped here before for lunch and the view and decided to just stay the night this time.  No one bothered us and the noise of trucks did not wake us.

When we got to Chickahominy Reservoir, Oregon,  about 40 miles from Burns, we were so surprised that the lake was partially covered in ice.  We were the only campers there and it was very cloudy.  Snow was predicted for the next day.  We hoped it would miss us, but by morning the ground was covered and the wind began to roar and whipped snow around all day.  Terry had managed to get his antennae up and had good radio contact in spite of the wind roar.  I made my first radio contact (other than Terry) with the net manager for his California noon net.  I was so nervous I had to write down my call sign.  But I was excited!

We really enjoyed the sunrises and sunsets at Chickahominy.  They were extra special with the storm clouds aglow.