The other morning, I looked out my window upstairs and saw these 3 big bucks browsing just outside the new fence. They are getting pretty hungry this time of the year, so I even had to put a cage around the Hawthorne soon-to-be-tree near the deer on the left. There are a lot of babies on the ranch this year, I hear, though our usual families haven't been around too much. Most of the fawns are twins. There has been some speculation that someone has been poisoning deer because they are a nuisance. Yes, they are, but people choose to live here knowing there are deer freely roaming. If you don't like it, move, or fence your plants like we finally did. It's like buying a home on the golf course and complaining because your window was broken or purchasing a fancy place on the hill that happens to be in a flight path and then complaining because planes go over. Get a life, folks, pick your battles more carefully. Like hunger, world peace, AIDS, and social issues that REALLY impact our lives.
OK - climbing down from soapbox.

On another, more important note, we had church here on Sunday morning. Our little progressive UCC group came all the way out to the ranch to worship with us, and what a perfect day it was.
I was able to get all of them in the photo except Bill who is behind Pris who is standing. In the foreground is Lynda, my friend from Northwest House of Theological Studies who recently graduated from Pacific School of Religion with a Masters of Divinity. She came from Salem to lead us. We had wonderful conversation and wonderful company.
So, it's on to the next project - and the next - and the next......... Stained the back deck railings (yes, again..) yesterday and they're looking better. One more time in the spring and I think we'll be done for a few years. The direct sun and dry heat really take a toll on the wood. Glad we cut corners elsewhere so we could afford Trex for the decking. Would hate to have to do the staining and sanding on it!
The garden is slow, but the zucchini bread is always a hit. I'm sun-drying the tomatoes and we're still eating cole slaw.
I'm hoping for some lightening action this afternoon.

OK - I'm embarrased!

It has been waaayyyy to long since I have posted and y'all are probably giving up on me, right?
Well, here goes - the "catch up" - I'll spread it over a couple of days so you have something to read, OK?
This is what we have been working on the past few weeks - a fence. Mostly for the garden area in back, but we decided to bring it up front, too, so we can have some real flowers in front. Pretty much the only ones the deer won't touch are daffodils, poppies, and iris. God made many more flowers than that and we would like to see some of them - hence, the fence.
Here is Dean preparing to install the gate in back. Abby doesn't get it yet that she won't be able to come and go as she pleases any longer.....
And this is why the fence is going in. These cute little (?) hoof prints are all over around the garden area. As a matter of fact - they're all over the yard. I don't mind the little dears (deers....) munching on the weeds, or the lawn. But they can't have my veggies!
Of course, the bad part about the fence is that we won't be able to see this any longer - right outside the window in the front yard. Note the wire cages around the plants - they can go away now.Here is the first veggie plot to be planted - with cold loving crops like spinach, lettuce, and peas. We're using the "lasagna" style gardening method which we used with much success in Vancouver. Compost rototilled into the local soil (er, sand) then a layer of good soil (NOT from our property....) topped with several layers of newspaper, then followed with bark chips to hold it all down. I then planted the seeds in a trench through the newspapers and watered. Note the fancy temporary setup for watering with the soaker hose. The newspaper eventually decomposes and will be tilled into the soil for next years garden. Works quite well for holding the weeds down and keeping the moisture in. Little sprouts are already coming up, so glad we got the yard deer-proofed.

It's all about the Deer!

Out for the morning walk after a skiff of snow overnight. The roads were icy underneath - I slipped and fell on my behind at the top of our driveway! We didn't have the dogs with us, so most of the walk was on the road but we only saw 1 vehicle the whole walk! So quiet, we wondered if we missed something in the news - felt like we were the only people around. Heard a dog bark twice and a couple of jets went over really high - so, it was us and the deer - which were out in herds. This little group of 5 posed for me. I saw them and realized that I hadn't posted any photos of our resident deer population except the first post, so decided to play "visitor" and document them. Living here, I've become accustomed to seeing them. I can't allow myself to take all this beauty for granted!
Farther along on the walk, we came upon a rather large herd. Joyce counted 19 all together.
We cut off the road and headed cross country to join up with the trail that runs along the bottom of our property. Most of it is on BLM land, but there is an easement across our land since we own over the canyon wall. This photo is looking across the Deschutes River canyon. The walls were so colorful in the early morning light.
I don't think I posted this photo before - I'm on a deer kick today. Abby and her friend. We taught her right away not to chase the deer and they are quite comfortable around her now.
Joyce's niece, Brittany, was visiting from back east last summer and after Abby got the message across to the deer that we were a friendly bunch, Brit took her time getting closer and closer, talking to the doe until she was able to stroke her back. Pretty amazing. The deer here are used to people, but usually not this calm. Brit wants to be a vet - I think she's on her way.
And now, what you've been waiting for.........
BUSHISM
"I think we need not only to eliminate the tollbooth from the middle class, I think we should knock down the tollbooth."
The New York Times (as quoted by Gail Collins), February 1, 2000