wild turkeys are slowin me down

wild turkeys are slowin me down, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

I stopped to let a family of wild turkeys cross the road, on Hwy 141-Alt between Trout Lake and BZ Corner.

These were the last two stragglers after 5 or 6, including little ones, had already crossed.

a fine hostess

a fine hostess, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Jenny relaxing in her driveway. Her property was home to the Frizbee Minors golf course. Good times in Trout Lake

a willful suspension of disbelief

a willful suspension of disbelief, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

the ball hovers as Kelly and Gina look on. Paddle ball in the big field.

I've been listening to that Modest Mouse album lately (everywhere and his nasty parlour tricks). It's my favorite of their many.

my rain is your snow

my rain is your snow, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

It was drizzling when I went to bed. I woke up in the middle of the night to a downpour on my tent (thank goodness for a good rainfly). I awoke in the morning to the surprise of lots of fresh snow on the mountain. August snow? wowza!

goat in the barn

goat in the barn, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

JIm the Bad Goat get ready to play some music at the Saturday night barn party for the Frizbee Minors

you never know what will happen

you never know what will happen, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

I didn't know until Lincoln showed up just before their set whether or not he was playing. They sounded wonderful and Lincoln had a whole receiving line of hugs. Trout Lake love

barn dancing

barn dancing, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Camille and Wampler dance while Alexa, Steve and Kelly play music. Saturday at the barn party for the Frizbee Minors in Trout Lake

a stage full of friends

a stage full of friends, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Alexa Wiley played first and was joined by Steve on flute and Kelly on saxophone. Steve's son, Skylar, plays on the stage edge. a great night of music at the barn for the Frizbee Minors

pretty clothes for the girls

pretty clothes for the girls, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

I'm responsible for the both the pink polka dot shirt and the hilarious muumuu. I bought them at Goodwill and contributed them to the Dave Clarke ugly clothes bin which is used heavily at the Frizbee Masters and now at the Frizbee Minors.

Jenny, in the center, is the proud owner of this beautiful chunk of land.

tequila sunrise for lunch

tequila sunrise for lunch, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

I'm hanging out at the tequila table, a good place to sit and watch the crowds roll through since everyone stops here. Kelly mixes herself a drink.

1st annual Frizbee Minors

I don't play frisbee golf anymore

the frizbee masters baby at the frizbee minors!

the frizbee masters baby at the frizbee minors!, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Oren gets a diaper change in the field. He's famous for being born at the Frizbee Masters. Well actually Amberly left the Masters in the middle of the night and gave birth at a midwife's house in Salem.

lazy dog days

lazy dog days, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

two of Josh & Lindsay's puppies. Their mama is a pitbull, their papa a Rhodesian Ridgeback. whoa

life is good

life is good, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Ben on his rattly bike with his dog in tow, riding through the big field. What more could you want?

big dum drives in the big field

big dum drives in the big field, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

John practices his drive while Rowan collects grasshoppers. There were approximately 7 billion in the field.

Trout Lake

sarah by lamplight

sarah by lamplight, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Sarah is beautiful and kind. A bunch of us hung out at Abe and Jenny's house listening to friends play music. We're waiting for the cops to come (we called them) after some underage kids were asked to leave and then tried to start a fire on their way out. Starting fires in very dry fields (underneath the truck of the guy that asked you to leave) is not only stupid, it's criminal. The sheriff was nominally helpful. I heard the culprit's name was Butters. ha!

Sara saw them start the fire and was the one to put it out. Her boyfriend, Jason, is gone working on fire right now. Forest Service in summer is a fire-filled job. She works as a river guide on the White Salmon River. fire and water...

the horses exit the scene

the horses exit the scene, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

The horses eventually headed to the other end of the vast field and then were moved to an entirely different field.

My chair and my beer are waiting for me. a lovely place for a friday evening lounge

pasta salad is not for horses

pasta salad is not for horses, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

The horses were all over us, especially when the food came out.

Soon their owners would move them to their own field as more campers arrived for the Frizbee Minors

Trout Lake, Washington

we shall both wear black

we shall both wear black, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

me and a horse (and a can of pringles).

hanging out in a field with Matt and Gina (photo by Gina)

a fine field for camping

a fine field for camping, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

my tent in the foreground, Mt Adams in the background and three curious horses in the middle. We were some of the first campers to arrive and the horses had not yet been moved from the field. We got to hang out with them for a while (they were quite inquisitive) but later in the evening their owners moved them to their own field.

They tried to eat our chairs and one of them pooped two feet from my tent door (thank goodness for shovels) but they were gentle and had soft muzzles. Matt and Gina and I enjoyed petting them.

camping in Bill and Mary's fabulous field in Trout Lake for the Frizbee Minors

green for the golfers

green for the golfers, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

someone came up with a bunch of shiny satin green jackets for players to wear on the fribee golf course. in Abe and Jenny's pole barn

1st annual Frizbee Minors Tournament in Trout Lake, Washington.

Not to be confused with the Frizbee Masters

the Frizbee Minors brings us horses and fresh snow!

Hey everyone!I had a wonderful weekend in Trout Lake. It had been a month since I’d been there so I was definitely craving some time there. Gina and I drove up Friday afternoon. We stopped at Wampler’s house and then hung out at Abe and Jenny’s house for a bit before driving down the final bit of gravel road to the huge field where we’d be camping. When we arrived there was only Matt and 3 horses in the field. We all set up our tents and pulled out our chairs to enjoy the sunshine and the incredible view of Mt Adams. Eventually the horses wandered over by us and all got acquainted. They were huge and gentle with soft muzzles that we all loved to touch. The tried to munch on our camping chairs, took a poop 2 feet from my tent door (thank goodness for shovels!) and got really interested when Matt ate a salad. After a while the horses had grown bored with us and wandered over to far end of the field. As more campers arrived the owners moved the horses to their own field. Later in the evening we walked over to Abe and Jenny’s property. A bunch of friends were gathered there, hanging out and listening to music. Some young kids showed up drinking and were asked to leave. On their way out they started a small fire in the long grass beneath Nate’s truck (Nate being the one to ask them to leave). Sarah saw them start the fire and put it out. Abe and Jenny called the cops who eventually showed up and took a report on the kids. Starting fires in extremely dry fields is not only stupid, it’s criminal. I went back to my tent before the cops showed up and don’t know if the kids were ever caught.

The next morning we made coffee and enjoyed the warm sunshine. A bunch of us sat around in the field watching people throw Frisbees and footballs while the huge mountain loomed in the distance. Rowan, Ken’s son, was fascinated by the crazy amounts of grasshoppers in the field and set to work trying to catch some. The guys motivated to head over to the Frisbee golf course while I stayed behind to hang out in the field more. Ben cooked up a big skillet of breakfast yummies (eggs, potatoes, veggies, sausage) in his little trailer. It was delicious! I read my book for awhile (the final Harry Potter) before finally walking over to check out the Frisbee golf tournament. I headed for the tequila table which was a good place to hang out and watch the groups roll through. At the make your own quesadilla both (salsa provided by me) I made a cheesy spicy quesadilla and hung out talking with friends. Amberly was there with little Oren, the baby made famous for being born at the Frizbee Masters. Actually Amberly left the Masters in the middle of the night and gave birth at a midwife’s house in Salem. He’s a cute little babe and it was great to see Amberly again.

I walked back over to my tent and read my book and napped for a bit before heading over with Gina to Wampler’s house so we could each take a shower. Jay had driven up from Portland and met us there. We all headed back over to the field where we hung out, tossing Frisbees and watching the clouds thicken over the mountain. We walked back over to the barn where the bbq was and where the music would be for the night. We got our burgers and ate on the steps going up to the stage. Alexa played first. It was great to see Steve and Kelly on stage accompanying her. During the end of her set Lincoln arrived. There was some question as to whether or not he would come up to Trout Lake though he and Jimmy were scheduled to play. Earlier in the week Lincoln’s son, Chiron, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. I spoke with Alicia while they were staying in the hospital and heard her transform from frustrated and scared to calm and accepting. Once they had a diagnosis they at least knew what they were dealing with and how to go forward. The word had traveled fast around Trout Lake so Lincoln was greeted with a receiving line of friends giving him hugs. He and Jimmy played their set, the beautiful mandolin and their great voices. I hung out with Lincoln for a little bit after their set but he then headed back to Portland to be home with his family after their stressful week.

Abe’s band, Maggie’s Choice played next with lots of dancers on the floor and Abe still wearing a green suit from the golf course. Jim the Bad Goat played last. Those boys take forever to set up but put on a great show once they start playing. We walked back to our campsite in the field with drizzle falling in the dark. In the middle of the night I woke up to rain falling hard on my tent. Thank goodness for a good rainfly!

Sunday morning I woke up and looked out my tent to see Mt Adams with a thick layer of fresh snow, all the way down to timberline. I couldn’t believe there was snow falling on the mountain in August! I read my book in my tent for a long time and finally got up to make myself some coffee. We all threw the Frisbee for a while. Jay is an ultimate Frisbee player, not a disc golfer so he had a disc you could actually catch. Disc golf Frisbees are painful to try to catch! Ben made breakfast again, eggs and cheese over toast, and again it was delicious. After hanging out for a while I went back to my tent and read more Harry Potter. I packed up all my stuff and drove over to Abe and Jenny’s house where people were gathered. I talked with friends for a while, ate a hot dog from the grill before heading back to Portland finishing Harry Potter (before anyone could spoil it!). So that was my weekend. Please let me know how you are and what you’ve been up to!
Xoxo,
carolyn

give good hugs

give good hugs, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

both my sister and Grandpa Al give good hugs. We stopped to see my grandparents and my Aunt Liz on our way back across the border.

Blaine, WA

gloaming at the grandparents

gloaming at the grandparents, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

the light's fading away as we arrive at our grandparents house in Blaine. I liked this rusty old truck parked in the grass.

drayton harbor goes to bed

drayton harbor goes to bed, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

We've just crossed the US-Canada border and are back in Washington. We're moments from my grandparents' house in the border town of Blaine

back under the bridge

back under the bridge, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

passing under the Alex Fraser Bridge our way back to the marina after our weekend of sailing in the Canadian Gulf Islands

mmmmsalmon

mmmmsalmon, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

we got to experience some nature in it's gory glory on our return trip up the Fraser River. The salmon are running and the seals were out hunting and feasting. Here a seal skins a salmon and eats him up. The seagulls descend and hope to get some scraps.

It's a terrible photo but it's the best I could manage.

morning hang ten

morning hang ten, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Sara at the wheel while Jeremy deals with the sails.

sails away

sails away, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

the sailboat never fails to impress me.

in the Canadian Gulf Islands

below deck bedroom

below deck bedroom, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

the bed in my cabin on Jeremy's sailboat. It's tight quarters on a sailboat but there was room for me to stand, my own door to the head, two windows and my own bed. I did have to sleep with the door open as I'm mildly claustrophobic. I slept like a champ.

Anchored in North Cove on Thetis Island in the Gulf Islands of Canada

discriminating palates

discriminating palates, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Dinner wasn't one meal on a plate but a series of different snacks ranging wildly in low brow/high brow qualities. First we had some hummus and naan followed by halibut cheeks wrapped bacon with instant noodles on the side (classy non?). To drink...New Glarus Cherry Beer driven from Wisconsin to Oregon than over the border to Canada. I go to great lengths for my New Glarus. It was the perfect tart to cut the bacon grease. Bacon on the boat is sublime, akin to bacon in the forest. Yummmmo!

subtle sunset

subtle sunset, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

It can't always be flaming orange. Sometimes we get the quiet sunsets. Still lovely, especially when seen from the deck of a sailboat. Yes I'm very lucky.

North Cove of Thetis Island in the Canadian Gulf Island

sea shanty

sea shanty, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

in Lighthouse Bay on Galiano Island not yet through Porlier Pass. There were several of these old houses, slowly rotting into the salty sea.

Porlier Pass was a crazy bit of ocean with wacky currents, whirlpools and churning water. We had to time our passing through here with the tides as it rips through at 9 knots, faster than the boat can go at full speed. Don't fight the tides.

navigators on board

navigators on board, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Sara and Jeremy checking out the maps as we decide where we want to explore as possibilities for dropping anchor for the night.

about to go through Porlier Pass in the Canadian Gulf Islands

sea mammals and a mountain

sea mammals and a mountain, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

I'd never seen Dall's Porpoises before, they are similar to Orcas but smaller. As we crossed the Strait of Georgia we came upon tons of them. They surrounded the boat and swam all around us. We stopped the boat to hang out and watch them. It was fantastic to watch them jump out of the water and listen to them sucking in air through their blowholes. Wow!

Mt Baker in the distance

a sailing life for me

a sailing life for me, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

sitting on the bow of the boat, Ma Provence. Jeremy in the background leads us across the Strait of Georgia to the Gulf Islands.

sailing in Canada

eagle on watch

eagle on watch, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

The second bald eagle we saw. We're moving again! With a boat full of fuel we motor out past Sand Heads and into the Strait of Georgia again. Nothing's stopping us this time.

sailing in Canada

harborside morning

harborside morning, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Sara and I sit around the boat while Jeremy goes to a local marine supply shop with Pat (a friend who came up from Blaine, WA to help work on the boat) to buy a new fuel filter. They would replace the fuel filter only to discover that wasn't the problem (though a new fuel filter is never a bad idea). The reason the boat won't go...it's out of fuel! Sheesh! The fuel gauge is broken and the previous owner had said it used 1/2 gallon an hour. However when Jeremy moved the boat from the States up to Canada they motored hard and it burned the fuel far more quickly than going at a lower rpm. We filled up the 25 gallon tank, Jeremy apologized again and again and then we were off. On his long list of winter boat projects...fix the damn fuel gauge. Gauges are good.

steveston sundown

steveston sundown, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

in Steveston, the last town along the Fraser River where the river pours into the ocean. We got a tow back here and docked at the government harbor (thank you Canada) for the night and next morning until the boat could be fixed. damn

the boat won't go

the boat won't go, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

the boat suddenly died in the middle of the Strait of Georgia. Yikes! We were towed out of the shipping channel by another sailboat and then had to wait for a boat heading in to ask for another tow back to land. I know almost nothing about motors and even less about boats so I wasn't much help. Jeremy checks out the engine trying to determine what the hell is going on.

sunshine on deck

sunshine on deck, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Sara and Jeremy talk as we motor down the Fraser River towards the ocean

underwater living room

underwater living room, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

the cabin space in Jeremy's new sailboat is idefinitely bigger and better than his last sailboat. The boat, named Ma Provence is 36 feet and built to sail fast.

I was lucky enough to get my own cabin for sleeping.

front row seat

front row seat, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

I sat up on the bow of the boat, sunny and warm and with a great view, for our passing under the huge Alex P. Fraser Bridge.

getting closer to the ocean

the bridge swings wide for us

the bridge swings wide for us, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Finally the gate is repaired so traffic can be stopped, the bridge can swing open and we can sail away.

on the Fraser River, south of Vancouver BC

sails away in Canada!

Hello everyone

My weekend started with a Thursday night drive back up I-5 to Bellingham. I was happy to get out of the car and relax at Sara’s house for a little bit before loading up her car and continuing across the border into Canada. We drove to the marina where Jeremy keeps his boat on the Fraser River just south of Vancouver. We loaded all our stuff up onto the boat and Sara found little cubbies to put everything away. We had beers and hung out before going to bed, hoping for an early start in the morning.

In the morning we would find out that a drunk driver had thwarted our attempts to leave early. Just a few minutes up the river is a bridge that has to be opened in order for the sailboat to get through. Thursday night a drunk driver had plowed into the gate that closes the bridge to traffic when the bridge is open. They wouldn’t be opening the bridge for us until the gate was replaced. Awwww nuts! We ate some breakfast and then I left with Jeremy to run some errands. First up we stopped at the bridge to talk to the guys working on the repairs. They were hoping to be done in the afternoon sometime. We thanked them and drove to the store. It became a wild goose chase to get propane, water and ice. Eventually we got all our supplies and went back to hang out on the boat and wait. Finally around 3 pm we were able to leave, motoring past the open bridge and continuing onward on the Fraser River towards the ocean.
The Fraser River is a working river full of tugboats, huge tankers and giant flotillas of logs on their way to the mill. We passed under the Alex Fraser Bridge, an impressive span with huge cables. As the river flowed out into the ocean we saw bald eagles along the water’s edge and seals swimming. The sun was shining and all was good. We passed Sand Heads and could see the Gulf Islands in the distance. We were motoring across the Strait of Georgia when suddenly the boat lost power. Jeremy tried to start it again to no avail. We were in the middle of a shipping channel with no power and no wind to sail with, not the best place to be bobbing around. A sailboat on its way out to the islands towed us out of the channel but had to catch the tidal push and the last of the sunset to make it to their destination. We waited for a boat headed inland and ended up getting a tow from a sturdy fishing boat going to Steveston. We were pulled into the government docks just as the sun was setting. We spent the night hanging out on the boat and I went to bed early.

In the morning, Pat, their mechanic friend came up to help Jeremy figure out what was wrong. They went to a marine supply store and bought two new fuel filters. It’s great to have a new fuel filter but they discovered that was not the problem. The boat was out of fuel! The fuel gauge was broken and Jeremy had been told that the boat used ½ gallon per hour. The problem is the guy that owned the boat before used it as a cocktail boat and never motored hard. When Sara & Jeremy moved the boat from the States to Canada they had to motor hard for 9 hours. It turns out that the fuel is consumed at a much greater rate at higher rpms. After apologizing again and again Jeremy gassed up the boat and we were finally on our way. As we approached the islands we started seeing Dall’s porpoises. They are similar to orcas but much smaller. We stopped the boat to watch them swimming all around us. It was fantastic to listen to them sucking in air through their blowholes and splashing in the water as they leapt into the air. We were all mesmerized by them. The salmon are running so they were surely all eating like crazy. Mmmmm salmon!
We approached Galiano Island and checked out the maps for good places to drop anchor for the night. We went through Porlier Pass, a gnarly stretch of water with whirlpools and crazy tide rips. We poked around in Lighthouse Bay where there were some old houses rotting into the water’s edge. We approached Clam Bay but decided there were too many boats there and went around to the north side of Thetis Island. We found a great place to stay called North Cove. After dropping anchor we had some snacks and enjoyed the lovely pastel sunset. Sara made halibut cheeks wrapped in bacon which were unbelievably good. A bottle of the New Glarus cherry beer was also cracked open for the occasion. It was the perfect combination. Once it was dark we splashed around in the water with the grab pole. Jeremy wrote my name in the water using the pole, the bioluminescence lighting it all up. We hung out, drinking beers and listening to music (David Bowie on the boat!) until finally sleepiness overtook me.

Sunday morning we awoke to sunshine trying to burn through the clouds. We had our coffee and then began heading back towards Porlier Pass. Our trips through here had to be timed to work with the tides as the current rips through at 9 knots, faster than the boat can go at full speed. From there we sailed for a while across the Strait of Georgia, enjoying the sunshine while the surrounding islands had rainclouds hovering over them. As we re-entered the Fraser River we saw lots of seals hunting for salmon. It was incredible to see them eating the salmon while flocks of seagulls descended upon them, hoping for some scraps.

Around 7:30 we reached the marina and Sara and I unloaded our stuff off the boat and into her car. We headed south and then waited in line to cross the border. Once over the border in Blaine we called our Aunt Liz to let her know we were close and headed towards our grandparents’ house on Drayton Harbor. It was great to see my grandparents and aunt, even if we couldn’t stay long as I had a long ways to drive still. We talked in the living room for a while before hugging and saying goodbye. At Sara’s house in Bellingham I loaded my stuff into my car and began the long drive south. It was uneventful except for the occasional meteor streaking through the sky. That’s right, while driving down the freeway I got to enjoy some of the Perseids meteor shower. Such a treat!

So that was my weekend! Please let me know how you are and what you’ve been up to!

Xoxo,
carolyn

fools beware

fools beware, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

There were signs here warning people to stay behind the fence. As an added warning there was a list of people that had died here. One that struck me...Carolyn Bliss, age 19, who died here in August 1977.

It's impossible to get a photo of the entire waterfall here. Nooksack Falls is a gusher.

tuesday morning finds me in the mountain mist

tuesday morning finds me in the mountain mist, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

mid week camping is a rare treat for me. I woke up to rain on the tent and pulled my sleeping bag over my head hoping it would end if I went back to sleep. The drizzle continued and we had to pack up wet gear before making the long drive back south to Portland. I had to pull out the tent to dry in basement. No one wants a mildewy tent.

you'll flow blue long after I'm gone

you'll flow blue long after I'm gone, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

my last morning on the North Fork of the Nooksack River. The river was shallow on our side and deeper and amazingly blue on the far side. A beautiful cold river on the side of Mt Baker. It really is that color.

august in the alpineland

august in the alpineland, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

One of the Bagley Lakes in the Heather Meadows area of Mt Baker, a beautiful area for hiking

the water flows impossibly clear

the water flows impossibly clear, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

the small stream that flows betwen Bagley Lakes was beautiful and crystal clear.

the red backpack brigade

the red backpack brigade, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Jess and my sister, Sara, walking down the steps at the Heather Meadows Visitor Center down to our trail for the afternoon. There's a smooth lava flow here so they put in steps, made with chunks of columnar basalt which was lying around everywhere.

The beginning of our hike around Bagley Lakes

minerals make you pretty

minerals make you pretty, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Beautiful Bagley Lake from above, as seen from the Mt Baker Hwy

temple of the nooksack

temple of the nooksack, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

the beach along the North Fork of the Nooksack River was full of stacked river rock.

camping on Mt Baker