BenTha'er-Horizons

The Trees

Bob's long hoped for project of having our approximately 20 acres of Douglas Fir trees thinned to provide health and growth for the rest of the trees is finally done. Roughly 42 truckloads of trees were hauled from our property. It does look vastly different to look through the forest and see more daylight. Yet from a distance looking at the hillside at a slant, it still looks like before where there are still lots of trees. It took about 2 weeks for the loggers to do the work.
The following is a photo showing an edge of the log pile to be trucked away and how the forest looks as thinned.
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Prime Apples

There is a lot of catching up to do on this blog with trips and lots to tell. It has been difficult to get time to sit down and focus on writing up information and sharing photos.
The girls love their fresh apples and our Honey Crisp apples are prime samples this year. Lots of them and so juicy to eat.
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The Hail You Say

This has been a colder, wetter, and snowier (in mountains) winter and spring so far. Not to many warmer, sunny days though when we do have them it is pleasurable. We recently had such a large pea-sized hail storm come through that I had to get a photo of how much the deck was covered with white.
hail on deck
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Happy 2023 Year

The start of a new year, 2023. We are home and staying quiet as we often times do.

Here is a wish for the new year - it will be happier and better than the last three years.
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Upwards To 170 Years

I am finally going to take the initiative and explore getting a Century Farm designation for our piece of property. I am a direct descendent of Joab Powell's 4th son, Peter Powell. The family migrated from Missouri to Oregon in 1852. Peter Powell applied for a donation land claim in this part of the Willamette Valley of Oregon. We have 40.2 acres remaining of that claim as a descendent. I have located the coordinates on a geographical map and will explore with the city and state to get more information toward an application. For now the information on a deed map of our property is:

Sec.36 T.12S. R.01W W.M. 
Linn County, OR (MAP !2 1 W 25)

S.W. Cor. A. J. Alley CT. 4431
Interior Corner of Peter Powell NOT.2507
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Oregon People

The smoke finally cleared away with the rain early Friday. Today is a sunny, relatively warm day, without smoke.
Too many of our fellow Oregonians lost their homes and businesses in the different fires. Many of the people in the small towns in Oregon are the heart and soul of community.

Many came to help their fellow neighbors as fires threatened.

The lovely rain that poured on our ground 2 days ago that settled the smoke and ash.

Oregon-rain-outside-9-20-20
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Fire Status

There are big fires all around us and other areas in western Oregon. We are not threatened with evacuation at this time yet so many have lost their homes, some horrifically their lives. Heart-breaking news. One of the closest to us and threatening the home of friends of ours out in Holley is the Holiday Farm fire. It is extended from the south where it started along the Willamette River and such communities as Vida and Blue River have been lost. This article does show how the area is dealing with this threat.
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Heat, Wind, Fires and Smoke

Last night we had the start of serious, once in a generation weather conditions. Higher heat over the Labor Day weekend with very low humidity. Due to a cold front dropping down into Colorado and Plains pushing the hot air west and creating strong, hot east winds out of the Cascades, we have had bad fires spring up all over western Oregon. The power was out last night due to limbs blown on power lines. Debris was blown all over the yard and decks. What a mess and extremely serious "red flag" conditions.

Here is a picture of the sky with all the red smoke taken just before dark.

heat-and-smoke 09-8-20

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Plant Rising From Dead

I admit I am not good with plants. No green thumb it seems. They tend to die. I am better than I used to be yet no gardener.

Last year we had an empty large container that needed a plant and to be put near a flower bed. I found one I liked at Bi-Mart and planted it. The plant seemed to be dead, either by too much sun or over the winter by cold. It was dried brown dead. Instead of pulling it and tossing away, Bob trimmed it back. This plant rose from the dead like Lazarus and has come back even more beautiful than before.

We will have to give it some more special attention this winter. Right now it is near the greenhouse. Maybe kept inside the greenhouse? It is nice to see life come back to this pot and the plant inside it.

Yellow-flower-plant-8-11-20
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A Rose Is A Rose

We have two rose bushes that were the first we planted and tried in our garden here in Berlin. One is a peachy-apricot color and the other is more approaching the reddish color of a peach skin. They have been prolific flower producers in the past and then got trimmed back plus deer-eaten. They are now in bloom. It seems to be a good rose year. I was able to snag a set of buds and put in a bud vase. Enjoy the blooms.

peach-rose-7-22-20
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Parterre 2020 Version

This past 2 years have been difficult to work on our garden areas and keep them clean up from weeds and grass. Many are a bit overgrown. Age and medical issues have caught up to us. I will say that our parterre area is looking particularly nice and mature this year. One area to enjoy and be pleased on how it has turned out from our small version of an English type of garden. Enjoy the view!

parterre-2020-small 7-3-20
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Berlin Sunrise Color May 2020

Yesterday morning about 6 a.m. the clouds were light in the eastern sky. The sun was coming up and created a lovely sunrise. One area over the Peter Mountains had a cloud tail as if it were likely raining there. It was a beautiful bit of color to greet the world. I do love seeing these sunrises.

berlinsunrise-5-20-20
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A Glaze of Ice

I woke up early in the morning while it was still dark outside. The yard light was on and just showed how the light glares off the slick ice. I hope it melts soon.

ice-glaze-1-8-17
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