Weather finally softened this week and we headed to the river to fish. Fishing doesn’t stop in winter it just takes a different form.
The Crooked River is a ‘tailwater” . . . that is, its flow is regulated by a dam. On a tailwater, levels can fluctuate dramatically, sometimes in a matter of hours.
This inconsistent flow is offset by more constant water temperatures. The mix is good for the aquatic insects, fish food, that cling to the rocky stream bottom.
In winter months a fish feeds mostly on small aquatic invertebrates, most of them less than a quarter inch long. For that reason one employs a different method casting to winter waters.
The Canyon walls can close off the sun by early afternoon. But on days where the wind is light a few hours of midday sun will temper the air over icy river water.
Tying winter fly patterns is simple but not easy because the materials are wrapped on very small hooks. To get these bits of thread, fur and wire down to the fish a tungsten bead adds some weight sitting just behind the hook’s eye.
Adornments of silver wire ribbed over purple, red or green thread and topped with a collar of dyed rabbit fur . . . midge patterns . . . . are the choice for this day.
Casting to winter’s fates
But nothing I attached to the end of my line enticed any takes. Getting on the river and taking in it’s sun glazed surface was reward enough. There will be other days to ply the river with my handspun offerings and pretty soon winter will pass.
Winter continues to tempt us with sunny days, then thwart our activities with bitter cold.
For most of the week temperatures hovered in the mid-thirties and mornings started in the teens. Too cold for these old bones.
Scouting fishable water
Towards the end of the week we made a trip to the Crooked River. It had warmed up into the forties, and driven by a case of cabin fever we were ready to get outside.
Cirrus clouds streaked the sky, but some sun managed to shine through. Bowman Dam had been gushing water downstream to near spring levels.
Likely an attempt to prepare for a spring run off from above average snow levels in the mountains.
However, today it was back down to winter levels and the lack of wind made mirror surfaces of the still water.
There was an abundance of bird activity. A rather large flock of Robins darted from willow thicket to stream side . . . only slightly alarmed by our presence.
At one stop we watched a Heron perch on a bolder and survey the stream . . . marveling at the graceful curves of his plumage.
Great Blue Heron on river’s edge
Then he flew by us and headed downriver, perhaps looking for a better roost.
Rock sentinel at the canyon’s entrance
At the reservoir a Bald Eagle flew in a spiral over the water, then plucked a rather large fish from the surface.
It happened so quickly and we were so mesmerized by the aerobatics, that cameras didn’t come out until it was over.
River rock under ice
A final un-documented, bird sighting happened as we turned into our driveway.
A low flying Raven passed just over the hood of our car with a Chinese takeout box in his beak. Not a clue where it came from, but a fitting close to a peaceful day.
Since our last post we’ve extracted ourselves from social media, turned off that stream of ad laden drivel and got reacquainted with reading and our local library.
Toward this end, we shifted our e-reader habits away from the corporate giant. Extracting ourselves from the monolithic Amazon is no easy task and certainly not complete yet. But steps have been taken.
Enjoying a new e-reader and a great mystery
We ‘side loaded‘ a couple thousand books to ePub readers and made connection with the local library via Libby. It was very freeing.
December’s end and January’s start were an endless string of gray skies threatening rain, snow or both. Then, this week the sun returned to the high desert.
Frozen over
In Central Oregon clear winter days start cold, bone chilling cold, but usually that freeze is tempered by midday. We took full advantage of this and headed over to summer lake for a late lunch drive.
We didn’t expect to get much birding but Summer Lake valley offers great vistas and it’s always a nice drive.
A ‘bank of swans” rests at Summer Lake Wild Life Refuge
We watched a flock of trumpeter swans and white fronted geese lounge on an iced over pond.
Caught sight of a few song birds and a pair of Bald Eagles perched on top of a tree.
We also watched a young coyote practice his field mousing skills . . . to little success. It was an enjoyable way to pass the time over a snack lunch.
Winter has for now, softened its face so we’ll take advantage.
Not sure at what point cocoa drop cookies became Christmas cookies. They don’t look like ‘traditional’ holiday bakes.
And it may only be in my tattered imagination that my mother turned out a double batch every year around this time.
JQ and I picked it up more than 40 years ago on what may well have been our first celebration of the holiday together.
Tiny lights brighten a winter’s night
At the time our holiday season required travel away from our house. Dividing our time between in-laws, rarely did Christmas day find us around the tree in a space we called home.
This persisted beyond days of young married couple in tiny rental properties. Forced to adapt to other’s holiday practices, it became necessary to carve out our own time.
For many years, holiday time involved evening car trips and nights in spare bedrooms. These annual observations of old rituals grew cumbersome about the time we moved too far away to make our participation practical.
Problem solved . . . mostly.
At some point we shifted the celebration away from its recognized date, eventually landing on Winter Equinox as an appropriate time to celebrate.
There wasn’t a wholesale dissolution of old family traditions . . . rather a blending that wouldn’t have been possible at the parents’ place.
Unboxing ornaments is as treasured as trimming the tree
Onto this festival observance we brought change. Not change to what had been, but to what we did last year.
It turns out that what we wanted was to mix things up. Perhaps that is why the cocoa drop cookies replaced classic Santa-shaped iced sugar cookies.
An iteration of the orignal card, likely copied by my little sister
It’s origins are shrouded in mystery. My mother’s recipe card file resides in one of our kitchen drawers.
Most of it’s cards suffer from tattered edges and cooking stains. Nearly all have been copied at least once. Each duplication shifting it farther from its origin.
There are still a few written in Earl’s blocky print or Jackie’s fine cursive hand. Some even offer clues as to the Aunt, Uncle or family friend who shared this treasure.
A well loved recipe, especially for a cookie, is not going to avoid picking up remnants of the baking process and eventually ink fades. All, even the ones in my barely legible hand, share memories of the plates they offered.
What really sets this cocoa infused mound apart is it’s icing. Browned Butter Frosting was one of my early culinary challenges.
It is not easy tending a quarter of a cup of butter to a point of golden brown, while not allowing it to slip into burnt territory.
Swirled on the top of each cookie it pairs perfectly with a rich chocolate cake texture.
Unlikely to have ever been in a ‘Women’s Day’ holiday cookie spread, it’s perhaps this bend away from tradition that has it permanently on our holiday cookie plate.
At this point it’s not important if it ever was, or when it started, because at our house Cocoa Drops are Christmas cookies.
A Räuchermann enjoys his pipe (German St.Nikolaus incense smoker).
We’d like to wish you a Merry Christmas, and peace in the new year.
Black Dog Hair Blog will take a couple of weeks off again this year. We’ll start posting second or third Sunday in January , , , hope to see you then.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together shortening, sugar and the egg.
Add in buttermilk and vanilla mix until combined and smooth.
Add the dry ingredients, 1/3 at a time to the liquid and mix until combined before adding next third.
Stir in chopped nuts and refrigerate dough for one hour.
Preheat oven to 400º
Using a cookie scoop, place balls of chilled dough on to parchment lined baking sheets. 2 tablespoon measures (30g) will yield about 24 2” cookies. 1 tablespoon measures will give you 1 ½ inch cookies and yield about 45.
Brown Butter Icing
Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat, stirring regularly until it comes to a boil, reduce heat to med. low and continue stirring until it turns a golden brown color. Remove from heat and pour over 1 ¾ cup of powdered sugar in a medium bowl, add in cream and vanilla, whisk until you have a thick, spreadable icing. You can add the reserved sugar to help get the proper consistancy.
Our week started out sunny, with last week’s snow finally melting away. However, while writing this post, I watch a light snow fall outside my window.
This is a cycle that will repeat itself many times in the coming months.
We plan our travels between the snow events. Roads are cleared quickly and our car is equipped for winter travel, so this is more for our convenience than anything else.
The ‘Sage Steppe’ in picture form
It had been a while since we’d been to Fort Rock, so that was at the top of our list. The trip is short, half an hour’s drive, and while not a major thoroughfare, Highway 31 gets good winter service.
The trip through pine forests onto a sage steppe presents a unique transition. Fort Rock is one of 40 tuff rings located in the Christmas Valley.
Waiting while they mess with that flying camera thing
A hundred thousand years ago it was nearly submerged in an ice age lake.
A mere 12,000 years ago, some poor soul left his shoes in a nearby cave.
The geology and archeology of the Great Basin are one more reason to explore this section of Oregon.
A hundred thousand years ago it was nearly submerged in an ice age lake.