It doesn’t matter what you call it . . . there are times when it’s important to refocus energy.
This was one of those weeks, and time on a stream is our preferred method.
Looking for a place to start
It was a perfect fall day.
Sun generated enough heat to counter the chill, as long as you were layered up. The Crooked was fishing well, and wildlife was prolific.
Media, mainstream and social, has gotten in the way. The constant barrage of sales and holiday propaganda came to an end . . . severed and throttled, those sources of noise were quieted.
This blog is where we can be found.
This river is magical
It’s a calm niche, carved out of the madness that is swirling about us.
Don’t expect us to click ‘like buttons’ on popular social media sites. If you need to talk, you know how to find us . . .
. . . right here or on the river.
Find a spot of your own and refocus . . . the world is going to get messy.
Woke to snow falling this morning. It would appear that winter is here. Not an issue, just a shift in travel strategies.
Looking ahead . . . the forecast shows rain, rain and even more rain.
Job #1 . . . find a stick
Earlier in the week, we used a crisp, sunny day to take a tour up the Cascade Highway. In late summer the Upper Deschutes is a regular stop.
This year wildfires kept us away. The smoke is gone, but the breath of winter has been felt.
Happiness
This section of the Deschutes River looks nothing like the lower run that holds big Rainbow and Steelhead.
Afternoon light on Upper Deschutes River
At the source, the Deschute’s crystalline water is rarely more than a couple of feet deep.
It’s home to Redband Trout that are rarely over ten inches. It is perfect for dog wading.
This is what he came for
Past September 22, this stretch of water is closed to fishing however, Tip was interested in fetching.
He quickly procured a suitable stick. Well actually, what he showed up with had to be trimmed a bit to serve our needs.
Locked on target
The season of fall is over. There are patches of snow under the trees. A few leaves still cling to branches, but for the most part they carpet the understory.
Remnants of fall
The wind had a bite . . . so we didn’t linger.
Once Tip had chased a few tosses of stick in the river, he was ready to get back in the car. Afternoon sun can only offer so much warmth. It did make for a very pleasant drive.
Satisfied on a good fetch
There are plenty of sun drenched days ahead. The days may only warm to the high forties, but that just means gloves and sweaters.
Leaving Fall behind
Once the early winter rains pass we’ll embrace the snow and shift to a winter schedule . . . starting with installation of a set of snow tires. It’s just that period of adjustment between seasons that is a bit awkward.
Today saw the season’s first hard frost that glazed pine boughs and sage leaves. Winter announcing it’s arrival.
Before the snows come, we made one final trip to Cottonwood Canyon.
Reflection on evening weather
This last camp of the year is a bourbon and hot cocoa sipped on the porch kind of stay. The temperatures require layers and socks in your sandals.
Drama over cottonwood canyon
But the weather only threatened rain as we were leaving and with a sweater, the porch offered ample cover from the canyon wind.
Last light of day
Our evening was highlighted, literally, by a break in the clouds as the Hunter’s Moon rose over the hills.
A Hunter’s moonrise
We didn’t get to do much star gazing with this bright object in the night sky. On the other hand, a flashlight wasn’t necessary for the evening toilet.
Early morning visitors
A pair of mule deer joined us for morning coffee and scones.
A nye of ring-necked pheasants occupied the field just to our north. However, that was only evident when they flew in and out of the tall grass.
Storm clouds to the north
Grain fields were mostly fallow or brown with this year’s stubble. Occasionally there would but a plot that showed the short green sprout of winter wheat.
It still turns, but not sure it draws water anymore.
A series of storm fronts kept the wind farms active and presented us with a grand show of cloud formations.
It’s a pleasant drive through the rolling hills along Highway 97. We’ll not venture this far north after winter comes full on, but likely be back in the spring.
There has been a shift in the weather this week. Days are cooler and skies hold more clouds. There’s even some rain.
The start of Fall is a welcome event in this house . . . certainly not for pumpkin spice … ewwww!
A pile of stuff , , , just to go fishing?
There were a couple of trips to the Crooked River this week. This is one spot that seems immune to smoke plumes and has become a regular destination.
Seasons shift means we don’t have to start quite so early and we can linger on the river longer.
Osprey on the huntMagpie scavenging bugs
The other harbinger of fall is the return of migratory birds. The honking of geese has become a daily occurrence. We’ll need to work in a trip to Summer Lake soon.
The Osprey was fishing and even the Kestrel peeked out from its hiding spot.
This might be in part because we did lounge longer. Regardless, it’s always nice to see old friends.
Some warmer weather is in the forecast, but it stays closer to 70 than 100 . . . and that’s a good sign.
Patterns in stalks of dry grass
As the heat of summer wanes, we’ll pick up the pace on outings, staying longer and venturing further. This is perhaps our favorite season and we’ll take full advantage of it.
We spend a lot of time outside. None of it actually camping.
At least, not in the classic sense.
Coffee is cooked, camp chairs are set up and on rare occasions, regulations permitting, we might light a fire. However, by the end of the day we’re home and ready to sleep in a nice comfy bed.
Everyone seeks out a bit of shade
When we did ‘camp’ it was in a Westfalia, so truth is, we’ve never been hard core campers. Creature comforts over wilderness experience . . . with one exception.
A couple of years ago we discovered the cabins at Cottonwood Canyon State Park.
Our kind of wilderness experience
There are elements of camping in that you’re isolated without cell service.
Reflection of our view
But each neat little cabin is fitted with AC/heat and a comfy bed.
Plus, there is hot/cold running water nearby. It’s a perfect solution.
The down side is, you need to reserve a space months in advance, making it difficult to predict the weather or as happened last year . . . wildfire.
Cottonwood is surrounded by sage covered hills
In April we set up a stay for August 13th, which when August came around we discovered was also a peak time for the Perseids Meteor shower.
The night sky looking northwest
With zero light pollution, the setting is perfect for star gazing, which is part of every visit, but this stay turned out to be a fortuitous reservation.
Early evening sky to the south
Bundled in warm sweaters, we spent early morning hours gazing at the heavens.
They didn’t disappoint. The smear of the milky way and hundreds of constellations filled a sky occasionally streaked by a chunk of space rock falling through the atmosphere.
