The snowline

Broken Top

I'm sure I don't need to explain about all of the crazy weather that we've been having--but we've had an idea to go camping on the holiday and thought we'd check out the snow situation. Since we've been snowed out and lost before we thought a nice day hike up in the mountains (read: get out of the 90+ weather in town) would be lovely for a break and some reconnaissance.

The snow line does not look favorable for our planned camping trip, but it was absolutely beautiful. Also, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I find it incredibly unfair that there should both be snow and mosquitoes at the same time. Ugh.

The trail--now you see it, now you don't

We actually abandoned our effort to do the loop and check out a moraine lake due to the complete inability to continue on the trail from this point. Instead we headed to a lower elevation to check out a more ambling stroll on this beautiful lake with views of Bachelor. Not the challenging hike we were attempting to put in in preparation for a multi-day camping adventure, in which I will have a cameo (I'm hiking back out to catch a flight next week), but a gorgeous view and a nice moment to catch the early wildflowers.

Grass removal plan--step 1

While I was in Mexico I had a thought about a really fabulous way to get rid of a lot of grass in our backyard, which didn't consist of a greenhouse so we could extend the season and possibly grow veggies here. Summer here is really quite fabulous and I love the idea of extending our evenings outside. So when I got back, we discussed it, walked the yard and plotted out a nice circular pattern.

see circular pattern with rope

We also planted some trees and thought about pathways and other privacy/noise reduction strategies that we could initiate this summer and watch grow over the next year or two. You can see the new trees in the background of some of the photos below...

I haven't been home many days since I returned from the field, but we've made excellent use of the days I have been here--it helps that Joe went all pick-axe on the grass on some of the days I was gone. And so, in many steps, we created a fire pit.

 

The sod.

Who needs to rent a compactor when you have a full keg?

 

   

Trying to fit my whole shadow into the circle

DONE.

A very personal inaugural fire, from the dead wood of the bubala

Another reason to dislike grass

"Today's Worst: Eugene"

I didn't need a map to tell me that; my eyeballs are screaming.