Up the Labyrinth and down Coyote Wall in fog and sun

December 24, 2019 / margaretquilts / 1 Comment

12/13/2019 Coyote Wall, Washington

Once again we drive through the foggy, rainy Columbia River Gorge to the east side of the Cascade Mountains…

Rainbow over White Salmon, from the Hood River Bridge.

Once again, we walk along Old Highway 8, parallel to the Columbia River…

Look Lake reflections.

Columbia River, Oregon beyond.

Geese on those rocks above the river.

Once again we hike up the winding trails of The Labyrinth, through layers of shifting fog.

Red Oregon grape along the trail.

Labyrinth waterfall

Fog ahead

My favorite oak grove

The sun is trying

Mt Hood’s flattish top peaking in and out at us as we go higher.

Our favorite landmark tree viewpoint – one moment in the fog,

then clear skies for a while.

Once again we hike higher, then across Atwood Road to the sudden cliff edge of Coyote Wall.

Cliffs of Coyote Wall are just beyond the oak tree

Coyote Wall, Look Lake, Columbia River.

Looking north to the upper slopes of Coyote Wall.

Eastern Columbia River Gorge.

Once again we hike down the ankle breaking bike trails, one called the Crybaby trail, while the fog layers shift and disperse.

East view from Old Ranch Road

Looking back up the wall, fog descending again.

Summer parsley.

Looking East toward the Rowena orchards.

Almost back to the Coyote Wall trailhead.

(Hike #57, 7 miles, 1500 feet)

Knitting…

Button bands on the Meris cardigan done; and about two thirds of a Rafa Hat.

Oaks Bottom, a rainbow, and a knitting update

December 16, 2019 / margaretquilts / 1 Comment

12/8/2019 Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

We went for a quick walk around the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge in Portland. The last time here I was in the slow walk mode, recovering from my pituitary surgery. Today we walked briskly along – not too many birds out, but a nice dryish respite from the rainy days behind and ahead. (Hike #56, 3.1 miles, 100 feet)

Oaks Bottom

Bald eagle on a perch in the Willamette River.

Neighborhood

Lots of rain, and a rainbow…I am looking forward to the solstice.

Knitting

I finished a foxy bib for a baby shower present,

I put the thumbs on the mitts,

and have finished the body and icord hem on the Meris cardigan; on to the button bands….

Ridgefield birds, and darning success

December 9, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

11/30/2019 Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge, WA

On a cold morning we walked the Oaks to Wetlands Trail in the northern unit – the best views are from the railroad bridge. (Hike #55, 2 miles)

Swans in the lake…

Frosty leaves

Bird, oak galls.

We then drove the Auto Tour Route in the southern River ‘S’ unit and saw many more birds than were here in early October.

View from the bird blind – swans and geese will be closer on the far side of the driving loop.

Beyond the lake, a large flock of tall birds…

Zooming in-

sand hill cranes, a heron,

and an egret.

A great blue heron landed right next to the road.

Meanwhile, in the lake:

Lots of geese and swans,

and a black swan.

Knitting and the darning pile:

Fingerless mitts – just need the thumbs. Malabrigo Arroyo in the Jupiter color way.

Darned and depilled – three pairs of socks and a sweater!

Reflections and birds at Steigerwald Lake, WA

December 4, 2019December 1, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

11/23/2019

This is the place we go to see upside down trees that don’t exist except as reflected imagery in water.

Mt Hood beyond the lake.

And birds. We enjoy spotting them in their home, though we are not true ‘birders’.

Northern Harrier

We saw this Great Blue Heron several times from different vantage points:

Hiding in plain sight. I didn’t notice the heron in the middle of the picture until I was looking at my photos later.

Green Heron

Egret

Steigerwald Lake Wildlife Refuge is in the early stages of a major overhaul. Dikes to the Columbia River will be breached, the lake will be enlarged, and wild salmon will return to the streams in the surrounding hills. Trails will be rerouted. Today we see early work – large logs have been placed to provide underwater wildlife habitat throughout the area that will become the enlarged lake.

Hike #54, 3.8 miles

Knitting, etc

Cold front in Portland this week, Thanksgiving supplies are in – I am chopping and baking and decorating for a small gathering.

One pair of sock toes mended so far.

Chocolate silk pie!

Rowland Wall, WA, and a Darning Pile

November 27, 2019November 25, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

November 16, 2019

We left Portland’s dense fog behind as we drove through the Columbia River Gorge to Catherine Creek Recreation Area east of White Salmon, WA. The fog was lifting to the east. I saw the wintering swans in Mirror Lake below Crown Point as we drove past.

Driving east on I-84 toward Crown Point.

Those tiny white dots are swans at freeway speed.

The upper reaches of the Catherine Creek area were still under fog as we hiked upward on the Rowland Wall trail.

Fog above us.

Orange oak trees, black volcanic rocks, golden grasses, Ponderosa pines, Rowland Lake.

Rowland Pinnacle

The clouds rose higher as we zigzagged up the trail.

Mt Hood in view as the clouds lift.

A relic apple tree from some past life.

Apples

Blue sky!

We lost the trail when hiking here last year and returned the way we came. Today we lost the trail again, but we were close enough to the top to bushwhack our way up to Atwood Road.

Lunch view – toward our starting point just beyond the Rowland Wall cliff.

After eating lunch with a stunning view of the land rolling away beneath us – river, cliffs, orchards of Mosier, we hiked down Sunflower Hill. At the edge of Rowland Wall, we saw the other end of the connecting trail we missed – we will find it next time! A story in every trail. Not many other people here today. We returned to Portland which was reported to be under cloud all day.

Walking down Sunflower Hill,

to the edge of Rowland Wall – reflections in Rowland Lake.

Orchards of Mosier across the Columbia River.

Mt Hood

Another train

Pre wildflower bonus shot:

Bitteroot foliage.

Hike #53, 5.1 miles, 1100 feet.

Knitting

I continue to make progress on my Meris Cardigan – but at three or four 300 stitch rows a day, it is slow going. That includes a little extra knitting when I have to find a dropped yarn over in the lace repeats. Meanwhile, I have isolated my Darning Pile – I hope I can show it finished by next week.

Three pairs of sock toes, and a sweater with a few holes.

Tamawanas Falls, OR

November 20, 2019November 19, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

November 10, 2019

I returned to this popular trail on the east side of Mt Hood with some trepidation, and conquered my fear. The last time I was here, in January of 2016, on snowshoes, my husband slipped over a cornice edge on the trail. He was rescued by some passing snowshoers, but then one of the rescuers slipped all the way down to the riverbank, and had to be rescued by Search and Rescue. I have avoided the trail ever since, even though it is not hazardous when snow free. I do love this trail – I saw my first Columbia Windflowers here one spring, and have enjoyed the hike many times. This day we were late for full fall colors, but saw yellow larches amid the evergreens. (Hike#52, 5 miles, 800 feet)

East Fork of Hood River, near the trailhead.

First view of Tamanawas Falls.

Lunch view, from the island in Cold Spring Creek at the base of the falls.

We explored a bit higher on side trail to Elk Meadows, and have plans to go farther in the future.

Yellow larches.

Mt Hood from Highway 35 in the afternoon.

Knitting

I finished the Spiral Cowl, and this biography of Edith Nesbit, a favorite children’s author.

Silver Falls again, knitting update, and the last of the Halloween witches

November 13, 2019November 13, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Silver Falls Loop Trail, November 1, 2019

Some fall colors still about, some frost in the canyon. Always lovely at Silver Fall State Park, Oregon. (Hike #51, 5 miles, 700 feet)

South Falls

Lower South Falls

View from behind Lower South Falls

Double Falls

Middle North Falls

Winter Falls

Frost

Knitting

I have knit past the joining on the Meris Cardigan, and the fit is good. The rows are long, so I will be at this for a while, knitting down the body.

I also finished a striped dish cloth,

and made progress on the Spiral Cowl.

The last witches of Halloween

Hiking to Lyle Cherry Orchard, WA, and knitting a peach

October 18, 2019 / margaretquilts

October 11, 2019 – Green vegetation of summer transitioning to autumn hues: golden grass, yellow big leaf maples, orange oak, and the luring leering red of poison oak against the black cliffs. The ‘Cherry Orchard’ consists of a few ancient snags at the far end of the trail on top of the cliffs….the rewards are the blue sky and river views from the cliffs. (Hike#47, 6.3 miles, 1300 feet)

View of the cliff tops from the Convict Road.

Convict Road below us now.

Big leaf maple

Oak

Acorns on the trail.

Poison oak

Lots of poison oak all the way up…

Lunch view toward Lyle from the cliff top.

One of the remaining cherry trees.

End of the trail – west toward Rowena.

End of the trail, east toward The Dalles.

Almost back to the trailhead.

Knitting

I interrupted my other projects to knit a peach from the pattern Peached by Hunter Hammersen – who is donating the proceeds to RAICES and The Southern Poverty Law Center in aid of immigrants. I sent it to my daughter in her birthday package.

Meanwhile, I have made progress on a cardigan and a cowl.

Meris Cardigan

Spiral Cowl

Two wildlife refuges, Indian Heaven, and trying to keep up with fall colors, Sept-Oct 2019

October 13, 2019October 30, 2019 / margaretquilts

It has been a busy couple of weeks – a quilt show, a fiber festival, hikes at two wildlife refuges and Indian Heaven Wilderness. Meanwhile, the Mac hard drive is off at the Genius repair shop. I am learning blog work-arounds via iPad.

Friday, September 27 – I attended the Northwest Quilt Expo, admired all the quilts and photographed many. This vintage Tile Friendship Quilt (circa 1900, maker unknown) from the Latimer Quilt Museum, was very interesting. Seemingly random shapes are appliquéd to a plain background, each signed by a different maker in true Friendship Quilt style. It looks very modern, but it is old and entirely hand stitched!

I bought a few fat eighths to add to a batik quilt in my mental UFO list.

Sunday, September 29 -I visited the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival in Canby, Oregon, just long enough to buy a lighter weight spindle and more fiber to practice drop spinning.

Then we went to the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, our first visit there, and walked around the perimeter. Not many birds have arrived yet, but there are great overlooks and a nice winter trail for future visits. (Hike#44, 3.6 miles)

Great Blue Heron

Hawthorne berries

Looking across the refuge – soon this will be flooded with water and birds.

Great Blue Heron on the return trail.

Saturday, October 5 – We went to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Washington during their season closing bird fest. We walked the Kiwa Trail and part of the newly opened Carty Lake trail, and also went inside the Chinook Plankhouse to look around. (Hike#45, 3.2 miles)

Turtles

Sand Hill Cranes

Sand Hill Cranes in flight.

Great Horned Owl

Carty Lake

Chinook plank house

Inside the plankhouse.

Chinook Salmon trap

Sunday, October 6 – We joined friends for a hike in Indian Heaven Wilderness – from the East Crater trailhead to Junction and Lemei Lakes. Late fall colors, thawed mushrooms and blueberries, very pretty. (Hike#46, 8.8 miles, 1000 feet)