Teaching Forestry, Herbalogy, and Storytelling at Camp Tadmore (JM)

A picture drawn by student Nola, of a logging scene. Based on one of the classes I taught on March 6, 2024. 

 

Pictures of Camp Tadmore, in the hills of the Cascades, Lebanon, Oregon:

A Bear's Eye View of 2023 (JM)

 JANUARY

Just east of Alsea, Benton County, Oregon

FEBRUARY

Prairie Mountain as seen from Deadwood Highway, Benton County, Oregon

MARCH

Mary's Wayside, Benton County, Oregon

APRIL

Mary's Wayside, Benton County, Oregon

MAY

Children's Garden, Our front yard, Alsea, Oregon

JUNE

Snapdragon bloom, from Children's Garden, our front yard (and a peek at the ol' left foot), Alsea, Oregon

JULY

Green Peak Falls, Benton County, Oregon

AUGUST

Bee Garden, our front yard, Alsea Oregon

SEPTEMBER

Autumn gift left on bumper of our truck, Alsea, Oregon

OCTOBER

Clemen's Park, Benton County, Oregon

NOVEMBER

Mill Creek Park, Benton County, Oregon

DECEMBER

New Year's Eve dropping of the crawfish (local mascot),  Alsea parking lot , Alsea, Oregon

And a peek at the New Year:

A NEW BEGINNING JANUARY 2024, rainbow seen Jan 2, 2023, from our front yard, Alsea, Oregon

and FIRST HIKE JANUARY 2024, Clemen's Park, just east of Alsea, Benton County, Oregon

and Clemen's Park Loop Trail, just east of Alsea, Benton County, Oregon

2023 Extra Photos (JM)

 FEBRUARY: MEMORIES OF AN END OF AN ERA, Benton County, Oregon

SEPTEMBER: 9-11 around the neighborhood, Alsea, Oregon

NOVEMBER: "MOTHER OF ALL THE WORLD" PAINTING CLASS

(This one is Wendy's, will add mine in when it's finished)

DECEMBER: "NORTHWEST EXPOSURE", A SMALL TOWN CHRISTMAS, Clark Park , Alsea, Oregon

                                    

NEW YEAR'S EVE, 2023 dropping of the crawfish (local mascot),  Alsea parking lot , Alsea, Oregon

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

Clemen's Park, 2023

Green Park Trail, 2023

Logtruck viewed from Backyard, 2023

Saga of the Sawmill (JM)

 

(Joseph MacRae, a poem from some time back)

Saga of the Sawmill

Driving through the valleys

of the Williamette and Columbia Rivers,

through the mountains and the small towns,

you’ll see the sawmills now abandoned.

Their dilapidating buildings

of tin and timber.

their rusty sawdust burners 

standing like a monument, marking the end

of a once romantic chapter in 

North West history…

I remember the exhilaration I used to feel

as I geared down my truck

with another loaf of pine logs.

Turning off the highway,

idling up to the scale shack,

then into line to be unloaded.

Climbing down from the cab of a truck,

adrenaline flowing, as sounds and aromas

fill the air.

Ah! The smell of pine rosin

and diesel smoke.

The foul stench of the log pond.

The sounds so familiar,

squeaks and groans of pain and torment.

The groaning of the bull chain,

hoisting another log up from the pond. 

Clunk, clunk, as it rolls across the deck

then slams against the head blocks

of the log carriage. 

Hissing of air valves as the log dogs

tighten down, holding the log on the carriage.

Clack, clack, as the carriage heads

down the track.

The ritual will be completed

again and again, the sacrifice is made.

Giant logs, centuries old,

being reduced to lumber and waste

as the head-rig sings its song,

hungrily ripping through raw timber.

As slabs drop onto conveyors

their feed to resaw,

then down the green chain

to men at work, pulling lumber,

stacking lumber, 

sweating, cursing, voices long faded

into the hills. 

Mill ponds filled in, log yards

empty and quiet, now stand in

Silent Reverence!

Alaska's Nonprofit Salmon Enhancement Program (JM)

 

                  

Thank-Feel (WC)

 

(November 20, 2023, Forefeast of the (above) Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, Our Lady of La Guarde, and feast day of Blessed Maria Fortunata Viti. Image from here.)

Thank-Feel

And this world— it can hold so much sadness and pain. It also holds an infinite well of wonder*

like the warmth (of hand, heart)

and the stars (in mind, eyes),

and all that’s melodic (Joseph's guitar

accompanying)

                                gracious

                         spacious 

and the veto power of a smile

and to-day -- Its current itinerary

is enough.

*Above quote by Victoria Bennett, author, from interview on Resilience Rising podcast episode 27.

**From prompt: Free write as inspired by the etymology of “thank” and related quotes. From Lisa Freedman’s BreatheReadWrite, November 20, 2023.

Visitors (WC)

  

(September 22, 2023, eve of the Fall Equinox, and feast day of  The Giving of the Name of Mary to Our Lady by St. Ann (related image above), Our Lady of Lampedusa  (crowned 1967, recrowned 1980), the "Hearer" Icon of the Mother of God, Saint Digna of Rome, Saint Emerita of Rome and Saint Gunthildis of Suffersheim (her prayers brought springs). On Jewish calendar tonight begins Shabbat Shuva, or the Shabbat of return-- Yom Kippur begins eve of September 24. (Tomorrow commemorates Temple Dedicated, 826 BC). Image from here.)

Visitors

(on the last day of summer, 2023)

Toes wiggling out from under covers.

Languid memory, of strolls under soft sky.

Now, it's air conditioner’s purr--Joseph’s 

“Honey, come meet our supper”

fresh caught flash of silver scales.

Kitchen humms, hosts

river’s perfume.

From prompt: freewrite as inspired by today being the last day of summer/tomorrow the Fall Equinox, and by “The Sound of Summer” by David Budbill. From Dylan Klemptner's Writing with Others (MedStar Georgetown University Hospital's Arts and Humanities Program), September 22, 2023.