Living With The Threat of Wildfires…

 7:30pm – 53 degrees – scattered clouds…

A few years after we moved up here, Tony had a DNR (Department of Natural Resources) Fire Forester come out to look at our place and let us know how we would fare if a wildfire came through.  The outcome of that visit was the knowledge that we would be on our own.  We were told that ground fire crews would not be sent out due to the steepness and inaccessibility of the mountain ridge we live on.  They may send out an aircraft to drop some fire retardant on our house but that’s about it.  On the positive side, the DNR guy did say that we had a great start on the defensible space around our home and had the right to stay and protect it.  Before he left, he gave us some information on how to make the defensible space around our home even better.

If you are not sure what ‘defensible space’ means…it is an area around a structure where fuels and vegetation are treated, cleared or reduced to slow the spread of wildfire towards the structure.  It also reduces the chance of a structure fire moving from the building to the surrounding forest.

We are very aware of the danger from wildfires, and so far, we have only been in various levels of ‘evacuation zones’ a handful of times – several times we had our rigs all packed and ready to go, and we have actually evacuated twice when the fires have gotten a little too close for comfort.

This wildfire last fall was less than two miles away from our house and we did end up evacuating.

Over the years, we have had a few wildfires that were very visible from our house.  During the day we could watch as water and fire retardant was being dropped from airplanes and helicopters, and during the night we could see the glow of the raging fire, on the next ridge line over from us.

Last night we had another scare with a fire that was about 3/4 of a mile from our house. Usually when there is a fire, or visible smoke within 5-7 miles of us, our phones blow up with calls and texts. However, yesterday it had been raining hard all day, and it was foggy with low clouds, so no one saw the smoke or fire. It wasn’t until it got dark, the rain stopped, the clouds lifted a little, and then you could see the orange glow from the burning trees.

When we first saw the hillside on the ridge across from us ablaze, and we hadn’t heard anything about it, we went with assumption that no one knew about it yet and went into evacuation mode – sent a group message to our neighbors to inform them of the fire that was in close proximity, called 911, and started packing our rigs in case we needed to leave.

Within a half hour, Tony and Jack had their fire equipment pack and went to inspect the fire, we had our rigs packed and ready to go, and another neighbor had contacted DNR. That’s when we found out that the fire had started out as a planned controlled slash burn that had gotten out of control when the wind unexpectedly picked up to 30+ mph wind gusts which caused the burning slash piles to jump to the surround trees.

Thankfully they got the fire back under control, and no structures or people were hurt. But it was still a bit of a stressful night as this has been the closest fire to our house to date.

Getting Ready For Winter – Cleaning The Chimney...

6:04 pm - 46 degrees - foggy, raining...

Sunday was the last day of dry weather before the rain came, and with it more cold temperatures.  Even though we've already had a week of cold temps, Tony didn't want to use the fireplace until we had had a good day of rain.  Everything has been too dry and the fire danger lever has been too high to take any chances.

We heat our home with a wood stove from roughly around September until May.  This ends up being one long continuous burning season.

Having a wood burning fireplace definitely has its ups and downs.  The warm glow of a fireplace is one of nature’s simple gifts... if you can ignore the mess and hassle that come with their daily operation.

Though creosote inevitably builds up over time inside the chimney and chimney cap which can become a very serious fire hazard, by using only properly split and seasoned firewood, you can slow the creosote accumulation.  If at all possible, try to steer clear of the slow, smoky, smoldering fires; these tend to create creosote rather quickly.  Clean, hot burning fires are the ones that generate the least amount of creosote.

There is no one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to how often you should clean out your chimney.  We just happen to do it at the end of every summer, right before the cold season hits - Tony climbs up our steep metal roof to clean out the chimney and chimney cap (which is 34 feet up in the air) - something that we feel MUST be done before we can safely use the fireplace.

Fall Is Almost Here...

8:13 pm - 62 degrees - smoky...

The nights are getting colder, the mornings are getting darker, the kids have gone back to school, and tomorrow the rain is supposed to return! 

Where did summer go? 

Weeks turned into months in the blink of an eye, and before I knew it, the kids were back in school and we’re busy running everyone around to soccer and volleyball practice.

Summer was extremely busy, and we didn’t even get anything done on or around the house. Tony spent the summer helping our neighbor build a 3,000+ sqft tree deck for their daughter’s wedding.  The tree deck and the wedding were both absolutely amazing!!

  

Even though everyone was really busy this summer, we did manage to sneak in some fun here and there.

The kids were constantly catching critters.

We went berry picking several times and canned some freezer jam.

We went hiking, canoeing, camping and fishing.

And we made several quick trips to the Long Beach Peninsula for more fun and surf fishing.

They caught a crab while surf fishing for perch!
The crab grabbed the bait and didn't want to let get.
They let it go after we got a quick picture.

Although I love the warmth and sunshine of summer, and everything that goes with it, I am really happy fall is almost here.  

Berry Hike...

3:30 pm - 72 degrees - cloudy...

I love, love, love living in the mountains.  Being able to step outside the front door and walk around our property harvesting wild berries, is just amazing!  Now that harvest season is upon us, it’s time to go on another berry hike and see what we can find.

There are so many different types of shrubs and trees that offer up a berry tempting variety of fruits for our taste buds.  However, it’s always important to keep in mind that not all fruits found in our forest are safe to eat.  So after a tasty stroll around the property, here’s what we found...

Blackcap aka Wild Black Raspberry {Rubus occidentalis}

Blackcap aka Wild Black Raspberry {Rubus occidentalis}

The Blackcap or Black Raspberries are closely related to the Red Raspberry but the black fruit makes them look like Blackberries.  Even though many may get them confused, they have a taste that is uniquely their own and oh so delicious!

Blue Elderberry aka Blue Elder {Sambucus cerulea}

Whether it be red or blue, Elderberries are easy to like.  They are user-friendly.  Jam, jelly, pies, syrup, schnapps, brandy and wine can all be made from those tiny little berries.  The flowers are also edible and can be used in pancakes and muffins or just dipped in batter and fried.  They also make a nice tea.

Blue Huckleberry {Vaccinium deliciosum}

Any hiker in the Pacific Northwest worth his or her weight in Huckleberries, know that late summer hiking has joys all its own...of a juicy, purple/blue variety.  The wild Blue Huckleberry is a very coveted berry.  Pickers often find themselves competing with Black bears, cougars, and other native animals for the sweet, juicy huckleberries which are just delicious in pies, jam, pancakes, muffins, ice cream, syrup, and oh so much more.

Oregon  Grape {Mahonia nervosa}

The Oregon Grape is not related to true grapes, but gets its name from the purple cluster of berries whose color and slightly dusted appearance are reminiscent of grapes.  The berries are highly acidic (sour), but they make a delicious jam.

Oval Leaf Blueberry aka Alaska Blueberry aka Early Blueberry {Vaccinium ovalifolium}

The wild Blueberries that we found in our yard are likely the most well know berry on our list of berries we’ve found here.  And personally I think they taste just as good if not better than the ones bought in the store.  I even had to pick a handful so I can make Blueberry pancakes in the morning.

Red Elderberry {Sambucus racemosa}

Some references say Red Elderberries are edible, some say they are not.  Basically what I have found out is that if you eat a lot of raw, whole, Red Elderberries, you will most likely end up with an upset stomach.  If they are deseeded and cooked, then they are just fine.

Red Huckleberry {Vaccinium parvifolium}

These delicate translucent berries have been a source of food for generations of Northwest natives, animals and people alike.  As heavily used as they are, not everyone enjoys their tangy-tart flavor.  It is for this reason that the Red Huckleberries are usually combines with other berries, like the Blueberry to add sweetness.

Salal {Gaultheria shallon}

The Salal’s dark blue berries and young leaves are both edible, and both with a unique flavor.  Salal berries were a significant food resource for Native Americas, who both ate them fresh and dried them into cakes.  More recently, the berries are used in james, preserves and pies.  They are often combined with Oregon Grape berries because the tartness of the Oregon Grape is partially masked by the mild sweetness of the Salal berries.

Salmonberry {Rubus spectabilis}

The Salmonberry, Thimbleberry, Trailing Blackberry and Black Caps all share the fruit structure of the Raspberry, with the fruit pulling away from its receptacle.  Books often call the Salmonberry “insipid” but depending on ripeness and where you found them, they are good eaten raw and when processed into jam, jelly and wine.

Stink Currant aka Blue Currant {Ribes bracteosum}

Stink Currant is named for its skunky aroma.  It’s far less pungent than Skunk Cabbage, and the name doesn’t always translate to flavor.  It seems that the flavor of these berries can range anywhere from nasty to delicious. 

Thimbleberry {Rubus parviflorus}

Thimbleberries are larger, flatter, and softer than Raspberries, and have many small seeds.  Because the fruit if so soft, it does not pack or ship well, so Thimbleberries are rarely cultivated commercially.  However, wild Thimbleberries can be eaten raw, dried or made into jam.

Trailing Blackberry {Rubus ursinus}

This Blackberry is not the big brambly invasive bully lining area rivers and roadways.  Our native Trailing Blackberry likes to spread.  Instead of forming self supported brambles, it rambles about the landscape as a vine-like ground cover, but tastes just as delicious as the brambly Blackberry.

...we found quite a few actually!  I just love having all these delicious wild edible berries around our home!  

Mountain Chores...

3:42 pm - 40 degrees - raining...

Yesterday we had a break from the wind and rain.  It was in the mid-40s, that’s winter t-shirt weather up here; basically it was the perfect day to spend outside and do a little outside spring cleaning.  

We still have patches of snow here and there, but the majority of it has melted away.  So yesterday I started to rake all the small rocks that were tossed into the yard from the snow blower back onto the driveway.  One bad side effect of using the snow blower on a gravel road are all the rocks that are tossed up to 16+ feet into the yard.  There are so many little rocks in the yard that unfortunately it doesn’t even look like I did anything there yesterday. 

We also spent a good portion of the day picking up and burning most of the fallen and broken tree branches from around our main driveway.  Tony walked around with a pole saw cutting off the broken branches from the trees.  He got a little side tracked and started limbing the trees up, so we had quite a pile of branches and twigs to burn. 

The kids decided to take a break from all the yardwork to sneak in some bow and arrow practice.

By the end of the day, everyone was tired as we sat around our bonfire to roast some hot dogs and marshmallows.  All in all, it was a good productive day.

Spring Is Here...

1012 am - 38 degrees - overcast, windy, raining... 

...even if it’s only symbolically.  Yesterday marked the spring equinox, it signaled the end of the astronomical winter in the northern hemisphere.  Yet the signs of winter are still hanging on.  This morning it was 36 degrees outside and we still have very large patches of dirty snow all over the place.

On a dreary, cold, windy, rainy day like today, I find myself longing for any sign that spring, and warmer temperatures, may be nearing.  I’ve already started day dreaming about the warmer days, the start of everything turning green, the fading of the winter, what we’re going to plant in our garden, firing up the grill, hanging out with family and friends around a roaring bonfire and 9pm sunsets!

Even with the chilly temperatures and the slowly melting snow, there are a few small signs that spring is truly on its way, from the new huckleberry buds to the tiny green onion sprouts in our mini herb garden.

The wildlife are also coming out of hiding.  I haven't heard the little drummers yet (aka Ruffed Grouse) but we're starting to see them more and more.  Soon enough we should start hearing that unusual mating call; the courting ritual of the forest birds, that strangely enough you feel more than hear.  It's an unmistakable "thump...... thump...... thump... whir-r-r-r-r-r!" of a male ruffed grouse "drumming".

Driving Home - In Hyperspeed...

9:06 am - 25 degrees - 32+ mph wind gusts...

Our area was hit hard this month when about a foot of snow fell on the metro area in a 24 hour period - that usually only happens about once a decade.  The snow moved out and the colder air moved in and kept the winter scenery around.  Schools, businesses and most activity in the area was either halted by the snow or severely reduced as a white blanket draped the metro area and surrounding communities.

Most commuters weren’t prepared for the snow storm causing abandoned vehicles and a lot of accidents.  A week later and freeways are clear, main roads still have icy patches and side roads are covered in packed snow.

With all this crazy weather that we have been getting lately, several of our friends have made videos of portions of their commute.  They wanted to see what our commute home was like so here it is...

Winter Mountain Chores -- Clearing The Driveway

6:46 pm - 17 degrees - clear night, 54+ mph wind gusts...

It is definitely a work in progress as I'm learning how to take and edit videos.  Today I learned that I don't have any video editing software on my computer, so I put together this video on my phone - downside, the resolution isn't that great.  But hey, I edited my first video!  Yea!

Here's a clip of Tony blowing off the driveway.  We have lost track of how many hours he has spent in the tractor this season, but it is a LOT!

Snow Day #8...

1:40 pm - 21 degrees - overcast, 33+ mph wind gusts...

A blanket of fluffy white snow, sparkling snowflakes, moonlit nights, twinkling starry skies... 

...sounds pretty dreamy until reality strikes.  The kids are on day Snow Day #8 and winter just started!

Actually it’s not that bad.  Yes, the kids miss their friends at school and Tony has had to take more days off work for snow removal than he planned... but, we haven’t caught that nasty bit of cabin fever yet!! 

We have just over 4 feet of snow and there have been patches of gorgeous weather so the kids have spent a lot of their time playing outside, sledding, building forts, having snowball fights with the occasional snowmobile ride.  

When the wind gets a little too brutal or the cold starts seeping in, it drives everyone back inside where we’ve been playing a lot of games, and doing a lot of baking.  When tempers start to flare everyone goes off to their own corners of the house to stick their nose in a book, watch a movie, or play in their rooms. 

 

Labyrinth - fun game that everyone can play and enjoy.

Nertz!!!  I love this game so much that I taught the kids how to play.
It's like Solitaire but everyone's playing at the same time.
Caitlyn is getting pretty good, and Jack still needs a little help.

Sequence - Caitlyn and I really like this game,
but Jack can only stand about one round at a time.

So far so good considering we haven’t left the mountain since last Tuesday and they don’t go back to school until this coming Tuesday!