our sons did learn these things on our backwoods land.
Now Playing: Marjorie Burris on getting older and staying in the country
Topic: Rural Living

Another Lietta "find." She and I have had more than one discussion about whether or not it would be "safer" to move to an urban area after I retire so as to be closer to medical facilities.

As we talked, I realized that I was discussing removing the serenity, pleasure and quiet privacy of rural living  and replacing it with an assurance that at some future single moment in time it might be good to live only a few blocks from the hospital.

 

Backwoods Home Magazine

 

Some thoughts on growing older in the backwoods

By Marjorie Burris

"Just how long are you going to be able to live in the backwoods like that?" my friend, Pat, asked. "You're not getting any younger, you know!"

I've known Pat for 30 years, and although she hasn't any tact to spare, she always makes me think. How long can we expect to live this special life-style which takes so much energy and endurance?

I remember when my grandparents, who lived on a farm, cut their own wood, grew their own food, and tended their own meat and milk cattle. When they became feeble in their eighties, they had to move to a little house in a small town. But they stayed on the farm as long as they were able, and to their dying day they never lost that independent but appreciative spirit honed by a life of living with the land and the elements.

Pat's question made me make an assessment of our life in the backwoods.

being able to sell farm fresh food to low income via food stamp program.
Now Playing: LocalHarvest.org
Topic: Rural Living

Arthur, fwdg the copy/paste article below - but to cut to the chase - this farm CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) was able to find innovative way to help low-income families be able to participate in the CSA program using their food stamp benefits - EBT card.

What is unique about that is that a CSA is a pay up front operation - you pay the farm several hundred $$ up front and then in spring, summer, early fall, the farm delivers a basket of freshly grown and picked produce to your home.

We don't have a CSA in our area - closest being Cathlamet, Shelton, Long Beach, Curtis.

It is a program I have been and am most interested in - supports local farmers while getting fresh, good, safe food. As part of my interest in a local 'farmer's market' another aspect is being able to sell farm fresh food to low income via food stamp program.

This combination of CSA and shifting the definition of CSA to a 'farm produce stand', which is what USDA requirements allow in permitting food stamp recipients to use their EBT cards to purchase, the approach below did fine job of wrapping it all up.

Lietta

 

A CSA Option for the Poor

LocalHarvest - Newsletter 

For years, people have been trying to figure out how Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) projects could be made accessible to low income people. Economically, the CSA model is built on farmers' need for capital at the beginning of the growing season. Most CSAs ask their members to pay a lump sum for the entire season, a requirement that bars low-income people from participating.

Many farmers and food activists have been bothered by this, and some have worked together on solutions. Just Food is one well-known organization that develops CSAs for people in New York's underserved neighborhoods. One way they do this is by fundraising among wealthier CSA members to offset the cost of the low-income shares. This solution creates an economically diverse CSA and ensures that the farmers receive a fair price for their products.

But is it possible for a farm to open the doors of its CSA to poor people without working through a non-profit? We recently spoke with one farmer who has found a way to do just that, Crystine Goldberg of Uprising Farm.

Goldberg and her partner Brian Campbell founded Uprising with two intentions: saving heirloom and open pollinated seeds, and getting good food to people regardless of income. After three seasons as market farmers, Goldberg and Campbell started a small CSA last year. It exclusively serves low income people, and the members pay with electronic food stamp benefits, known as EBT.

The USDA, which administers the federal food stamp program, does not allow EBT to be used for traditional CSAs. In order to make their idea work, Uprising had to re-shape its program in two important ways. First, they allowed people to pay for their CSA baskets every week or two, because a pre-payment arrangement would violate USDA rules. Second, in their USDA application to be licensed to accept EBT, they had to describe their project as a "farm stand" rather than as a CSA. Given the model they are using - members pay for the food when it is picked up - a farm stand is in fact the more accurate financial description.

Other potential snags with USDA rules (entering into contracts for food purchases, or using EBT to repay loans) were addressed in their USDA application so that they and the federal agency were clear that the "CSA" was a legitimate use of EBT.

Once their application was accepted, which Goldberg says was a fairly simple process, the farm was given a machine to swipe the CSA members' EBT cards and make the sales each week. The government then deposited the food stamp funds directly into the farm's bank account, thus making the money handling efficient and eliminating dreaded paperwork.

Finding CSA members was also painless. The farmers hung posters and brochures around town and told friends who helped spread the word. Goldberg says that acquiring shareholders was easy because so many people are interested in CSA. Most of the members are signing up again for this year's program, and the farm is already getting calls and email from other people who would like to join.

Throughout several interviews, Goldberg had one message for farmers who might consider starting a similar CSA-type program. The message is, "It's really very simple!" The only unexpected issue the couple encountered last year was the lag time between filing their application with the USDA, getting it approved, and getting set up with their EBT machine. Goldberg encourages other farmers to start the process at least two months before the beginning of the CSA. She and Campbell had an utterly positive experience with their all-EBT modified CSA. "It's so necessary and so appreciated" by the shareholders, Goldberg said. "The hardest part was figuring out who to call to get the application." We'll save you that step - here it is. Goldberg says she would be happy to talk with farmers who are considering starting this type of project, with their entire CSA, or a dedicated portion of it.

 

Sharks in Willapa Bay? I didn't know that!
Topic: Rural Living
These guys are out in our waters also. 

Photo: fishingmag.co.nz. This sevengill shark taken surfcasting from the beach at Birdlings Flat , just south of Banks Peninsula, took over an hour to land. It measured 8'3" in length.

"Sevengill sharks have broad heads, small eyes and teeth like jagged saw blades. They can grow up to 800 pounds and 10 feet long. While they're not abundant off the Oregon coast, Washington's Willapa Bay supports a healthy concentration and may be a breeding ground, said Debbie Farrer, a scientific technician with Washington Fish and Wildlife who helped coordinate the catch for the aquarium.

Sevengills can be aggressive: They commonly snatch seals from sandbars and have been known to attack dogs in shallow water, Farrer said. Her research turned up one documented attack on a human." - Oregonlive.com

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[Excerpt] Click here to read the entire Oregonlive.com article 

 

Thursday, June 28, 2007
LORI TOBIAS
The Oregonian Staff

NEWPORT -- For nearly a month, Jim Burke carefully choreographed the introduction of five new sharks at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. From their capture at Willapa Bay to their planned release in the Passages of the Deep tank, he rehearsed every step, knowing a mistake could prove disastrous.

But even a perfectly executed plan couldn't control what would happen when the sharks slipped into their new home:

Would the broadnose sevengill sharks swim peacefully with the other fish? Would the males mingle curiously with the female shark already there? Or would the release end with blood in the water, halting the entire plan? 

 

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For more about our friends out there in our waters, click here to go to Baynature Magazine (San Francisco) article from 2001

 

 

Sevengill Cowshark

In the waters of San Francisco Bay, the deceptively slow-moving, but powerful, sevengill cowshark (Notorynchus cepedianus) is the top marine predator. It feeds mostly on smaller sharks, as well as on other fishes and young harbor seals. It is named for the seven gill slits on each side of its head. (Most other sharks have five gill slits on each side.) The sevengill reaches 10 feet in length and can exceed 250 pounds.

Sevengills are masters of stealth and constantly test the water for electrical pulses from potential prey; once the signal of a distressed or feeding shark has been picked up, the black-speckled, gray body appears to come out of nowhere. These opportunistic hunters will routinely take advantage of any shark caught on a fishing line or focused on feeding. In the course of our research, we have pulled up long lines set over deep-water channels patrolled by sevengills, only to find well over half of the hooks sporting little but the heads of the smaller prey sharks. Sevengills have even been observed attacking mating leopard sharks in narrow, shallow marsh channels. While no attacks on people have been documented in open water, sevengills held in captivity have attacked divers.

Although sevengills are found in temperate seas of both the Pacific and southern Atlantic oceans, they are most common along the Pacific Coast in Humboldt, Tomales, and San Francisco bays, which serve as primary nurseries for the species. Large individuals generally patrol the deep-water channel in the South Bay, as well as other deep areas of the Bay. Their newborn offspring, however, are found in the shallows near marshes. The 17-inch long sevengill pups are born in late spring or early summer, timed to coincide with the birth of their main prey—the pups of other shark species.

 

Bears, Cougars and WIllapa Hills
Now Playing: The Vancouver Columbian
Topic: Rural Living

 Wildlife closer than urban dwellers think

Saturday, May 12, 2007
By Erik Robinson, Columbian Staff Writer

A black bear’s early-morning romp through east Vancouver is the latest example of wildlife embarking on an urban safari.
   
With more than150,000 human inhabitants, Vancouver isn’t exactly wilderness. Yet bald eagles, coyotes, cougars and bears live much closer than many residents of Washington’s fourth-largest city might think.
   
As the human population spreads out, animal experts say finding animals should be no surprise.
   
“The more people, the more development, the more interaction we’re going to see,” said Sandra Jonker, regional wildlife program manager for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in Vancouver. “We’ve all seen that development has been increasing and continually going outwards into areas not occupied by people before.”

Jonker speculated that the hungry bear probably was drawn in by easy food on the edge of town and then spooked when spotted by people.

Coincidentally,Sundaykicksoff National Bear Awareness Week at the Oregon Zoo in Portland.

Chris Pfefferkorn, the zoo’s general curator, said bear sightings are rare but not unprecedented in the Portland-Van- couver urban area. As humans expand their terrain farther into wild lands, Pfefferkorn said, area residents may need to become much more vigilant against nuisance bears.

“Bears are very smart, and they’ll expend as little energy as possible to gain food,” he said. “A dumpster is very enticing to bears because that’s an easy place to find food.”

A bear traipsing through east Vancouver is undeniably unusual, but there are plenty of other animals sharing our environs.

“We average about 30 to 50 cougar sightings a year,” said Tom Moates, a state game officer in Vancouver. “That ranges from Camas-Washougal, through Hockinson, Yacolt and Amboy.”

Moates last month investigated a report of a cougar killing a lamb at a home north of Lacamas Lake. He figures the animal was probably a young cat pushed out of its home range by a bigger adult.

“They’re not looking to pick off people or anything like that,” Moates said. “You’re more likely getting struck by lightning.”

 In 1994, a cougar led wildlife agents on a nighttime chase through Vancouver.

The cougar was spotted the night of April 1 in the parking lot of the Residence Inn, immediately north of state Highway 500 just west of Westfield Vancouver mall. Wildlife agents, Vancouver police and a large-animal veterinarian worked several hours cornering and finally tranquilizing the animal. The next day it was taken to the Willapa hills and released. Six months later, it was killed by poachers.

While cougars and bears are uncommon, other animals live smack-dab in the middle of the most urbanized neighborhoods in Vancouver.

Coyotes wander through city neighborhoods, mainly at night, looking for smaller prey such as rabbits and the occasional domestic pet. And for each of the past few summers, city officials have shooed people away from a bald eagle nest in a spectacularly noisy area directly across from Portland International Airport — reflecting the gradual comeback of a creature once on the brink of extinction.

Animal experts caution people to treat encroaching wild animals with respect.

“You don’t have to fear it, but I think we need to respect it,” Pfefferkorn said. “We need to be cautious in what we do. These animals that we encounter are not tame animals. You need to respect the capabilities of the animals and respect their need for space. When you see a bear, don’t walk up and take its picture.”

Spring Time Tulips
Now Playing: Co-editor Lietta Ruger's BayTower Blog Entry
Topic: Rural Living

Final razor clam dig of season proposed on two ocean beaches
Now Playing: Longview Daily News
Topic: Rural Living

 

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has tentatively scheduled a razor clam dig starting May 4 at two ocean beaches.

The digs will be the last of the season.

If marine toxin tests are favorable, Twin Harbors will open for digging on morning tides May 4, joined by Long Beach May 5 and 6. No digging would be allowed past noon on those days.

Final word will be announced once test results show whether clams on those beaches are safe to eat.   

The dig is planned only for Twin Harbors and Long Beach because the recreational harvest has reached annual quotas on other beaches, said Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager for WDFW.

Ayres advises diggers who don't have a 2007-08 license, to buy one before heading out. "Morning digs are popular, and no one wants to be standing in line to buy a license at low tide," he said in a news release.

Razor clam diggers have several licensing options, including annual razor clam, shellfish/seaweed or combination licenses, all valid through March 31, 2008. Diggers can also purchase a three-day razor clam license, or a temporary combination license valid from one to five days. Ayres recommends that clam enthusiasts start digging at least one hour before low tide. Low tides during the planned dig are as follows:

• Friday, May 4, 8:35 a.m., -0.9 ft: Twin Harbors only.

• Saturday, May 5, 9:12 a.m., -0.8 ft: Twin Harbors, Long Beach.

• Sunday, May 6, 9:50 a.m., -0.6 ft: Twin Harbors, Long Beach.

 

Low tides during planned dig

Friday, May 4, 8:35 a.m., -0.9 ft., Twin Harbors only Saturday, May 5, 9:12 a.m., -0.8 ft., Twin Harbors, Long Beach Sunday, May 6, 9:50 a.m., -0.6 ft., Twin Harbors, Long Beach

 

Calling our Monkey Puzzle Tree a Dinosauer? - Well, I guess it is, sorta
Now Playing: Lietta
Topic: Rural Living

 

Oh, this woman doesn't like the infamous Monkey Puzzle Tree. I followed her comment from one blog to her own blog and she has a post about what another writer calls the Dinosauer Tree.

Well, we have one, over 92 yrs old now and I can tell you that the writer was spot on in calling it a Dinosauer Tree. It is left over from that era it seems to me, since it is not exactly a friendly sort of tree. I've read the writer's assessment before somewhere, and was amused then, but I see it is a copyright, so I won't reprint it here. Leave it to the woman who blogged it at her blog to deal with copyright issue.

excerpt:

Ever wondered why even the most die-hard of all treehuggers won't touch this tree, not even with a barge pole? Because it's bloody lethal, that's why! Look at those sharp and stiff leaves. They last for 10 to 15 years, the little blighters. That tells you something about how tough they are. Not forgetting those cones the female trees produce, which are 6 to 12 inches long and look a bit like coconuts. It's really not wise to stand beneath a female tree when she's shedding her cones!

For reference though, here is a photo of our aged monkey puzzle tree - named such as what monkey could ever figure out how to navigate a monkey puzzle tree without serious damage to the monkey! The leaves (if you can call them that) are indeed needle sharp and will stab you when you try to pick them up. I know because I learned not to handle them when they fall off our tree - I use a rake.

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Oh, a have to photo to share. This beautiful tree formation is a graceful dancer in arabesque.

 

Who had the imagination and know how to shape a tree into this formation? It's breathtaking. Wouldn't that be something to see each day in my own yard.

Of course, I'm going to be taken with images of ballerinas. And the amazing thing about this tree shaped into the image of a dancer is that the person got the shape and image correct! I can't tell you how many images I've come across that do not correctly capture the nuance of the dancer in motion. A foot at the wrong bend, a knee at an incorrect angle - and to a trained eye it stands out as flawed.


 

Only one edger will do - and I only want the one that broke
Now Playing: Lietta
Topic: Rural Living

Weather is confused here, between serious hail, sun breaks, rain, and some winds, it's that time of year again - at least for the weather around here. Tulips, daffodils, croascia peeking up in the yard - a reminder to me that spring is around the corner and I will be back in my yard and garden again soon. My plans this year include creating a red lava rock pathway in the frontyard leading up to front door. My problem is that the best of the best of the best 'edger' Sweetie bought me a few years ago broke last year. We searched in vain everywhere last season for a replacement - Nada. It's a very specific edger, with a moon shaped cutting edge that is sharp and easily breaks up the ground. It is about hip heighth for me, and has hand holder on each side of the shaft. It is like it was made for me, and works so well for me.

Sweetie, not appreciating the absolute uniqueness of this implement has tried to purchase two other edgers for me - and neither measures up. I made a declaration last season that only the broken edger is what I want and we must find someone to repair it. Sweetie thought he might be able to repair it, so he hasn't searched too hard for anyone else who could repair it. Spring coming up and I need that edger, so project ahead is to resolve the issue of the edger. Yes, a shovel does work, but does not create the straight, clean line that this particular edger creates.

 

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Gnomes or Dwarfs?
Now Playing: Lietta
Topic: Rural Living

 

Oh, I couldn't resist, saw the photo at As the Garden Grows blog and love it, love it.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to work we go...is it the dwarfs or gnomes in the photo?

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Orchard

Grow an Orchard in Container Pots? Fruit trees in container pots? According to an article by Ellen Brown at Thrifty Fun, it can be done.

She writes:

there aren't any "wrong" types of fruit to grow in pots. Apples, pears, plums and cherries,also tender fruits like apricots, citrus, nectarines and peaches. Figs can also be grown in pots providing their roots are kept in check. And most soft fruits like strawberries, blueberries, gooseberries, currants and grapes work well, too. In most cases dwarf rootstock or compact varieties are available, but they are not necessary. Usually the restrictive nature of the pot will suffice in limiting the size of growth.



The best containers for growing fruit are those only slightly larger (2-3 inches) than the existing rootball. A good size for most fruits is 18 inches in diameter and at least 16-18 inches deep.

She writes about the care, indicates that the trees have to be repotted up one size about every two years. And that the trees have to be brought inside to keep warm in the winter.

Bringing potted trees inside for the winter will not work for my house, so if the trees can't make it outside through the winter, and we have mild winters here, then the tree isn't going to be a good match for our lifestyle.

Read more 'how to' here.


Apricot Tree

I learned last season that our Pacific maritime culture which is actually a zone 5, can grow apricot and peach trees. Well, soon as I learned that, I wanted one of each. I don't really have room in the yeard to support two more trees, so the dwarf variety, growing in containers and creating a container orchard, might be a fun way to go.

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Budding, new life and time to turn to my gardening again
Now Playing: Lietta
Topic: Rural Living

February 2007; climate zone 5

List:

- Start Tomatoes and Peppers

- Start in doors in January Cabbage, Collards, Brussel Sprouts, Lettuce

It's time for me to start getting the seed starting paraphernalia ready for starting this coming season's plants. In my pacific maritime window zone 5 most of the plants like tomatoes an peppers need to be planted from seed in March so that after 8 to 10 weeks they can be set out in the garden around mid to late May.

But others, like leeks and onions, that require 100to 140 days to mature from seed can be started in January and set out in the garden before the last frost date. There are several other cool weather vegetable plants, such as cabbage, collards, brussel sprouts, lettuce, etc, that can also be set out before the last frost date if they are hardened off properly.


Seed starter soil combination - Peat Moss, Vermiculite, Perlite

"Garden soil is not a good choice, as it compacts too easily and can harbor organisms that cause diseases. A commercially prepared seed starting mix, usually a combination of peat moss, vermiculite and perlite, is recommended. Avoid mixes that have a high fertilizer content, as this causes more problems than good. Commonly used and recommended mixes are Jiffy Mix, ProMix, MetroMix and Fafard. Manyother brands, or even homemade mixes, can be used."

Try using coir bricks for startind seeds. Many gardeners have had good success using coir for seed starting, which is the coconut fiber found between the husk and theouter shell of the coconut. While using peat pellets and seed starter mixes works just fine, nothing wrong with trying something new to see if it works better. A coir brick expands to several quarts of fiber and holds up to 9 times it's own weight in water. 

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Growing Sweet Potatoes - underneath those vines, there really are sweet potatoes

I have a sweet potato vine growing in a container in my kitchen window, and I keep wondering if it would actually grown a sweet potato underneath the soil. Perhaps so. From a poster at one of the listservs I am subscribed to, she cites her experience with sweet potatoe vines...and it sounds like it was an unexpected surprise to her to find actual sweet potatoes growing.

I am put off a bit by learning the sweet potato is a cousin to the morning glory vines, and yes, the leaves of the vine do look much like the morning glory vines in my yard. Since I already 'fight' with the spreading morning glory vines that never really are eradicated, but I try to keep them from overtaking our intentional plantings, I'm not sure I would want to generate another aggressive vine spreader with sweet potatoes. So, I will think some about this, how I can grow and keep contained, because I do want sweet potatoes - Yes!

Thanks shout out to Brenda:

I just took pieces that were sprouting & put them against a chain link fence. The vines grew all over the fencing. Then they branched out all over my garden.. like weeds. When the leaves started to die a little, you could see the potatoes peeking up from the mound at the base of the plant. As I started pulling up the runners, I kept finding more.

They are a member of the morning glory family & the vines act like it... I had one potato that was the size of a coconut!! No special care. Didn't water them any more than the normal grey water from the laundry & whatever water God gave me. No pesticides. A little mulch from the horse stable but nothing special. I harvested more today. Very hardy. Willing to take over the world if you let it.

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 Growing Potatoes in Garbage Can (or other similar container)

 Okay, I wanted to try this last year, and so another growing season, and perhaps this year.

From a poster (thanks Bree) on one of my listservs - the simple explanation and then the detailed explanation with link to site.

We have been growing potatoes in containers for years and it is really easy. You need to put drainage holes in the bottom and broken clay pot pieces to help drain water off the roots to prevent root rot. Add some rich soil (we compost all left over veggies from the kitchen) then plant your potato eyes. As the vines grow cover them with more loose compost and they will keep growing. Web site that explains the process in more detail.

Link to detailed instructions;

How to Grow Potatoes in a Container (Ciscoe's Secrets)

Get a clean garbage can or similar container. Plastic works great because it won't rust out. Drainage is absolutely necessary. Drill several 1/2 inch holes in the bottom. It also helps to drill some holes in the side about half-inch up from the bottom of the container.

Fill the container with about 6 inches of good potting soil. Mix in about a handful of osmocote 14-14-14 fertilizer. Osmocote is a slow release fertilizer that will stay active for approximately 2 1/2 months. Organic fertilizers formulated for acid loving plants such as rhododendrons also works well. (Note: After 2 1/2 months with osmocote, or about 1 1/2 months with organic, fertilize with a good water soluble fertilizer such as Miracle Grow about every two weeks according to directions on the label). Place whole seed potatoes in the soil. There should be about 5 inches between potatoes. Cover with an additional inch or so of soil. All potatoes should be completely covered with soil. Water the spuds in.

The potatoes will begin to grow. When the vines reach 4 inches, cover all but 1 inch with compost or straw. I like to use compost, because it is easy to reach in to pick potatoes. Every time the vines grow another 4 inches, keep covering all but the top inch. Eventually, the vines will grow out of the top of the container. It is a good idea to stake up the vines so they don't fall over and brake. Place 4 bamboo or wood stakes (one in each corner) and tie the vines to the stakes with twine. By now the whole container will be filled with compost. Soon the vines will flower. Not long after that, the vines will begin to produce potatoes all along the vines that are covered with compost in the container. Once they have become big enough, you can reach in and pick a few for dinner any time you want. These spuds are called "new potatoes." They won't keep long in the fridge, so pick-em and eat em. After the vines die back at the end of summer, the potatoes remaining are storing potatoes. You can harvest and store them as you normally would. These will keep well as long as they are stored in a dark, cool, and relatively dry location.

One last note: take care to provide adequate water. You don't want to drown the plants but it's also important the soil at the bottom never dries out. In late summer spuds may need to be watered on a daily basis. Use a watering can to water to avoid wetting the foliage. I found that keeping the containers in an area with morning sun exposure prevents the soil from drying out too rapidly and still allows enough sun for a bumper crop.

This method of growing spuds is really fun. You get lots of them without using much space, and it amazes visitors to your yard. Last year I harvested 35 large Yukon Gold and 55 good sized Peruvian Blue potatoes. Great served with brussels sprouts!

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Chase away the winter blues with kitchen window garden
Now Playing: Lietta
Topic: Rural Living
What a beautiful and enchanting visual on cold, winter days. I want one like this for my kitchen window. The blue glass is eye catching. Link to her blog entry which references a couple of gardening blog directories of garden blogs across - well everywhere.

Windstorm Closes Down Willapa Bay
Topic: Rural Living
It was a dark and stormy night .... yeah, yeah, yeah.

I got up yesterday morning, read the news, the blogs, worked on my fantasy basketball team and a Washblog entry until just before 9:00 AM.

One flicker ...
two flicker ...
three flicker gone.

Power went out and would stay out for close to 12 hours.

Now 2-3 weeks ago Bay Center suffered a power outage when trees fell on powerlines in South Bend (right next to the Pioneer Grocery Store) and cut power to everything south of that South Bend street all the way to Nemah just north of the Columbia River.

Lietta was gone and I had to struggle alone and unprepared for PUD powerlessness. I learned a few things including the harsh reality that when the power goes out, there goes the water ... ALL the water!

The commodes won't flush.

Apparently our water is pressured by an electric pump.

So this past Friday nite after work - all forewarned by newscasts of the coming storm - I filled every large and useable container I could find with water.

Including one multi-gallon plastic water jug that had no lid and was not too clean inside. I filled that one with the express purpose of flushing in mind.

I'd already stored up a modest supply of big D-size batteries for a boom-box CD radio we've had for years as well as two flashlights. Our supply of candles is adequate since we've always had a thing for candle-light dinners and stuff like that.

Yesterday morning after losing power but feeling more prepared, we took a driving tour all around Bay Center; devising detours and alternate routes where the water was over the roads and driving in a slow crawl over wind-blown debris where it was necesary.

After driving in a large loop, we pulled up to the Dock-Of-the-Bay tavern(formerly the Blue Heron Restaurant) where owner Ricki Bayne said she would cook breakfast (the stove is propane).

That idea ran aground when more folks came in to commune about the storm and eat. Ricki's water supply was inadequate to allow cooking for that many customers so only the beer-drinkers got nourished.

We went home and ate spanish omelets Lietta cooked on our own propane stove. With non-useable coffee-maker, we creatively pulled a Guardian Ware coffee pot we bought at a collectibles store off a shelf and made cowboy coffee with grounds in the bottom.

Dang good it was!
Made me want to put on a cowboy hat and some boots.

Visitors from across the street showed up around noon so we gave them each a bowl of Denali Moose Tracks Ice Cream that was getting dangerously soft in our ice-box.

We used the daylight to finally take down the Christmas tree which, since the tree is artificial and is assembled one branch at a time, took a very long leisurely time.

For supper we cooked by candle-light, Lietta working round steak into chunks and a gravy sauce to put on instant mashed-potatoes. She trusts me with cooking instant mashed potatoes and I added heated canned corn (she trusts me to heat up canned corn with a pad of butter on it).

We heated some of my stored drinking water in our teapot which is a fat goose that whistles when the water is boiling and whose head tilts up so the boiling water can be poured out of his neck.

Used that to make tea and clean all the dishes that wouldn't fit in the dishwasher which was full of Friday dishes (which I forgot to wash because I was too busy being a water warrior.)

So in our candle-lit kitchen warmed by cooking heat, we were cozy in a resigned-to-roughing-it kind of way.

Holy moly!
How did our ancestors survive candle-lit nights, an inability to adequately control heating and a struggle for useable water?

When did they find time for the Internet, Survivor, American Idol and CSI?

We surrounded the kitchen table with sufficient candles by which our mid-fifties eyesight could see to play Scrabble and soon became absorbed in out-wording each other.

After about 45 minutes a car drove by outside and Lietta looked up.

"Hey! Our neighbor's yard light is on. He must have a generator."

We looked around a realized that the light in our enclosed porch was on and the dog was glaring at us through the kitchen door window because it was suddenly too bright for him to sleep.

But still no water.

I guess the electric water pressure pump had to be - oh heck I don't know - primed?

So - still invested and engrossed in Combat Scrabble - we finished the game in an orderly manner, updated ourselves with TV news broadcasts and went to bed.

Lance the Dumb Cat woke me up at 3:00 AM and on my way through, I turned on a faucet.

"All day I faced the barren waste ...
without the taste of water ....
cool water ...
Water!!

I was flush with flushing pleasure!

My pioneer ancestors walked across the American Plains on the route of the Oregon Trail in 1856. They were pulling a handcart headed for Utah and went through more hell in two months than I have in a lifetime. (But that is another story.)

And I can just see them shaking their heads at my struggle and whining with 12-hours of no electricity.

With added perspective Lietta continues to contemplate the trials and travails of the Lewis and Clark Expedition which famously ended just down the road.

NOTE: For an excellent report on Grays Harbor and Pacific County storm damage check out today's Daily World (Aberdeen).