In Pursuit of Sun

                                                              In Pursuit of Sun

  You northwesterner know how rainy March was, it broke the record for being the rainiest March ever, so we were ready for some sun.  Also in January I had a physical and my vitamin D was low, so I have been pursuing the allusive sun ever since.  Since it's spring break we decided to head to Central Oregon and  the Deschutes River.  As Andy and I say our souls belong to the Deschutes River and it has never disappointed us when it comes to sun- wind and fish- yes, but never sun.  I booked a room in Maupin with a view and we headed out Thursday morning leaving behind a cloudy , drizzling day. However, when we reached central Oregon the sun was not to be found.  This was our greeting-snow, wind and cold. 

The glare at the top of the picture is the sun

     Before leaving we had decided that we would do a short hike down the White River canyon which is a tributary of the Deschutes River.  It has some nice falls on it.  Although is was cold and the weather threatening we stopped at the White River Park and Andy wanted to check out the trail condition with the camp host. The camp host, a somewhat shady guy, suggested we go down to the Deshutes River, hike up the trail that follows the river to the mouth of the White River and then hike up the White River Canyon.  Thinking that the camp host should know the area, we decided to follow his advice, so we drove down to Deschutes River and preceded to try and find the trail. All I can say is its a good thing that it was cold because I climbed over many a rock that housed rattlesnakes under them.  The only trail we could find was the railroad tracks. I was not going to walk and mile and half on railroad tracks ( We actually found out later it was 2 1/2 miles), we decided to go back and hike down the trail from the park and have lunch beside the river.

White River falls in all its springtime glory,

Are we having fun yet, Andy?

Oh look ,one of my wines washed up
on the shore, how convenient.

          







 Of course just as we decided to head into Maupin the sun decides to show itself. Maupin is like a tree. It's a busy little rafting/fishing town when the leaves are out, but when the leaves fall off the trees, Maupin becomes a ghost town and not until the leaves return is there much happening.  I believe we were the only guest that night at the Imperial River Co. and lodge/motel.  We were told there was one  restaurant where we could eat that night and in the morning the would have a continental breakfast , but they do not serve breakfast, lunch or dinner during the week.

The view from our room.

Our balconey, just need the wine and
cheese and we are ready to enjoy.

  The next morning with the sun shining and only cumulus clouds in the sky, Andy informed me he was not eating a breakfast of bread and coffee, so we drove around Maupin all of 5 minutes trying to find a resturant open of which there were none.  So it was a bread and coffee, however we got lucky.  We discovered a Jimmy Dean sausage, eggs, cheese biscuit breakfast in the freezer. And with instructions to pop into microwave for 1 minute 30 sec. and it would be ready to eat.  After many months of trying to convince my taste buds that vegetarian sausages taste like the real thing, my taste buds were in seventh heaven, my veins however were screaming.



  After  breakfast we decided to make it a car trip day.  I had been fighting a cold/virus all week and it had taken a turn for the worse and I was feeling pretty miserable, so we leisurely drove down to the mouth of the Deschutes and hiked up the mouth a ways and enjoyed the son.

Deschutes River and blue sky.

Oh look my shadow

 













Since we were only a few miles from The Dalles and Andy's favorite mexican food place we stopped in for a very late lunch at the Casa El Mirador and then headed back to Vancouver.

Happy-mexican food and a dos equis in
  a coors light glass.

                                                 


  Not only did we finally find the sun, but tricked it into coming back with us for 2 days!!

An old fruit tree in bloom, left over from one of the
homesteaders.

Orchids in bloom

The cattlaya is called Lc. Persevilis Splendor x Lc. Starting Point Unique.




 Fanaticum

Macabre

These are my Paphiopedilum and also be called Lady Slippers.  I find myself drawn to the Paph.  They are not a fragrant orchid but I love thier colors and formations.  Their blooms last several weeks to about a month.  I think the more vigilant you are the longer they will last. I tend to take my orchids for granite.  The bottom two Paph, I bought last year at a orchid sale.  They have a wax look to them which I found unique, but the Macabre and Fanaticum remain my favorite. The Macabre is a cross between Fat Boy xVoodooMagic  "Dr. Bombay". I love the name and conjures up magic, voodoo and the intense purple reinforces it.

Fragrance wise this orchid cannot be beat.  It's an Oncidium   called  DGMRA. Memoria Jay Yamada 'Kauai" .  When it is in bloom you can walk into the greenhouse and smell it.  I cannot begin to describe the smell, but if I have too, I would call it a musk smell. It's a very pleasant and soothing smell.  This orchid blooms at least twice a year.  Once in the warmer month and once in the cooler months.  I am a novice, when it comes to orchids, but I swear it is more fragrant in the cooler months then the warmer months.