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Big tree down, firewood and injury

Work interrupted when Sid fell with the pictured ladder and suffered a huge laceration below his left knee, and a wretchedly painful soft tissue injury to his right shoulder.
One day after being stapled together with 34 staples, Sid keeps on working (albeit slowly).
Kay and Bill, on their way to load firewood, find the forest road blocked by an uprooted alder (?) tree.
Attacking with a hand saw did not remove the log, but allowed for an alternative approach to the piles of firewood beyond.
Finally, Kay and Diana can get to the wood piles!

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Wood stove repair, chimney swept, and woodland events

The wood stove and its apparatus are getting prepped for winter.
New bricks on the interior.
Brad, leading the discussion at Diana’s woodland visit to Dave and Sarah’s 87 acres near Airlie.
Dave and Sarah’s presentation was instructive and funny.
Bill and Sid at a retirement party for a Starker employee.
Brad, extension forester for Benton County, was at the party, too.

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Sid passes inspection and more firewood is stacked

Sid’s floor-heating wiring passed inspection!
Rather than haul more firewood to the Loop trail landing, Bill and Dee decide to stack some between trees deep in the woods near the big culvert on Griffith Creek. Lots of split wood is already there, and can be more quickly stacked and protected from rain in situ.
First spot nearly finished.
Second spot located and stacking begun.
Second spot finished, at least for today.
Yes, of course Bianca was a HUGE help.

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More firewood hauling

Bill tries (unsuccessfully) to get Bianca to sit. While loading the two piles of firewood in this spot near the watershed road, we noticed the harvest area, while small, had been planted with Doug-fir.
A few wood pieces were way too long, so we used them to protect the plantings while we loaded. See the lower left corner .
This apple tree is a beautiful golden yellow. No apples, but it is quite a lovely contrast.
After four loads of firewood were unloaded, stacked and tarped, Bill and I helped Sid cut this piece of plywood on a really scary saw. Gulp!
No lives were lost.

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Prepping for rain, sleet and snow

On hands and knees, Sid is prepping the annex for more concrete flooring scheduled for Tuesday.
Keeping the forest roads clear is more challenging as winter approaches.
Moving split firewood from the woods to the landing is nearly a daily chore in sunny weather. We are about half way done.
Moving the old water heater out of the way of the concrete pouring.

Firewood mounds growing.
This alleged “helper” takes a lot of breaks.
Who, me?

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Master Naturalist Tour

On October 4, 2019, Kathleen led a group of 11 to parts of the Marys River watershed. City of Corvallis and Holly from the Council also attended (as did I – to help on the part of the tour featuring Shiver River .
Fish ladder on the South Fork of Rock Creek.
Rock Creek reservoir
Overflow area of the reservoir.
The uptake apparatus on the reservoir is in the background. It draws water to supply the City of Corvallis with drinking water.
Lobster mushroom unearthed on Shiver River property during the tour. Good eating, so I’m told.
Apparently this is not a good one to eat!

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Firewood duty and game cameras

Bill and Kay loading firewood to haul to the house or to the stash we keep on the Loop trail.
In the meantime, Sid keeps on roofing …
Installing game camera #1 near a game trail at the entry to the forest on the Loop trail.
Camera #2 installed in the clear cut.
Deer photo from Game camera #2 in its original placement.
Same camera, but at night.
Game camera #1 caught a squirrel in action.

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