If you're still visiting, here....?

Yes, I have "abandoned" this site.  I know there were a couple of family members that did visit the site but I got to feeling like I was just bragging about our very pleasant surroundings here in beautiful Oregon...that some viewers might be put off that I spoke only of our accumulations, etc.

I've begun a new site here on Blogger.  I'll name it simply Winz-Journal.blogspot.com.  It will be private access but I'll gladly invite any interested family member or personal friend to access it.  My plan is for it to become my online memory of what has transpired in my life on a (so hopefully) daily basis.  I've tried to maintain a journal many times in the past few years...have always abandoned my fitful starts.  This time, I feel a much deeper sense of commitment...for some reason...that I'll never understand...

If you do visit my new journal site, PLEASE leave some sort of comment?

How do I say this....? ...feelin' dumpy, today...

531 visitors and counting...
Nary a comment to be found, anywhere...
I dunno... Maybe this blog is a waste of time?

Maybe I'd better just go back to writing in my journal?
No inhibitions, there... Who cares if nobody reads my journal...
Somebody better tell me they care...real quick...or this blog just might be history!

As good as this year's flower crop in Florence, Oregon will get...

The view from our front yard, looking West toward the ocean.  (Left)  Two blights in this picture:  The dead limb hanging, for one.  I'd cut it down but...it adds character?  Second:  A partial view of the condo's upper story, across the street.  I also wanted to get this pic while the wild, native shrubbery in the background was in bloom...  On the right is from our back yard, looking East.   Domestic Rhodies in the foreground and native, "stemier", ferule pink ones in back.  It's hard to make out, but our neighbor's (Townsends, great people!) roof-top is almost hidden from view in background.  Our Iris, (left) have done better this year than last. We definitely have limitations of varieties that will do well in our damp, humid climate.  Basically; Perennial tuber-rooted plants do well along with many bulbs...like Lillies, fer instance...

Florence receives anywhere from 75 to 90 inches of rain, per year, which is probably 8 or 9 times that of Central Utah.  

One of several Rhodies in our front yard.  Notice the pile of chips in the background?  This is about the 6th or 7th, 10-wheel dump load that Lane County Road department has brought me (in exchange for my providing them with a dump location for fairly good topsoil they've cleaned from barrow-pits.  County Road Foreman says they're always looking for places to dispose of it.  I'll take it, guys!)  We're filling in a "chasm" in our yard, beyond the chip pile...  The "stuff" is better soil than the bare, scalped, sand-hill our house was first built on...

My present view through my office window, where I do all my "computin'".   This Rhodie has the largest blooms any of them had....

Beautimus, huh?  I really wish they'd stay in this stage longer than 2-3 weeks. The Rhodie (Rhododendron, you know) season is ending...drat!  After this, we'll be waiting for the Lilly bulbs to spring forth, this fall... 

This year's crop of black fur-balls?

Last evening, around 5:30 PM, I was just returning home from grocery shopping.  I was reaching for my keys to unlock our back door when I heard some rustling in the shrubbery about 40 feet away at the edge of our property. 
I glanced that way and saw some bushes moving.  Some 20 feet further away from this, I saw a small, black, furry critter that I first assumed to be our neighbor's wild, ferrule cat streaking up a tree.  No...This was just a bit bigger than Kay's wild-eyed cat...and it only had a short, stubby tail!
The little, black fur-ball made it about 25 feet up that lodge-pole pine tree in a couple of seconds.  As he stopped climbing and hesitated for a few seconds, I was running into the house for my camera.
I was afraid I'd miss getting his picture.  I did.  When I was back with the camera, he was gone.  Drat!
I know there had to be two of these little bear cubs but I never saw the first...just the bushes rustling...
...Kind'a glad I never saw the mom, though...
...and I wasn't about to follow them into our surrounding never-never land...
...Mebbe, someday, I'll buy a machete so I can hack my way into the woods, out back?
...Mebbe I'd better not?
...What evil lurks in the dark, out there?  The Shadow knows!

Panics-ville!

A few nights ago, Dar (a late sleeper) came rushing from the bedroom very concerned that the vent fan in our adjoining bathroom was running amok!  It had awakened her... 
I found that, indeed, it was making a much louder than usual, intermittent noise that sounded for all the world that it had, indeed, gone berserk.
(I had been in the other end of the house.)  Dar was very "concerned". 
Nay, "distraught" would be a better word...

We couldn't find a way to shut it off! 
Turning the switch had no effect! 
The way it sounded, we both had visions of smoke soon emanating from the vent overhead! 
I ran outside in the dark to check for smoke. 
Nope... but I could really hear the noise from outside, too.

Next step:  Turn off the circuit breaker? 
This, too, didn't calm the silly beast...
Next, next step:  Dial 911 before or after we smell smoke? 
No...not yet...
Next, next, next step:  Remove the switch plate and cut the wires to the fan. 
Done.  Still no effect!
Grab a ladder...pull the vent cover...no clue, here... 
The blasted fan is sounding noisier and even raspier!
I just ran out of steps!It's finally Panics-ville!
I'm thinking telephone to get the fire department ready... We got a real serious electrical short going on here!

Whoa up, there, Nellie...  Don't dial quite yet...
Dar's electric toothbrush on the ledge of the shower over there sure seems to be moving around more than it should...even with the bathroom shaking by now...
Sure enough.  I pick it up and the noise quiets right down...but the thing's vibrating in my hand... 
She says:  "Oops...guess I forgot to plug it back in to it's base..."
(Grumble, grumble....mumble, mumble...I'll put the wiring to the fan switch back together come daylight...)

A few minutes later, we both sat down and had a real loud, still nervous laugh at ourselves...
T'weren't funny at the time, though...

Our latest "acquisition"

Meet "The Beast".  Yeah, we know...we shouldn't have dunnit...durnit...

Ahhhh....Spring! (...at least a little less rain, nowadays...)

Some of the new Spring growth around the place, nowadays!
We did get a bit of hail, t'other day.  Barely covered the ground.  That was the closest we got to seeing snow all Winter...

Reckon 'most all the critters are still asleep from whatever Winter we had.  Haven't seen anything scary all...this season...yet...

It's come down to this!!!

Hey, Hon!
Can you pass me on out that there bottle that washed up on the beach? 
(I reckon we better confess that, after we got ourselves booted out of the house we couldn't afford, we're reduced to livin' on the beach, here.  T'ain't all that bad!   In fact, it's a snap!...'till   it rains... Winter has been a bit tough...)

Aahhh, the good life!  No more bills!

I'll get around to finishing the place up a little better, someday...when some more wood drifts in...
Dar, over here is reminiscin' over what's left of our last humble abode, after the wind and waves near finished it off....

Now, here's a chunk of firewood!  If I could figure how to get
 it over to the shack, I'll bet it would burn for about a month!
Now, where did Dar get off to?  We got work to do!

Tootin' my horn, here...

(I just can't help myself....)

I reckon maintaining my two blogs (darwinz-doinz, here) and Hearts, Minds, Camera Lenses http://www.nielsonyahoos.blogspot.com/  just isn't enough?

This month, I've also created a third blog.  It's:  http://www.rhymers-attic.blogspot.com/. Can I interest you in checking it out?  I'll be using that blog to exhibit some of my ol' buddy, "rhymers" works I've had on hand for years that I figger is somewhat better than my worst stuff.  (notice my intended modesty?)

My, oh my!  I'm going from bad to worse.  I now have a 4th blog!  http://www.no-isms.blogspot.com.  This is where we'll post religious thoughts, essays...religious rhymin', etc.  These are authored by my third alter-ego, "preacher"...  (What can I say?  You know my noggin' is always busy...even in senility...)

If the links in this post don't all work, I believe those on the right border, over ---> will?

Anyway:  I invite those interested in checking these two new sites out and letting me know what you think?  There's a spot on each entry for your comments...
Man!! I've got to get away from this keyboard...get outside and do a bunch of stuff that's being neglected....
(Shucks...what the heck?  I can do that when it's not raining.  Which may be like...never?)

(Dar's) "Handsome Hero"

"This is my "Handsome Hero".   

  He is soooo Special!  He's  My everyday hero.  I am so blessed!

(Editor's note:This is, most definitely Dar's entry, not mine.  The Devil made her do it!)

We're having Guests visit or site! LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK?

I notice, (from the guest counter I sneaked in on you over here on the right) that we're having visitors!

Would you please sign the guest register below the counter and leave any comment you may have? 

We want, so much, to hear what you think of our "Doinz"? 

Let it all hang out?  (...If we know you, that is...I might help you feel better?)    

At least say "Hi"?...Or leave a note about your own doinz?

Let me know if I can link to you? 

We wish all those who care enough to check on us our very best!  God Bless!!

PS:  I'm gradually, grudgingly, (albeit gregariously) gratuitously gravitating towards receiving mail at rhymersr@hotmail.com.  ...another more private way of contacting us...Would love to get a (respond-ible, positive) message from anyone!

Another of Dar's many talents.

  

Here's a pic of a stained glass project that she put together when the family lived in Glendive, Montana.  It was made for her daugher, Dawn, when the family moved into (Dawn's) new home in Park City.  This piece occupies the entire window in their front door.   Beautiful, huh?  (From the pic it looks out of square.  Nope.  She just leaned it against a window for the shot...)

We're setting up a glass work area in the new shop.  With a talent like this, Dar has to keep practicing it!  She has another, undoubtedly equally beautiful piece (a sunflower project) that's still wrapped in cardboard that I haven't even seen yet.  She says it needs repairs...  Housework, and the promise of warmer temperatures has given us both Spring jitters... C'mon, Spring!

About being of service...

We've gotten about half-way through applying for membership in the Florence Elks Lodge, in an effort to find a service organization to become involved in.   They are principally a "diner's club" with exercise facilities, pool tables, bingo tournaments, etc.  They do place emphasis on disabled veterans, supporting Boy Scouts and handicapped children projects.  We've placed this on hold while we check out other options...too

We're also checking out involvement in the Florence Senior Citizen's organization.  Participating in their lunch gatherings maybe once a week, their short trips, and being of service in the new facility under construction may be a bit more to our liking.  There may be more opportunities to be of service with them than Elks... We have been invited to a meeting with their committee Monday, to see if we can find a "service" slot for ourselves.  (even if it's just washing dishes...and they don't assess annual dues...)

This, along with involvement in the Florence Ward, and our own travel plans will be enough, we think...

Meet some very good friends of ours

Here's Chick and Bette Baker, who live in Florence and are members of the Florence ward.  They were about the first that went out of their way to welcome us here a year ago.  They've wanted to show us their favorite eatery, the Adobe Restaurant which is right on the beach.  That's the ocean about 50 feet away, through the window, in Yachats (that's "yah-hots"), which is a nice drive 23 miles North, up the coast-line.  We ventured up there on Feb 10th.  Great time, guys!  Sorry for the dark pic...blame the dad-gummed camera...or the simple-minded button pusher...

Spring! ...in February??

Sure is a wonderment to this ol' dry-lander, how much "thangs is diffrunt hyar in Ory-gun!"

The top, left pic is of a red, flowering Quince bush.  Silly thing is starting to put on a bunch of red blooms and green buds, already.  (On Feb 1st)   On the right, above, is a mixed up shrub of some unknown variety, that has looked like this all Winter!!  Luv-it!!! 

Yes, we do get a bunch of rain!  Almost every day, this time of year.  The temperatures are very moderate.  Overnite is around 45-50.  Daytime only goes up less than 10 degrees.  One of the few bad things is moss...everywhere!  It's just starting to show on the siding of our house.  It started on our back step, facing East, in the pic.






The light green shrub with pink flowers has been at it all winter.  I have no idea what it's callled.... (Clue me in, you horticulturists out there, ok?)




The Rhododendrons, for which Florence is famous, bloom from about March through mid-April, as I recall from last Spring...which is about when we arrived here.  After blooming, they set on the second set of buds which you see atop the stems in this pic.  We'll just wait for them to burst out in bloom then post the pic's, here.  I really thought these would lose all their leaves in the Winter-time.  ...fooled me...



Yup; we love Oregon!  Don't miss the snow, a'tall.  Could use jist a tich more days of good, ol' sunshine, though...  All in all, we'll take it!!!

Friend?...or foe? (Naw, just a doe)

  

I happened to notice this little gal as I was wasting time at our TV, this morning.  Dar and I have opposing views about how she should be welcomed... The least I wanted to settle for was a huge, silver salute firecracker to discourage her from coming back!  Of course, Dar rejected the notion...

The pic on the right illustrates why I can do without these critters in our yard!  Dar's response was that she'd only eat a little bit.  But what if she has friends that would destroy this year's shrubbery?  I yelled and made wierd noises.  (you know how offensive I can be) This li'l gal was totally "non-plussed" (not impressed) by my wierd sounds...  She was about 10 feet from the corner of our house and I was on our front step.  ...Arrogant little filly just sauntered a few feet away and went back to munching!!  (Now where did I leave my deer rifle?  Mumble--mumble...somebuddy's dang-nabbed pet, she was...)

I think I'd rather have a bear visit us...if this gets to be a habit... at least they'll amble off if'n I bellers at 'em....

A dangerous home-wrecker

  

Avoid this game!

"Connect 4" will become an obsession.  It will occupy way, too much of your time!  It will destroy the otherwise peaceful aura of your home.   It will cause frayed tempers, loss of self esteem, and vindictive name-calling.

The box proclaims that it's designed for ages 6+.  Don't let that fool you!  If it causes 70 year olds such distress, just think of the harm it could do to a child!

(You do realize I'm kidding, right?  We were introduced to it by Steve's family, when we were in Sacramento for Christmas.  We soon became addicted, and decided to buy one on the way home.   Now, almost every day, Dar announces she intends to "kick my butt" in another round with this monster.) 
The key to winning is to think defense first, then plot your offense...  Problem is:  Neither she, or I, intend to quit when we're losing.  Ergo...we go on...and on...into the wee hours...  Fun?...or brain-strain?

Security Matters...

One of Dar's grand-daughters, (Stacy) in Idaho, has requested an invitaton to this blog.  Got me thinking...  No one can post without an invitation...and we certainly invite requests from relatives and friends!  Right now, I have no idea just who is viewing this blog...?  (I'm looking for a "guest book" gadget...'cause I'm always curious....) 
A reminder:  Don't post entire birthdays, Social Security numbers, physical addresses, etc, in postings, right?

Let's hear it for togetherness!

A plan gone awry...

  DarWin just returned home from a very pleasant Christmas season at Dar's son Steve Hodge's home in Sacramento.  They went all out for us and included a site-seeing trip to San Francisco on the last day  (Saturday).  Man!  Talk about wall-to-wall people!  We got a glimpse of Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, and wound our way down the steepest hill in America.  Thank goodness for good brakes.  Steve and Jen are doing a great job of raising their three children; Tyler, Kate, and Charlie.  I took a bunch of pictures and planned on posting some of them here...but...I had messed up on my camera settings and they all turned out blurry.  Sorry, guys...  Got'ta blame myself...not the camera...

....Story of my life:  Hind-site is a great teacher.  Will I ever get my act together?

Friends to ride the river with!

Actually, to ride a lake with... in this case...

We had a most memorable visit with Marge and Ira Jackson, last summer.  It was a rare privilege to have them stay with us for several days.  We enjoyed plenty of time to expose them to a bit of our beautimus country, hereabouts. 
This was on their return from an Alaska cruise which departed from Seattle.Thanx, excessively, for thinking about us, kids! 

Drive safe and Hurry back?