Week Ten - Three Roofs!

 While the roof of the sauna is just sedum it was our first earthen roof.  We were just learning.

 Then we built the south entery way to the house

and finely our third earthen roof is on our bike shed in DBQ.

Week Ten - Farewell Kids.

 So for the last day of school they organized a drive by for the students to say good by to their teachers.  I didn't expect anyone to come by.  But to my suprise the kids (and the teachers) came out in the rain.

 Abby, Nell & Leslie didn't let a little rain put a damper on their graduation.

 All smiles

 Ryan and I were all smiles too.  As we drank a toast to Doc Donovan on what would have been his 100 birthday.

To Doc!

Ryan and the kids spent the night at the cabin with a bombfire and night crawler hunting.

Week Nine - Don't let a little rain stop ya

Week Nine - Troutin

 I jumped in the bus and went North to hook up with Steve and Greg.

 Fountian Springs

The ice breaker with Brother Steve up stream in the background 

 First camping adventure for the season....  So,  what did I forget?

 Behold

 Over to Backbone to make camp.

All Smiles.

Week Eight - Mud on the Tires

Marty and I went south today to check out the tubes.  The old waterline on the trees showed just how high the water was this spring. 

 Now that the area is open we decided to bike back.

 Marty demonstrates how big our local beavers are

 With mud caked on the tires and fallen trees

We parked our bikes and grabbed our gear and hiked the next mile or more to reach our destination. 

 One to the first obsticles was to cross over the spillway.

The engineeres did an impressive job and the water quality looks good.   In the past we could bike/walk across with water on either side. 

 No such luck today.  Walking sticks required.

 We reached our destination.  We fished and had a shore lunch of cheese curds, apples and nuts.

But no fish!

 When we forded the stream upon our return, we decided we should give it a try.  It wasn't long before Marty caught his first and then his second.

 Before I caught this hog.

We even dubbled!  All catch and release this time but we still have bikes to clean :) 

Week Seven - Mother's Day - Mushrooms and more.

 Usually by mother's day the mushroom season is drawing to a close.

 finding large yellows and dry grays is one of the first signs

 More oysters and pheasant backs.

Not the underside of a giant mushroom cap but a beautiful and tasty Dutch Baby.

 A few from above DBQ

And a view from above Bellevue.

Week Seven - Duck This.

Cinco de mayo and it's 39* and raining... time for a drive up the valley.
 Swans on the mill pond.

 Up stream a bit.

 Further up stream is the water cress patch.

 and then even further up the road is this.

 For the most part it's all catch and release.  But, every now and then I hook one a little too deep.

 Jace and I had it for a snack.

 quick pick.

 Susie and I got the walkway mulched.

BEEAUTIFUL.

Week Six - A day at the Park