October 10th approximately 8pm, I was leaving the woods after an unsuccessful night of hunting in Hood County. I had to make a decision; spend another night at camp or pack-up and drive home to make sure I made my soccer game on Sunday (we lost). I decided to pack up and go surprise the girlfriend back home, and allow myself some more sleep in the morning, but don’t let her know!

I arrived home around 1am after a long drive, which I always enjoy.

Getting side tracked, I must say I am a big fan of the Columbia River Gorge & Hood River County commissioners for there efforts and protections to keep both the Gorge & Hood River County such a beautiful and recreation filled place. Oregon & the rest of our country could take a page from there book on Urban Growth Boundaries.

Ok, sorry, getting back to the story!

I’m not one bit tired and lucky for me she wakes up the same. So I hopped into bed and grabbed Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife Conservation Strategy. Project Wilderness had already began plans to submit habitat restoration/biodiversity improvement in Hood River County, so I figured it would be a good chance to review the guide and see what animal and plant species we could assist with the project. The first page of the species table the fisher catches my eye. At that point I held no knowledge of the animal (oh how that has changed), but something about it stuck with me. I made notation to do further research at another time, it’s listed outside the area we’re working. As I turn the page, there is a short description and history of the fisher in Oregon. This only further intrigues me.

Image courtesy of extirpated.org

Historically the fisher inhabited from British Columbia to California. Preferred resting and den areas generally coincide with late-successional coniferous and mixed coniferous-deciduous forest. High forest canopy closure or multiple canopies and shrubs. Areas supporting diverse prey base are most used. Dens & rest sites are generally used in large diameter trees, large snags, tree cavities, and logs. To sum it up, they prefer forest which have the characteristics similar to old growth forest.

Terry Farrell, Oregon Fish & Wildlife assistant wildlife biologist in Roseburg is quoted stating he estimates there are less than 100 fishers total in Oregon. Those are in thanks to reintroductions in 1961, 1977 and 1981, when fishers were taken from British Columbia and Minnesota and released in Oregon forests to help control porcupine damage to timber. However very little to no tracking was done to track population growth or success of reintroduction.

In 2003 Keith Aubrey & Jeffery Lewis wrote an article; “Extirpation and reintroduction of fishers in Oregon”. In this article they researched sightings of fishers throughout Oregon. Categorizing the reliability of sightings with a number value of 1 to 6, one being the highest reliability (photographic data or trapped fisher) and 6 being the lowest (visual sighting only, no tangible evidence). Rankings 1 through 4 are then mapped. The highest volume of reliable reports came from the two populations in Southern Oregon. However reliable sightings are also mapped in or around Joseph, Tillamook and Mount Hood. Then research was done on any previous surveys, which, is greatly limited. The largest areas in Oregon surveyed included those where the 2 known populations call home. Which of course received positive identification of fishers habiting the area. No real data has ever been taken from other parts of the state. Leaving these couple questions open;

Are the populations in Southern Oregon growing, declining or stagnant?

Have fishers from Southern Oregon expanded to new areas?

Are their unknown populations of fishers in other parts of the state?

These and many other questions Project Wilderness would like to answer. We have submitted our initial proposal to receive authorization to formally assess the status of the fisher within Oregon.

Dominic Aiello

Founder & President

www.projectwilderness.org

www.facebook.com/projectwilderness

www.twitter.com/prowilderness

]]> http://deegeesbb.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/the-hood/ Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:36:39 +0000 David Gillaspie http://deegeesbb.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/the-hood/ http://hoodriverholidays.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/get-a-copy-of-our-hood-river-holidays-events-activities-guide/ Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:31:33 +0000 hoodriverholidays http://hoodriverholidays.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/get-a-copy-of-our-hood-river-holidays-events-activities-guide/

You can go to our events page to check up on what’s happening, or you can download and print out a copy of our colorful events and activities guide. Or look for it at select locations, in the Gorge and the Portland metro area.

HR Downtown Bus…READS_PROOF

Morgen and I decided yesterday to drive the sixty miles east and spend the afternoon in Hood River. The town is very small, only about 6000 residents. But the downtown, particularly Oak Street, is very cool and old. Most of the brick buildings were built between 1910 and 1920 and the town has a very western feel.

Hood River has several fantastic breweries, of which we sampled two. First we went to Double Mountain and had lunch. Their pizza was surprisingly great and their beer was as good as we expected. The ambiance was also very nice in their small taproom as families with little kids were there as well as a good number of locals. Then we went to Full Sail, the more recognizable of the two. Full Sail is an Oregon institution and has some of the best beers in the state. But because they are a little more well known, their taproom was completely packed with tourists. That’s great for business but made our experience a little less interesting. Still though, the Full Sail beer was great.

On the way back we stopped by Multnomah Falls to snap a few photos. Next spring we’ll have to go and do the five mile hike around the falls, but yesterday it was cold and the sun was near setting. So we watched the falls for a few minutes with about two thousand other people and then headed back to Portland. All in all, a great day exploring some places outside of our now-familiar NW Portland.

(sorina/mai/09)

At the end of a great windy sportscar road is a winery. If you get there, the wine is great and the scenery beautiful. Oh and bring me back a bottle, they know what I like.

Recently, I met with my oncologist, Dr. M. His practice is located in Portland, OR. Each Thursday, however, he travels 60 miles up the Columbia River Gorge to Hood River. Here, he spends the day attending to cancer patients in our small community.

The mighty Columbia River

He commented that my disease continues to be in “complete remission.” His opinion is based on the ratio between my lambda and kappa free light chains. Usually, in addition to a CBC and Chemistry Panel, the SFLCA is the only test he orders to check on the status of my multiple myeloma. Once again, the ratio is normal.

So, I enjoy a drug-free remission fourteen months in duration since my autologous stem cell transplant in 2008. And, Dr. M extended the necessity for our regular appointment from two months to three. I will not see him again until January of 2010.

In many ways, I am an unremarkable patient with multiple myeloma. My age is consistent with the most prevalent group of individuals with this cancer. I have a monoclonal band in the lambda region of IGG, a common variety. I was diagnosed under typical circumstances: while undergoing a routine physical examination.

Sky at sunrise from home

To recap my disease history, I became aware I had MM in December of 2007. My only symptom was anemia, detected when being turned away from Red Cross blood drives on several occasions dating back to 2006.

At diagnosis my IGG level was above 6400 mg/dL and my M-spike was 4.6 g/dL. These numbers reflected stage one multiple myeloma. My risk factors looked good: I had no bone involvement, my kidneys functioned well, and there were no cytogenetic abnormalities. I immediately started a combination oral drug therapy of thalidomide and dexamethasone.

Simultaneously, I requested a referral to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance for a consultation on a stem cell transplant. After four months of the thal/dex, I opted to do the transplant sooner, rather than later. Peripheral neuropathy in my feet, a side effect of the thalidomide, troubled me.

Autumn sky and Mt. Hood from Lost Lake Road

In early 2008, thal/dex followed by a peripheral blood stem cell transplant was the standard of care. The transplant experience, though arduous, occurred without a hitch. The SCCA has numerous specialists in MM and perform hundreds of these procedures each year for a variety of blood cancers. I marveled at their competence. The near flawless execution of the complicated outpatient process impressed my wife and I. Obviously, I’ve responded well.

A remission, though, is not a cure. Another blogger said it best, and I paraphrase, “Stable disease does not mean it is dormant.” In August of this year, I underwent a skeletal survey. No overt evidence of lesions appeared. The radiologist did note subtle lucencies on my left humerus, the large bone of the upper arm. Of course, as soon as I left the doctor’s office, that arm began to bother me. Like a chipped tooth, I couldn’t leave it alone; the tongue of my imagination rubbed itself raw with worry.

Moonrise from home

Over the course of the next two months, I received my childhood vaccinations, traveled across country and back, and went about my usually active lifestyle. All the while, the left arm persisted in aching. The pain was two on a scale of ten. If I did not have MM and the suspicion of bone lesions from X-rays, I would have ignored the feelings, assuming they resulted from overuse.

This October, after Dr. M happily shared the results from my blood work, I mentioned the arm. He referred me to radiology for an MRI. There, I received a thorough imaging that included an injection of dye to definitively detect any lesions or tumors present on the bone or in the marrow.

Today, Dr. M’s medical assistant called with the results. The radiologist had commented that the MRI was … unremarkable.

The view from my desk

In spite of my positive review of the SCCA and the strong response to the SCT, I must confess that we’ve arrived at this juncture operating by the seat of our pants. It worked out, but it was somewhat due to the luck of the innocent. I would not go so far as to suggest others should undertake a transplant ASAP, as I did. Now, in late 2009, there are other choices that have been added to the menu.

In just two short years, treatments for MM have progressed rapidly. Data from numerous clinical trials, of both manufactured drugs and natural supplements, bode well for the futures of those newly diagnosed. Options expand, as well, for patients with relapsed disease. The grim prognosis long associated with MM tips closer to manageable as opposed to incurable. Now that is remarkable.

A perfect fall day, great people doing something they love; for the sheer joy of it. No expectations, no timeline, no phones, no emails, no talk of work, no worrying about the kid’s soccer games, the office, house hold chores, the schedule or even time.  None of the myriad of issues we allow to dictate and dominate our lives. There just are not many better ways to be reminded of the timeless lessons in life – live in the moment.  Unload the baggage just for a few hours – you will be better for it.

No one spoke of stressful issues.  Nothing about work, what anyone does for a living, politics, religion, kid’s sports, the economy (well a couple typical jokes), or even training or races.  It was all fun banter – chatting about bikes, about trips on bikes, about family and mutual friends.  It was 80 miles of time spent with others enjoying the moment, enjoying the day, enjoying the ride, and sprinting for a few signs and racing up a few climbs.  It was not about a destination, it was about a journey.  So simple really, enjoying the journey and actually appreciating where we are, who we are with, and what we are doing.

So we chose to ride bikes. It is not the bike that made the day, it was the time spent with others doing what you love – doing something you have loved since youth. And for one special fall day we were reminded yet again why youth is wasted on the young. As adults and professionals, parents and spouses, these sorts of opportunities to “live in the moment” do not come along too often – you better be ready to embrace them.

It’s a rainy Wednesday morning and James Taylor is moaning “Fire and Rain” over the speakers in Doppios in downtown Hood River. Why am I here instead of my usual location, the classroom? It’s Job Shadow Day. The kids were dropped off this morning on jobs they chose to shadow. After a little paper grading, blogging, and tea sipping, I will be on my way to the gym where it will be a full day of ahhh…. to include yoga and lots of good for me things. I will emerge rosy-lipped-and-cheeked and ready for the rest of the day. One of my students is taking a yoga class with me. It is her first. She’s taking yoga online and hasn’t had a real yoga studio experience as yet, but is required to visit a yoga studio as part of the course. Her job shadow ends by noon, so it’s a good time to have that first yoga experience.

Okay, the fog is lifting. I can always count on English Breakfast.

Yesterday it snowed so hard. It was total white out for a while. It didn’t stick so much, but rain is in the forecast for most of the week which in Glenwood means snow.  So it looks like it will be a snowy Halloween. Some years we get that.

Doppios is buzzing with people now all chatting and being friendly. Such a lovely place. My partner on this venture today is around the corner getting acupuncture from the same place I get treatment. I’m happy for her as I know how much this means to the quality of our health.  So, to getting a little done and then attending to my health.

-Patricia

Phew, that was fun.

Happy Hops Fest tasters

If you were on hand at the 2009 Hood River Hops Fest, you know of what I speak. We got a weather blessing — warm skies and sunshine in the early going, a big ol’ nimbus cloud about 3:30 that dumped for maybe 15 minutes or so, then dry skies all the way through cleanup, shortly after which, the rain resumed.

But by then, everyone was all hopped up and gone to their other lives.

So, we dodged the bullet that hit us in 2008. And lots of people showed up to enjoy it. Kudos to Charlie Devereux and Aaron Bray and the gang from Double Mountain, for pulling together the best beer line yet. Big tent, lots of room, lots of tastes.

Founding director Joanie Thomson still has the touch.

Props, too, to TCB Security and TCB Event Staffing, for doing a great job on the ID checks and securing the beer area. We love these guys, who first joined us in 2008. They’ll be back.

‘Jeat? Did … ya … eat? Hope so. We had some killer grub down food alley. Perfect with a cold, frosty one.

And the kids had a good time, too, climbing Metro Mountain’s wall, getting spray-on tattoos, hooping the hula and just being outside with Mom and Dad.

While waiting for the climbing wall, kids enjoyed the hula hoops.

Hope you enjoyed the other goodies for sale. Scrumptious Suds from Portland dished up some delish soap. Wendy Gray had bouquets o’lay. Oh, you know, there was lots more. You had to be there.

Thanks, again, to all our business sponsors for priming the pump. And ditto that, to everyone who loves beer and blogs about it, or puts words to newsprint, or yacks into the airwaves, for sharing the vibe.

And lastly, if you run into any of the community volunteers who made this happen, tell them thanks. We love the hundred or so people who showed up to pour beer. And set up tents. And fill tent anchors. And distribute garbage cans. And thanks to the Golden Crew who stuck around when all was said and done, to clean up the mess.

Norman Sylvester tuning up before bringing the blues to the brews.

I want to name names here, but if I try, I’m sure to miss someone. But I’ve got to applaud City Manager Bob Francis, Craig Holloway, Mari Beth Guenther, Mike Schock and his partner, Angela Burns, John Kasberger and Jon Davies and Tom Wood and … and … oh, lord, this is where my brain goes blank and, well, you know who you are, so thank you!

The 6th Annual Hood River Hops Fest will feature a cornucopia of 49 delicious brews from 26 Northwest breweries, including 31 Fresh Hop beers. At long last, here’s the lineup:

The Beer List:

Fresh Hop Beers:
Amnesia “Fresh Hoppalata”
Astoria “Hoptimus 2.0″ Imperial IPA
Big Horse “Vernon the Rabbit Slayer” Imperial IPA
Big Horse “The Strange” Hemp Ale
Bridgeport “Hop Harvest Ale”
Cascade Lakes “Fresh Hop Pale Ale”

Deschutes “Fresh Hop Mirror Pond” Pale Ale
Double Mountain “Killer Green” Fresh Hop IPA
Double Mountain “Fresh Vienna”
Ft George “Cohoperative Ale”
Full Sail “Lupulin Ale” (Crystal)
Full Sail “Lupulin Ale” (Cascade)
Hopworks “Sodbuster” Pale Ale
Laurelwood “Hop Bale” Pale Ale
Laurelwood “Organic Goodness” Pale Ale
Lucky Lab “The Mutt” Ale
Lucky Lab “Das Moot” Pilsner
MacTarnahan’s “Fresh Hop MacTarnahans” Ale
New Old Lompoc “Harvest Man” Red Ale
New Old Lompoc “Fresh Hop Crystal Wheat”
Ninkasi “Nugg E. Fresh Wet Hop Ale”
Oakshire “Fresh Hop Harvest Ale”
Pelican “Elemental Ale”
Rock Bottom “Hoodwinked Integrity-Style Ale”
Rock Bottom “Octoberfist”
Rogue “Chatoe Rogue First Growth Wet Hop Ale”
Sierra Nevada “Harvest Ale”
Three Creeks “Santiam Harvest” Farmhouse Ale
Upright  ”Fresh Hop of Bel Air” Saison-style Ale

Walking Man “Fresh Hop IPA”
Widmer “Hopturnal Emission”

Other Beers:
Amnesia “Copacetic” IPA
Astoria “Bitter Bitch” Double IPA
Bridgeport “Hop Czar” Imperial IPA
Cascade Lakes “Kolsch”
Elliott Glacier “Gnarl Ridge Double Dry-hopped IPA”
Elliott Glacier “Belgian Espresso Stout”
Everybody’s “IPA”
Everybody’s “Common Ale”
Ft George “Divinity”
Full Sail “Nate’s Ubergehopft Fest Bier”
Hopworks “7 Grain Survival Stout”
MacTarnahan’s “Humbug’r Winter Ale’
Oakshire “Overcast Espresso Stout”
Pelican “Doryman’s Dark” Ale
Three Creeks “Desperado Imperial IPA”
Upright “Four”
Walking Man “Hoptoberfest”
Widmer “w’10” Black IPA

MAKE THE MOST of AUTUMN PHOTOGRAPHY….

 TIPS for FALL PHOTOGRAPHY

©Jack Graham

Let’s face it, we as photographers….pro’s, amateurs’ or just casual shooters all look forward to the fall color display to get out and capture all that nature has to offer.  Once that cool air come in for the 1st time, increasing rain beging and fall color starts, we get that rejuvenated feeling and grab our camera bags and get out to make the most of what can sometimes be a short period of vibrant color. Paying attention to the weather and being prepared can go a long way in succeeding when it comes to fall photography.

Fall photography to me,  is all about color, and how to make the most of it. Here are some pointers that can help you come home with the best images possible during this magical season of color.

Pear trees in the fall…. Hood River Valley, Oregon

• Overcast and even rainy weather provides the best lighting for both landscapes as well as for close-ups of fall leaves, ferns, mushrooms, berries, and other fall details. Bright sunny weather creates harsh highlights, blocked shadow details, and even a blue cast due to reflected light from the blue sky.  A cloudy sky minimizes the blue cast, reduces contrast, and increases color saturation.  Rain and wet conditions serve to even increase the color saturation. A credo of nature photography is that “Bad weather makes for great photography”. Streams, rivers, waterfalls and forests are great subjects to photograph when it rains. In fact when tree trunks get wet they become darker, sometimes even black. This only enhances the color in the leaves. Take care to keep your equipment dry as well as yourself and get out and shoot in these conditions.

This is Tinkers Creek, Bedford Reservation, just south of Cleveland Ohio. This image was taken in the pouring rain.The rain enhanced the colors dramatically.

• You can use a circular diffuser, such as a Photo flex, to soften direct sunlight, simulate an overcast sky, and thus improve the lighting for your fall close-ups.

The use of a diffuser made this images possible

• Early morning and late afternoon lighting on sunny or partly cloudy days can provide dramatic lighting for scenic fall vistas taken in the open.  Weather fronts, which often occur in fall, can also provide sensational light, especially when areas of fall color are sunlit against a dark storm sky.

• Let’s talk about sky. John Shaw’s sky rule: “If the sky adds nothing to your image… LEAVE IT OUT”!!!  White or overcast, less than dramatic sky is like poison to an image.

This is Conway Summit off HWY 395 about 10 miles north of Lee Vining and Mono Lake in California.

Note the lack of sky in this image. The color is the subject NOT the sky

• Sunny weather is also the best lighting for photographing reflections of fall foliage in lakes, rivers, and streams.  The reflections are most dramatic when the fall color is sunlit and the water is in shade.  Try using slow shutter speeds to create abstracts from fall foliage reflected in the moving water of rivers and streams. Be careful if you are using a polarizer. This can detract from the reflections that you really want, of the color in the water.

• Misty, damp days can provide wonderful, moody lighting for fall color and waterfall photography.  The air is usually still, eliminating the problem of wind movement, and the moisture on leaves and rocks intensifies their color.

• Look for different subject matter.. think out of the box. For example, my good friend Mike Moats www.tinylandscapes.com pointed pout to me that is you look closely around still water where decaying leaves are present, there is often a color effect in the water that looks like a sheen of oil around the leaves and the water itself

Bacteria in the water , caused by decaying leaves is a very common phenomena. The bacteria can often have a rainbow color, a color that is commonly associated with oil sheen that is seen in a parking lot afer rainfall.

This image was taken with my Nikon D700 and a 200mm F4 Nikon Macro lens. Very little saturation in Photoshop was added.

As with snow scenes where you must open up 1 1/2 stops or more to make the snow white you must do the same in foggy conditions. Relying on your camera’s meter may result in misty scenes that are most times too dark,  so you may need to open up by  1 f-stop to retain the foggy light and luminosity that permeate these foggy fall days.

• A polarizing filter can be used to intensify colors and reduce reflections on wet rocks and leaves.  An exposure increase of 1 to 2 f-stops will be needed( remember to always check your histograms and expose for the right), depending on the amount of polarization.  Your camera meter will adjust the exposure automatically when you attach a polarizing filter.  With most modern digital cameras, a “circular” polarizing filter is needed to ensure an accurate exposure reading. Don’t forget your graduated ND’s as well.

• Use color to your advantage. Complimentary colors add to impact images. Green foliage combined with the reds and oranges work well. So does yellow aspens against blue skies in autumn.

• Keep your compositions as simple as possible. Remember, don’t try and write a novel in your photographic composition, write the sentence that tells the story. Always remember  the rule of thirds, graphic lines and make your image using a key element as the anchor ( basic good compositional technique).  Keep it simple!

The internet is filled with sites to monitor fall color in all areas of the country

www.foliagenetwork.net

www.calphoto.com ( great information on California’s fall color)    

www.weatherchannel.com/activities/driving/fallfoliage/

www.wxnation.com/fallfoliage

For  serious photographers www.photographers.net is a site I frequent. There are regional groups that are informative with updated color information from members in specific areas.

SEE YOU ALL DOWN THE ROAD———-JG