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Oregon Summer 2025
  • PW and JKW's trips
  • Phil Woodford

Oregon Summer 2025

A 85-day adventure by PW and JKW's trips & Phil Read more
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  • Trip start
    May 12, 2025
    Oregon Summer 2025
    Here we are all set up on our first night.

    Oregon Summer 2025

    May 21 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    Hi All,
    I won't be posting daily this summer, but I will keep you updated on our summer volunteering at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in the southeastern part of Oregon. We will be there 3 months so back in Missouri in early September.

    It is crazy that Phil and I could live out of a tiny backpack with 2 changes of clothes each for 3 months in Europe, but to go to Oregon, we need an entire pickup and camper load! I am sure we are overpacked.

    We got away from Gainesville about 8:45 this morning. There were a couple of things that made us late as we had hoped to be on the road at 8 am. First, we misjudged the height of the camper hitch and had to jack the trailer up with the trailer dolly and put another block under the tongue before we could hitch it to the pickup truck. This happened because we turned the camper around by pushing and pulling it manually in our narrow driveway, and the tongue was lower than it had been when it was facing the other way. The trailer jack alone could not get it high enough to attach it to our ball hitch.

    Then, we started having problems with the key not coming out of the pickup ignition when we stopped. A couple of times today, we had to leave the key in the ignition and lock the car with my key set. Then the next time it would be fine. We've been researching online and think we've identified the issue and a possible fix fingers crossed, and I will report back on this.

    We stopped in Raymore for a quick visit to my Mom and Mike. Then we took a long cut through town, avoiding I-435 and I-470 with the camper in tow. It worked, and we are now camped at the Basswood RV Resort near Platte City, MO. There are not too many other campers about, but I bet that will change over the weekend. We are here for one night. Tomorrow, we will stop at Kearney at a place we've stayed before.

    This year, we have a new camper. It has a little more room and a few more amenities than our teardrop, but it is still very simple. It does have an air conditioner, which we may be glad for this summer. We have the teardrop camper in storage and might use it next summer again. It was easier to set up and a little easier to pull.

    We have allowed a full week to travel to Malheur. We completed our background checks and defensive driving courses and should be ready for orientation when we arrive next Wednesday!    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    Our site at Kearney
    Burgers at KearneyCabellas at Sidney. Ready for Memorial Day weekend.Our site at Sidney at the Cabellas campgroundVery few leaves on our street yet at the Rawlins campsite. Elevation is 6,834 ft.Elk Mountain is our view across I-80 at Rawlins.Apparently antelope were here not long ago at our Rawlins site.

    Rawlins, WY

    May 24 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    We've had some ups and downs. It rained while we were at Kearney, NE, for the night, and guess what? If you don't get the camper set up exactly right, it leaks at the ridge.

    Last night, we were at Sidney, NE. It rained a little but mostly missed us. We did have the sprinklers on in the night, and we ate out at supper and breakfast since it rained right at those times. We do almost all our cooking outside with a gas grill or a little campstove.

    Tonight, we are at Rawlins, WY, at a KOA right on the interstate. Tomorrow night, we'll be just north of Salt Lake City. We drove through the Snowy Range Mountains near Laramie, where we used to live. Spring is still a few weeks behind. The trees are just beginning to get some small leaves.

    An update on the weird thing where we could not get the key out of the ignition. I found and we watched a YouTube video from a young lady who was having the same issue. She had tried all kinds of things she saw on the internet, but the one thing that worked was to click the button on the gearshifter a few times and release and the key releases. It is apparently some kind of safety feature issue that Chevy's have a problem with where the switch is supposed to disengage the key when you put the car in park, but doesn't. Anyway, just a few clicks, and now the key comes out fine.

    Also, we've been using 3 different apps to get discounts. I usually use Gas Buddy to find the cheapest gas, but with the camper, that isn't always the easiest to get to. I have downloaded both the Loves and the Pilot apps, and I get 10 cents per gallon off each of those. Sometimes, that is a pretty significant savings. I can see the cost of gas at each location, and we can plan how far to go to get the better deals.

    Also, for those of you keeping track, I did find my coffee, Starbucks Morning Joe, at the Safeway in Laramie, WY. I knew they would have it, so we stopped. I bought 4 bags. That should get me part way through the summer until we find more. There is a Safeway in Burns, OR, near our volunteer site, so hopefully, they will also have it.

    More again in a few days.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    The Great Salt Lake over there
    A little peak of the Great Salt Lake from our campgroundAlso a mountain view from our site in Brigham City, Utah.Trees are more sparse at the Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID.A couple of mountain quail at our campsite at the AFB.

    Mountain Home AFB

    May 27 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    This is our second night at the Mountain Home Air Force Base family campground in Idaho. From Rawlins, we drove to Brigham City, Utah, and stayed at a very fancy KOA campground near the Great Salt Lake. We stayed one night and then drove to Mountain Home AFB.

    Today, we both got haircuts and then stocked up on commissary staples for our Oregon stay. We don't have much refrigerator or cooler space, so mostly things that are shelf stable were on the list. There is a grocery store in Burns, OR, about 30 minutes from the refuge where we can get our fresh foods each week.

    It is about a 270-mile drive tomorrow. We would like to arrive at the refuge before 4 pm as our boss, Jill, will be working at the bookstore until then. If we don't catch her, we are to show up for work Friday morning at 7:45 am. for orientation.

    It has been a long trip. We have had a learning curve with setting up the camper. Some screws were stripped on a bracket for the pole that helps us lift the roof. We tried several different fixes and hope this last one will do the trick with construction adhesive, gluing everything, including the screws solidly in place and curing a couple of days.

    The weather is warm in the 80's and windy out on the high desert near the Snake River at the AFB. We are in Mountain Daylight time now and will be in Pacific Daylight Time tomorrow. Humidity is about 18% compared to a much more humid springtime in Missouri. We've watched the fighter jets taking off, maneuvering, and landing. We've seen different birds as well. Quail, a big magpie, a yellow-breasted king bird, and some summer tanangers.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    Here's our summer home
    Here's the shower and common houses.Our first sunsetSteenes Mountain is a viewpoint from our site.A view from Buena Vista pointOur little camper among the volunteers.

    Orienting at Malheur National Wildlife R

    May 29 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    We arrived yesterday late in the afternoon, but had time to meet our boss and several other volunteers. Most are just here for a few weeks, but all are "regulars" and belong to the Friends of Malheur nonprofit. We got accepted before the refuge switched to having the nonprofit staff manage all volunteers. When we applied over a year ago, the refuge staff was still managing the visitor center volunteers.

    In any case, they have really nice visitor accommodations. We have a nice camper pad with full hookups (although we really only use the electrics). There is a very nice shower house and a common room with kitchen, laundry, sitting area, etc. We were told cable TV went the way of budget cuts and we now have to clean our own bathhouse and common area (not an issue for us).

    Today, we did our orientation. We signed some papers and then went down the Central Patrol Road (CPR) to see what we could tell visitors about. We saw tons of birds and a few snakes and deer. It is about 40 miles of pretty well maintained gravel. We were in a US government pickup truck. We also got our name badges and our volunteer vests, so we are officially ready to start tomorrow. We work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday every weekend all summer, 8 am to 4 pm.

    We will bring our lunch daily. Among our tasks are filling bird feeders, greeting visitors, and some light cleaning (sweeping, etc). So far, so good!

    The refuge is really beautiful. It is filled with more than 350 kinds of birds and more than 30 mammals. We saw so many birds today and all in different parts of the refuge. Last night, the sky was filled with stars, and there is very little light here.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    Blackbird at the feeders
    Redwing blackbirdMother bunnyShe drove off this snake today and also one otherDeer waiting for the right moment...to sneak up and eat from our feedersHummingbird at my feeder

    First work weekend

    May 31 in the United States ⋅ 🌬 73 °F

    This is our first weekend at work. So far, we haven't been fired, and lots of people have thanked us for volunteering. Our day goes like this...

    Arrive and shut off the alarm. (Today, we punched in the wrong code, and a terrible noise sounded until we could get the right code in.)

    Then we unlock the doors. Fill the bird feeders. Water the plants on the patio. Fill the dog water. Sweep or blow off the large deck. Put up the sun umbrellas on the picnic tables. Check the public bathrooms and restock TP. Check the museum to see if we need to sweep or if a bat might be inside. Restock the pamphlets. Take out the trash. Wash windows and doors. Wash picnic tables and signs. Sweep cobwebs off tables, doors, windows, and signs. Most importantly, greet guests.

    We find out where they are from. If they have been to the Refuge before. What they want to see. We tailor the welcome to their experience and wants. Maybe they just want to use the bathroom. Maybe they just want water refills. Maybe they are avid birders and read online about a single bird sighted here. Maybe they are kids and want to see something cool.

    We have kids' bags with good binoculars and lists of creatures to look for. We have a board for people to record their bird sightings. We have a guest register.

    Today, we also chased deer away from our feeders. (Can't afford to feed both deer and birds.) We watched a mother cottontail chase two snakes away from her nest of babies. We saw lots of birds as our guests pointed them out.

    So far, so good!    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    Columbine at the Visitor's Center
    Another view of the columbineOur resident Great Horned OwlSee the two owlets? They still depend on the adults for food.The airboat being prepped for action.View from the camper patio. That one poplar tree gives good shade in the evening.The gopher/bull snake rebuffed by the mother rabbit again glides off.

    Days Off

    June 3 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    We worked the weekend, and then Monday morning, we crossed trained at the bookstore for a couple of hours. Another volunteer has arrived, and she is from St Louis. We don't know a lot about her yet, but she will be working weekends with us through June and July. The refuge has two travel trailers that are also used to house visitors in addition to the other 4 RV pads for people like us with our own digs.

    On our way to the store, we spotted two baby owls with the adult who hangs out in the machine shed. They were perched on the bulldozers and the airboat.

    After the orientation, we drove to Burns to do our errands. It is about 30 miles one way. We had lunch, went to the bank, bought me some socks (I left all but 2 pairs at home on the bed!), got gas, and went to the grocery store. Gas prices here are higher than at home at $4.09 per gallon. Groceries seemed higher, too. Eggs are still $8 per dozen, etc.

    I also cleaned the shower house and sweeped and mopped the common room of the volunteer facility. Today, I am washing our bedding and will give the camper and the laundry room a good mopping out.

    This afternoon, we want to do a bit of area sightseeing. I put up my hummingbird feeder and refreshed the nectar. I've had at least 3 different hummers fighting over it all morning.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    A trip to the Princeton, OR, post office which is a trailer home in the middle of nowhere.
    Phil is occupying the post office parking area.Open range around here. It is still mainly cattle country.Can't miss the sign which is again 40 plus miles from nowhere.Cliff swallow gathering mud for nests in the round barn.The round barn has an "indoor track" to train teams to pull a wagon.Diamond Craters areaSign about the volcanic featuresPhil and I at Frenchglenn

    End of week 1

    June 5 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    We had 3 more days off this week and spent them seeing the area around the refuge. This area in the 1870s was dominated by California's Hugh Glenn and his employee Peter French. French, backed financially by Glenn, took over the use of huge swaths of grasslands in this part of Oregon. He had up to 50,000 cattle and 50 ranch hands or more. His methods were less than scrupulous, and when homesteaders tried to set a claim, he often drove them out. I thought these cattle Barron's were only in places like Montana or Wyoming, but nope, here in Oregon, too.

    We visited a round barn that French built to train horse teams to pull wagons and about 40 miles away a hotel he and partner Glenn built. We saw a volcanic area called Diamond Craters, and we visited one of the only public campgrounds in the area.

    We also saw many species of birds such as burrowing owls, various ducks and shore birds, and lots of raptors, including a bald eagle. We can go back to the Visitor Center tomorrow armed with info about what to see and where.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    Happy 19th anniversary!
    Our volunteer lounge area.Also desks, table, wifi, and a TV if we want to hook it up.Well appointed kitchenTwo big refrigerators/freezersTwo new washers and dryersRabbit outside our camper patioMe in front of the Visitor's Center1New iris blooming this week. Not sure what type.A black chinned hummingbird nesting on a light fixture by the naturalist office.We have 2 red tailed hawk chick's. Almost ready to fly now.

    Happy Anniversary!

    June 7 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Today is our 19th anniversary, and we are celebrating by greeting visitors and enjoying nature. We've made plans to go to the Redwood Forest National and State Park on our days off next week. We'll leave the camper since it is a long drive and stay at an AirBNB. We are planning other trips on our days off as well. While we are this far west, we decided to take advantage of the places to see.

    We've had good weather. It hasn't been too hot yet, and the mornings are still cool enough for us to switch on the electric heater in the camper.

    Yesterday we had some excitement. The electricity was off when we arrived before 8 am. Our key and badge would not open the door as the magnetic lock was engaged. Phil had to enter through the Visitor's Center glass doors (not on the alarm system), climb through the windows of the desk, and disengage the alarm. The electric company came and fixed the issue, but then the water shut off, and the wildlife biologist had to fix it while talking by phone to the grounds superintendent who was on vacation. Phil is up to speed if that happens again. It's all in a day's volunteering.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    Our selfie by a giant redwood
    We visited here on the way. Sadly with cuts, they have only one full-time employee left.Crater Lake (Mt Scott) seen from the Upper Klamath refuge.Gas is higher in California.A surfer in the cold waters.We are here!Huge rocks in the water.The drive through tree.Phil in front of one of the protected coastal redwoods.This is just called The Big Tree, but it certainly isn't the biggest we saw.Here's the statsThe elk here have recovered from only 15 to about 1,000 now with protections.Me at the beach.

    Redwood State and National Forest

    June 11 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    On our days off this week, Phil and I drove to northern California for a visit to see the giant coastal redwoods. It was about 420 miles, and we took 2 days to drive here, and we will drive all the way back Thursday, which left about 1 1/2 days for our visit. We did not bring the camper since it was so far, but opted instead for a hotel in Medford, OR, Monday night and then 2 nights in an AirBNB in Klamath, CA, where the Klamath River meets the sea.

    Our drive was through remote stretches of Oregon across sagebrush high desert, through other wildlife refuges, near Crater Lake, and finally across the Cascades and south into California. It was great scenery. The temperature dropped from 97 F in Medford to 55 F today in Klamath. A huge difference!

    Last night, we drove a one-way coastal trail along the cliffs on the Pacific, where the Klamath River meets the sea. We saw a WWII radar station (disguised as a farmhouse) and stood on the cliffs and watched sea lions, pelicans, and shore birds in the surf through our binoculars

    We also went to a feature near our AirBNB called the "Drive through tree". It is a hole cut in giant redwood that you can drive your car through. The place was mobbed, and it really seemed so disrespectful to the tree. It is on private property, and we paid $5 to see it. People were filming themselves driving through and doing stunts like standing up in the skylights of their car, etc. I didn't like it at all once we saw all that.

    We spent today at the Prairie Creek Redwoods. In the 90s, the state and National Parks joined forces to protect these magnificent trees that grow only in this cool coastal climate. The redwoods are one of 3 types of trees that grow this large. The Sequoia, which is also in California, is in the Sierras. A third type of similar tree is in China.

    The trees are really massive and live up to 2,000 years. They grow up to 350 feet tall. Driving and walking through the park was really such a privilege. Only 5% of the redwoods that were once here are left. Logging took most of them even up into the 1990's. Now, they are protected. Only a portion are on public lands.

    The beach is also part of the park system, and we also stopped there today. It's cold here and windy at the beach. There are enormous rock formations in the water. It's not like any other beaches where we've been, but it was beautiful all the same.

    We'll get up early tomorrow and drive back the whole way. We volunteer again on Friday, but this has been a great trip!    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    Yellow headed black bird at one of the feeders
    Looking out over Marshall PondThe viewing porch for visitors.The nature storeMore nature store

    Working in the book store

    June 15 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    This weekend, Phil and I were assigned to work in the Crane Nature Center and Bookstore. We are swapping back and forth with the other long-term volunteer, Susan. It is a slow morning today, but yesterday (Saturday) was pretty busy.

    We have books, shirts, art, jewelry, hats, kids' games, etc. I prefer the Visitor's Center as we are the first to greet people, but we're still getting a lot of chances to meet people.

    This weekend, there are other volunteers here to help with bat monitoring. We didn't volunteer since it is at night after we've worked all day.

    This week on our days off, we'll take some day trips. The following week, we are going to spend 3 nights at Crater Lake National Park.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    Our resident barn swallow
    Phil at sunset outside the camper.Sunset at MalheurMessy camper!Here's where we sleepA baby coot at the local birding hotspotThe male barn swallow keeping watch.New flowers and herbs for our "deck"This is a nighthawk perched on the refuge gate.Fields StationScene of Steens Mountain from the opposite side of where we are livingVolcanic landscape surrounding the sagebrush basins

    Lots of activities here

    June 19 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Phil and I stayed close on our days off this week. I bought a new pair of long pants because it is supposed to be cold this weekend (highs in the 60s and lows in the 30s). We did our shopping Monday and I cleaned the bath houses here. On Tuesday, I cleaned the common areas. Wednesday, we washed some bedding and clothes. We also went to check the refuge hotspot for baby chicks and ate out for lunch. Today, we got up early and drove 100 miles one way to Lake Alvord near the Alvord Desert. We had breakfast at the Frenchglenn hotel halfway and had a milkshake for lunch at the Fields Station. It is really in the middle of nowhere.

    There are lots of new volunteers this week. The bat monitoring activity ended Monday with the Tribal Elders from the local tribe participating. Yesterday, more volunteers arrived to do "plover monitoring " (a kind of bird), and this weekend, more volunteers will arrive to do Sandhill Crane monitoring.

    Phil and I got an email today asking to help move the picnic tables as there will be yoga on the deck of HQ on Saturday. Maybe associated with the summer solstice or one of the monitoring activities. Anyway, it will be cold and buggy so I won't be joining in.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    He can't figure our how to get the nectar!
    An abandoned Killdeer egg. We hoped mom would return, but it was in the middle of the driveway!Another Orioles on a window feederHere's the right bird for the feederMore Orioles at the hummingbird feederThey don't give up easily.Baby bunnies on our viewing deck2The Hawks have fledged and still hang around wanting mom to feed them.

    Cold and a little rain

    June 22 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F

    Wow, the temperatures just plummeted here. Highs have been in the 50s and lower 60s. At night, it has been in the 30s, and it has snowed again at higher elevations. Back in Missouri, I see it has been just the opposite with very high temps and humidity.

    It has rained a little. It rained overnight, and one of the volunteers who is here for bird monitoring slept in the volunteer common room in a recliner since his tent was leaking. Our camper does leak sometimes, but not last night. We also have a small electric heater with a thermostat, and it kicked in a few times last night.

    Yesterday, we were quite busy at the Visitor's Center. Today only 2 women wandering around so far after being open 90 minutes. We've been watching the Bullock's Orioles antics lately. They like the hummingbird feeders, but can't get any nectar. Some people have said to feed them grape jelly. I don't know if that is good for them, though.

    We're headed for Crater Lake Monday through Thursday. We have rented a cabin near the park. Hope it will be a bit warmer, but not too warm.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    2Crater Lake and Wizard Island in the middle
    We stopped at Christmas Valley for lunch on our way to the parkOur cabinScreened porch with a view of the riverSeveral years ago we enjoyed Crater Lake wine from this same gift shop with my Mom and Mike.Still lots of snow. They get 50+ feet per year.Another view of the lakeSelfie at the lakeWe ate at the lodge for lunch both days.Rufous Hummingbird at the refuge feeders

    Crater Lake trip

    June 26 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 48 °F

    On our days off this week, Phil and I went to Crater Lake. It was about a 4 1/2 hour drive. We stayed in an overly expensive AirBNB as I could not get any availability on the park, and we decided not to bring the camper. The cabin is on a crystal clear river.

    Our first night, we realized the electricity to the "new" kitchen wiring was not working. The GFIC plug was not working. I notified the owner and didn't get an immediate response.We ate cheese and crackers and went to bed early. As we were falling asleep, someone showed up to look at the problem and promised to return the next day for repairs. We managed to blow the breakers only once the next morning using the only working outlet in the kitchen before heading to the park.

    We could really see the budget cuts in action. There was no one collecting fees at the gate when we entered before 10 am. (although when we left, someone was at the kiosk). We have a senior park pass, but others were supposed to be paying $30 per car. The Visitor's Centers were slammed with only 2 people working (one at the register and one giving info). The bathrooms on the drive around the rim were open at only one place.

    Of course, there were a ton of people visiting. This is the early season, and there is still a lot of snow. The rim drive is open only part way around due to a construction project, but the snow was deeper than our car still at a lot of places.

    It was still beautiful and I can't imagine how busy it will be on a weekend or in July and August. There's really very little parking for all those people. The boat rides on the lake were not going until early July, and after this year, they will be halted for construction projects over the next 3 years.

    The owner of the AirBNB did get the electrics fixed. He told us the cabin (very rustic) had belonged to his mother. It was old, but fixed up nicely and had a screened in porch to keep out mosquitos. Cooking is done on a charcoal grill outside or on a hot plate or electric skillet inside. It is located in a remote area (Fort Klamath) about 20 miles from the park. There's nothing really close to the park at all.

    We're heading back to the refuge today. Before we left on Sunday, we had a rare visitor to the hummingbird feeders. A Rufous Hummingbird is not rare in other areas of the country but is an infrequent visitor to our refuge    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    Bathroom problems Saturday, but Phil fixed things using the plunger.
    Bug bites are the bane of my existence right now. About 5 just on my elbow!Me in my bug coat at work.A small gray snake made it's way across the patio on Friday morning.

    Buggy weekend!

    June 29 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    I apparently react much more to mosquitos than Phil. I develop large welts no matter how quickly I apply cortisone cream. I have also tried benadryl cream, which seems to have almost no effect. The mosquitos are now joined by some "midges" and other "no seeum" biting insects. These are smaller but just as annoying. I have found that a dose of ibuprofen helps with the itching and reduces the welts, so I am taking a dose at night before bed and sometimes during the day. I am also wearing my "bug coat" today, which helps. I ordered two "insect shield" shirts which are pre-trested with permethrin, s product we applied to our clothes last summer for the trip to Alaska. Bug repellent seems to have almost no effect for me. Occasionally, I use "yard guard," which helps, but is frowned on since it kills both good and bad insects.

    It's been a quiet weekend. We had more visitors on Saturday, but Friday and today have been pretty quiet.

    Tuesday, we have an appointment to get our oil changed, and we're making an overnight trip to Bend, OR, for haircuts and maybe a movie. I will clean the bathrooms and common areas tomorrow while Phil does laundry.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    A common nighthawk. They eat mosquitos! They are my friends!
    Supper of some foil wrapped potatoes and a pork steak to split.Sunsets are gorgeous here.Moon on a clear night. The stars are also fabulous here at night.Some kind of bug swarm near the Visitor's Center front door.Rainy 4th of July.

    July 4, rainy and cool

    July 4 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    We had a quiet weekend. On our days off, we cleaned the bathrooms and the volunteer common areas. Then Tuesday we drove to Bend, OR, a little over 2 hours away to get haircuts, shop a little, and generally see what was there.

    Today, we are experiencing a weather cooldown. The highs will be in the 60s. It rained overnight and on Phil and I on our way to work at the Visitor's Center. It is supposed to rain on and off all day.

    It's nearly 11 am. here, and we've had only one couple visit. The parking lot is empty again. Still, the birds are active. The rain brought out some kind of insects, swarming near the front door. The bats and bug loving birds must be really happy.

    Monday, we will drive to McCall, ID, to visit some friends from our Boise days. We also plan to go to Boise for a couple of days, and then we'll be back on Thursday night to work on Friday again.

    This week, I am trying a new device for continuous glucose monitoring. It is a sensor I wear on my arm that sends my blood glucose readings every 15 minutes to an app on my phone. It helps me see what impact different food and drink have on my blood sugar, and I hope it will help me be a better manager of my diabetes type-2 condition. So far, my numbers are good, and I'm making better choices for my blood sugar.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    Less water and more grass in the pond now.
    Lavender attracting the butterflies.Yellow currants almost picked clean by the birds.Elderberries developing.Columbine still bloomingStill beautiful.

    Summer is here, warm days and nights

    July 11 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    I didn't post much last week. It has been rather quiet at the refuge. Baby birds have fledged. Summer berries are going quickly into young birds.

    On our days off, Phil and I visited some old friends at McCall, ID. We stayed in a newly renovated lake cabin (only peekaboo views) that is one the market for $950,000. It belongs to my friend's sister. Although nicely renovated, it wouldn't sell for that price in Missouri, I am pretty sure.

    We went to two movies. A zombie sequel to a couple of movies I like and the new Jurassic World movie. We shopped a bit, and are now we're back at the Visitor's Center.

    In just a week, lots of our birds have left the nest. They've eaten a lot of the currants and berries and are waiting now for choke cherries and elderberries to ripen. One hummingbird is still on her nest, but the chicks in the other have flown and are now visiting our feeders.

    It's hot in the daytime and warm at night, too. I'm glad for the little AC unit in our camper.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    I am reading a book about the Malhuer Occupation by Ammon Bundy in 2016.
    Indian paintbrush up on Steens Mt.Some more Steens Mt blooms.Lupine starting to bloom up on the Mt, too.

    Another quiet week

    July 16 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    We didn't go anywhere much this week on our days off. We made a grocery run, cleaned the volunteer digs a little, and yesterday made a trip part way up Steens Mt to look at wildflowers.

    The bugs have abated a bit. However, this week, our new "insect shield" shirts have arrived. They are impregnated with permethrin and will last 70 washes per the instructions. So far, they seem to work, and no bugs have bitten me through the shirt. However, several have continued to bite me when I am not wearing it or they just bite me on the legs. We may buy some matching pants.

    I also got some new bug lanterns yesterday. Two are wearable on your belt and one is for a table. My old one has completely stopped working so it will find a new home in the dumpster. AND I bought two more cans of bug repellent spray as it was on sale, and I certainly don't want to run out!

    An update on my new continuous glucose meter. Guess what? All the things that I knew were bad for my blood sugar really ARE bad for me, and I am trying to alter my diet accordingly.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    Sunsets are beautiful here.
    One of my little hummingbird friends near the camper.My handiwork in the gardens.Trying to water the legacy gardens.The Columbine are still great.2So beautifulAnother color combinationOur patio at the Visitor's Center.

    Mid-July and taking care of gardens

    July 20 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    With the heat, there have been fewer visitors, but we still try to keep busy. There is no housekeeping service at HQ anymore, and they have no landscapers now. I think some of it is budget, and some may be that it is just hard to find people willing to come out this far since we are 40 miles from the nearest small town of Burns.

    This week and last week, I pulled 8 trash bags of weeds from the gardens. We've also attempted to water the existing legacy gardens. The watering system needs work, and I don't have that skill, so we bought a small watering head and just moved it around by hand in the front garden this weekend. There are roses and lillies that I hope will bloom as a result. It has only rained one day since we arrived, and that was just a storm blowing through.

    I put my hummingbird feeder back out by the camper, and the birds are coming to it again. It is less buggy, so we can sit out in the evening and watch the sunsets, too.

    This week, we are going to Walla Walla in nearby Washington. It was always a place we liked when we lived in Spokane and Boise. Our volunteer friend Susan leaves at the end of the month. She will go home to St Louis. She had planned to go to Dearh Valley but could not get a doctor there to treat her for her lung cancer. She takes chemo regularly. Here, she drives to Boise to get Keytruda treatments.

    New volunteers will come next week or the following week to help out in the gift store.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    We stopped at a privately supported rest area in rural Oregon on our way to Walla Walla.
    The ranch supported rest area is at the location of an former school and post office.Phil at Amavi Cellars.Grapes in the background.Phil having an ice cream and wine pairing.Back at Malheur with another sunset.The hummingbirds are still coming to my feeder.Bats on the umbrella when I opened it today, so we just closed it back up and let them sleep.Barn owl brought in by visitors in the hands of Travis, one of the naturalist staff.

    Wine tasting and barn owls

    July 25 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    We made a long trip to Walla Walla, Washington, this week. It is right across the Oregon border. Phil and I have been lovers of Washington Wines since we lived in Spokane 2009 to 2013.

    We went to a few tastings and had a couple of great meals. We bought too much expensive wine, too!

    We have new volunteers to help fill the gaps. Chaunte arrived this week in her Sunseeker motor home. She is from Arizona, but volunteers are state and federal parks. She came here from Humboldt Park (part of the redwoods) in California. Linda is also back to help for a few weeks in the bookstore.

    This morning, a couple brought an injured barn owl in to us. It was caught on a fence. Thankfully, one of the biologists was here to help us and will take the owl to see if it can be saved. There is no raptor center here. Barn Owls are under pressure here due to Great Horned Owls not tolerating them in their territory.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    Double rainbows after a rain.
    Our room at Frenchglenn.The back view of the historic hotel.The old fire watchtower at the P Ranch on the refuge.1The "long barn" at P ranch was used to store hay. It was built in the 1880's.Selfie today on the mountain.Still some snow here.Wildflowers were beautiful.Snow and a melt pond.Kieger Gorge at the top of the north side.A kestrel on a postMother and colt wild horses.Another wild horse. The biologists call them "feral" horses.The Riddle Ranch is well preserved.Wild horses at a water hole.

    Rainbows and wild horses

    July 30 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    We had a little rain a few nights this week. Not much, but enough to cool things off and leave us with double rainbows and more beautiful sunsets!

    We said goodbye to our friend Susan with a farewell dinner at the Narrows, which is the local diner, convenience store, RV park, and gas station about 8 miles from the headquarters. All else is a 40-minute drive or more.

    This week, we stayed at the Frenchglenn Hotel for 2 nights. It is an Oregon historic park, and they have old-fashioned rooms with a shared bath in the original building of a few updated rooms in a converted house out back. They serve home-cooked meals. Supper is a family style dinner and is a mystery until the chef presents it.

    We spent today on the Steens Mt. There are lots of wildflowers and still snow at the top on the north side of the loop. We went to the top and then came back for lunch, then went to the south side of the loop in the afternoon. It has a very steep one lane stretch with 1,000 ft vertical drop, which we avoided with our strategy today.

    On the south loop, we saw wild horses and also visited another historic site, the Riddle Ranch. The summer volunteer caretaker has also worked several years at Malheur, so it was fun to chat with him.

    Phil has a new duty this week. He will be checking one of the fish traps twice a day on the weekend. The fish trap has been catching baby grebes (a bird), and we have to let them out. More on that next week.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    Phil working on freeing the birds.
    You can see it is not fun for either Phil or the birds.Here's a flock of young coots. They are able to fend for themselves. We caught several of these.A ruddy duck. They have a blue bill. I think we caught one juvenile of these and released it.The coots and grebes swimming away from the dam and fish trip area.A grebe. Not sure if it is a Western or Clark's Grebe. They carry their babies on their back.A mother quail with 12 chicks at the Visitor's Center.Hummingbirds at the window.

    Fish traps that catch birds

    August 3 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    This week after our time at French Glen, Phil had to learn about freeing birds from the fish trap. There is a large trap designed to keep in invasive carp from traveling between the two largest lakes at a place called The Narrows. Right now, this area is filled with a huge variety of water birds and is a popular place for grebes, coots, ducks, etc, to raise their young.

    The water in Malheur Lake is higher than in the neighboring Mud and Harney Lakes, so the trap creates a whirlpool, and invariably, some of the curious younger birds get sucked into the vortex when they get too close.

    Twice a day, someone has to go check the traps and scoop the birds out and release them. It isn't an easy job, and it's feels a little dangerous as you are wielding a large net with a 15-foot pole handle to scoop up the birds. Of course, the birds are scared and fast, and unless they are very small or already dead, it can be a strenuous undertaking.

    Phil agreed to check the trap this weekend twice a day. It seemed dangerous, so I went along in case he fell in the trap or tripped on the rocks on the dam area. We caught each bird, put it in a bucket with a lid, and then I walked it down the boat ramp to release them.

    We were supposed to identify each bird, indicate the sex, age, etc. Our knowledge is pretty limited. We know if they are alive or dead. We can tell a duck from a grebe or coot. That is about it. We could not really say what kind of grebe or duck, though. Certainly not the gender!

    We released 18 birds. Five were sadly dead when we found them ( so 23 ). Phil is very tired, and he is going to tell them he just doesn't feel comfortable doing it again next weekend. Still, it is an interesting part of our work.

    The fish trap doesn't always catch birds. This is an unusual problem because it is a high water year, and the administrators are trying to figure out how to fix the problem. In the meantime, I feel good that we were able to help so many young birds.

    Lots of late afternoon lightening here this week. There are plenty of scattered showers. The wildland firefighters based here are out every afternoon putting out lightening strikes.

    I'm not sure what we will do on our days off this week. There is another herd of wild horses near, so we might try to find them one day this week. They are the Keiger Mustangs with specific markings of Spanish horses, unlike the ones we saw last week.    Read more

  • Oregon Summer 2025
    1Last sunset over the refuge
    My little hummingbirds wont know where the feeder went.Last morningGetting ready to go.Silly selfieAll packed up and ready to roll.

    Heading home

    August 5 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 82 °F

    Phil and I are headed towards home. My mother has fallen several times, and she is back in the hospital for the second time this week. She called and asked me to come back and help while she recovers.

    It was a wonderful summer at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. I hope we'll be back again. Now, the 2,000-mile trip home.    Read more

    Trip end
    August 4, 2025
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