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Baskett Slough Birding

Feb. 4, 2012 was a spectacular day in western Oregon. Karen, Glenn and Barbara used part of it to do some birding at nearby Baskett Slough Nat. Wildlife Refuge. Photos by Karen and Barbara.

Feb 4, 2012

Photos: 11

Winter Views at Our Window

Jan 21, 2012

Photos: 7

On a Clear Day--the View from the OHSU Tram

On a sparkling and COLD day, Glenn had to see one eye doctor at OHSU up on Marquam Hill, and another eye doctor at South Waterfront. We rode the famous OHSU Tram between the two doctor visits. Wheee! These photos are from the top landing of the Tram. Portland and our local volcanoes never looked better.

Jan 11, 2012

Photos: 12

Willow Lake Ponds in Winter

The Willow Lake Wastewater Treatment plant is only a few miles from our home. Part of the process of "scrubbing" the wastewater is to run it through filtering ponds. Birders know these sewage ponds are a great place to see birds. Even on Dec. 3, we found a lot of wildlife (including deer) here.

Dec 3, 2011

Photos: 23

2011 Halloween at Avamere

These are some of the creative costumes worn by residents, staff and waitstaff at dinner tonight.

Oct 31, 2011

Photos: 17

Harvest Festival at Bauman Farms

The Avamere Friday bus trips have taken us to: tulip fields in April; Iris gardens in June; Dahlia gardens in September; now we finished up the season visiting an amazing farm complex at "Gervais," a small farming community between Salem and Portland.

Oct 28, 2011

Photos: 30

Multnomah Falls in the Columbia Gorge

On a typical Oregon fall day--overcast with occasional "drizzle"--the Avamere bus trip was to Multnomah Falls for lunch in their historic Lodge.

Oct 21, 2011

Photos: 10

Alaska--Barbara's birthplace--eighty years ago

My parents lived at a remote salmon hatchery at "Yes Bay" 60 miles from Ketchikan, Alaska at the time of my birth. Some photos from their albums.

Oct 20, 2011

Photos: 13

A Trip to the Central Oregon Coast

The "Avamere" bus took us to Depoe Bay for lunch at the famed "Tidal Raves" restaurant overlooking Depoe Bay, then on to Newport, OR to view the new NOAA facility--recently moved from Seattle, WA (not without a fight).

Sep 22, 2011

Photos: 17

Mt. Angel Oktoberfest,, Sept. 15-18, 2011

Ever since 1966 the small Willamette Valley community of "Mt. Angel" has put on Oregon's largest folk festival. Its Oktoberfest reflects the German settlers who came here in the early 1900's to farm its fertile lands. The festival is ENTIRELY a community effort.

Sep 16, 2011

Photos: 35

Swan Island Dahlias

Avamere's Friday "outing" was a bus ride to Canby, OR 25 miles north. In early September, the Swan Island Dahlia Gardens holds their annual "dahlia festival."

Sep 2, 2011

Photos: 32

Glenn's Knee Replacement

On July 19 Glenn had surgery to replace his "shot" right knee (the surgeon's very words). Two days later, they were waving bye-bye to us and Glenn entered the Rehab Section of Avamere Health Sevices--just a couple hundred yards from our apartment. He's doing great!

Jul 19, 2011

Photos: 17

Mark's World Coins

Mark brought his almost-lifetime collection of coins he has gathered on his world travels. We spent a couple days sorting them by country and learning a little world history in the bargain!

Jul 15, 2011

Photos: 49

Chi Omega Reunion

After 63 years, our Willamette University sorority returned to the house where we lived from 1948 to the 1960's. The house had some difficult years after we left, but twenty years ago Mr. Brown purchased it. The transformation is amazing! He has created a wonderful home and gardens that were featured in last year's Salem Garden Tour of the "Court Chemeketa Historic District."

Jun 24, 2011

Photos: 51

Seeing the "Dry Side" of Oregon

Karen and Barbara drove to Pendleton, Oregon on June 6, staying at the "Wildhorse Casino/Hotel" for 2 nights. Earlier Karen won a nice prize from the casino which included two nights lodging and meals, plus other "goodies." We spent our days birding in beautiful Eastern Oregon's wide open spaces. Our return trip took us to some more "scenic byways" south of the Columbia River.

Jun 6, 2011

Photos: 77

Our New England/Canada Cruise

This ten-day cruise on the "Crown Princess" ship started in New York City harbor and ended at Quebec City, on the St. Lawrence River in Canada. Ports visited were: New York City, Newport, RI, New London, CT, Portland, ME, Boston, MA, St. John, New Brunswick, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Sydney, Nova Scotia and finally, beautiful and historic Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

Oct 7, 2010

Photos: 26

Photos from Hommerdingen, Germany

These photos were taken by a Hommerding descendant in July, 2010.

Sep 29, 2010

Photos: 4

Yes Bay, Alaska

Photos of the former Bureau of Fisheries salmon hatchery near Yes Bay, Alaska, 45 miles northeast of Ketchikan. The hatchery was actually situated on Lake McDonald, reached by a tram from Yes Bay or over the frozen lake (in winter). The fish hatchery was built in 1905 to improve the salmon runs in this area of Southeast Alaska. It operated until 1932 when President Roosevelt ordered its closure to save costs during the Great Depression. Photos from 1928-1933 by Alphonse Kemmerich, Hatchery Superintendent. Later photos courtesy of D. Hack, Yes Bay Resort and L. Schnebly.

Aug 15, 2010

Photos: 78

Northeastern Oregon in June

This birding and wildflower tour took us to: Pendleton, the Blue Mts (Emigrant Springs St. Pk, and Grande Ronde River), Enterprise & Joseph in the Wallowa Valley, Zumwalt Prairie and Imnaha River Canyon. Wildflowers on Zumwalt Prairie were spectacular. Weather? Not so much. Gray skies and drizzle.

Jun 15, 2010

Photos: 211

Kingston Prairie--a rare place indeed

On the only sunny day in weeks (!!) Glenn, Barbara and Karen joined the Willamette Valley Native Plant Society for a privileged visit to Kingston Prairie. Located on a plateau above the North Santiam River, this preserve (the best example of native prairie remaining in the central Willamette Valley) opens a window into Oregon's past. Unsuitable for farming due to the basalt bedrock that underlays shallow soils, the preserve has retained much of its original prairie vegetation. Native prairie once covered more than a million acres of the Willamette Valley, but today less than one-half of one percent is left. Prairie grasslands and oak savannas were maintained by fires set by Native Americans who gathered food plants and hunted game in the open habitats. Photos by Barbara and Karen

Jun 5, 2010

Photos: 30

Memorial Day 2010

On May 29, Karen, Glenn and Barbara visited three cemeteries where our ancestors rest: the "new" Calvary Cemetery and the "old" Mt. Angel Cemetery where Kemmerichs are buried; and Belle Passi Cemetery, Woodburn where Glenn's parents' cremains are in the mausoleum. Maria Anna Hommerding's monument is now 98 years old! We gave it a much-needed cleaning. Karen has recently translated 100 pages of Maria Anna's letters to her Chicago family--a great gift to our family history.

May 28, 2010

Photos: 12

Columbia Gorge Trip with Mark and Karen

Mark flew out from Texas to celebrate his birthday and Mothers Day--which occurred on the same day, May 9. When we learned that Mark had never seen the "Old Historic Highway" through the western Columbia River Gorge, that became a destination for an overnight trip. We stayed at The Dalles, a place where great numbers of Indians once gathered to fish, trade and socialize. The Dalles was also a stop for the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805. Besides waterfalls, wildflowers and windsurfers, we also visited the Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery near White Salmon on the Washington side of the Columbia River, where Barbara lived as a little girl and later we found excellent beer and a good tour at the "Full Sail Brewery" in Hood River, on the Oregon side. Click on the first photo, then click on "Full Screen." Use the bottom arrows to move through the photos. The slideshow stops after each video. Just hit the middle or right arrow to move on to the next photo.

May 10, 2010

Photos: 70

Mt. Hood Railway Pearblossom Trip

On April 15, 2010 we joined the Salem 50+ Seniors for a bus ride up the Columbia River Gorge to the town of Hood River. There, we boarded the Mt. Hood Railway for an excursion to Parkdale, near the top of the beautiful Hood River Valley, famed for its fruit--especially their pears. The excursion was billed as the "Pearblossom trip" and it was! At the lower elevations, the pear trees were in full bloom. It's still about 28 degrees at night in Parkdale, so their pear orchards won't be blooming for awhile. We had an hour at Parkdale to enjoy our box lunches, visit the Hutson Museum and enjoy this pleasant little town.

Apr 15, 2010

Photos: 47

Snow Geese and the Skagit River Delta

Karen and friend "Barb" explored the back roads and fields of the Skagit River Delta to find the Snow Geese, Swans, Bald Eagles and other birds. Thousands of Snow Geese winter in the Delta, then fly to Wrangell Island in the Russian Arctic to breed and raise their young.

Feb 21, 2010

Photos: 11

Silver Falls Park

We caught the fall color at its peak at Silver Falls State Park, 25 miles east of Salem. Two friends from Northern California shared the day with Barbara and Karen, and some of their photos are included here.

Oct 17, 2009

Photos: 41

2009

Our year in review.

Dec 12, 2008

Photos: 31

Southern Oregon Cascades Scenery

In late June, 2007, we shared some of the southern Oregon Cascades scenery with our daughter.

Jun 21, 2007

Photos: 55

Wine Country Tour September 2006

We spent a week in late September, driving down the Oregon Coast, through the northern California Redwoods, to Calistoga, at the northern end of the Napa Valley. We stayed three nights in Calistoga, visiting some familiar wineries plus others that were new since our last visit, about ten years ago. Many wineries not only produce world-renowned wine, but are also the showcase for the owners' art collections. Blessed with beautiful fall weather and outstanding scenery, it was a memorable trip.

Sep 25, 2006

Photos: 78

Chicagoland

This excerpt from a book about the history of Chicago gives a good picture of the lives of German immigrants who settled in Chicago. Among those immigrants was my great-great grandfather, Walter Butzen, who came from Reil, Germany to Chicago with his family in 1853.

Mar 15, 2005

Photos: 18

Barbara Halliday
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