Happy Dogs Romp in the Snow

The Orchard is a serious play area for the puppies. We often comment that when General Lee and Queen Coda are chasing each other through the raised beds it is much like watching PacMan. Add fresh snow to the mix and you have a couple of happy dogs!

Queen Coda Herding Snowflakes

Queen Coda takes her work very seriously.

Organization is key to a Border Collies existence.

That is why her first experience with snow left her passionate to organize the snow falling to the ground.

Here is some fast paced entertainment of a Border Collie hard at work despite the odds!

Winter Wonderland Redux

A winter storm delivered a cold blast to whiten our usual form of precipitation, leaving us with a classic winter wonderland unlike our earlier post. We finally found a use for our old kites as we laid them out over the plants under the hoods to help mature plants and seedlings survive the sub freezing temperatures. It did not last long but was special while it was here.

Garden Signs

A Christmas gift from Brother Steve were signs identifying each tree and berry bush planted and who it was planted in honor of. That first planting years ago, attended by a core of the UCM Posse was the beginning of the orchard, when it was just mounds of bare dirt. Some who attended that first planting have passed and are remembered with a tree, a sign, and the peace and harmony of the space.

Another sign of the times is the completion of the asparagus and rhubarb beds. The first dozen crowns went in over the weekend. A few flowers were added for art (not pictured). And The Wakefield Rhubarb was transplanted along with a Reynolds Rhubarb! More treats in the years ahead!

Escaping The East Coast Blizzards

Brother Stevan and his Bride to be Rommy had to leave Maine a day early but they got out and made it to Oregon for travels through the state, which included several days at UCM.

This photo is taken in Bandon at a place called face rock which you can see in the background.
Continuing the face theme Steve tried out the face cleaning technology associated with every use of the slant board. Here Queen Coda is addressing nose hairs.
Before every face cleaning session Queen Coda likes to go down to the beach and prepare herself for the next facial client. She prefers the lighter and finer grit of the South Beach sand at Cape Blanco for her best customers.
If the UCM facial service is not enough you can go to Cape Blanco for a wind cleansing!

Steve took the time during his visit to stop by the front of the port building to admire his brick and that of his sweet and loyal dog Ruck.

Bob's OH $%!+ Moment!

One thing about Langlois is that it is about 25 miles from a massive fault line complex that parallels the Oregon and Washington Coast. It is know as the Cascadia Subduction Zone. To alert residents in the tsunami zone there are a number of air raid sirens along the coast. One such siren is located at Floras Lake where we often go for beach walks. However today it was different...

Today while alone on the beach, at oceans edge during a minus tide strolling the pebbles looking for agates, enjoying the setting sun while tossing sticks for the dogs.

General Lee and Bob looked at each other...

"Did you hear that?"

"There it is again!"

"It's the Tsunami Siren!!!"

RUNNNNNN!!!

Not taking the time to put his shoes on, Bob ran straight for the car. This was direct over dunes and through bushes with the dogs enjoying the chase. Then across the gravel paths and foot bridge to the parking lot with the siren blaring and getting louder!

Heart pounding, feet aching, and out of breath from the sprint from the sea, Bob loaded the dogs into the car and tore out of the parking lot, while checking the ocean in his rear view mirror.

Because geographically Langlois is the closest point to the subduction zone if there is an earthquake there is 15 minutes max before the tsumani arrives. It takes ten minutes for the siren to activate. This was something we knew when we moved to UCM. This was knowledge put to the scare of dying in a massive wave today.

But we learn something new every day!

Today Bob learned that the siren at Floras Lake is tested on the first of every month at five pm.

Whew!

And Bob confirmed that he can still run really fast when he perceives death to be chasing him and his puppies!