"Home" for a wedding.

June found us back at our "stick house" for a very hot week. We arranged for the pasture to be mowed, rearranged our shop/storage leaving a few items and taking others, visited Folin Vineyards, and attended a wedding.

Good old Southern Oregon summer skies. Always a fire burning somewhere.

The dogs were nonplussed with the fact that other dogs now live in "their" yard. They could not understand why they weren't allowed in the dog door for access to air conditioning. Alice several times meandered into the garage and stood waiting at the door to the kitchen.

But we did enjoy some morning and evening walks.

Across the creek we noted horses on pasture where there had been crops before. 

And some young hamburgers on the other side of the road were intrigued by the short dog as well.

The big event of the week was that our niece Mari and her fiance Ed were tying the knot. They have been taking care of the place for us since July of last year.

Our yard was festooned with pink bows, white chairs, and pop-up gazebos for the bar area.

Bridesmaids included (from right to left) our niece Kari and great-nieces Mari's daughters Emily and Ashley.

There was no way Ed was staying in the get-up long enough for the dance. Mari said he almost wore a "'Merica" t-shirt so she was grateful for what dress-up time she had.

It's 5:00 somewhere. And it was quite a party after. I won't post the details online, but . . .

Blue Basin

On June 12th Tom, Louise, and I took a day trip up to the John Day Fossil Beds. It had been many, many years since we had been there. Since then they have built a new visitor center which contains a tremendous number of fossils of all sizes.

With the exception of the above picture made by my phone from the visitor center photo credits go to Tom.

After spending time at the visitor center, we took a hike up the Blue Basin "Island in Time Trail". The day was warm and sunny though not unseasonably hot.

There was still water in the stream from a thunderstorm a few days before. The color is due to dissolved minerals.

Many butterflies were happily enjoying the water. 

Louise and I plugging along.

It was good that we did not bring Dora along. From my experience with her and cattle guards I know that she would have had to be carried over the bridges.

A cave in the cliff face. 

 This picture shows the lava cap over the ancient ash and mud.

Heading back down, another couple of pools.

View across the highway as we descend.

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And from the Mascall Overlook:

Picture Gorge. 

 I promise that we won't wait another two decades before our next trip.