Halle’s Smooooth Words o’ Wisdom

For starters one way to avoid crowds is to take advantage of extreme weather and get out when most everyone is in. Yesterday was such a day on an abandoned trail in the Columbia River Gorge near Cascade Locks.

Today was my last day of Chanterelle picking for the season. It would have been nice to get out more this year. Some of the best and largest ones I found were emerging from under a large log:

I met two Russians with a beautiful 4-month-old German Sheperd. They assumed I was Ukrainian because I drive a VW.

Yup, that’s me. Me and the biggest Chanterelle I’ve ever found. The photo’s by ‘Whatia’ Howell. Claudia and I went picking Sunday and were utterly clueless that it was the 2nd day of rifle deer season in Oregon. After meeting several nice fellows with rifles over their shoulders we avoided parking near other vehicles and whistled A LOT. I made Claudia sick of Yellow Submarine in a hurry.

Claudia has editited a lot of photos by your’s truly and has been such a pleasure to work with. She’s retiring in November after 33 years working at The Oregonian. She’s taking their buyout package which sounds like a super sweet deal. Thanks, congratulations and cheers Claudia!