Uh-oh. Snow.

We've had rain (Yeah!). I awoke around 4 AM and listened to it on the roof until about 5 AM when I fell back to sleep but fortunately it kept raining. This is badly needed precipitation and the ducks LOVE it. The cloud formations have been awesome, and by early afternoon we've had alternate sun and awesome clouds. I was sitting in the living room around 2 PM and looked out the window to the east, toward Stinking Water Ridge. The clouds had cleared and there was snow, a light dusting on the ridge.  First of the season that I know of and it is September 25. It looks like a line of white under the gray of the clouds. Stinking Water Ridge is about 600 feet higher than we are on the old lake bed which is 4200'. Possibility of a freeze Thursday night. We've been harvesting snow peas, spinach, turnips, beets, radishes, tomatoes and lettuce. John has the tomatoes covered and the potatoes should be ready to dig soon. The cooler weather has been refreshing. 

Around the Ranch

Cows going to winter pasture

Starting to feel like fall here. We had a light freeze last night and weather today is sunny, breezy and in the 70s. Our ranch neighbors, McBain and Toelle, moved their cows to winter pasture. Many friends came to visit while I've been recovering from surgery.  Today I'm starting to feel like my old self. It's been a month. Having folks visit always cheers me up. The turks are getting big. We think we might have two hens and two gobblers. We all know what happens to gobblers. They are entertaining. This morning they flew up on the chicken shed and were walking around. They tend to travel in a group. They are great foragers and love bugs. Okay with us. Tegin, Sam and Bella came through on the weekend on their way to San Jose, CA to seek their fortune.  They left Portland behind and will call the Winnebago home for a while. They want to play music. They are both very talented and resourceful artists. We know they will do well. We might hook up with them this winter down south where it is warmer. Their cat Bella always travels with them and she was a great hit with the turkeys. Thanks to all of you who keep in touch and wish me well with my recovery.  Happy Fall!

Diane comes to visit and coach Qigong

Turks watch oncoming storm. Hey, what's that on the ground, you guys?

Tegin and Sam start their next big adventure

Road Warrior Winnebago is their new home

Old Bella travels along with them

St. Charles Medical Center, Bend, Oregon

Main Entrance

Life on the Oregon Frontier may include the occasional visit to the hospital. On August 20 I paid a visit to the St. Charles Medical Center in Bend, Oregon which lies 150 miles west of the Lazy J ranch. The purpose of the visit was total hip replacement surgery performed by Dr. Michael Caravelli and his surgical team. Included in the team was anesthesiologist, physician assistant, scrub nurse and someone who managed all the tools. 

A week before the operation I met with a physician assistant in Dr. Caravelli’s office as well as his assistant. There were the usual X-rays, blood work, and other evaluations necessary before major surgery and a visit to my doctor in Burns who helped arrange for some of the tests like chest x-ray and EKG. There’s a huge cadre of people needed to make an operation like this happen. My experience with all of the people involved was pleasant and efficiency was the word of the day.

Dr. Michael Caravelli

In the recovery room the Nurse Ruth was very businesslike. I on the other hand was very chatty, chirpy and singing which was a little unusual for me. I had had a spinal block and light sleep for the surgery and a various times could hear banging, clanging and whirring but it didn’t register. I could care less what was happening. The surgery started at 2 PM, I was in recovery by 4 PM and by 5 PM I was in my room. I had a light salad for dinner. The nurse had me sitting on the edge of the bed that evening.

The next day I was up and walking in the room, then down the hall in the afternoon. I discussed my body functions with more people in three days than I have in a life time. And for some reason, maybe the pain meds, I would not shut up. Anyone who came in the room was fair game. I had my own room on the Ortho/Neuro floor with TV which I didn’t watch but there were two music channels with lovely, soothing music to listen to. When I wasn’t  having meds administered, vital signs checked, physical therapy, occupational therapy, meals, visits, and phone calls, I’d nod off.

Donna, RN, and Julie, CNA

The hospital experience itself was exceptional. I loved being waited on. Three shifts of RNs, CNAs, PTs, OTs and more attended to the needs of the patients on their floor.The food was spectacular. It was healthy! Even vegans would be pleased. I ordered what I wanted from a room menu and it was delivered anytime I wanted it between 6:00 AM and midnight. (Not like the old days where tray of questionable food came only at specified times.) 

Kelly, Physical Therapist

Karen, Radiologist

Beth, Day RN

St. Charles is well laid out and easy to navigate. Volunteers help if a visitor becomes lost. There’s a deli and a cafeteria that serve wholesome food to visitors and staff. There an organic dish of the day in the cafeteria, a resplendent salad bar and healthy entrees. I was very impressed. My husband could find good food while he waited and there is also a beautiful chapel and airy garden space for visitors and staff. And I loved my hospital bed because it adjusted up and down so easily.

Vince, Night RN

Laura, Floor Supervisor

 Everyone was kind, helpful and courteous from the admitting officers to the surgery team. Thank you Dr. Carvelli and crew and the folks at St. Charles Hospital for a positive experience. Recovery is in progress. 

(I took lots more photos, which didn't come out because I was rather fuzzy at the time. And I hope I got everyone's name right.)

Graduation Party

Graduation party

Randi, her father Warren, and brother, Warren Clayton

Randi and her mother, Sherri

Last Saturday evening we were invited to Randi's graduation party from home school high school. Her mother, Sherri, invited the 4-H Western Pleasure Writers to attend. John and I went and took Anya, who is in 4-H with Randi. It was way out in OO valley, way back OO road, which is about 35 miles south of Burns.The ranch has a beautiful view looking west. Randi's father, Warren, works the ranch which is over 3500 acres with a herd of about 1,000 cows/calves. Randi is a great cowboy poet and her brothers, Warren Clayton, and William are in the 4-H writers club, too. I met fellow writer, Jill, who was from Sisters and was there with her friend, Bruce. Randi's grandmother and grandfather came from Bend. Aunts, uncles, cousins, brother, sisters and fellow ranchers were in attendance. The food was great. Randi received a ton of nice presents and recited some of her amazing poetry to us as the sun went down.  Congratulations, Randi!  The future is yours.

Opening presents

Reciting poetry

Randi & Anya

Guests at the party

Randi and guests

Jill and Chance

Bruce and John

Warren Clayton and Anya

High Desert Detective Available on a FREE download

A Special Offer for my friends and loyal readers:

FREE download August 10 to 14, 2013

High Desert Detective is now available exclusively on Amazon.com. This is the long-awaited second book in the Fiona Marlowe Detective series. The book is only available now as a digital book. If you take advantage of the free download, I only ask that you in turn review it on Amazon.com under the title of the book. I welcome any honest review. Two or three sentences on what you thought and what you’d like to see next would suffice. And please rate it. After the five day free promotion, it will list for $2.99.  Thank you all for your interest in my books.  If you’d like to contact me personally, please do so through the contact page on my web site: www.marjoriethelen.com.  Happy reading and let me know what you think!

Fiona goes west to claim her bunkhouse, the incentive Opal gave her in Designer Detective, for being the alibi on the fateful night of the fire at Albert’s mansion. Fiona meets up again with Jake Manyhorses at Opal’s ranch and they pursue cattle rustlers who threaten the very existence of the ranch. Through it all they must come to terms with their feelings for each other and decide if there is a life for them in fields of alfalfa and herds of cows.

Jamboree Again

The High Desert Fiddler Jamboree in Burns in June was a wonderful event. Dona Townsend, Lynn Staub and I played autoharp together along with Dennis, Dona's husband, who played guitar, and Maria Thompson, who played fiddle with us sometimes. Dona sent some great photos on Picassa but it took me this long to figure out how to download them. So here they are. I was emcee for an afternoon and got carried away with the hats. 

Dona is a watercolor artist. She had some of her paintings displayed at the Jamboree. One was of a cowboy and I kept looking at him thinking, that cowboy has a story. I bought the painting from her, and he will 

Dennis, Dona, Lynn & Marjorie

be in in the next book I write about about Harney County.  He'll also be on the cover. The title of the painting is "My Heroes Have Always Been" (Dona has always loved cowboys) and that will be the title of the book! Thanks Dona and Dennis for the photos! Vivan Las Amigas Autoharpistas!

Marjorie, Dona, Lynn, Maria, Dennis & Walt

 

Dona and her water color, My Heroes Have Always Been

Autoharpista taking a break

Around the ranch

CJ, Belle and Dazzler having a snooze

The horses have moved to the pasture across the street which has more grass.  The turks arrived about three weeks ago. They are Bourbon Reds. Yes, I did say I wouldn't do turks again but these are heritage turkeys and good foragers. They love bugs. We have lots. Our neighbor has 27 poults and we took the off color ones. We are down to nine chickens who provide us with about 5 eggs a day. The ducks are still laying and invade any pot or pond of water they find.  Going to be 95 degrees today. John was called out on a range fire last night. It burned sagebrush but no buildings. We go to Boise today to celebrate my birthday at Tucanos, a great Brazilian restaurant.

The turks

Ready to roost

Black Beauty and Scarlett