Author: Diana Blakney

Just before we begin our walk through the forest. About nine folks from our townhouse development who expressed interest in our forest practices.

This is where we intended the group to eat after the walk, but the yellow jackets were too fierce, so we ate in the farmhouse.

Anna Maria made a fabulous apple cake for the tour group. She made it with farm apples and it was a huge, delicious hit!

Kay did a quick check of the tour path before the group arrived. She had a long day of preparation and clean up … not to mention socializing.

One of the tour group took photos and posted them on the clubhouse door. I took photos of the photos.

The bark of what I think is an Oregon ash. Soon to fall victim to the Emerald Ash Borer.

Oregon ash leaves. I think.

The whole tree.

Three new baby chicks!

Game camera location is marked with a blue flag.

Look carefully … the game camera is there

This will be the turn around point on the tour. Rock Creek with a large wood placement visible upstream.

Siblings: KC, Diana, Sid, Kathryn and Judith. We all spent quality time here as children and adults.

Ignore the 2017 date on the photo…I failed to notice that the date had not been updated. We put the camera up on or before July 4, 2025 and removed it today, August 12, 2025.

Sandra clears weeds while Sid makes sure she doesn’t roll down the hill into the newly plowed field.

Our neighbors have begun work on the field they have leased to grow winter wheat.

Back at the farmhouse, Bill and Sandra load old furniture to give away.

Sid cleans the mower of all the dry, cut grasses

A few more stacks of firewood and off Bill and Dee go to begin mapping the forest roads and trails.

Ooooops….too big for today.