Spring has sprung with a vengeance, and I have suffered the consequences. Yesterday we had our afternoon class outside and I got sunburnt. Embarassingly sunburnt. A lovely shade of pink, to be exact. It's keeping me warm while I write. Normally Carl and I have weekends on opposite times of the week, but today I had the opportunity to join him on an exploration of the area. Tomorrow I may be giving four massages to four total strangers (we're starting senior clinics, our first encounters with the public, and there will be much more on that later once I've lived through it), but today was totally given over to fun. It started with a trip to the farmer's market up in Medford, wandering between stalls filled with plant starts, various crafts, and delicious food and veggies. We collected some baby beets for the garden, full-grown adult beets and wild fiddleheads for dinner, and home-made tamales for lunch. Loaded up in the truck, Bubba's head out the window, we cruised through the picture-perfect town of Jacksonville on our way to the Applegate Valley. We had a brief stop to check out this home constructed from a Sears and Roebuck catalogue:
Our destination was Squaw Lake, eight miles back from Applegate Lake up a twisty gravel road. It's a popular spot in the summer and it's easy to see why. Bubba made it in the water in less than 5 minutes from the trailhead, the lake is ringed by various camp sites, and even in March the water temperature was decidedly pleasant. After eating our tamales (still warm) sitting in the sun on a log by the lake, we headed up the trail until something caught our eye. Down below, perched in a row on a log, sat three fat little turtles. Carl's childhood stalking instincts were aroused and the hunt was on. Bubba and I watched from the shore as he flushed out and nabbed this impressive specimen of a red-eared slider (a non-native species).
Here's a close-up of the handsome guy (turtle, not boy).
Next it was my turn. Learning from the best, I proceeded to stalk...
...corral...
...and wrastle my very first wild turtle. That's the kind of success you get when you learn from the best! Mine was a western pond turtle, a native species, and a pretty good looking reptile if I do say so myself.
On our last bit around Carl practiced for the Scottish highland games and tired Bubba out at the same time.
We drove around to the other side of Applegate Lake for a view of the peaks in the Red Butte Wilderness, someplace we're definitely checking out once the snow melts.
The manzanitas are blooming! Who knew?
Back at home, showered and supplied with gin and tonics, it was time for dinner. Here are the fiddleheads before...
...and after. A little garlic, olive oil, and soy sauce go a long way when paired with crunchy green goodness.
Life is good in the ol' wild and wonderful Oregon!
Here's a close-up of the handsome guy (turtle, not boy). 
Next it was my turn. Learning from the best, I proceeded to stalk... 
...corral... 
...and wrastle my very first wild turtle. That's the kind of success you get when you learn from the best! Mine was a western pond turtle, a native species, and a pretty good looking reptile if I do say so myself. 
On our last bit around Carl practiced for the Scottish highland games and tired Bubba out at the same time. 
We drove around to the other side of Applegate Lake for a view of the peaks in the Red Butte Wilderness, someplace we're definitely checking out once the snow melts. 
The manzanitas are blooming! Who knew? 
Back at home, showered and supplied with gin and tonics, it was time for dinner. Here are the fiddleheads before... 
...and after. A little garlic, olive oil, and soy sauce go a long way when paired with crunchy green goodness. 
Life is good in the ol' wild and wonderful Oregon!
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