2011-09-25 Decking

Finally got to the stage where we put the decking on this weekend!

Over the last few weeks I built a pergola frame. Shown are the painted boards and the bare deck frame.


Frame up. I'll put pergola slats on top after the decking is done.


We used some PVC coated composite decking from Veranda called Fiberon Rosewood. We got the kind that you put in with (incredi-expensive) hidden fasteners. So, there are virtually no screws visible on the whole deck! The fasteners are recommended 12in on center. The boards are amazingly heavy! It was somewhat hard just to lift one alone, due to the weight and length. The kick boards on the steps are round edged, instead of grooved edge, and are screwed in with the special anti-mushroom reverse thread tops.

First board in! One down, 72 to go.


Almost halfway. It was too hot so we put up some tarps to keep us from getting burned.


All done! There are a couple of finishing details, but it's functionally complete. Thanks for the help Dad!


Next: Finish Bog, Finish GH Rockwall, Finish Pond, Put in a drain, Plant. What‽ We might actually put a plant in the ground this year? Unthinkable.

2011-09-14 Mt Hood

Portland was dismally coated in eternal cloud cover today which encouraged us to tread elsewhere. Passing Government camp, the clouds broke and revealed a cloudless sky ornamented by the crag of Mt Hood. The sunny warmth at 6000' substantially out shined the drear at 200' in town.

The view Southwest. To the west the clouds lingered and in the east only a haze from local forest fires marred the view.


I'd never noticed this plant before! It's an Aster, at least it was: Oreostemma alpigenum var alpigenum. Apparently only native to OR and WA and only above Timberline, so it's fairly rare. The puffball is the seed head which came from something like the purple flower in the background.


Saxifraga tolmiei var tolmiei is a succulent saxifrage. Pretty cute.


There was a lot of snow up high, still.


Hiking buddies, Emiliano, the model...


and Jessica, too cool to look at the camera and smile.


Both akimbo.


That was a fun trip!

2011-09-10 Mt Hood

It was HOT in Portland, so I woke up at 5am and drove to Mt Hood. It was only in the 70s up high, which was still a bit warmer than I would have preferred. It was nice early in the morning!

First, stopped at Mt Hood Meadows again. Growing in the gravel alongside the road was Lupinus lepidus, still in bloom. I was finally able to get a couple seeds from it!


Down in the stream valley is a large bog with long morning shadows. Castilleja suksdorfii brightened up the meadow.


In the wild Epilobium angustifolium doesn't look like a weed.


I actually found two plants of Spiranthes romanzoffiana! This plant is very rare on Mt Hood. I suppose it might be Spiranthes porrifolia... I don't remember the differences. Spiranthes porrifolia is even rarer.




The meadow was dominated by Goldenrod, Solidago elongata.


In the background, a Sorbus with bright red berries favored by the birds.


A quarter mile along the trail is Umbrella Falls.


After I left the Meadows, I drove out Hwy 44 looking for Lilium washingtonianum seed. Most of the pods were eaten by deer! As I was getting ready to give up, success: this is exactly what I wanted to see. Most plants have 1 to 4 flowers while this one had 10.


By noon, heat related uncomfortableness was beginning to accumulate, so I drove to Timberline where the temperature was more conducive to enjoyment.

I, for untold reasons, have a soft spot for decumbence amongst plants. Here is the diminutive Antennaria umbrinella.


And the recumbent alpine Spraguea umbellata var caudicifera.


Me thinks that this is Eriogonum compositum. For some reason it's hard to find information of the Buckwheat family online... It's colorful, compact and drought resistant: you would think there would be more interest in the genus.


A close-up of a more orange-flowered plant. The red leaves on the plant in the background are Polygonum newberryi var. newberryi.


The Lupinus latifolia are still blooming en masse. They have a very nice fragrance when there are this many of them at once.


Most aren't white.




Growing in Glacial runoff, Castilleja parviflora var oreopola.


Speaking of Glacial activity, I leave you with an epistemological proof.


Before ending, I would like to mention that I picked up a lot of trash at Timberline, scattered amongst the boulders. If you're out there enjoying yourself and see a wayward bottle left by some troglodyte-esque miscreant, don't assume that someone else will get it. This is public land: it's yours! Take care of it as if it were your backyard. Evidenced below, karma: fiver found amongst the rubbish.