This is how many days start in the Summer Lake Basin. It is a high elevation (4,000ft. plus) wonderland of mountain, river, marsh, and desert. We keep going back because there is always more to see and do.
There were seven of us on the expedition. Madelyn, Els and I camped at the Summer Lake Hot Springs. Carole and Karen and Mary and Elwin rented rooms from Barbara who has the Miles Motel. It is right on the edge of the Chewaucan Marsh and they were treated to the sounds of the winnowing of snipe and the calling of the sandhill cranes.
Last year, Els saw one of these rhubarb pies at breakfast. We were headed out onto some far reach of the desert to go exploring. She paid Patty for a piece for her and I, and told her if we were not back by dark for our pie-- to come looking for us. I am sure they would have too..............
Rhubarb pie has become a tradition for us at the Homestead. Patty got hold of Vicki.....who has a wonderful garden in this challenging gardening area, and she not only provided the rhubarb, but also made the pie. Her dad was the cowboy poet, Sunny Hancock. Last year I bought his book and CD. I gave the CD to Mary. Don't know whether it was just coincidence ???? but, within the year she married a cowboy and brought him out to Paisley with us!
Voted BEST OMELET in all of Oregon ...............The "Veggie" at the Homestead Cafe. Patty and her husband provide much more than really good food to this community. They are the beating heart of "what's happenin'. They are more than cordial to all who come through their door.
The "Fisher King," Larry Duckworth owns the fly shop in Paisley. He is also a DJ on the Paisley radio station 103.1 FM. You can hear "the DUCK," from 6:30 to 8:00 announcing Country and Western music. On Sundays he does an all gospel hour. Karen has a shot at the big time next visit as she is invited to play her accordian on the station as special guest artist! Larry has also offered to take Mary up to Withers Lake and teach her to cast! I hear that Larry dedicated a song to all of us on his Sunday AM show..........."Blessings on the Wind." What a guy!
We have named this man the "Horse Whisperer." He told us about raising quarter horses and how his stallions are even very gentle. The secret is to handle the colts as soon as the mare has them dried off. They will imprint on the handler as "family." There is a photo on the wall in the Homestead Restaraunt of him with a horse and dog. He told us the story of how the dog had saved his life once while he was still involved with bull riding.
This buckarette was very skilled at moving cows. She and her dogs were a sight to watch. They were bringing the cattle "off the desert." They will stay at the home ranch for a bit before they take them up to the mountains for the summer. This family of ranchers still moves their herd on horseback. Most in the Summer Lake Basin now use trucks to move cattle.
This buckarette was very skilled at moving cows. She and her dogs were a sight to watch. They were bringing the cattle "off the desert." They will stay at the home ranch for a bit before they take them up to the mountains for the summer. This family of ranchers still moves their herd on horseback. Most in the Summer Lake Basin now use trucks to move cattle.
