the valley, the hills, & the mountain

One of the things I like most about Oregon is a variety of landscape. That and how proud the residents are of it. They appreciate the beauty around them, they really do. We live and "the valley", which everyone knows to be the Willamette. (will-LAM-ette, not WILL-a-mette.) It's relatively flat and mostly farm ground, dotted with fir groves and small ferny forests. Not too far to the east, the land starts to gently climb into "the Hills". The landscape shifts to more pines and evergreens, with the only openness wide ribbons of grass seed fields. It isn't good farm ground, but one understands immediately by the German settlers chose to make "the Hills" their home: it feels a little dark and dense, like the black forest where they came from. Further yet beyond the hills lie the start of the Cascades. It grows even wilder and less inhabitable, with patches of harsh lava beds, miles of pines made bare and skeletal by ravages of fires, foggy mountain lakes tucked in crevices, rough towns of loggers and lumberjacks. Then the Cascades start to dwindle back down and the climate becomes a little more arid and ranches and miles of split rail fences replace the tangle of forest and rushing rivers of the mountain pass. The forest are all Lodgepole and Loblolly with nary a fern to speak of. Instead of green, one sees golden carpets of dry grass and sage. It's a whole 'nother world on the other side of the mountains.

Yesterday, Dar and I took a little trip over there. It was raining in the Valley and not much for a farmer to do. I love the drive over to Eastern Oregon. After winding through the hills, we saw a little snow on the mountains, then dropped back down into Sisters where the sun was shining. We got a pretty intense hike in at Smith Rock. Do go there if you ever get a chance. It was beautiful in a rugged, dry, Louis L'Amour kind of way. The golds and browns were a change of pace from all the green we see in the valley. And did I mention it wasn't raining? It's pretty awesome that I have all this and less than a three-hour drive. So different than the Midwest! Though to be honest, when we got back to our little, semi flat valley, with all the neat rows of berries and orchards of filberts, and charming red barns dotting the sod fields like knots on a green patchwork quilt, I was glad this is where we call home.  There must be more of the farmer's daughter in me then I thought!