Tag Archives: Columbia Plateau,

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 12

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Posted by on in children, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

October 3, 2026- My granddaughter noticed my thumb resting on the wall of the changing table, just above her head. She reached up and moved it away from its rest. Hana is establishing her boundaries. She does not want her space to be crowded by any of us, at certain times of day. It seems to be both an early morning, “Give me space to wake up” and a late in the day, “Leave me alone; I’ve had it.” We three will honour those feelings and will teach her how to deal with those who won’t.

We all went back to Fairview Farmers, for another breakfast. This time, we took a table in the shaded outdoor section, and were the first ones there. In short order, seven more parties arrived, giving Hana much to look around and watch. She was for a time, however, very much interested in studying the menu, opening it up and examining the inside pages. Printed pages, with graphics, are her delight.

I have heard the term, “Big Personality”, used to describe outgoing, expressive people. Penny was certainly in that category, as was her father-and mine, for that matter. Hana also is coming to fit the bill, as well.

HANA’S NOTE- I like to see how letters are put together. My grownups can make sounds with them. I want to do the same.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Oregon- I’ve made six trips to the series of delights that is this land of four terrains. Portland is often criticized for being a wild, semi-civilized place, but I have had only pleasant experiences there. The Coast, the Willamette Valley, Cascades and high desert likewise have their unique gems.

The turf:The Beaver State, like its northern and southern neighbours, Washington and California, has a moist, rocky and forested coast, bordered to the east by the Cascade Mountains, which then give way to the arid Columbia Plateau and Great Basin. Oregon is drained by the Columbia, Klaskanine, Youngs, Wallooskee, John Day, Clatskanie, Willamette, Clackamas, Collawash, Tualitin, Molalla, Yamhill, Luckiamute, Santiam, Calapooia, Marys, Roaring, McKenzie, Blue, Sandy, Hood, Deschutes, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Klamath, Coquille, Umpqua, Chetco, Rogue, Applegate, New, Smith, Sixes, Coos, Siltcoos, Suislaw,Yachats, Alsea, Yaquina,Silets, Salmon, Tillamook, Trask,Nehalem, Necanicum Owyhee,Powder, Malheur, Imnaha and Snake Rivers, along with hundreds of tributary creeks and streams.

First Nations- Oregon is the ancestral home of 25 Nations, the largest of which are the Upper Umpqua, Chinook, Umatilla, Siletz, Klamath, and Shasta peoples. The racism and ignorance of some settlers, and their leaders, in the period 1845-1860, led to the Linn Massacre of 1849 and the Rogue River Wars of 1844-56. Jingoistic “Indian agents” and a demagogic governor, George Law Curry, whipped up fear among the settlers, exacerbating the Rogue River conflict. Curry also raised an Oregon militia to fight alongside Federal troops, during the Yakima War, in neighboring Washington Territory. By the time the Rogue River conflict ended, in June, 1856, 100 First Nations people and 94 Whites lay dead. Reservations were established, across Oregon. Several have been “terminated”, by an Act of Congress, but First Nations people retain water and fishing rights.

Where I feel most at home- Bandon, Astoria, Brookings, Portland, Salem. Culver, Jordan Valley, Rogue River Gorge, Crater Lake.

Where I fell most at peace- Portland Chinatown, Smith Rock, Azalea Park (Brookings), Oregon Dunes, Sea Lion Caves, Pillars of Rome

NEXT: We leave the Pacific states and look to the Northwest Interior, and Idaho

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 11

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, Community, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

October 2, 2026- Hana and I took a longer walk today-2 miles, round trip, going along a paved path in Hoblitzelle Park that passes Hedgecoxe Elementary School and followed the connecting street to its junction with Hedgecoxe Road. There, at the corner, was Montessori Children’s House. So, I noted to my granddaughter that we had passed two possible schools in her future. She was happy; probably because of the delight in my voice.

Later in the afternoon, Hana showed interest in a book I am reading on a more esoteric subject. She noted the two people on the cover, also feeling how smooth the cover was. Then she opened the book and was looking carefully at some charts and graphs. I explained what those were, in very simple terms. She continued looking at the printed pages, for nearly fifteen minutes. I read the title of the book and the authors’ names to her, a couple of times. This is consistent with her keen interest in books, whether they are simple cloth books, pop-ups or more detailed volumes.

HANA’S NOTE- I like Papa helping me with my breakfast and lunch, but i want Mommy to be home and help me with dinner. Papa lets me wait for her, which is nice.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Washington State-The Evergreen State, like northern California, is a place of enormous contrast. I’ve enjoyed all parts of the state, in five different visits.

The Turf- Western Washington, especially the Olympic Peninsula, is covered by rain forest, and along with southeast Alaska, is one of the wettest parts of the mainland United States. Islands fill the Straits of Juan de Fuca, which separates Washington from Vancouver Island, and Puget Sound, between the Olympic Peninsula and the Seattle area. East of Puget Sound are the foothills of the Northern Cascades. Seattle has some of the sharpest elevation grades of any American city, rivaling San Francisco., East of Metro, the Northern Cascades rise in earnest. Beyond the Cascades, the Columbia Plateau is semi-arid, getting almost desert-like in the southeast corner, known as the Palouse. North of the plateau, the Columbia Mountains extend nearly to Spokane, ameliorating the dry conditions that are prevalent in the southeast of the state. Washington is drained by the Columbia, Snake, Skagit, Toppenish,Snohomish, Cascade, Sauk, Snoqualmie, Sammamish, Duwamish, Puyallup, Nisqually, Okanagan, Cowlitz,Yakima, Spokane, Chelan and Wenatchee Rivers, among nearly 300 divers, streams and creeks,

First Nations- Washington State is the ancestral home of 29 First Nations. The largest of these are the Colville, Cowlitz, Lummi, Makah, Muckleshoot, Nooksack, Port Gamble(Kitsap), Puyallup, Quinault, Spokane, Swinomish, Tulalip and Yakama. In the 1850s, a four-year, territory-wide war between the Yakama and their affiliated nations on the one hand, and the U.S. Army, the Territorial Governments of Washington and Oregon, and the Snoqaulmie Nation, on the other, was sparked by the wanton murder of two Yakama women and an infant, by a party of drunken miners, followed by the husband and father of the victims killing a government emissary and several settlers. The conflict resulted in the establishment of reservations for the Yakama, Spokane and Walla Walla people. Relations between Native and white people today are generally peaceful.

Where I feel most at home- Tacoma, Olympia, Quinault, Neah Bay, Forks, Port Angeles, Spokane, Pullman, Goldendale.

Where I feel most at peace- Neah Bay, Goldendale

NEXT: Oregon