Category Archives: Volunteering

Travels, Volunteering

20180918 Yet Another Property:

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We keep looking for a piece of property to settle on when we tire of this wandering life. The operative terms that we focus on are:

1. Equally inconvenient for both our children. ie. Show no favoritism.
2. Somewhere to store our stuff.
3. A place where we can do pretty much as we please.
4. Temperatures in the 70’s most of the year.
5. Close to doctors.


This new prospect looses in two out of the 5 categories. Today’s temperature is 89, and the doctors are far away and over at least 3 major passes. It is over 7000 feet elevation, in southwestern Colorado. It has a functional house, plenty of room to park RVs, (several,) with direct access for all right off highway 151. And best of all it has water frontage on the Deloris River. The name of this place is Slick Rock, Colorado.

Slick Rock is a real place, although the post office was closed in favor of the one in Egner a few miles south. SlickRock is known as a processing plant for Uranium and Vanadium. Hot Stuff; really, like radio active hot.

On second thought maybe we should let this opportunity slip through our fingers.

Tonight we are tucked into the Outpost Motel and RV Campground in Dolores Colorado.
We are still in high country, 6974 ft in Dolores, and there are ominous signs just everywhere. The Aspen are turning golden colored and we saw a flock of Western Bluebirds milling about smartly as though ready to start a long journey. All it would take is a little “Winter Weather Reminder Dust.” on the tops of these 9000 Meter peaks around here to get me to retreat to the South-Lands.

Still, the rugged San Juan Mountains in mid Colorado are quite spectacular. Wayne and Karen Hall took us to the heart of the mountains and a high mountain lake to soak in the beauty. I certainly see why they love the area. The gallery of photos shows the little fix-er-up-er in Slick Rock, some golden Aspen and a quiet lake behind the 1938 CCC constructed Chapman Dam…with who? Karen swimming in it. Also some quick shots of Box Canyon Water Falls in Ouray and one of the Galloping Geese in Ridgway. These from this morning’s explorations.

To get to see the photos follow this link:
https://www.dinsmore-enterprises.com/2018/09/20180918-yet-another-property/ ‎

Gallery:

Wayne at Merideth Store

CCC Medalion from 1938
CCC Medalion from 1938
ChapmanLake with Karen Swimming
ChapmanLake with Karen Swimming
Box Canyon Water Falls, Ouray CO
Box Canyon Water Falls, Ouray CO
Nice Restorsation of a Smaller Galloping Goose, a Buic
Nice Restorsation of a Smaller Galloping Goose, a Buic
Lever Action Car Jack, Chain to stop car, and water spout
Lever Action Car Jack, Chain to stop car, and water spout
Hard Working Volunteer
Hard Working Volunteer
Volunteering

20180704 Independence Day

We spent the 4th of July at Fort Yamhill in the Grand Ronde Valley of Oregon. Jim and Janice Scott and Marta Gustafson joined us at the flag pole in the middle of the Fort Yamhill parade grounds. From  this flagpole we fly our “Period American Flag” with 33 stars.
This of all days is quite special because Oregon.became the 33rd state in 1859. They ratified becoming a state on February 14th 1859, but tradition is to introduce the new flag  on Independence day. We celebrated the 159th anniversary of that first raising of a 33 star flag on a flagpole very close to the location of the original Fort Yamhill flagpole. Continue reading 20180704 Independence Day →

Maintenance, Travels, Uncategorized, Volunteering

20171220 BOB Arrives

For the past month we have been staying on Neil and Renee’s new home lot in Leander Texas. This is a six acre “Ranch” very near what is known as the Texas Hill Country in Austin Texas. Austin is in central Texas, just a bit east and south of dead center. Houston is a few hours east of us and San Antonio is a couple hours south of us. There is very little to the west except the Big Bend Country and El Paso.
Continue reading 20171220 BOB Arrives →

Volunteering

This is Why I Volunteer:

Judy and I spent the month of July at Fort Yamhill State Heritage Site. When we first volunteered with the Oregon State Parks in 2013, Matt Heureter, park ranger, offered us a position. Immediately upon arrival Matt offered us the opportunity to take “Core Training” at Canby Oregon. With this training I really got pumped on the interpreting side of volunteering. With my background in band through grade school, high school and Coast Guard training, I got excited about the possibility of learning the Civil War bugle calls and incorporating them in my interpretation.
Well, long-story-short; I bought a bugle and I have used it at three different venues in the past four years. July 2016 started out with the “Fourth of July” celebrations and I dusted off my “Honor the Flag” presentation and offered the opportunity for several visitors that weekend to raise and lower the Fort Yamhill Flag. Because we are a heritage site we are flying a rather large 34 star “Period” flag from the time of the American Civil War. I have seen crusty old former “first sergeants” get choked up over handling the flag of our ancestors. It’s a neat feeling being part of their experience.
On July 30, 2013, I was rocked back on my heels. A Vietnam Veteran, about my age, battered hat and full facial hair, approached me as I was sweeping the parking lot and started to explain that I had done the “Honor the Flag” with him over the July 4th weekend. He went on to explain that it really hit home with him and his son, indicating the man standing beside him. He wanted to thank me and started to offer his hand. I caught a glimmer of metal in his palm as our hands met. Our hands rotated and a coin dropped into my palm.
I looked into his eyes and could see he was a little misty eyed. He started to explain that he had just “Coined” me because the flag ceremony had touched him so deeply. He continued to explain the honor he had just bestowed on me as we stood together examining the two inch diameter coin.
As I reflect on the events of our tour of duty at Fort Yamhill in July of 2016, I get a little choked up myself when I realize that: ”This is why I volunteer.”
BugleFlag