I saw my first butterfly of spring yesterday, a California tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica). They overwinter as adults. When the wings are folded, they look like a dead leaf or tree bark. This one saw me and was doing exactly that. The upperside wings are orange and brown ...

Here's the fabulous Vista House viewpoint, Columbia Gorge.🌲

Electricians in Portland/Vancouver reporting there’s no work. What happens when the government drags its feet on affordable housing. www.reddit.com/r/electricia...

Wind turbines cranking on a windy day in the eastern Gorge last week. A friendly reminder that the wind doesn’t care what’s happening in the Strait of Hormuz.

A new experiment for tracking monarchs: adoptamonarch.org is looking for donors to fund solar-powered radio tags to track monarchs in real time. They emit a Bluetooth signal that smartphones pick up, similar to AirTags. You can fund one monarch for $200, or part of one ...

On March 11, OHA announced 2 new COVID deaths in Oregon; the total is now 10,960. Hospitalizations are at 0.1 per 100,000, compared to a national average of 0.6. Wastewater levels are well off the peak, except for Hermiston, which is showing a sustained increase.

A landslide has closed the Historic Columbia River Hwy. between Portland Women's Forum & Crown Point. The next 2 days will bring heavy rain to the area not seen in years. The Eagle Creek Fire has made slopes unstable. Be extremely wary of debris flows. They can happen suddenly...

Ziply Fiber estimates service will be restored to the West Beaverton area by 6 am PST. Which is really funny, because we are on Daylight Time. So I assume that will be 7 am.

There’s a Ziply Fiber outage in the Beaverton area. Both voice & Internet are affected.

Grass widows in the Gorge are at peak now; this is a shot taken yesterday at Tom McCall Preserve. Get out to see them this week. Cool, showery weather will prolong the bloom a bit, but some snow is also in the forecast Mon/Tue, possibly Sat. The moisture is needed.

Looks like the power is mostly back on, about 800 customers are still affected. www.columbiagorgenews.com/free_news/po...

The power is out in the entire town of Hood River.

This week, the east Gorge had yellow goldstars, pink prairie stars, & tiny white flowers of Whitlow-grass. The display is just getting started. Grass widows will peak over the next week. Next week is predicted to be cool & wet, which should prolong the bloom.

On 3/4, OHA reported 4 new COVID deaths in Oregon; the total is now 10,958. Hospitalizations are at 0.1 per 100,000 compared to a national average of 0.9. This is a record low for the pandemic. We are tied with New Mexico & Maryland.

Lucky barrel is my name....I don't know why But one thing I do know....is I give good side eye Meet me at Cat Adoption Team in Sherwood OR

Coming up now on OPB Radio Think Out Loud & 8 pm tonight: Interview with Gorge Commissioner Robert Liberty resigned from the body due to their pro-development policies.

Yesterday, OHA reported 1 new COVID death in Oregon; 2 in the prior week. The total is now 10,954. Hospitalizations are at 0.1 per 100,000, compared to a national average of 0.9. Wastewater levels are currently showing the wave has peaked, same for flu. OHA just introduced ...

Portland’s affordable housing authority takes 185 days on average to fill a vacant unit, & has a struggling debt coverage ratio: www.wweek.com/news/2026/02...

Grass widows (Olsynium douglasii) are one of the 1st flowers to appear in late winter in the Gorge. They live in open & grassy areas from the central Gorge eastward. The magenta flowers are always a delight to see after a long winter. No Native American uses are noted...

Think Out Loud on OPB radio at 8 pm tonight had a segment on "Black Infinity House," an art exhibit at Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River until March 29, 2026. From the group Black in the Gorge, it features more than 30 Black artists in Oregon: www.opb.org/article/2026...

Only in Portland can a city have a housing affordability & homelessness crisis they say is too big to address, then discover they have $21 million in unspent funds just lying around in their housing fund: www.kptv.com/video/2026/0...

The grassland or wholeleaf saxifrage (Micranthes integrifolia), grows in vernally wet meadows in the Gorge at all elevations. It can even grow in rocky spots with sufficient moisture such as seeps, creeksides, or cliff walls. Other species in the related genus Saxifraga were ...

You probably heard about the recent death from colorectal cancer of James Van Der Beek, star of Dawson's Creek. We know some details, but there are missing pieces. He said he had Stage 3 cancer. Typically, this is highly treatable. It's possible he had ... people.com/james-van-de...

Wednesday, 2/11, OHA reported 7 new COVID deaths in Oregon with 6 of them in 2026; the total is now 10,951. Hospitalizations are at 0.2 per 100,000 compared to a national average of 0.8. Wastewater levels are noisy but show an increasing trend.

Another trash pickup of Old Highway 8 completed. The road to Catherine Creek is now clean & ready for spring wildflower viewing. Enjoy the trip!

Public comment to save wild salmon on the Columbia River. Deadline March 2: www.wildsalmon.org/npcc-patagon...

On Wed. 2/4, OHA reported zero new COVID deaths in Oregon; the total is 10,944. There have been no deaths in 2026. As of 1/31, hospitalizations (green) are at 0.3 per 100,000, compared to a national average of 0.8. Wastewater levels have been trending down. Eugene, ...

The western monarch count is in, & it's the 3rd lowest tally at 12,260 butterflies. Please donate to Monarch Joint Venture & tell elected officials that monarchs need protection. California is doing little to set aside land for overwintering sites. monarchjointventure.org/blog/western...

First stirrings of spring in the Gorge: grass widow, prairie star, wholeleaf saxifrage, salt & pepper desert parsley, & ...

Oregon will lose a member of Congress while Texas & Florida each gain 4 members, because Oregon blocks housing, while Texas & Florida build housing. @tinakotek.bsky.social

Google is attempting a public land grab for its data center water supply. Contact @wyden.senate.gov & tell him our public land needs to be protected! www.sfgate.com/national-par...

Wednesday, January 21, OHA reported 2 new COVID deaths in Oregon; the total is now 10,943. As of 1/3, hospitalizations are at 0.7 per 100,000 compared to a national average of 1.9. Wastewater levels are increasing in North Bend & The Dalles.

An Amtrak train struck a forklift driver near the intersection of SE 12th Avenue & SE Clinton on Friday. The driver is critically injured. katu.com/news/local/c...

Light snow passing through the Gorge now, with pockets of freezing rain near Corbett.

I'm🦘🦘😡 at The Democrats. They sold their membership list to an environmental nonprofit. How do I know? They have a unique misspelling of my name in their records, & it showed up on the mailing from @audubon.org. The Dems must be hard up for money if they'd stoop this low to do this. They won't ...

After 7 months, phase 2 of the Rowena Fire cleanup is finally starting. www.kptv.com/2026/01/16/r...

The Hood River Bridge will have temporary lane closures on Thursday, 1/15. portofhoodriver.com

Jaw-dropping sunset on yesterday's hike. This is looking east with the sun setting behind me. Wildflowers are beginning, a very early start to the season. Update soon.

The Troutdale Library will be closed through at least the end of January due to roof truss damage. More repairs will be needed later this year. (Oregonian, 1/11/26, p. A2)

Wednesday, 1/7, OHA reported 4 new COVID deaths in Oregon; the total is now 10,940. Hospitalizations as of 1/3/26 are at 0.5 per 100,000, compared to a national average of 1.2. No wastewater update.

Portland cyclist hits pothole at SE 52nd & Division, flies over handlebars, dies. No vehicles were involved. kptv.com/2026/01/07/p... PBOT's Vision Zero focuses on making driving inconvenient. It should focus on fixing the roads & sidewalks.

The clasping Venus' looking-glass (Triodanis perfoliata) is an annual herb native to the Americas, ranging from Argentina to southern Canada. In the Gorge it's uncommon enough to not appear in Russ Jolley's "Wildflowers of the Columbia Gorge." It's from the bluebell family ...

Turning Point USA co-founder Bill Montgomery died of COVID, & Charlie Kirk died from gun violence. The organization opposed both COVID health measures & gun control: www.snopes.com/news/2026/01... If you have ads blocked, use this link: www.msn.com/en-us/news/u...

On 12/31/25, OHA announced 6 new COVID deaths in Oregon; the total is now 10,936. Hospitalizations are at 0.4 per 100,000 as of 12/31 compared to a national average of 0.8. OHA has not updated wastewater data since 12/4.

Free parking days in 2026 for Portland Metro regional parks:

Wishing you all a fruitful & happy 2026 from the Gorge! (US Government photo from the now defunct Gorge air quality monitoring site) We've had a warm winter so far, and a few wildflowers are already blooming in some sheltered spots. Photos soon.

Yesterday we finished balsamroot planting for the season and were rewarded with a stunning sunset with Mt. Hood on the center-right horizon. I brought hot chocolate to celebrate, and with the chilly temperature it was just what I needed.

Bald eagles have returned to the Gorge. 2 good places to see them are The Dalles Dam & the Balfour-Klickitat wayside park in Lyle, WA.

After a stinging referendum signature drive, Oregon Democrats consider repealing the state transportation funding bill to avoid it becoming a major issue in the November election: www.wweek.com/news/state/2...

Merry Christmas from the Gorge! Whether or not you celebrate, the values of peace, gift giving, & good will to all are worthy of practicing & upholding in the region. Speak up when you see those values being violated. The Gorge will reward you in infinite measure.