Re: PNW: 2015 August

Marc Iverson 8/21/2015, 5:25 pm

sanderson wrote:I forgot to mention that OR-WA has tons of wild berry vines. The berries weren't especially large, but maybe due to the lack of pruning.

A lot of that is due to the hydration issues. We get much larger berries, typically, in the more sun-sheltered locations. If the berries are growing out in the sun with no water all summer, the way a pretty good proportion of them are, then they'll be much tinier and often look shriveled. A patch right next to them with partial shade may have nice plump berries.

**gwennifer** 8/23/2015, 4:00 pm

sanderson wrote:I forgot to mention that OR-WA has tons of wild berry vines. The berries weren't especially large, but maybe due to the lack of pruning.

Marc beat me to it. It's not a pruning issue, it's just that this summer has been so hot and dry for so long. The blackberries that grow wild all around here (you don't have to go too far to find them, they are so invasive) are huge. Costco sized.

I'm glad you were able to enjoy our beautiful part of the region before all the wildfires. The last two days have been hazy and, as my kids exclaimed when we went outside yesterday morning "It smells like camping". The nearest fires to us are 100 miles away - can't imagine how bad it is for those who live any closer. Hope everyone is well.

Marc Iverson 8/23/2015, 6:11 pm

Ditto. Hope everyone stays safe.

We've had a few hazy days this summer, as there will always be fires during the summer, but none as bad as two years ago, when the air was almost unbreathable and I actually started choking while driving and had to pull over. (To do what? Sit there in the car choking to death?)

Today the smoke is the worst it's been since two years ago. Must be something big and/or close burning.

Two years ago, all the ash and smoke really hurt my tomato plants. I hope they don't damage my struggling garden again this year. Crossing my fingers it doesn't get any worse.

**donnainzone5** 8/23/2015, 7:38 pm

It's been three years since the fire near Sisters, which created the worst smoke I've seen, until now.

We're now getting smoke, I think, from Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and California fires--all at once.

**Kelejan** 8/25/2015, 11:43 pm

I think we here in British Columbia are also getting a bit. I know most of ours are from Washington State. They may be burning for months according to some reports. I have not been able to see our local mountain that dominates the town, for three days now and it is just across the Columbia River from where I live.

Marc Iverson 8/26/2015, 12:05 am

A friend of ours knows firefighters in the Crater Lake area, and she says our smoke is coming all the way from there. That is a long drive away. It's so big and well-fueled, she says they're telling her, that they're not even trying to put it out. They're just getting people out of the area.

And she said they don't expect it to be put out until November!!!

**sanderson** 8/26/2015, 3:42 am

I just realized that Audrey is within the zone of smoke influence of the Rough Fire down here in Fresno County. I went outside early evening to work but the air was too smokey for me. My husband didn't (and rarely does) notice this. So I'm inside, also. At least in the morning the other pollutants are low until the morning rush hour and the rising sun.

**gwennifer** 8/29/2015, 7:25 pm

We had a wonderful thunderstorm roll through at 4 am. The rain was more than welcome, the wind not so much. My tomato cages were knocked over onto my beans. Laughing

**sanderson** 8/30/2015, 2:50 am

Vancouver! I was just there for a few days! I bet you and everyone loved the rain.

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