Fire season lasts for about 6 months.
For me that's 6 months every year guaranteed away from my family.
Since College (which was 4 years also far from home) I haven't had a full time job near my family.
Mount Adams as seen from Trout Lake, Washington
Nope...first Alaska, then Arizona for the most recent years.
Reason A) There aren't jobs to be had in the field I want locally
Reason B) I have a wandering itchy foot
SO days like today, when I am lucky enough to have my two mandatory R&R days only three hours from home are a HUGE BLESSING! This is after 14 of working. Not complaining...the last roll for me was 21 days before R&R. This is normal real life for wildland folks in the summer.
This is a brief summary of why I love being home with my family.
- My Mom hugs me and feeds me good homemade food (I block out the vegetarian lasagna MRE memories)
- My Dad tells me all the goings on at the ranch so I don't feel like I've missed out too badly
- And Sarah my Sweet-Sister-In-Law drove the 3 hours over the mountains with her baby in the backseat just to pick me up at my helicopter in Eastern Oregon and bring me the 3 more hours back home!
{I am highly blessed. My family is brimming with kindness and love for me and dedicated to supporting me in whatever way they can from far away. Convenience is not a word they understand...no they will jump any hurdle to support me and to get even the briefest times together}
Each year I anticipate not seeing them for the full 6 months...but this year I am unimaginably thankful to see them in the middle.
Only 63 days to go!
Here is a mash-up of photos I've taken on this last roll. Some are taken on my phone, some with my Go-Pro...the quality isn't that great for some but at least you get the idea!
Mt. Adams view from a gravel sling sight where we received cargo from the fire via our helicopter for a few days
Sunset from a helispot I managed on the Mt. Adams Complex fire. It was great to spike out...even with ice on my tent.
Loads prepped and ready for backhaul from H-1 on the Mt. Adams Complex
Every night in Trout Lake I crashed into my hammock for the night. This is my happy place.
Thank you Pacific Northwest. Even the most remote towns have an espresso shop with stellar coffee.
You know you're in Oregon farm country when...there is a tractor and fiberglass cows inside the grocery store.
Kudos to this store for shortening the distance from farm to table. Well done.
Life is exploding with happiness for this Auntie when she gets to have her day off with this little man. SO. MUCH. LOVE.
Finally got to bake after months of not really having any culinary expression besides Tabasco on the MRE wheat wafer.
Even though I love being home, it feels weird to be in a house. Had to have some hammock time to mentally re-set.