Family and Farm Life on the Nehalem River
updated 2/13/10
We are lucky enough to live on the Nehalem River in beautiful Jewell, Oregon. Each year we get two salmon runs (silver and chinook), and three runs of steelhead right in our backyard! Searun (cutthroat trout) navigate here from the ocean, spawn, and then return to sea. We also have a wide range of  variety of animals that we share space with. Some of the more common animals are: coyote, raccoons, eagles, mink, deer, elk and possums. While we don't see these animals too often, we do see "sign" of them: bear, mountain lion (cougar), bobcat, and Bigfoot. Just kidding! Well, we do live in the Pacific Northwest. We enjoyed being able to raise our three children in such a beautiful area in a small rural community and look forward to doing the same with our grandkids.

Farm from hillside
                                                               

In 1999 we were approached by Food Chain Films from Portland, Oregon requesting permission to shoot a commercial down by the river for Home and Garden T.V. (HGTV). This was for a contest they were promoting called "Dream Home Giveaway 2000". Max was recruited for the part of the fly fisherman. The commercial ran for about three months in the Spring of 2000. It was fun and exciting to see Max and our farm featured on TV.

max
The production crew in front of our feed store, Jewell Farm Supply

filming
Filming down on the Nehalem River in the beautiful fall color.
September 1999


Some of our favorite memorable family moments

Alex (age 18) on his high school graduation night: June 2000
alex
A double celebration party was thrown as he also had just received his Oregon State and National Registry EMT-Basic certification.

Alex at age 27 in Iraq.  He has been deployed to Iraq three times as a Combat Medic.

Alex in Iraq


Alex and his wife, Heather
Alex and Heather



Summer Days down on the Nehalem River
kids in river with dog
Ashley and Brice on inner tubes, with Sage, rock hunting in the river  Summer 1999
Rock hunting is a favorite pastime for us, including Sage.


            Our swimming hole, looking upstream
river


island
    Across the swimming hole to the island.




Downstream with the island on the left



     Max hard at work with Sage

   Rainfall Totals

For fun I have been keeping track of the rain with a gauge located on my deck.
Offical Norman Totals:
Yes, these are INCHES!

1998
129.5"
1999
117.8"
2000
61.5"
2001
63.2"
2002
64.6"
2003
62.3"
2004
 45.6"
2005
 66.9"
2006
 87.75"
2007
 57.00"
2008
 48.5"
2009
 Not accurate, lost May-June
36.6"
2010
 to Feb 13: 13.6

 

*Pictures of The Great Flood of 1996*
Enter here for a look at our farm underwater
 

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