The Abandoned: fairies

Friday, August 13, 2010

Faeries in The Abandoned - Weekend Reflections

Sissy and I went for a walk in the Forest near The Abandoned. We hiked down the side of the fern-clad canyon to Deer Valley, a magical place from our childhood. The deer trails were there--still used by generations of deer. There was a sort of wonder all around us--a soft quiet to the air as though past and present had converged. I was sure if we waited long enough, we would see something amazing.

And we did--if you look closely--just in front of the old beaver dam--you can see a faery face reflection in the water, peeking over the "Y" of the tree.

For more wonderful reflections from around the world, be sure to visit James at Weekend Reflections.

NOTE: If you intend to visit The Abandoned, be sure to get permission from the owners first. If you do not have permission, you may be arrested and prosecuted for trespassing.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Where the Maiden Hair Fern Grows - Shadow Shot Sunday

Sissy and I went for a walk down through the forests of our childhood...down into a place we named as children--Deer Valley. There was magic in the air. Then, Where the Maiden Hair Fern Grows . . .

Sissy and I were sure we saw faeries begin to dance.

For more incredible shadow shots, visit Harriet for Shadow Shot Sunday.

NOTE: If you intend to visit The Abandoned, be sure to get permission from the owners first. If you do not have permission, you may be arrested and prosecuted for trespassing.

The Abandoned

Years ago, I dedicated this blog to The Abandoned, a huge complex of abandoned buildings in rural Oregon.

Surrounded by wetlands and old growth timber, The Callahan Center was built in the 1970's by the State of Oregon as a rehabilitation center for people recovering from injuries on the job.

In 1992, the property was bought by a mega church. However, the Living Enrichment Center closed in 2004, amidst financial scandal and the property was abandoned.

The buildings stood empty for many years. Over that span the property was vandalized and looted. Yet the beauty of its rare architecture shone through the shambles of abuse and disrepair.

In the summer of 2013, the complex was completely demolished. We were all sad to see the buildings go, but because of trespassers and vandals, it was necessary to take them down.

The area where The Abandoned once stood is filled with $500,000 mushroom houses (homes built so fast they pop up like mushrooms) built on postage stamp lots. There are sidewalks and tall lamps where I once watched the foxes of the field leaping above the grass, hunting rodents.

The surrounding woodlands still survive. It is my prayer the wetlands and forests with their pristine creeks, native trees and flowers, as well as the wildlife which shelter there, will be protected.