Bethel Island
A Drinking Community with a Fishing Problem
Some pictures of Bethel Island & our Mountain Cabin

Our Century Plant Bloomed a few years ago.

I caught this nice steelhead about 1/4 mile from our boat dock. One of our cats has more than a casual interest in the trophy.

For 2 years running this pair of Canada geese have raised a brood here in Piper Slough. Last year, they raised 4 young and the 4 are back as yearlings. Bart and Tide sure would like to fetch them when we go on our morning walks. They are back for the third year, but no little ones yet.

In the Jan 1997 floods, the water was 18" from going over the top of the Bethel Island levee. As you can see, it was a nervous time. The top of that piling, at mean tide, is usually 6 to 8 feet above my head.

This is an aerial view of Piper Slough and some of the houses and boat docks on our side of the island. For a view from the "Spy in the Sky", click Here.

The Bethel Island Community Center and Boy Scout Hall.

The Bethel Island town, looking north. We used to have more bars than restaurants.
I haven't been checking on the number or either lately.

Bethel Island looking south. You can see the bridge over Taylor Slough to the mainland.

Bethel Island Post Office. There is no mail delivery and everyone has a Post Office box.

Playing fetch with our Black Labrador Retrievers, Tide and Bart.

Tide is retrieving the bumper.

This big float washed up on Bethel Island. Tide thinks it is just too big to fetch.

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This is a view of the old Little Franks Tract's ramp  to "nowhere" at mean tide. On December 31, 2005 we had the highest tide we have seen in 35 years.

Twin palm trees on Bethel Island.

A sunset looking west from Bethel Island.

The Cormorant Tree inside Horseshoe Bend next to Bethel Island.

The End of Bethel Island Road. There must be a pot of gold somewhere near.

This is my trophy wall with a 2X3 black tail, pheasant tail feathers (for fly tying), and a 7" tusk from a wild boar. Since I am 1/8th Paiute, lots of Indian artifacts too.

Mary Ann and Varmint Al in front of the cabin.

The old Varmint himself on the back deck of the cabin drinking coffee and watching for deer across the canyon. Must have been out of Henry Weinhard's.

The one bad condition, at The Cabin, is that there are Assassin Bugs up there. I was able to find where they were breeding and destroy the breeding area. I haven't seen one in the last few years. But in the process, I was bitten so many times that I became sensitized and go into shock if bitten. Here are some links with more information. Assassin Bugs

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Pedicularis densiflora - Indian Warrior.... Not a mystery any more. This flower grows up at my cabin at an elevation of 2700 ft on the north facing slopes and blooms in April. It has purple to green leaves similar to fern leaves and bright red blossoms. The total height is about 8 inches. To show the correct size prospective, the middle picture is Dick taking a picture of the flowers. There are more photos on the web here, and here.

Caught this large mouth bass on the island and took it and a mate up to a pond near the cabin. They were very productive and now, from this pair, there are hundreds of bass in all the ponds up there.

Sunset on the century plant on Bethel Island

Bethel Harbor is Bethel Island's Finest Full Service Marina.

GETTING EARLY ZUCCHINI SQUASH.... Do your first few squash shrivel up and fall off the vine? Mine used to, but not anymore. Early in the day, each morning, I hand pollinate my squash. I also do the same with tomato plants to get early tomatoes.

It is May 4^th and the squash and tomato garden in our front yard is doing very well.
But the solitaire bees are not out and about yet. Regular honey bees don't pollinate squash.
Father Nature comes to the rescue with a brush made of pheasant tail feather barbells.

The top flower is a female flower with large bulbous heads in the center.
The bottom flower is a male flower with a pistil with pollen on it.

The top flower is the female flower with a tiny squash behind the flower.
The bottom flower is a male flower with just a stem behind the flower.

Father Nature to the rescue. Here is the pheasant tail feather brush loaded with pollen.
I have first loaded the brush with pollen from a male flower. The pollen sticks to the brush.
I merely brush the pollen on the center of the female flower and Voila, the job is done.
Now the tiny squash behind the female flower will develop into a mature squash.

Here is a tiny Desert Bluebell, Phacelia campanularia, being pollinated the natural way. The fly is about 1/8" long.
The Bluebell flower is about 3/4" in diameter.

Last updated 07/18/2015
Good Hunting... from Varmint Al