Marita Barth
@maritabarth.bsky.social
Oregonian, Chemistry Instructor at Oregon State University, Photographer, Embroiderer, Occasional Adventurer, Book Nerd. Undergrad Oregon State (with a side quest to Lincoln University NZ), PhD MIT, Post Doc Mass General. Opinions mine.
Any of you in the mid-Valley should come see us at our annual Holiday Fair on Friday and Saturday (9 AM to 5 PM at the Polk County Fairgrounds in Rickreall), and help us raise funds to support 4-H in Polk County! Spread the word!
November 7, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Any of you in the mid-Valley should come see us at our annual Holiday Fair on Friday and Saturday (9 AM to 5 PM at the Polk County Fairgrounds in Rickreall), and help us raise funds to support 4-H in Polk County! Spread the word!
Sometimes I tell Frodo the Cat that she's a good kitty, and I immediately have to tell Lincoln that he's also a good kitty or he gets terribly upset.
Conversely, when I tell Lincoln he's a good pupper, Frodo is completely unbothered by not being included.
Conversely, when I tell Lincoln he's a good pupper, Frodo is completely unbothered by not being included.
November 6, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Sometimes I tell Frodo the Cat that she's a good kitty, and I immediately have to tell Lincoln that he's also a good kitty or he gets terribly upset.
Conversely, when I tell Lincoln he's a good pupper, Frodo is completely unbothered by not being included.
Conversely, when I tell Lincoln he's a good pupper, Frodo is completely unbothered by not being included.
Looked out the front window into the post-storm sunshine and saw these horse (and horse-adjacent) critters in the pasture by our garden.
We do not currently own horses (or mules).
We do not currently own horses (or mules).
October 26, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Looked out the front window into the post-storm sunshine and saw these horse (and horse-adjacent) critters in the pasture by our garden.
We do not currently own horses (or mules).
We do not currently own horses (or mules).
POV: you have asked your Labrador retriever to give you ‘just a little bit of space.’
October 3, 2025 at 12:24 AM
POV: you have asked your Labrador retriever to give you ‘just a little bit of space.’
It has been zero days since the furry jerkwad that lives in my house got in a tussle with several large mammals in the backyard.
[He's fine, and all the deer escaped. My throat is so hoarse from screaming at him that I can't talk. He’s not even the tiniest bit sorry.]
[He's fine, and all the deer escaped. My throat is so hoarse from screaming at him that I can't talk. He’s not even the tiniest bit sorry.]
September 29, 2025 at 5:24 AM
It has been zero days since the furry jerkwad that lives in my house got in a tussle with several large mammals in the backyard.
[He's fine, and all the deer escaped. My throat is so hoarse from screaming at him that I can't talk. He’s not even the tiniest bit sorry.]
[He's fine, and all the deer escaped. My throat is so hoarse from screaming at him that I can't talk. He’s not even the tiniest bit sorry.]
Things my child said to me that I decided not to ask follow-up questions about to preserve my sanity (an ongoing series):
"I'm actually running pretty low on googly eyes because of... the incident."
"I'm actually running pretty low on googly eyes because of... the incident."
September 20, 2025 at 5:58 AM
Things my child said to me that I decided not to ask follow-up questions about to preserve my sanity (an ongoing series):
"I'm actually running pretty low on googly eyes because of... the incident."
"I'm actually running pretty low on googly eyes because of... the incident."
Just me, drowsily wondering who left a boot lace on the ground outside, and almost ending up with a handful of not-bootlace.
Have I mentioned my vision isn’t great without my glasses in?
Have I mentioned my vision isn’t great without my glasses in?
September 13, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Just me, drowsily wondering who left a boot lace on the ground outside, and almost ending up with a handful of not-bootlace.
Have I mentioned my vision isn’t great without my glasses in?
Have I mentioned my vision isn’t great without my glasses in?
15 is 16 today! Anyone who wants to pass along birthday wishes, please feel free!
September 12, 2025 at 5:09 PM
15 is 16 today! Anyone who wants to pass along birthday wishes, please feel free!
Invested in an automatic tennis ball thrower for Lincoln and he hasn’t yet worked out the part where he puts it back in the machine, but in general this is the Best Day Ever.
September 3, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Invested in an automatic tennis ball thrower for Lincoln and he hasn’t yet worked out the part where he puts it back in the machine, but in general this is the Best Day Ever.
Bought 15 a Trapper Keeper for the first day of school because I am a very cool, hip parent who knows exactly what Kids These Days™ are into.
September 3, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Bought 15 a Trapper Keeper for the first day of school because I am a very cool, hip parent who knows exactly what Kids These Days™ are into.
Watching Airport ‘77 and feeling like 70s disaster movies are the right genre for right now. What are everyone’s favorites?
August 6, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Watching Airport ‘77 and feeling like 70s disaster movies are the right genre for right now. What are everyone’s favorites?
Check out this fantastic work from my friend Brendan and his team!
Full article: Late Medieval Shipboard Artillery on a Northern European Carvel: Gribshunden (1495)
Full article: Late Medieval Shipboard Artillery on a Northern European Carvel: Gribshunden (1495)
August 5, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Check out this fantastic work from my friend Brendan and his team!
Full article: Late Medieval Shipboard Artillery on a Northern European Carvel: Gribshunden (1495)
Full article: Late Medieval Shipboard Artillery on a Northern European Carvel: Gribshunden (1495)
What could POSSIBLY go wrong?!?
(Did I mention that 15 has added a strobe to his lighting setup?)
(Did I mention that 15 has added a strobe to his lighting setup?)
July 27, 2025 at 5:18 AM
What could POSSIBLY go wrong?!?
(Did I mention that 15 has added a strobe to his lighting setup?)
(Did I mention that 15 has added a strobe to his lighting setup?)
It was the Best Day Ever for Lincoln though, even if it did end with a bath.
July 26, 2025 at 3:05 AM
It was the Best Day Ever for Lincoln though, even if it did end with a bath.
We have a new term for when Lincoln thinks he’s having the Best Day Ever but it all ends with him getting hosed down in the yard: Shampoozled.
July 26, 2025 at 1:28 AM
We have a new term for when Lincoln thinks he’s having the Best Day Ever but it all ends with him getting hosed down in the yard: Shampoozled.
Someone is ready for his day…
July 25, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Someone is ready for his day…
Have been watching 80s comedies with 15 and cringing about how badly some of them have aged. You know what did age well though? 9 to 5.
July 19, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Have been watching 80s comedies with 15 and cringing about how badly some of them have aged. You know what did age well though? 9 to 5.
Update: 15 has named the snake David Boa-ie.
We have a utility room that is not well sealed off from outside (it is well sealed off from the rest of the house), and I've been battling with a mouse issue in there. 15 opened the door a couple of nights ago and discovered a snake in there. 1/2
July 18, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Update: 15 has named the snake David Boa-ie.
We have a utility room that is not well sealed off from outside (it is well sealed off from the rest of the house), and I've been battling with a mouse issue in there. 15 opened the door a couple of nights ago and discovered a snake in there. 1/2
July 18, 2025 at 4:03 AM
We have a utility room that is not well sealed off from outside (it is well sealed off from the rest of the house), and I've been battling with a mouse issue in there. 15 opened the door a couple of nights ago and discovered a snake in there. 1/2
Pictured: some jerk who pulled a Great Houndini escape act and went in a two mile romp through a bison farm (!) before the song on his GPS collar convinced him to come home. Now he’s here, panting, filthy, limping, nasty farting, and not even a little bit sorry.
July 15, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Pictured: some jerk who pulled a Great Houndini escape act and went in a two mile romp through a bison farm (!) before the song on his GPS collar convinced him to come home. Now he’s here, panting, filthy, limping, nasty farting, and not even a little bit sorry.
I think Lincoln sprained his tail swimming yesterday because he was very whimpery last night and now he’s keeping his tail down and almost tucked at all times even when he’s otherwise acting happy, and I had not previously realized how dependent my mental health is on seeing that tail wag.
July 14, 2025 at 7:52 PM
I think Lincoln sprained his tail swimming yesterday because he was very whimpery last night and now he’s keeping his tail down and almost tucked at all times even when he’s otherwise acting happy, and I had not previously realized how dependent my mental health is on seeing that tail wag.
Caption this…
(15 is working on his macro photography of aquatic macroinvertebrates for 4-H)
(15 is working on his macro photography of aquatic macroinvertebrates for 4-H)
July 14, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Caption this…
(15 is working on his macro photography of aquatic macroinvertebrates for 4-H)
(15 is working on his macro photography of aquatic macroinvertebrates for 4-H)
Some days I marvel at how clever Lincoln is*, and some days he commits an entire afternoon to trying to eat bugs that are on the other side of the window.
*This cleverness is generally applied in service of mischief.
*This cleverness is generally applied in service of mischief.
July 13, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Some days I marvel at how clever Lincoln is*, and some days he commits an entire afternoon to trying to eat bugs that are on the other side of the window.
*This cleverness is generally applied in service of mischief.
*This cleverness is generally applied in service of mischief.
Have started physical therapy for sciatica issues and I know it is good for me but wow do I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus.
July 10, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Have started physical therapy for sciatica issues and I know it is good for me but wow do I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus.