Travels with a Muse

Coos Bay and Horsfall

2012-03-10T20:07:00.001-08:00

We went for a familiar trip this weekend to North Bend & Coos Bay but having our Saturn Astra for a tow car we were able to do more exploring than usual. We crossed the Conde B. McCullough bridge going north and got this picture from Horsfall Road looking east.

This 5,305-foot steel cantilever truss bridge, designed by master bridge engineer Conde B. McCullough, was the longest structure on Oregon’s highway system when constructed in 1936. It spans the entrance to Coos Bay, carrying U.S. Hwy. 101.

We had never taken this road that goes west from Highway 101 and found a pleasant surprise in some of the view areas. There were a few ponds...

... with wonderful views...

...and even some Scotch Broom, considered a scourge, since it has taken over from the more native plants in Oregon, Washington State and Northern California.

Scotch broom is a pioneer species known to displace native plant species and increase the costs of timber production. It readily invades disturbed sites, natural areas, dunes and public and private forest lands. Maintenance of rights-of-way, facilities, parkland and private property costs millions of dollars each year because of rapid growth of young plants and the plant's persistent nature. Seeds of Scotch broom are long-lived (50 years plus) and mature plants are prolific seed producers, establishing persistent seed banks requiring long-term management objectives. The largest costs attributed to scotch broom come from additional inputs needed to establish trees in commercial and public timberlands. It is estimated that Scotch broom costs Oregon $47 million dollars annually in lost timber production.

Some of the views are terrific like this one looking down the road from a view area...

... with a great old stump at the entrance.

Farther west we came to a boat launching area and even with the heavy over cast I managed to get a few good pictures...

... of the pilings in the bay...

...that stand like sentinels of the timber industry.

We then drove east across highway 101 and drove around the bay finding water fowl like these Baffleheads.

Buffleheads have evolved their small size in order to fit the nesting cavity of their "metabiotic" host, a woodpecker, the Northern Flicker. Due to their small size, they are highly active, undertaking dives almost continuously sustained by their high metabolism. They do not tend to collect in large flocks; groups are usually limited to small numbers. One duck will serve as a sentry, watching for predators as the others in the group dive in search of food. Buffleheads are amongst the last waterfowl to leave their breeding grounds and one of the world's most punctual migrants, arriving on their wintering grounds within a narrow margin of time.

We also spotted a great white egret in the same area but it flew into the distance when I stopped to get a picture.

On the drive we went from North Bend to Coos Bay where I found a flock of VWs in lot right on the road, too cool.

We proceeded from there to Bastendorff beach where I found some kelp washed up on the beach...

... along with sea gulls...

... and a few black birds.

I liked the grasses growing on the beach...

and some of the driftwood.

Another new place for us to visit is the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve a 5,000 acre natural area located in the Coos estuary on the south coast of Oregon.

The Reserve was designated in 1974 as the first unit of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System , a network of estuarine habitats protected and managed for the purposes of long-term research, education, and coastal stewardship. Established by Congress in 1972 as part of the Coastal Zone Management Act and is administered as a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the coastal states.

South Slough encompasses a mixture of open water channels, tidal and freshwater wetlands, riparian areas, and forested uplands.

The Reserve supports and coordinates research, education, and stewardship programs which serve to enhance a scientific and public understanding of estuaries and contribute to improved estuarine management. \

Over the past 37 years, South Slough has grown in the depth and scope of its programs and developed facilities to meet the needs of visitors and staff.

While we were there several teachers were being given education on science education and were working together, like students, to better understand this area.

I did like that we found a "Flowering Current" much like one we have growing next to our home.

As were were leaving South Slough I got a picture of another huge tree stump and was reminded that some worthwhile things last and give us awe beyond there individual lives.

Quote of the Day ~

"Up to 80 percent of the fish that we catch spend at least part of their lives in estuaries." ~ Jim Gerlach

Mickey D's with Steve's Family Then With Matt

2012-03-03T23:03:00.000-08:00

We met Steven, Martha and our grand children at a McDonald's on Scripts-Poway Parkway for many reasons like it was halfway between their home and Jill and George's home but the real reason was for the playground inside...

Jason was immediately on the video game...

...while Samantha sat with the adults before dashing off to the jungle gym tunnel maze...

Jason even found a friend to play with since Christian was already deep into the maze.

The nice thing here was that we had time to visit with Steven and Martha and it was a great visit catching up on the children and learning about all the things going on in their lives.

I did glance around and caught Jason listening intently ...

... and caught Christian landing for a few minutes...

It was great seeing Martha and realizing just how much her love for our son and their children brighten everyone's lives, including our own.

Christian was refueling ...

...as Samantha posed with Sharyn of a really sweet picture.

Finally after a long visit it was time to go and we said our goodbyes to our sweet Southern California family...

... but as always it's never enough time but always a joy.

Then it was on to Arizona and a look into the life of a Bingo championship team of ....

...Matt sitting next to his co-heart's mom Ruby ...

... and next to his favorite bingo gal Holly. I didn't get many pictures in Arizona because neither Sharyn nor I were feeling very well and I had come by a virulent strain of bronchitis. The visit was a nice one however, and we really enjoyed meeting Holly and her mom as well as Scooby, Lucy and Gizmo (nicknamed Spike) when he is rowdy. I can't tell you how hard it was to leave earlier than we had planned. We miss you guys!

Quote of the Day ~

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family" ~ Anthony Brandt

Jesse, Janelle and Family + Brawley

2012-02-19T11:57:00.000-08:00

We rode to Brawley with Jill after stopping for gas at a station at the corner of Valley Center Road and Coal Grade Road and while Jill filled the tank I got a picture of a great looking fiend with an orchard in distance.

On the way to Brawley we stopped at the Julian Pie Company a local fixture for great pies...

... where I got a great picture of the sisters walking back from a store...

... but they insisted on a "posed" picture - I like the "natural" on better *lol*

Then it was the desert and the hills and valleys...

... that wind around the Borrego State Park...

...and I even got a picture out the back window that came out great without even looking.

There was a lot of rock and I liked the one here that looks like a old prairie schooner...

... and the great desert mountain vistas.

Finally we arrived in Brawley and Jesse and Janelle's home...

... with a great play hut and tunnel setup...

... complete with children,specifically Colton...

...and Penelope hiding inside.

Colton liked my camera and promptly took this picture of me ...

... and Sharyn.

Jesse then took me on a tour of the house and some very nice decorative items like this boot...

... and Jasnelle's hand tooled saddle

Jesse the showed me the "Umbrella tree" he created by opening up the lower branches and Penelope displayed her talent for climbing trees - even in cowgirl boots...

I also got to meet the "Free-Range" chickens ...

...and as Penelope collected eggs Jesse tool me about the coop he had made and how the chickens roam during the day and come back to roost all on their own...

... and how Janelle could call them ...

... and they would come running...

... Sharyn like the colors especially on this light colored "mutt" hen.

Next Jill gave the kids a ride ...

...while Janelle showed me her ride, what a great vehicle.

I liked the view of the irrigation canal next to their property in the rich agricultural community.

Brawley isn't just the city it's also the name of their dog rescued by Jesse in a gas station parking lot weak and ragged but now in excellent health.

Penelope then did a trick by holding one of the play tunnels....

...then letting go...

...and became hidden inside. After that we had a great lunch of Buffalo burgers then had a very nice visit.

On the way back we passed the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area. Over 80,000 acres of desert are open for off-road exploration operated by California State Parks.

And the Off-Roaders were out in force. It looked like Quartzite in Arizona but with Quads Sand Bikes and Rails. It was a city with no mayor.

Quote of the Day

"I have a farm and I love it there. There's really nothing to do, but even watching the chickens, its fun." ~ Salma Hayek

Visiting with The other Viels & Bruce

2012-02-19T10:31:00.000-08:00

After visiting with Steven's great family the other day we had a chance to visit Martha and the kids so we took off for Chula Vista in the micro mini Musemobile...

... where Christian visited us at the door and welcomed us in to show us some pictures he had colored.

Chris concentrated while showing us his work...

... until Martha and Samantha came in to visit. Jason and David were asleep but we had a great visit with Martha and Samantha while ...

Chris was busy setting a new record on his hand held game device.

Martha explained to Sharyn and I the work she was doing with Jason for school and we were very impressed by the amount of work she does with the children assuring them a good education. It was a very uplifting visit to see how wonderful Steven's family were growing in knowledge and how much difference good parenting makes in the lives of our grandchildren.

Sharyn's cousin Bruce also lives in Chula Vista and is a great example of what an engineering education can do. Bruce is an amazing individual in what you can accomplish with some planning and knowledge. Note the Solar paneled roof...

... but the fact that Bruce has no electric bill (or actually gets credits) is not the end of it all. Bruce has upgraded his kitchen as only an engineer can do. This panel of switches will be explained later.

He is planning on getting a couple of boarders in the future and has set up refrigerators so each person can have their own food storage...

... and displays some of his philosophy on one of the doors.

He had found the glass top for this table and engineered designed and had the legs custom made...

...his backsplash is made from brushed stainless steel...

... installed dual water filters and the light beneath the sink is controlled by the 4-way switch I showed earlier.

He also created a 4 bin drawer for waste and if you notice the shopvac beneath the sink and go back to the switch it is used to run the vacuum that will automatically suck up and varmints like fruit flys and gnats the bin area through a conduit from the vac to the bin area with one flip of a switch.

The third switch illuminates the back splash either in color or brilliant white while the fourth switch is a flood light for the sink itself.
.

With all of that comes a great entertainment room with a huge HDTV, Blu-Ray player, computer station that Steve Jobs would envy and plenty of great natural light. Bruce is one amazing individual and very creative.

Quote of the Day~

"Why do a Half-Assed Job
With only twice the effort
You can do the job of a complete ass." ~ Bruce Bierman

More Fun - This Time in the Sun

2012-02-16T21:11:00.000-08:00

The day started with me walking around the ranch snapping away with my Sony Alpha camera starting with Jill's Boot Birdhouse...

Followed by a blooming Geranium ...

... and some of Jill's western home decorations.

Sadly Wendy has passed away and she was a beautiful and brave companion for both Jill and George ...

... but both George and Jill still have the very sweet, despite her being the size of a juvenile bear, Annie named after Annie Oakley and is a Shiloh Shepherd.

We also still have Valentine's Day roses to help brighten the day...

... and some great natural light beaming in on George as he sat at the table...

...and shinning through the windmill in the east side yard.

So I have shown pictures of Willie, Buddy, Wendy, Annie and now here is the pet Kawasaki Mule.

We were getting ready to take off when I caught Jill heading down her driveway...

... and coming back up.

On the way to the coast we stopped at Target and while the others were shopping I took a few more pictures in the bright sun...

... and a mature Bird of Paradise flower.

So we arrived in Oceanside, California and walking to the Crab Shack...

I got a picture of what I think was a lobster trap...

... then we sat down to eat in what used to be the Chart House...

... and had a great view of the Harbor and a returning Whale Watching Boat.

I ordered the "Half and Half Crayfish" the had Crayfish Etouffee and fried Crayfish separated with rice and it was great.

A fishing boat arrived while we ate with an entourage of sea birds like the two Pelicans to the left...

... and this lone guy flying low and fast. Pelicans may look sleek in the air ...

... but they are a little goofy looking after they land, ...

... powerful as they take to the air...

... and almost cuddly when they perch on a rail.

Seabirds aren't the only critters on the harbor there are also squirrels - squirrels? I thought they were tree creatures.

I'd never seen a seal sunning itself like a sea otter but this one was and I got the picture.

We had a nice walk along the harbor where there were many little shops...

... and the look of an old seaport village...

...except for the high-rise building across the way.

Just so you know the harbor shops are right next to the rail tracks and I caught the Coaster Commuter Train.

"Providing customers with breathtaking coastal scenery, the Coaster commuter train runs north-south, serving eight stations between Oceanside and downtown San Diego. More than 20 trains run on weekdays, with additional service on the weekends. It takes about an hour to travel the entire Coaster route."

We then took a drive from Oceanside to Carlsbad...

... and came to a railroad crossing...

... Just as another Coaster train rumbled by.

A little further down the coast we saw some kite surfers.

"A kitesurfer or kiteboarder uses a board with or without foot-straps or bindings, combined with the power of a large controllable kite to propel the rider and the board across the water."

The Carlsbad Energy plant stands right between Highway 101 and Interstate 5 right on the coast...

...next to the lifeguard towers and beaches of Carlsbad...

... where more squirrels play and ...

... pelicans drifted in the cloudless sky...

... well, there were a few clouds over the McDonald's where we stopped for some specialty coffee and a couple of McPies. It was a very good day.

Quote of the Day ~

"Nature’s prime favourites were the Pelicans
High-fed, long-lived, and sociable and free." ~ James Montgomery—"Pelican Island."

Back to the Ranch

2012-02-15T18:00:00.000-08:00

We are back in California visiting family; first Peter then Steven and his family and now visiting George and Jill at Takach Ranch.

Our RV site is right on the ranch near the barn...

... and the their home is our rec room and a very comfortable place to get on the I-Pad during the quite moments while visiting.

An interesting shots are this reflection off of the TV catching a lamp and Scrabble Queen in one shot...

... and the fire in the fireplace.

Now this isn't a working farm implement but it makes for wonderful yard art.

Looking back uphill to Jill's home you get an idea of the slope of the property.

I liked this nail on the top of a fence post...

... and this shot of the Musemoblie...

perhaps my favorite is this one looking down the fence-line.

Only in Southern California will you find two ocean kayaks in a barn

What a nice barn so clean and well built...

... from the door latch ...

... to the cowgirl shadow.

Our site is just perfect with even a small lawn...

... and a good view of the Texas Welcome sign.

I like the wire fencing ...

... the wagon wheel...

... the great view ...

... and the picnic spot.

The bird feeders are full and visited often.

The fence post is a great coffee mug holder...

... and a stump makes a nice small table...

... and the big white rock makes a great chair.

I like this cool rail-splitter ...

... and the wood shredder looks very used...

sitting next to the corral fence...

at the bottom of the hill.

This is a really nice wind-chime with horses at the top and bottom...

... and this is a really pretty landscape looking east in the morning with the sun's rays breaking the clouds.

Jill's green thumb is evident in the great succulents she has all over the ranch...

...and Jill and George love their animals just as much having raised Willie ...

from a small calf to a healthy beautiful full grown beauty...

and Buddy the paint to a great looking equine.

We all love Willie ...

...even when he tries to lick the camera.

They are both very loved.

We also enjoy the flowers blooming this early in the year.

Quote of the Day ~

The ranch was raw land when I bought it and, for better or worse, I have designed every aspect of it from the corrals, the arena, to the barn, to the house. ~ Janine Turner (The same could be said of Jill and with George's help)

Dinner in Portland

2012-02-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

Driving to Portland, Oregon on a clear day you realize there are some really big mountains to the east. It is the Cascade range and it is chocked full of volcanoes like Mount Hood.

"The Multnomah name for Mount Hood is Wy'east. In one version of the legend the two sons of the Great Spirit Sahale fell in love with the beautiful maiden Loowit who could not decide which to choose. The two braves, Wy'east and Klickitat, burned forests and villages in their battle over her. Sahale became enraged and smote the three lovers. Seeing what he had done he erected three mountain peaks to mark where each fell. He made beautiful Mount St. Helens for Loowit, proud and erect Mount Hood for Wy'east, and the somber Mount Adams for the mourning Klickitat."

We arrived in Portland about 3:43 (well exactly at 3:43.45) and found a spot to park in front of Grand Central Bakery. The newly re-modeled Hawthorn location is a Portland that now is a great place to sip and read read your paper surrounded by beautiful kiwi vines and in warm weather ample outdoor deck seating as well.

The area around Hawthorn Blvd is built on a series of gently rolling hills with a background of big pine trees...

... and telephone poles with posters stapled to them advertising one show...

... after another.

The Portland convention center was near the route Isaac and Nicole took us to dinner and I got a quick shot through some trees as we drove past. The twin spires are illuminated annually on September 11 in memorial of the events of 9/11.

I didn't get a chance to identify this building as we zipped past but I do like architectural style, art deco, I remember seeing buildings similar growing up in Houston Texas.

The economy must be doing okay in Portland because it has several large construction projects moving forward on Williams ...

... and some great places to feed your Epicurean desires. There is my wonderful son in the background along with Nicole and the Scrabble Queen.(you can click on the pictures for the larger version) The eatery we are in is called Tasty N Sons. We all had Low Country Hush Puppies (fantastic) , Fried Cauliflower & Olives with harissa cream (a first but great enough not to be the last) and I ordered Monk's Carolina Cheesesteak that was very very good although next time I'll have them eliminate the lettuce.

While waiting for the order I walked around in the building Tasty occupies getting a look into their kitchen...

... followed by an indoor garden next to a barber shop...

and just before the personal transportation locker room.

I also liked this view down a long corridor onto Williams street.

I liked the touch of the ground pepper mill a small metallic cup of salt and a candle on the tables...

... and the capped bottle of water.

After leaving Tasty I noticed this marker in a driveway on NE Beech - must be a surveyor's mark - cool.

Quote of the Day ~ "Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside." ~ Mark Twain

After the Snow

2012-01-17T00:08:00.000-08:00

The day after the snow I went out for a few more pictures in Creswell starting at Garden Lake Park.

Where I parked was next to a really beautiful barn that was perfect for a snowy picture.

There is a creek that flows into the park creating the lake that took on a very look in the winter...

... and the light of the sun reflecting on the snow created a terrific back lit image.

I found the great leaf that had landed on it's feet looking like a hand drawn person.

Driving our of the park area I saw these people sledding on the berm of the bridge that goes over interstate 5 at exit 182.

Next I drove over to Sears Road to see what was happening there...

I like the wire wrapped rock boundary markers in this field ...

... where this herd of cattle grazed in the snow...

...Next to a castle on the hill near cougar mountain.

Quote of the Day ~

"And finally Winter, with its bitin', whinin' wind, and all the land will be mantled with snow." ~ Judge Roy Bean

Drive to Elkton

2012-01-13T00:25:00.000-08:00

The day before the drive to Elkton Sharyn and I visited Delta Ponds a wonderful wetlands area in Eugene, Oregon.

"Over five decades ago gravel mining cut off what is now the Delta Ponds natural area from the flow of water from the Willamette River. Today, after 10 years of planning and phased implementation, water is once again flowing from the Willamette through Delta Ponds – creating 2.2 miles of valuable side channel habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon and a wide variety of other species."

City of Eugene Delta Ponds Restoration from MetroTV on Vimeo.

We didn't stay long that day but did take a short walk on the north end of the wetland park seeing some ducks...

... a posing Cormorant and even a great blue heron on the far right...

... and a slightly larger picture here.

"Delta Ponds is a 150-acre waterway site consisting of numerous ponds, channels, wetlands, and associated riparian areas. This unique natural area owned by the City of Eugene borders a stretch of the Willamette River, just downstream from Valley River Center. For many, it is a favorite spot for bird watching, fishing, and enjoying the outdoors."

I like these red not sure what these are ...

... white berries possibly banenberry.

So on the day of our drive to Elkton we stopped by Pass Creek County Park part of the Douglas County Park System and found some wandering Geese...

The park is a great place to stay in your RV with 30 full hookup sites and is just off of Interstate 5 south of Cottage Grove at the Curtin exit.

There were also some ducks ...

...and Sharyn also spotted a hooded merganser ...

Swimming around enjoying the nice warm day.

When we got close to Elkton I got to stop and take some pictures of one of my favorite places on earth...

... it's a small valley on the east side of the hill that drops into Elkton...

... and is on my top 10 most beautiful and serene places on earth.

The north side of the road is a tree covered forest that was wonderfully white, blue and green that day ...

... but to the south it was all green and softly lit.

The town of Elkton is restoring the southernmost fur trading post of the Hudson Bay Company. The Hudson's Bay Company is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. In 1836, Hudson’s Bay Company established Fort Umpqua near the present day town of Elkton, Douglas County, Oregon. The Fort was a regional center for the fur trade and many Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians traded hides for goods there. The fort was destroyed by a fire on 15 Nov 1851 and the post finally closed in 1854 as the fur trade diminished.

Quote of the Day ~

By the late 1850's the Community was selling more than 100,000 traps a year to, among other customers, the Hudson's Bay Company ~ Spencer Klaw from "Without Sin"

Cottage Grove Lake Low Levels

2012-01-08T00:40:00.000-08:00

February of 2010 this was Cottage Grove Lake and it was lower than later in the year...

... but this was Cottage Grove Lake today and it looked almost totally drained.

There was some water but it was trickling in slowly...

... yet it was definitely much lower...

...and in some places almost dry.

I'm not sure whether this is normal but it seemed very low and I hope it doesn't mean drought.

I hear many ski areas around the country are still low on snowfall let's hope we get more rain/snow but not in too great an amount. We looked a little for Snowy Owls hearing they are moving farther south this year with some spotted in the area.

We didn't see any owls but on the way home we did spot this Kingfisher sitting on a power line over the Coast Fork of the Willamette River near our home

Quote of the Day ~ "When the well's dry, we know the worth of water." ~ Benjamin Franklin

New Year - A Great Start

2012-01-05T23:58:00.000-08:00

*** To see a larger picture of these images click on the picture

I've been wanting to get a picture of Frank's Oar House for ages and so, as part of my New Year's Resolution list this is one of the first following my quitting smoking

Last night we had another glorious sunset and some blue sky during the day.

Of course Sharyn and I have a shared resolution, along with the vow to quit tobacco, and that is to get out and do some traveling and exploring. Today we took our first drive of the year to Florence, Oregon to see some predicted turbulent surf. We drove to the north jetty where the Siuslaw river...

... Comes into the Pacific and looked back to the town of Florence...

...and then at the sandy beach.

Near where we parked was a coast guard tower...

...and lots of sand and beach grass...

... along the path to the jetty.

There were big waves but nothing worth walking out to the end of the jetty but on the way to the car I did manage to get a shorebird in flight ...

I'm not sure what the heck this thing was but I think it was on Coast Guard property.

We stopped in at the Harbor Vista RV park that's part of the Lane county park system where I got this shot of the North Jetty from the overlook just above...

... and this shot of a weed flowering just off of the walkway.

Getting back into Florence I took a picture of some trees on a very high sand dune across the harbor...

... then took this flower on the way to Mo's seafood on the river.

Another part of my resolution to get some pictures I always wanted and never go was this great bridge. Cushman was a station on the Coos Bay Branch of the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad, named for local residents C. C. and I. B. Cushman.

This bridge is a swing span railroad bridge across the river there. The bridge opened to allow ocean-going barges to reach a now-closed sawmill in Mapleton. In 1940, Cushman had a population of 145 and a full-service port. At that time the hills above the community produced Port Orford-cedar, a large evergreen coniferous tree native to the region, but by 1990, this resource was depleted and the port no longer served ocean-going vessels.

I stopped for a look at the Wildcat covered bridge ...

Just so you know I consider it a good sign seeing a beautiful rainbow next to us on our drive home and even more special to share the day with my very special lady. Looking forward to a very great New Year.

Quote of the Day ~

"Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, or a new country." ~ Anais Nin

Florence and Beachside State Park

2011-10-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

We took off from home to have dinner in Portland with Isaac and took the scenic route...

...through Florence where the Siuslaw River meets the Pacific Ocean.

We stopped for lunch at Mo's a landmark seafood restaurant chain on the Oregon coast...

Then had to decide on what to eat...

While waiting I went out for some pictures...

of the great coastal community...

... Especially the great bridge that takes highway 101 over the river.

This is the view from the docks at Mo's looking east up the river...

...and a dockside crane.

After lunch walking back to the Musemobile I found this great looking blue flower...

...near a bright red-orange umbrella. Then up the coast we went.

After hooking up the Musemobile I took a few pictures while walking with Sharyn on the beach just 30 feet from our campsite where I took this picture looking north along the coast.

It was low tide leaving the sand sculpted by the receding waters...

... and a few interesting objects like this broken sand dollar...

... on a lovely but windy day.

There was a little seaweed but not much ...

... on the huge expanse from water to trees and the state park...

...looking south you could see the foothills diving into the Pacific.

Sharyn and I enjoyed the walk looking out at ...

... the shore birds looking foe a meal...

... and eventually finding a crab for lunch.

Looking at the sands you can almost see the water receding in little waves even though the water is now gone.

I liked this shell that looks like a butterfly...

and this small canyon created in the sand.

We then went back to the Musemobile for dinner and waited for...

... the sunset that looked like we would not get to see.

I met a couple from Canada who were on their way back north after driving the entire Oregon coast down to northern California...

... and then it came, a beautiful sunset.

The colors were gorgeousness...

...and the ran the full spectrum...

... until the sun completed it's visible route moving west.

Quote of the Day ~ "Man is not an aquatic animal, but from the time we stand in youthful wonder beside a Spring brook till we sit in old age and watch the endless roll of the sea, we feel a strong kinship with the waters of this world." ~ Hal Borland

Maude Kerns - Dia de los Muertos

2011-10-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

The observance of El Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) dates from pre-Columbian times. It is believed by many that this is the time when those who have passed away are allowed to return to earth to visit with their families and friends.

The most important manifestations of this holiday are the ofrendas, or altars made of offerings, created in homes, businesses and public places.

The altars honor the dead to assure the continuity of life. In the Mexican tradition, those who are dead provide the necessary connection between the living and God and the Saints.

El Dia de los Muertos is celebrated in Mexico by decorating shop windows, cleaning and decorating the cemetery, creating special fantastic flower wreaths, making small and large toys.

Special dishes are cooked for the ofrendas, and are usually offered to both living and dead friends and relatives who visit. The celebration is often called Los Dias de los Muertos because two important days are recognized.

Since the event is celebrated at Maude Kerns Art Center every year is is also filled with art of all kinds.

Some of the mini shrines are shadow boxes like the one above and more to come later.

Dia de los Muertos celebrates to special days, November 1, All Saints' Day devoted to los angelitos (little children), and November 2, All Souls' Day, devoted to adults as well.

El Día de Los Muertos originated in Mexico, before the Spanish conquest. The exact date is unknown but it has been speculated that the idea originated with the Olmecs, possibly as long as 3000 years ago.

Following the Spanish conquest of Mexico during the 16th century, there was a strong effort to convert the native population to Catholicism. There was a good deal of reluctance on the part of the indigenous people which resulted in a blending of old customs with the new religion. All Saints' Day and All Hallows Eve (Halloween) roughly coincided with the preexisting Día de los Muertos resulting in the present day event which draws from both.

Although the skeleton is a strong symbol for both Halloween and Días de los Muertos, the meaning is very different. For Días de los Muertos the skeleton represents the dead playfully mimicking the living and is not a macabre symbol at all.

A sweet bread, pan de muerto, with decorations representing bones of the deceased is very popular as are sugar skulls. [see recipe for sugar skulls]

All sorts of art objects and toys which symbolically represent death in some way are created and marketed. This gives the economy a boost in much the same way as our Christmas season does.

The intriguing thing about the celebration is the juxtaposition of ancient tradition and current depictions like this four panel painting.

Then there were the shadow boxes that are like mini shrines...

... they are ornate....

... they are clever...

... they express fond memories of those lost ...

...and some are just too precious for words.

I particularly liked this painting by Anthony Hensley titled "Reina Queen" an oil on canvas and a steal at $350.

I also loved the crow series by Kris Hurwit starting with "Dancing with the Crows" another oil on canvas ...

... and another titled "Forgetting Manners" then ...

... there was "It's Just a bowl of Cherries"

There is always a tribute to Maude Kerns the artist.

She was an American artist. born in 1876 in Portland, Oregon, where she was raised by her pioneer parents. After high school, she graduated from the University of Oregon, the California School of Fine Arts and later Columbia University.

Some of the more simple pieces I found to be marvelous were this piece by Cenya Eichengreen titled "The Grand Mothers...

...and this shadow box within a book by Robin Bachtler Cushman called Renascence, very imaginative.

A large painting by Anthony Hensley was "Saint of the Harvest Festival Games" simply great.

Richard Cutshal gave us "Redemption, Salvation, Forgiveness"

The Altar
Before Dia de los Muertos, an area of the house is cleaned up and the furniture removed to make room for the altar. The altar consists at a minimum of a covered table, and usually a few crates or boxes are added to it and covered to create open shelves and other raised display areas. The coverings used can vary from plain to vibrantly colored oil cloth. The altar is then set up with the appropriate ofrendas (offerings), in this case oranges, for Dia de los Muertos.

There are many great art pieces dedicated to loved ones...

...and the alters at Maude Kerns are beautiful.

At the opening of the Dia del los Muertos dancers come in costume...

... and many, but not all are children proud of their tradition and beautifully adorned in traditional dress.

The music is wonderful and full of trumpets and guitars unfortunately I had to leave before the dancing which I really love.

The variety of alters is amazing and yet they all complete a picture of colorful insight into the meaning of the celebration of individual differences.

Some of the artistic crafts are amazingly simple...

...and yet dramatically emotional.

Some of the simple figures are sold and are part of the tradition/// from sombreroed skulls...

... to puppet skeletons...

... to winged hearts ...

... and more skulls.

Love among the dead as if they continued romance in their next life. It is fitting we see the dead as alive in the next life and as normal as the living.

I saw this painting on the side of the Maude Kerns Art Center and discovered it was a paint test. Benjamin Moore is dedicating paint to restore and renovate the center to become weather proofed and have a more appealing appearance...

The rendering of the revamped center is wonderful and will keep the building in good shape for the future. The center is appealing for help and if you can donate toward this end it would be most appreciated by our community and provide a great place to show, teach and support the arts. For more information go to Maude Kerns Art Center website

Quote of the Day ~

I can see lights in the distance Trembling in the dark cloak of night Candles and lanterns are dancing, dancing A waltz on All Souls Night. ~ Loreena McKennitt

Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway

2011-10-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

With all the traveling in Oregon I don't know how we missed this section of the Cascades Scenic Byway. It was like like "How the West was Won"...

...meets "Shane" ...

... and "Comes A Horseman."

The drive started in Bend and wove it's way behind Mount Bachelor...

... through high mountain meadows...

...where fields of grass and low bush looked like a yellow , brown and green sea...

... all the way to the sun streaked mountain.

After seeing at least a hundred trucks, trailers and cars and hearing the sound of chainsaws I stopped to ask about what was happening. John one of the people involved told me about the region being opened for tree removal while he was sharpening his chainsaw.

Believe me John was not alone ..

... all along this section of of the drive.

Soda Creek glacial tsunami caused this huge rock pile several stories tall.

They say it is a birdwatchers dream and I'm sure we will return for a bit of birdwatching next season.

There were several tree lined lakes on this drive...

... and lots of fallen timber...

...and even signs to tell us the Deschutes River has trout ...

and what better place to fish than in a forest where ...

... "A River Runs Through It."

I found a scruffy looking mushroom on the river bank...

... then trudged back to the Musemobile.

This fantastic land is all about life and living & about living things like the grasses...

... and the wildlife that sees us perhaps more than ...

... we see them as we drive along beautiful roads...

... and manage, as best we can, this beautiful national resource.

Quote of the Day ~ "The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition." ~ Alan Alda

Malheur Bird Refuge Trip

2011-09-30T18:03:00.000-07:00

On the way to the Bird Refuge we stopped for a history lesson about the Bannock War.

"Five miles northwest of this location, one of the last battles of the Bannock War was fought in June 1878. The Bannock War began in May 1878 when the Bannock Indians of Southern Idaho became angered over treaty violations and increasing settlement. With the U.S. army in pursuit, the warring Bannock fled to this area and were joined by Wada Tika Paiute. On June 23, units of the 1st U.S. Cavalry commanded by Reuben Bernard attacked a camp under the leadership of Paiute Chief Egan on nearby Silver Creek. The battle continued into the night until Egan, severely wounded, led a retreat northward through the John Day Valley into northeastern Oregon. The tribes were defeated at Battle Mountain and surrendered after Chief Egan's death."

White Pelicans at Mulheur Lake

Up ...

...Up...

...and away...

... while others sit and chat.

This is a wonderful place for birding and we barely got here,
what a treat...

...even the Grebes were there to greet us.

We checked into the Narrows RV Park a nice RV Park with good
views as the sun began to set...

...and set it did with a bang.

We left the RV park headed to the Mulheur headquarters and
passed some beautifully arraigned round hay bales...

... in huge quantities.

Finally after a short 6.3 miles we arrived at the headquarters where
we were greeted by Suzanne a volunteer at the center. After an
excellent orientation...

... we stepped out on the patio that overlooks a great pond
filled with all kinds of aquatic birds...

... we then went on to their small but very nice museum. The first display
was a white owl clutching a field mouse...

... and another beautiful owl that looked like it was winking at
the camera.

Some of the other birds were unusual in color ...

...and others in how they looked...

... it is no wonder so many people enjoy "bird watching" like
these two...

... even the beautiful statue reflect our interest in viewing
our feathered friends.


Two beautiful black birds one with a yellow head and another with yellow on it's wings flew in for some food...

... and were fun to watch

We then took a drive along the auto tour that went through the entire

refuge starting at the old Sodhouse Ranch (no, not where an old sod lived)

"The Sod House Ranch is a historic ranch in Harney County in southeastern Oregon, United States. The remaining ranch structures are located south of Malheur Lake in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The ranch was built by Peter French, a well known 19th-century cattle baron. The Sod House Ranch became the headquarters for the northern operating division of the French-Glenn Livestock Company, which eventually covered over 140,000 acres."

Driving through the refuge was amazing with splashes of water surrounded by

Tuli grasses between 6 and seven feet tall.

"In Oregon and much of the western United States, tule is the common name for two species of emergent plants that grow in shallow water of marshes, muddy shores, and lakes."

"Tule, a Spanish name, is based on tollin, of Nahurtl Native American lingustic stock, meaning a rush. Older botanical literature places these bulrushes in Scirpus, a closely related genus with various species names attached."

Some of the ponds had many birds, some birds were were very
large.

Don't ask me why this harvester was in the field but it looked cool in the

middle of all the rushes.

Some birds were difficult to spot and others almost impossible...

...still others were impossible to find in the vegetation.

I still don't know what this tower was for and there were no signs
but it looked interesting.

Then we found the Blitzen River, and yes there is a Donner river

nearby,that butte behind the river is called "Rattlesnake Butte"

but we saw no snakes.

This is the bridge over the Blitzen river where I took the last picture,
it is a wooden bridge.

The Blitzen River is part of the nation's first redband trout reserve, established by Congress in 2000. The Redband trout is generally similar in appearance to the rainbow trout but can be differentiated by having larger, more rounded spots, parr marks that tend to remain into adulthood, are more orange-red around the lateral line, and have very distinct white tips on the anal, dorsal, and pectoral fins.

The country around eastern Oregon is amazingly beautiful and

very different from where we live in Creswell.

While driving we saw a deer up ahead going into the bushes

on the left, I knew the trees there were on the river so I got

the camera ready as we very slowly drove up and sure enough

out came the deer and a mule deer friend - very cool.

Near the end of the drive we went by Buena Vista ponds where
a group of bird watchers had set up a roadside camp with lawn
chairs and their spotting scopes.

"At the Buena Vista ponds about 15 miles south of headquarters, plan a longer stop. Scan the marshes and ponds for American bitterns, trumpeter swans, great blue herons, great egrets, and ruddy ducks. You might want to use a spotting scope to see the far reaches of the ponds."

South of Buena Vista Ponds is the town of Frenchglen where
the Frenchglen Hotel and State Park exist. This is the dining room
where we had a great lunch.

I liked the skull on the front porch of this hotel where Our son
Isaac stayed a few months ago on a photo trip.

It must be the perspective but looking at this picture
is the Musemoblie larger than the hotel.

The Hotel is a great historic landmark for this area and the State.

They told me at the RV park this was a controlled burn it makes

me wonder what an uncontrolled burn would look like.

Back near the RV Park I took this picture of a dead tree in Harney

Lake. Harney Lake is a shallow alkali lake basin located in southeast

Oregon approximately thirty miles south of the town of Burns.

The lake lies within the boundary of the Malheur National Wildlife

Refuge and is the lowest point in the Blitzen Valley drainage.

Our beautiful Musemobile on the edge of Malhuer lake.

Waysides along Highway 138

2011-09-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

The first wayside was the Narrows Wayside and it had had a sweet and simple memorial...

... next to the fast moving waters of the Umpqua river...

... and the graceful wild flowers. Su head of the library here in Creswell, and my plant identification expert said this: "It's a bachelor's button, centaurea cyana, and it's a plant introduced here from Eurasia."

I did venture down a bank to the river's shore...

... to see crystalline clear water flowing over the shallows.

On the way back up the bank I stopped for more flowers...

...and more of that same type of flower in other colors...

... including this beautiful white variety with lavender accents and

... nearby was a berry looking pod.

Further up the road I stopped for a picture of a steep rock wall that is very typical of the area...

...and more of the white water spots...

...as well as the deeper sections of calmer water.

I wonder why, not just my eye, my eye is so drawn to the angry white water sections with their roaring thunder than those still water sections. Perhaps it's that I'm drawn to the action/activity/power that gives the river life beyond three dimensions.

In gardens these may be called weeds but to my eye they are beautiful delicate flowers...

... that form complex shapes like wound yellow wire ...

... or like birds on the branches of bare limbs.

Amazing and it leaks,

"A 12-foot diameter redwood-stave flowline (pipeline) is part of the Toketee development of the North Umpqua Hydrolectric Project."

"Completed in December of 1949 (when I was 6 years old) , the Toketee development was the first component of the Project to be built. The Toketee facility begins at the earth-fill dam less than a mile upstream of Toketee Falls. The reservoir behind the dam is approximately 102 acres. Water enters an intake structure at the dam and then runs through the wood-stave flowline for 1,500 feet where it then transitions to concrete just before entering a tunnel through Deer Leap Rock. the water powers three generator turbines that have a capacity of 45 megawatts of electricity or enough energy for approximately 22,500 homes"

Toketee falls is one of the most interesting falls I've seen and is a double fall waterfall. This is a picture of the falls on the information board at the trail head but we do plan to return and walk to the falls.

On the way home we took the road less traveled, a BLM road that goes up 3,500 feet then descends into Culp Creek just east of Cottage grove and while possible time wise about the same as Highway 138, was much shorter and provided this beautiful view.

No Scrabble for awhile

Quote of the Day ~

Can we ever forget 9/11 and can we afford to not learn from that tragic day

"If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one
Drying in the color of the evening sun
Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away
But something in our minds will always stay
Perhaps this final act was meant
To clinch a lifetime's argument
That nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could
For all those born beneath an angry star
Lest we forget how fragile we are." ~ Sting from the song Fragile

SCCA Autocross in Coburg, Oregon

2011-08-17T22:23:00.000-07:00

Sharyn and I got to the parking lot for the Autocross at 8/15/2011 / 2:24:56pm to find ...

... a few of the cars in the lot preparing for the next heat. There was this really cool red car...

... and an even more interesting go-cart.

I liked the red, white and blue AM 31 car...

... and this silver/gray muscle car...

... and then we saw Isaac coming to the lot with Nicole (sigh) we missed his race and he did very well winning his heat.

This was so cool...

... almost like being in the pits at the Indy 500 without the crowds...

... and getting up close to the racers and their cars.

Isaac and Nicole then joined us for a few moments...

... along with Chris and Jaxon who was proudly wearing his Red Sox hat he had personally chosen at the store.

Jaxon saw I was taking pictures and forcefully demanded I get a picture of Nicole.

After a brief visit Isaac went to work as a cone spotter for the next heat, that's him in grey on the far side of the track.

There is the little red race car I saw in the parking lot going through the paces on the track.

SCCA is a really great organization split into regions, we are in the Northern Pacific Region.

"Since 1944, SCCA has championed one mission: To bring motorsports to the masses of American men and women who are passionate about automobiles, speed and competition."

Drivers are professional, novice and everything in between.

There goes the beautiful AM 31...

... and one of my favorites that I am not sure if it was a pinto or what. When I was in High School I knew every make and model by year and Horsepower. Today I know only four cars: Honda Odyssey, Cute little cars, Muscle cars and Race cars, so don't ask and clarifications are welcomed.

Some of the cars are obviously regular street cars...

... like this T-Bird (okay so I did know one) that was rigged for road trips or taking the kids to school...

... some were pure muscle...

... and others obviously real race cars...

... some were tricky fast (note the roll bars) .

There was a little burning rubber and one 360 degree spin-out...

Isaac said this was a female driver in her VW Bug...

... I had a feeling this was a guy.

Some cars had riders going along and Nicole rode with Isaac - Everyone does wear helmets...

... whether they need them ...

... or not.

I did talk to this driver about his car - its a very old Lola

... and was probably my very special favorite.

Lola Cars International Ltd. is a racing car engineering company founded in 1958 by Eric Broadley and based in Huntingdon, England. Lola Cars started by building small front-engined sports cars, and branched out into Formula Junior cars before diversifying into one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of racing cars in the world.

This isn't a Lola but was a fast running small car ...

... competing against more powerful but not as agile big cars like this one ...

... and this (nice color) one .

Some of the cars cornered evenly ...

... and others leaned a bit almost getting air between the tires and pavement...

... and then came the go-cart and brother did it go. Perhaps because of the size it easily appeared to be the fastest in the field and especially quick not to mention agile. I did like what I think was a camera on the driver's helmet. It was a fun race and I hope to go to more and maybe comtete in the Musemobile, I'd be in a class by myself *Just Kidding Sharyn*

Quote of the Day ~

My dad was very successful running midgets in Texas. Then, his two drivers ran into some bad luck. People started saying that Daddy had lost his touch. That it was the cars and not the drivers. I wanted to race just to prove all those people wrong. ~ A.J. Foyt

Florence Day Trip

2011-07-31T09:34:00.000-07:00

What's a trip to the coast without stopping by the ATM for a little cash. While waiting for Sharyn I got a glare reflected sign on the door of the bank. No Sunglasses, Hats, Helmets or Masks for your security and ours. A sign with no guns, bomb, long knives, bazookas might be a bit safer. Go figure.

We pulled the mini-musemobile into the big parking lot in Florence near Old Town to see a line of vendor tents already set up.

There was the BBQ truck...

... the Fry Bread stand...

... and a long line of stands from Paul's Violins...

to creative birdhouses at the far end...

... and too the left (riverside) of the board walk were the docks.

One stand manned by a couple who had lives in Alaska had glass floats ...

... collected from near the Bearing Strait...

One of the boats, Cap Armstrong, was a little dingy but was in the perfect place for a photo...

... and was just beyond the boardwalk fireplug...

... near "The Otter" a rather sleek looking sailboat.

Matt introduced us to Scentsy (pronounced Sen-See). From the ad:

"Scentsy Candles are a Unique Candle Warming system that uses a 25 watt bulb to warm the wax slowly into a pool of melted wax that maximizes the strength and life of the scent."

This is a great fragrance system

Glass flowers are not like real flowers but they make for very pleasant and colorful decoration. This stand had some very nice pieces.

Was this the Loch Ness Monster or just another of the river birds hunting for anchovies?

There were Tuna but these were not swimming and for sale at $2.25/lb...

... at this fish house on the river.

I was sorry we couldn't report a sighting of a "Killer Whale" but they are occasionally spotted nearby.

Oregon is definitely a mural state with some of the most interesting wall paintings ...

... and at this spot and many the giant anchors are also occasionally seen.

I did like this white moth on a plant with many white flowers (you have to trust me on the white flowers not pictured here.)

"The wayside blue and innocent heal-all?
What brought the kindred spider to that height,
Then steered the white moth thither in the night?" ~ Robert Frost

We did walk over to the "Backstreet Gallery" an artists cooperative made up of twenty-six local artists who had some really great work on display. It's a perfect place to find original art of very high quality and very reasonable cost. Go visit when you can and support the Arts by buying a piece to decorate your home.

Silly me I took one bridge picture without ...

... and with traffic. This beautiful Art-Deco bridge spans the Siuslaw River near where it flows into the Pacific Ocean.

"The Siuslaw River Bridge is a bascule bridge that spans the Siuslaw River on U.S. Route 101 in Florence, Oregon. It was designed by Conde McCullough, built by the Mercer-Fraser Company of Eureka, California, and funded by the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works (later renamed the Public Works Administration). It opened in 1936.
The bridge's total length is 1,568 feet (478 m). When open, the 140-foot (43 m) double-leaf bascule provides 110 feet (34 m) of horizontal clearance for boat traffic. The bascule section is flanked by two 154-foot (47 m) reinforced concrete tied arches, identical to those used in the original Alsea Bay Bridge. Four Art Deco-style obelisks house mechanical equipment as well as living quarters for the bridge operator. The total cost of the bridge was $527,000"

Of course I did find real and not glass flowers...

... and like always they were fascinated me ...

... and I never stop wondering about the number of variations in the flora all around...

... even the long gone foliage can be astounding when we really see it up close.

Quote of the Day ~

"Crafts make us feel rooted, give us a sense of belonging and connect us with our history. Our ancestors used to create these crafts out of necessity, and now we do them for fun, to make money and to express ourselves." ~ Phyllis George (born 25 June 1949) is an American businesswoman, actress and a former sportscaster. She is a former Miss Texas and Miss America of 1971

The High Desert Museum and Fort Rock

2011-07-01T19:56:00.001-07:00

On day two we left our campground in Prineville and drove to Bend, Oregon then to the High Desert Museum...

... where they had Wiley Coyote guarding the entrance...

,,, near this pool with a metal trout...

... and several real trout.

Just inside the door was an antique Ford...

... a great quilt exhibit ...

... and a huge Lynx and I do mean huge only slightly smaller that a cougar.

The museum had many dioramas ...

...each one with real examples of days gone by from tents ...

... to everyday items.

They even had an old time Plein Air painter exhibit...

... a gold mining setup ...

... and an old time bar.

I really liked the old forest ranger truck...

... and the woven tee-pee.

This was a tiny diorama with the characters only a few inches tall depicting cowboys around a campfire.

There were also some natural displays with lizards...

... scorpions ...

... and a Gila Monster complete with an interesting fact...

... telling how the saliva from these large lizards can help people with diabetes.

This was one of the pictures of wild horses saved by the High Desert museum named after my sweet grand-daughter.

There were more dioramas ...

... interesting and ...

informative about life in the high desert...

... and the Native Americans who shared this land.

They also depicted the fishermen of the Columbia River...

... even a tank aquarium with a huge Sturgeon.

There was native dress...

... and views of the interior of prairie homes.

On the way out I got nice shot of this chipmunk (correction, it is a Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel) thank you for the correction ...

... and some beautiful Lupine.

Next we drove to Fort Rock for a look at this spectacular geological feature shaped like a huge 3-d crescent...

... and the ghost town preserved as a museum...

... and a great old church.

You can click on this picture and read a little about Fort Rock and a picture of the ancient sandals found there.

On the way home we stopped at a state park to take a few pictures of the huge stumps...

... and I added a pine cone ...

... noticed the burned tree limb or root - not sure which.

I did get a shot through the fire ravaged trees, the lake and on to the magnificent mountains in the distance. The Cascade range is a series of Volcanic mountains from British Columbia to California.

"The Cascades are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the ring of volcanoes and associated mountains around the Pacific Ocean. All of the known historic eruptions in the contiguous United States have been from Cascade volcanoes. The two most recent were Lassen Peak in 1914 to 1921 and a major eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980."

It was a good trip which left us wanting to do another trip soon,

Quote of the Day ~ "If your heart is a volcano, how shall you expect flowers to bloom?" ~ Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese born American philosophical Essayist, Novelist and Poet. 1883-1931

Smith Rock and the Vertical Dance

2011-06-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

Driving to Smith Rock State Park in Central Oregon from home isn't a terribly long trip but we went through Sisters and stopped for a burger. While Sharyn was getting the food I got out (for Doreen) to take a picture of the Bright Spot coffee drive-thru.

When we got to the park we parked the Musemobile and started hiking around the easiest trail...

... but first stopped to talk to Jonathan Schrock who Guides the climbers for Smith Rock Climbing Guides

I liked this assessment of rock climbing calling it a "Vertical Dance."

And what a dance floor this is surrounded by beautiful spires, rock faces and Oregon's Crooked River.

Natasha Denyer writes on Oregon Live's web page :

"Central Oregon's Smith Rock may not draw the concentrated crowds of big-name international rock climbers that it did in the 1980s, but it's still got those world-class walls, the juniper-infused air, the vertical dance of climbers on prickly, sun-drenched rock."

and later says

"Smith was at the forefront of the birth of sport climbing -- in which climbers clip their ropes to permanent bolts in the rock -- in the mid- to late '80s. About 80 people who were the world's best climbers would gather at Smith in those days, says Volk, who's been climbing at Smith since 1971 and lives next to the park. 'That was the real mystique of the place. Literally every name you'd read about in the magazines was here all at once.' "

Hikers and climbers were everywhere today ...

...all in the space of this one canyon...

... with a plethora of rock faces...

... that stand like gods of stone...

... living in a unique paradise.

The exquisite beauty of this place is impossible to capture and I knew that midday was not the perfect time for soft light...

... but I am happy with the shots I did get even though the three climbers in this picture are tiny specks...

... but occasionally they reach the top and can be captured

The rocks are ruggedly beautiful...

... and the views are astounding....

... and even the river below accents the beauty of this place.

Quote of the Day ~

"Climbing is unadulterated hard labor. The only real pleasure is the satisfaction of going where no man has been before and where few can follow." ~ Annie Smith Peck Born Oct. 19, 1850, Providence, R.I., U.S.—died July 18, 1935, New York, N.Y., American mountain climber whose numerous ascents—often record-setting and some at an advanced age—made her a remarkable figure in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Back to the States

2011-06-19T16:09:00.001-07:00

When we arrived at the border crossing we saw the Peace Arch. It was built by Sam Hill who was mentioned in three earlier blogs about the Stonehenge War Memorial and the Mary Hill Museum and its Sculpture Garden.

"The Peace Arch is a monument situated on the Canada – United States border between the communities of Blaine, Washington and Surrey, British Columbia. The Peace Arch, which stands 67 feet tall, was built by Sam Hill and dedicated in September 1921, and commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Ghent in 1814. The monument is built on the exact United States – Canada boundary, between Interstate 5 and Highway 99, in the grass median between the northbound and southbound lanes.

The Peace Arch has the flags of the U.S. and Canada mounted on its crown, and two inscriptions on both sides of its frieze. The inscription on the U.S. side of the Peace Arch reads "Children of a common mother", and the words on the Canadian side read "Brethren dwelling together in unity". Within the arch, each side has an iron gate hinged on either side of the border with an inscription above reading "May these gates never be closed."

Welcome to the USA ...

Just into the US we were asked to stop for an inspection which gave me the chance to take this picture of Non-Sign II. It is unusual and what I consider the imagination of artists around the world.

"A U.S. art studio called Lead Pencil Studio has created a sculpture on the border between the United States and Canada that consists of a blank space in the shape of a billboard, surrounded by tangled metal. Titled Non-Sign II, the piece was commissioned by the U.S. government."

Estuary - where the River meets the Sea and this is an overlook of the Tillamook Estuary in Garibaldi...

... where we noticed the Rhododendron blooms were already gone...

... and the berries were just coming out. From the over

Looking back after we parked it was beautiful looking to the north west and watching the sun start to drop in the sky.

While waiting for the sunset I took a flower picture of this really nice plant...

... then walked over to a memorial to take a few pictures...

... and back to the Musemobile for a shot with great light...

... and got lucky getting this gull as the sky began its golden tint time of day.

The view became a warm gold ...

... that was perfect in the light/shadow spectrum that was balanced evenly...

... then as the sun dropped under the clouds sent out wonderful rays.

As the sun dropped behind the hill we entered the a blue period...

... that became increasingly dark...

... and then the lights on the Coast Guard pier were beautiful to see reflected in the water.

This was a perfect place to be in the Musemobile and the perfect time of day.

Quote(s) of the Day~

"Estuaries are a happy land, rich in the continent itself, stirred by the forces of nature like the soup of a French chef; the home of myriad forms of life from bacteria and protozoans to grasses and mammals; the nursery, resting place, and refuge of countless things." ~ Stanely A. Cain

"Many estuaries produce more harvestable human food per acre than the best midwestern farmland." ~ Stanely A. Cain

Last day in Vancouver

2011-06-16T21:47:00.000-07:00

Day two in Vancouver meant another day on the bus to the SkyTrain...

... and this time I was ready to snap this skateboard park just past the Royal Oaks station...

... for my boys who loved (and probably still do) skateboarding.

SkyTrain is an urban rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It uses fully automated trains running mostly on elevated tracks. SkyTrain's 42.7 mi of track makes it one of the longest automated rapid transit systems in the world.

We got off at the Stadium/Chinatown exit and started walking...

... and needless to say saw Stanley Cup Playoff memorabilia hanging all over and lots of Canuck jerseys being worn except for this lone Bruin Jersey on this teddy bear.

We eventually found the gateway arch to Chinatown ...

... and Kitti's Beauty Studio painted pink...

,,, near Shanghai Alley.

Finally we found the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen garden and also the public park of the same name.

The garden is named in honor of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, a nationalist leader who is considered the “father of modern China.” The attribution is not arbitrary, as it emphasizes his connection with Vancouver. While traveling the world to raise awareness of, and funding for, the Chinese nationalist movement, Sun Yat-Sen stayed in Vancouver on three different occasions for extended periods. At the time, there was a significant presence of Chinese nationalists in British Columbia, who helped finance the Chinese nationalist revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty in 1911. Sun Yat Sen subsequently became the first president of the Republic of China.

Classical Chinese gardens employ philosophical principles of Feng Shui and Taoism, striving to achieve harmony and a balance of opposites. Craggy rocks, for example, are juxtaposed against delicate foliage. Water is also an important element of the garden, and the large pond offers stillness, sound, a reflection of the sky, and helps to unify the other elements

There are many simple rooms giving the feel of serenity and simplicity...

... that is almost perfect for quiet reflective meditation.

This is a beautiful setting like a peaceful island in the middle of a city...

with a very special view every step you take ...

from hardscape to ...

... soft colorful floral settings...

... clever turtles sunning themselves...

... and all very special...

... they even call the fish for feeding with a gong.

In one of the reception rooms I liked this rock on the window ledge ...

... and the look of the bamboo outside this window.

Even in this hidden treasure there was a Canuck bag hanging on this Kimono.

I especially liked this stone sculpture and even saw forms of people within it.

The entrance to the free public garden was impressive. I will say as impressive as this garden was I liked the Chinese Garden in Portland even more impressive.

We found Sharyn's zodiac tile ...

... then mine although I like my sign called the Ram better than the Goat.

My favorite rock was this one in the back section of the garden.

This monument was erected to commemorate the significant contributions of Chinese Canadians to the growth, vitality and prosperity of Vancouver, British Columbia and Canada...

... and a higher view of the Memorial Square and the Chinese Cultural Center...

Then there were the turtles again...

not to be out shown by this lovely Peony...

Then it was back on the "Big Bus," The "SkyTrain," the city bus and to the RV Park.

Quote of the Day ~

"Canada has great natural resources, and its people have the spirit and ability to develop them." ~ Charles E. Wilson

Vancouver - Stanley Cup - Transportation +++

2011-06-14T22:10:00.000-07:00

Waiting for the bus while Sharyn checked our route...

... that would take us to the Skytrain...

with lots of other passengers...

to downtown Vancouver and the Disney Cruise ship...

... and the main station.

In front of the station was this great statue dedicated to the those who endure hardship and danger ...

to build the Canadian Pacific Railway.

We then waited our front waiting for the "Big Bus" that would show us the sights of the city.

What a city Vancouver is ...

... hosting the winter Olympics...

... and is one of the top ten tourist destinations in the world...

... and still showing off the Olympic Torch...

...and a Lego version of an Orca widely known as a killer whale.

Along with the new architecture there is also the old...

... sometimes reflected in the new.

There is plenty of shopping ...

The Oneiroscopist by Edith Rimmington, 1947.

And some great art galleries and ...

... even a few gargoyles both ancient ...

... and contemporary.

Of course the is Molson...

... and a city garden called Davie Garden...

... In Davie Village...

... and Canucks fans in high places.

Getting close to Stanley Park there was some art on the greenway along the beach...

... I'd say some really different art but I liked it ...

... even the David Oppenheimer bust. David Oppenheimer (January 1, 1834 – December 31, 1897) was a successful entrepreneur, the second mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Then we were there...

Thanks to the "Big Bus"...

...where we ordered from the Senior menu where the proclaim (you know who you are) to seniors wanting a discounted meal, we got the fish and chips at the Stanley Park Pavilion a delightful place in a beautiful setting.

I like gardens and this was no exception...

... lusciously planted...

... with one great view ...

... after the other.

We finally were close to the Aquarium...

... and after crossing a stream

... and finding a giant gunnera plant ...

... and the biggest fuchsia blooms I've ever seen...

...we entered the Aquarium only to find giant roaches.

Actually we did find birds ...

... and butterflies...

... polka-dot river rays.

"Otamotrygon Henlei is one of the more sought after stingrays in the world. Since it's recent ban from export from Brazil, the price of Henleii have became increasingly high, as they are near impossible to acquire. Once acclimated, they are a very hardy and prolific ray."

There were some snakes...

... and oops, the roaches are back ...

... and the Red Ibis that never turned around.

There was agreat poster about Body Art (go figure)...

... then we found colorful some fish ...

that were very hard to photograph...

... and a great blue frog, and yes, that's its real color...

I like the clown fish and its buddies...

... and some were still long enough for a good shot.

There were also Otters...

... and Beluga whales...

... and, of course their fans....

... and this great whale statue in front ...

... and a great Bald Eagle in a tree.

Vancouver loves their Canuks fighting for the Stanley cup but losing to the Brew-ins yesterday. Tomorrow its one last game to decide who gets the Cup and who gets to say we took them all the way to the wire. By the way what is a FOUR Seasons hotel doing in a two seasons city?

Vancouver has a really huge and attractive library...

...and one of only a few steam driven clocks in the world.

Gastown's most famous (though nowhere near oldest) landmark is its steam-powered clock, located on the corner of Cambie and Water Street. Built to cover a steam grate, part of Vancouver's distributed steam-heating system, the clock was built as a way to harness the steam and to prevent street people from sleeping on the spot in cold weather.

Scrabble Score -Scrabble Queen 257 - The Contender 335

Quote of the Day ~

"There are no environments where you're only going to win, because life just isn't like that." ~ Bobby Orr

Florence Rhododendron Festival and Old Boats

2011-05-22T17:41:00.000-07:00

This was the first time we went to the Florence Rhododendron Festival and it was a very nice and familiar drive to Florence. This event looked a lot like Sturgis on the coast with thousands of Motorcyclists. We tried to stay out of the more densely packed areas and started with lunch at Mo's seafood house then went to the Florence event center to look for the Rhody Show but were a bit early...

... so we ventured into the Arts Fair and were greeted by this short grey statue.

Inside Sharyn found the "Given Back Bird Houses" exhibit.

"Our bird houses are made from dead wood or driftwood, and sized according to various song bird nest dimensions. Each one is hand signed with the date the wood was Given Back to the wild birds."

The bird houses are terrific and you can go to their website to see more pictures. they ARE very cool.

It was a small show with some interesting work like this stained glass...

Some great paintings by John Bradley...

... and as we walked out into a festive day even a nice woman in costume.

We were too early for the Rhododendron show we went to Gallagher;s Park to enjoy the flowers there...

... and they were all rhododendrons like this purple...

... and this very red..

...exquisite beauty.

I liked this pale yellow/white one...

... but they were all wonderful to see ...

... and some were still blooming...

... and some barely starting to bloom.

I really liked this one for the colors.

Some were passed blooming and forming new growth...

...with new green leaves forming over the red...

... or the time when the petals drip leaving what I call a Rhody "Spider.
"

While this pink one was in full bloom...

... this red bud was about ready to come out.

From every angle they are beautiful ...

... and even from a distance they can take your breath away.

Just for fun I tried a close-up shot of this tiny flower.

They decorate the sky...

...then fall to the ground like a red carpet...

... or become white stars to guide the way.

On the way back home we stopped to see the old Mail Boats next to the road. They were freshly painted by a local Artist...

...and they were fun to see all painted after seeing them earlier in pretty drab condition...

The boats are on a commercial property next to some wetlands on the banks of the Siuslaw river and the grasses were well fed this year and very beautiful with the green demarcated by many small rivulets...

... and the grasses looked like soft green clouds...

...and an occasional log, this one looking like a huge planter for flowers.

There was one more boat named the "Bronco" that was tiny compared to the others...

... and not much larger than these big buoys. All in all it was a very good day getting out with Sharyn and taking pictures and otherwise enjoying a warm Oregon day.

Quote of the Day ~

"Being on a boat that's moving through the water, it's so clear. Everything falls into place in terms of what's important and what's not." ~ James Taylor

I Love Vermont

2011-05-06T20:15:00.000-07:00

The lake house in Vermont is a lot like heaven with many species of birds...

...woodpeckers, grosbeaks and goldfinches with an occasional osprey.

The second thing I love about Vermont are the quaint views...

...and great eateries like "Jackson's on the River" named after Craig and Jackie's dogs River and Jackson

I did get a shot of Doreen and Sharyn walking to the car...

...and turned for another shot back up the hill to the main drag.

Jim and Doreen are also the proud owners of the scariest tree in Vermont...

... and a very lovely home

Back in Middlebury we saw a spectacular river falls show...

... with the town for a backdrop...

... and I love this town for all the great things it offers.

I'm not sure but I think the brown color is from tannin leached from the trees...

Jim was far braver than I going down to the river's edge...

... while I took the high ground to shoot a steeple and large granite slab.

Speaking of spooky trees these woodpecker holes make an awesome face...

...and Jim got very close to the side falls...

...while I got a shot of a spider pointed out to me by a little boy on the bridge.

I went above near the shops to look down on the river run...

... and got a good shot ...

...or two.

I also got a great shot of Jim on the guardrail and it reminded me of Michelle hanging over the wall above a 500 foot drop at salt creek falls in Oregon taking a picture.

Kermit the frog with a blue tie was also there with a little Buddha friend.

Our second day in Middlebury we went to lunch at "Fire and Ice" a great restaurant ...

... with a salad bar in a boat.

After leaving Middlebury we drove to Texas Falls...

... and while it didn't have the quantity of water it as amazing for the chutes...

... and pools...

...and a park under construction funded by the American Recovery and Reconstruction Act a great stimulus created to help workers and improve our infrastructure in America.

We then drove ro Rochester, VT on route 100 to met Shatryn's cousin Beth who owns a shop called Boysenberry - Smart clothes

I wasn't sure what the clothes IQ was but they look great ...

... felt soft

... looked great a great place to shop. After a short visit with Beth I couldn't help but think of Jo & Joe Sharyn's cousin also and Beth's mom. Great family and a great legacy from Ed.

There is one more thing about Vermont I love and that's Jim and Doreen we couldn't have invented better friends who always make us smile...

... even with their tee shirts.

Quote of the Day ~

"Vermont - What happens here stays here, but nothing ever really happens here" ~ Jim's Tee Shirt

Magic Number is 144

Garden in the Woods

2011-04-28T18:43:00.000-07:00

Garden in the Woods is a great place to go if you like gardens and are near Boston especially in the Spring.

Flowers are in bloom...

... ferns are fiddle hedding...

and the variety of flowers are wonderful.

Some of of the little flowers are doubled colored...

...and others have bright stems and ruffled flower tips.

Some of them have windswept shapes...

...and others look like little bucket claws like prize machines...

Some areas of the garden are green and flowery...

...some are damp footed in the water...

... ans other areas are gray and somewhat dead looking...

... and some flowers look like little white bells.

There is a little wildlife like this mallard duck...

... turtles near the shore...

...and some on islands in the pond...

...and I even found a chipmunk.

The flowers were wonderful...

... in both color and variety....

... and I even found some cactus here in the Northeast

There was a fake stegosaurus...

... that was pretty cool,..

and an artistic wooden snake in the valley.

We eventually returned to the place we started,,,

... where I took one more picture,

I took this picture several years ago on a visit to these gardens and I think the lady shown here was at the garden again this visit. Interesting!

Quote of the Day ~

"By cultivating the beautiful we scatter the seeds of heavenly flowers, as by doing good we cultivate those that belong to humanity." ~ Robert A. Heinlein