Oregon Coast Adventuring

Hello my friends, are you ready to do some sightseeing with us?  OK!  Let's start with the view from my hotel room at Newport - Sally and I each had our own room and this was the view from both.  It was so neat to see the tides come in and out.  

I saw all these birds on a dry spot of sand so I zoomed in to have a look.

This is my room.. I should have opened the curtain but the view was behind it.  I had a fire going, too.  Beyond the half wall was a love seat, 2 barrel chairs and a table.  Very comfy.

Wednesday was our big day for adventuring.  I snapped this photo from my balcony!  It's Yaquina Head Lighthouse.  I really zoomed in as this is quite a ways from our hotel.

We headed off from the hotel and I took Sally to see the wonderful little lighthouse called Yaquina Bay Lighthouse.  If you've been a longtime reader of my blog, you'll recognize this.  

We drove up the coast to Lincoln City to a restaurant where Sally could get breakfast and I lunch.  Afterwards we got in the car so I could show her some of my favorite places.  We drove to Taft and I showed her all the seals that hang out on the sand spit there on Siletz Bay - a favorite place to take our grandchildren as the beach is protected from the open ocean, but you can still see the ocean and the waves.  

See their cute little faces?

I just love these 3 rocks in Siletz Bay with little gnarly trees growing on the tops.

I just think this is a quintessential image of coastal Oregon.

We drove up the Siletz River and I showed Sally the house that was built for the movie "Sometimes a Great Notion" by Ken Kesey, an Oregon author.  It's a GREAT book and a FABULOUS movie.  Have you heard of it?  They built this for the movie and were going to burn it down after filming, but the authorities would not give permission for the burn as it was a dry summer.  SO, they sold it to someone who finished it off and it's been lived in ever since.  I love the look of this house.

I would *LOVE* to live here.

I spied this log in the water on our way to see the house and stopped to snap a few images of it.  I love how a whole little ecosystem has sprouted from this old log.  I wonder what the future of these trees holds?

Sally said.. do you see the Canada goose?  Oh.. look at that!  *Snap*  

What a pretty goose!  I wonder if she was making a nest here?

Then I took Sally to Sea and Sand RV Resort where we camp in our trailer/caravan for a week each April and October for Dayle's and my birthday.  This is how close we are to the ocean when we camp there.

Heading south on Hwy 101 I swung off to show Sally another favorite "hidden" spot - it's at the north end of the Otter Crest Loop.  It's a beautiful stone house overlooking this cove.

Another house where I'd love to live and never will.  :-)

I parked in a little viewpoint park where Sally enjoyed the view, I walked out onto the bridge and turned to get this image of the house, the bay and the gorgeous waterfall that goes under the bridge.  Pretty, pretty.

I wish someone would go move that log off there.  :-D

Next up was to take Sally down through the Historic Bay Front at Newport on Yaquina Bay and show her the working fishing village activities.  I showed her the fish packing plants, the galleries, diners, salt water taffy shops, the Undersea Gardens and Wax Museum.  :-)  Then on to show her the fishing boats at the docks and admire the Newport Bay Bridge.

The barking sea lions.

Back under the bridge to snap a shot from the other side.

Then back to the hotel to rest up before heading to dinner at Georgies Grill right next door.  We had halibut fish and chips.  Why not?  :-)  We both enjoyed resting up from the day in our rooms - Sally came through the adjoining door to say goodnight.. and the door locked behind her.. we had to call the front desk for help and he had to break into her door which was locked securely - and even cut off the security lock with a bolt cutter!  LOL!  All this at 11:30 pm.  The next morning we had our coffee and breakfast in our rooms, packed up and were loaded up to head home at 11 am.  Our last big visit was for me to take Sally to see the Yaquna Head Lighthouse - it was blowing a gale with rain but she gamely went out to pose for me.  

I do think this is the most beautiful lighthouse.

I braved the elements - and it was blowing very stiffly - to take a photo of all these birds on top of a huge rock formation by the lighthouse - they looked like little penguins, don't they?  I found out that they are Common Murres - a diving bird that breeds in colonies such as this.  

Our last stop was for lunch at the tiny Otis Cafe - what a treat, they make all their own bread, biscuits, burger buns and pies.  We both had breakfast - mine was called "Redneck Eggs Benedict".  It was a biscuit with a sausage patty, then an egg omelet, topped with sausage gravy.  Yes, I took a photo but to be honest, it didn't look that "pretty".. but it did taste good!  I brought half of it home for Dayle.

It was a fun trip and Sally was so happy to see the ocean once again - and I showed her many places she'd never seen.  She regaled me with stories of her family visits to the coast when she was younger and then of times there with her husband.  Well, I better pack my swim bag and head to the pool to swim with Gracie.  I hope you enjoyed going along with us on our adventure.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

Red Sky at Night is a Sailor's Delight

Hello my friends!  I'm on an adventure at the coast.  My friend Sally has been so dedicated as the volunteer coordinator for the Friends of Vista House and just retired.  She gave so much of herself over the years that all the volunteers pitched in to pay for a getaway for her and asked me to take her.  We talked about what she wanted to do and she picked a visit to the Oregon beaches.  I was so surprised to hear that she hasn't been to the coast for over 20 years!  So, we headed out yesterday morning and headed to Cannon Beach.  My sister Roberta even drove over and met us for lunch!  We went to my favorite restaurant, and this is the view from our table!  The Wayfarer Restaurant.

I had beer battered halibut fish and chips and Sally and Roberta had beer battered prawns.  Our lunches were divine.. and with this view!  

This view is right from our table.. in nice weather they have tables and chairs on the lawn here.

After lunch we visited my favorite antique shop - I bought two little packets of antique mother-of-pearl buttons, one was full of tiny baby buttons.. I'll show you those later.

There are wonderful things here, I encouraged my sister to buy an antique brown bottle in the shape of a fish which had held castor oil.  She has a house on Fish Hawk Lake and I thought she needed a fish bottle for their decor there.  :-)

Sally and I headed on south and bid my sister Roberta adieu.  This is the view of Haystack Rock from the southern side at Tolavana park.  I spied something out there on an island, do you see it?

So, I zoomed in a bit and saw there is an old lighthouse out there.  

So, when I was uploading my photos from my media card last night, I googled what lighthouse was off Cannon Beach and it's called Tillamook Head Light. (Click on the link to find out some interesting history of the lighthouse.)  Be sure to read the bottom part for a spooky weird story!  

It's fun to see Haystack Rock from the north and then from the south.

It was cloudy but dry and we enjoyed watching the ocean and the sky.

We drove south down the coast with a stop at the Tillamook Cheese Factory and then on down to our hotel in Newport.  I pulled off the road to snap a photo of the sunset just north of our destination.  What a pretty red sunset!

I love how the clouds are backlit by the rosy glow of the sun.

Goodnight sunshine!

We both have our own rooms but with an adjoining door - so after a nice quiet night for each of us we are sitting by the fire in my room watching the ocean waves.  We made our own coffee and had a cinnamon roll that we got at the restaurant last night.  Pretty soon we'll head off to find lunch and do some adventuring.  I am going to take Sally to see the Yaquina Head Lighthouse and down to the Historic Bay Front and who knows what else?  I guess we'll soon find out!  I hope you're having a wonderful week!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

Alpaca Farm, Sweet Wendy and Black Moon

I do love an adventure.  Yesterday was such a beautiful day, sunny and warm, that I talked my husband into a drive up the gorge to find a place for lunch and enjoy the day.  We even saw a Bald Eagle flying over the river, big white head and white tail.. what a joyful sight!  We cruised up the Columbia River to Hood River and had lunch at the Riverside Restaurant.  I then thought of an alpaca farm I'd heard about and my husband (dear man that he is) agreed to go visit.  I think I had alpacas in my mind as my blog friend Meredith visited an alpaca farm recently.  :-)  I called the place and the owner said he'd look for us.  We followed the signs 10 miles from the restaurant and wound up the side of a hill and eventually found the place.  Oh my goodness.. look at this darling face!  I'm in love!

Here is Jonathan, the owner of Foothills Yarn & Fiber.  What a nice man!  He showed us his favorite spinning wheel, showed us his wools and one whole side of all alpaca yarns, bags of alpaca prepared for spinning, etc.  

A very pretty and tidy shop with so many enticements!

There were several sweaters all knitted up to see.  I love the swift all set up to use.  They offer classes too!

I thought all of you who have been knitting and crocheting cowls would get a kick out of this book and it's name.  Sorry the image is a bit blurred.

Dyed roving ready to spin.  

This whole wall was alpaca yarn from bulky to fine lace and sock weights.

I bought two skeins of yarn.. will show you in a bit.. then we went outside to meet the herd.  

One of the youngest of the herd.. ohhh.. wot a tweetie pie!  How cute are these darlings?  Another thing I noticed, they are very quiet creatures and very sweet.

The herd down the road were all white.

We assumed that this regal creature was the "Herdsire, stud or macho".  (ETA - this is a guard llama watching over the herd of alpaca - thanks, Meredith!)

On down the road I rolled my window down and chatted with these two nice ladies who were out riding their horses.  I asked them if I could share this photo with people all over the world and they said yes.  :-)

I snapped this sweet little farm further on down the road.

By the time we headed home, it was time for an ice cream.. :-)  The East Wind Drive-In at Cascade Locks.

Dayle held both ice creams while I drove down to our new little photo spot under the Bridge of the Gods.  There we watched the changing colors of the clouds while we enjoyed our chocolate ice cream.

I like a waffle cone and he likes a sugar cone.  Can you believe that he ordered a "baby" size and I got a "small"?  :-)

Lick, lick.. ohhh look at that cloud.. lick, lick.. mmmmm.

I love how the sun glows on the cliffs.

Turning to the right of where we were enjoying the view from our car, you can see the bridge and the interesting paintings down the support column, a Bald Eagle, Wolf, Bear, Cougar and a man.  

This morning I took some photos of the yarn I got.  I *LOVE* the colors in this skein!  Wouldn't this make a lovely scarf?  Or hat?  What would YOU make with this?

The name of this skein is "Marionberry".  :-)

I also got a HUGE skein of natural white spun up so beautifully.  I can make a whole shawl out of this.. which is what I plan to do.  Now I need to find a suitably lacy pattern to use.  I will crochet it.  

Luscious, isn't it?

And I am excited to show you the aMAYzing gift I received from Wendy in Australia from the blog called Ruff's Adventures.  I've gotten to know Wendy over the last year or so by reading her blog and corresponding with her.  She's a great adventurer, devoted partner, mother, grandmother and daughter.  She is a crocheter and sock knitter.  She loves trains, too!  So, I was full of joy and appreciation when I opened the package and she had sent me this fabulous pair of wrist warmers that she crocheted herself and they JINGLE with cute little bells on them.  Isn't that the nicest thing ever?  I love them!

And then.. I was beyond touched when she was given these knitting needles from her very own mum.. and she sent them to ME!  What a dear and wonderful thing to do!  I adore them and will treasure them forever!  Thank you, Wendy!  

I continue to love love love these faux tortoise shell knitting needles, the colors are so beautiful.  I can't wait to knit up something pretty on these!

Oh.. and I had to show you the beautiful iced tea we were served at the restaurant for lunch.. and the wonderful server gave me these two tea bags when I raved about the flavor of the tea.  He also told me that the tea maker is in Portland and makes the very finest tea - so I am going to check out his website and see what I can see.  And I am going to have myself a hot cup of tea today.  :-)

My day just kept being fabulous when I got a text from Pammy Sue, my blog friend from Scotty's Place blog, who lives in Texas, and she reminded me to check out the "Black Moon" last night.  SO, I put my shoes on and went out with my camera and captured this image.  Isn't it fun?

I also asked my son Travis to try getting a photo of it and was super pleased with this image he captured.  I knew his camera had a better zoom than mine and just love his shot.  Mine has a 30 zoom and his has a 50 zoom.  A black moon is when the moon is mostly in shadow but just a sliver of the moon shows on the edge.  

Well.. I had a lot to share, didn't I?  LOL!  We are having another brilliantly sunny day, I don't see a cloud.  I'm trying to talk hubby into another outing.. do you think I'll be successful?  We'll soon find out!  I hope your day is a wonderful one.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)