Monday, October 23, 2017

Sea Storm, Lighthouse, Pelicans and Hat Testers

Hello!  Goodness, in all the years of our coming down to the beach in the "shoulder" season, meaning April and October, this has been the stormiest, wettest and bumpiest time we've had.  And today the clouds are gone and it's sunny and gorgeous.  Yay!  This is a damp shot of our view a few days ago.


I had time to read a magazine that I subscribe to.. and brought with me.  This is an excellent issue that has a whole segment about how people are trying to save the oceans.  My biggest takeaway is:  DON'T TAKE PLASTIC BAGS FROM THE STORE!  USE RE-USABLE SHOPPING BAGS!  DON'T BUY BEAUTY PRODUCTS WITH LITTLE PLASTIC BEADS IN THEM!  RE-USE, RECYCLE & RE-PURPOSE!  Thank you.  :-)


I crocheted on the baby blanket, played Words With Friends and Scrabble online.. and here is a shot of one wet dog after a walk outside.  :-)


But each day we braved the rain and wind and headed out for a late lunch and some sight seeing.  We went to Georgie's Grill in Newport and I had their crab Louis and oh. my. goodness.  It was delicious.


I admired this garden in front of the restaurant.  



We then went to see the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, it was foggy offshore and I thought it might be a different image than a sunny one.



I zoomed in to see the sea birds on the big rocks by the lighthouse and saw a few Pelican among many Cormorants.


I adore this lighthouse.. they did a big paint restoration not long ago, I was chagrined to see that it needs another coat of white. I'm really not surprised as this poor thing gets the roughest weather.


The Fresnel lens in the top is still in use and I love seeing the light blinking.


Have you ever seen a lighthouse lens up close?


I zoomed in on a couple of comical Pelicans.  



Aren't they interesting birds?



On the way "home" to our caravan I swung off the Coast Highway 101 to visit the little park where we enjoy seeing the beautiful stone house I'm in love with.  I dream of living my golden years in this house.  :-)


The view from this house is of this bridge, a riotous cove of ocean waves and the big blue Pacific Ocean.  


As you can see from this tree in the little park where you can pull out to see this view.. it gets a bit of wind and sea breezes.  :-)


You can only see the raging waterfall on the left from the bridge and from the other side of the bridge, walking onto the span a bit, which I did.


The water is usually pure and clear but the storm and downpours have added a bit of soil to the falls.


Goodbye house.. if you were mine there would be smoke curling up from your stone chimney and golden lights in your windows and I would be out on the porch letting my lungs fill with the fresh air blowing in off the stormy seas.  Then I would go in by the fire and crochet a hat for my nephew.  


OK.. now I want to thank 4 of my blog friends for testing the hat pattern I wrote up!  You're all wonderful!  This first one is by my blog friend Betsy.  She is going to give this to a nice boy at their church.  She knits almost a hundred mittens each year to give to the children of a school near her where many children attend who are from less fortunate families.  She's a dear.  She actually added extra rows to the pattern to make it an adult size, in exactly the additions I was thinking of putting on my pattern.. thanks, Betsy!


Next up is a darling hat that Fiona made for her granddaughter.  She lives in England but spends a lot of time in the mountains of Southern Spain.  Thank you, Fiona!!  She is not a blogger but I'm happy that she reads my blog and comments often.


This hat was done by my blog friend Wendy who lives in Australia - she has a big family and several of the cutest grandchildren ever and she and her husband Paul are travelers extraordinaire!  I love how colorful this one is!


Last but not least is this cute colorful hat made by my blog friend Gracie for her adorable granddaughter.  One of the biggest reasons I love blogging is the friends I've made and am still making from around the world.  And sometimes you find a blogger who lives 20 minutes away from your house.  :-)  Gracie and I also swim together 3 times a week.. when one or the other of us are not off gallivanting around.  :-) Gracie actually found a part of my pattern that needed explained better so I appreciate that.  Thanks, Gracie!!


There is not a cloud in the sky, my sister Denise has come to visit.  She just checked in to her hotel in Taft and is heading our way.  After we chat for a while and enjoy the view we'll head off for lunch together.  Then we'll see what kind of adventure we can find.  I hope you have a great week ahead!!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

17 comments:

  1. Great hats by everyone! I love how each of them have their own personality. Your pictures of your stormy time at the coast are amazing. I always enjoy seeing "your house" when you show us photos of it. I think my favorite of this batch are the pelicans. Although Yaquina is one of my favorite lighthouses along with Haceta Head and I always enjoy seeing it.
    Have fun with Denise and enjoy the waves. :-)
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  2. HI Teresa. It must be wonderful to live close enough to the ocean to be able to visit it a couple times a year. I've never seen the Pacific, but I have seen the Atlantic. I live close to Lake Erie. Sitting on the shore line is relaxing, much like sitting and watching a camp fire. Maybe because both are a constant, but ever changing. The hats are cute. Love that you wrote and designed the pattern yourself. It must be heart warming to see that some of your friends successfully tested the pattern for you. I totally agree with recycle, reuse, repurpose.....have been doing that for years. I also compost. I am a stickler for saving the earth and leaving a very small carbon footprint. If they made anything mandatory, it should be recycling. It is nice coming to your blog again. I've been missing everyone. Hope you come visit me again sometime.
    Susanne :)

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  3. What a joy to see the stormy weather, you captured some great pictures. I am so thrilled that the weather has improved and that you are able to get out and about. Have a great visit with your sister.

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  4. The Oregon coast is one if the most beautiful places. Thank you for sharing such wonderful photos. I love the hats! How amazing that four blog friends from around the world made them. It's a small world isn't it! Stay safe and dry and have fun. It's 106 degrees here right now...hugs, Pat

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  5. I adore that little house too! I wonder if people live there or if you can rent it for holidays? Might be worth investigating for your next trip!

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  6. Thanks Teresa for a great pattern. I love all of your stormy looking photo's and that lighthouse ♥♥. Lots of recycling happens here and on our travels. Always have a reusable cloth bag with us ☺☺ Love Betsy, Gracie and Fiona's hats ♥♥

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  7. Your time in your camper sounds divine to me. The views, and that stormy weather, are my kind of thing!

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  8. I'm glad you've not blown away by all the wind on the coast this weekend. Saturday we had downpours and wind galore. We still had power though. I enjoy Yaquina Head lighthouse very much. Been up to the top a few times. Taken numerous photos of it. I'd love a house on the coast as well. My favorite places are Newport and Bandon. I'd like to save up and spend a week on the coast. Just because! I like all the photos of hats. Look so nice and I'm sure the wearers like them too! Enjoy your stay...and eat some ice cream too! YUM! Blessings!

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  9. You have so many wonderful oceany photos in this post, Teresa...I especially marvel at the photo of the pelicans! I am glad you all are having a good time rain or shine...even sometimes wet
    Buddy :) Thanks for sharing your pattern and coaching me through it. It was fun to follow it and I hope to make more hats from it. It is also fun to see the fine hats that Fiona, Betsy, and Wendy made. My phone/computers have all given me extra challenges yesterday and today, but I had a satisfying swim in the sunny pool today. Christine and I missed you, though. Hope you and Dayle have a good visit with Denise, and thanks for another great post! xx

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  10. What a beautiful part of the world. I love light houses and your pelican photos are great. I’m like you on holiday, finding houses that I could imagine living in ;). Could do with one of those wonderful hats now, very damp and windy where we are. Hopefully we’ll get your sun soon. Enjoy your sister's company. B x

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  11. The ocean looks so powerful. I forget most of the Earth is water. I will heed your advice. NO MORE plastic bags . I usually ask for paper. That may not be helpful to the earth either.....so reusable bags . I'll try!

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  12. I can't stop admiring the beauty of the coastline in your part of the world! Thanks for sharing your holiday photos. The hats are all adorable, I am glad you found testers. I enjoy making friends all over the world with my blog. I sometimes talk about my friend such and such and my family is puzzled because they know I am not going out much to meet people. Little do they know :-) Enjoy the sun while it lasts. xx

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  13. Such gorgeous pictures. Glad to see that the weather didn't deter you from enjoying your surroundings. I've been wanting to try the hat pattern so am glad to see that others have done so. Enjoy time with your sister.

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  14. What beautiful photos of the mighty Ocean Teresa. I'm glad you had a great time despite the weather. The hats look super..I'm glad you found some testers. Enjoy seeing you sister xx

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  15. I love the shot of the cormorants and pelicans with the glass-green waves behind. Can almost hear the ocean just from looking at your photos. What a stunning place the Oregon coastline is.

    If you ever do get that house may I please move in? Or at least visit? It's delightful. :)

    Loved seeing all those tester hats!

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  16. yep definitely looks like Scotland lol.I want to live in that Lighthouse please.What a Stunning place to live.We get a lot of Storms too and we are also concerned about preserving Ocean Life.Our local stores do not supply plastic bags anymore,they want us to take our own shopping bags.We also have Beach Patrols here to pick the waste that the Ocean throws out,or that thoughtless people leave on the Beach.nearly forgot I love the hats.xx Cuddle for Buddy

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  17. The Lighthouse is beautiful. Love the waves!! The hats are lovely and will be much appreciated I'm sure. Here we now have to pay for a plastic bag - we are encouraged to re use / take our own bags - even when buying clothing. I had heard your message several times. It is very worrying what is happening in the oceans. Anne x

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