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Saturday, May 16, 2020

A Day Out

Oregon's parks are slowly reopening, but only a few at a time.  For last Friday's outing we visited a county campground where we often go in the winter when everything is routinely closed.  It's a good place to let the dogs run around while we treat ourselves to a picnic, doing picnic things.

I rather like how it looks with the grass grown tall and the wildflowers having the run of the place.







We've been very good about social distancing, but we thought if we can visit on the street with the neighbors, then we should be able to visit with our dearest friends in The Great Outdoors.  We haven't seen them since the beginning of all this, sniff sniff.  We took separate cars and tried our best to keep apart, but there may have been some moments...  For the most part I think it worked out pretty well.




Wildflowers were everywhere.  I could fill an album with photos of each species in bloom, but there were just too many:  Bleeding Heart, Cranesbill, Heuchera (Coral Bells), Buttercup, Forget Me Not, English Daisy... just to name a few.

Here's LuLu in the Buttercups:




Wally in the Forget Me Nots:




Lucy, our friends' mini-Pomeranian, in the English Daisies:




Later in the afternoon we walked into the woods near the park.  You can almost imagine alligators lurking in the water and snakes dripping from the trees, but it's just our spring-damp Oregon coast woodland... nothing scary here at all.




We're about to pick our way down a trail along the creek.  That's Rich and our friends in the photo below.




We did not have to cross this foot bridge, but I requested Rich do it for a photo.  The idea was to have the dogs stand with him, but Wally was not thrilled with the idea.  LuLu stayed on this side.




It was a beautiful day, then the rain came back and stayed for a few days and we were only able to get out for the briefest periods, but we always manage at least a little walk.  We're doing fine, living life.  Hoping you're fine, too.



19 comments:

  1. Such pretty pictures of the pups and the wild flowers, my it is so green!! Not sure if I would get on the bridge either, I am with Wally on that one lol! Nice that you can get out and away for a bit..I took a walk in our woods here and took a few photos of nature here, but the flowers are nothing like you have shown, so pretty!! Have a wonderful weekend!!

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  2. I can see why you are so thrilled to live where you do. It's beautiful. So nice that you were able to get out with some friends. We're all still on lockdown. I did get a visit on the patio last Sunday with my daughter and her family for Mother's Day. It was nice to see them and they brought me lemon squares. My passion after chocolate. Stay safe.

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  3. Isn't it wonderful that we can find the most beautiful nature places close to home to play and enjoy the gorgeous wild flowers and greenery:-) TFS all your beautiful photos, my friend. Hugs...

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  4. Straight out of National Geographic! Beautiful photos that made me smile..BIG. what precious memories you and Rich are making with Wally and Lulu. Stay well. Hugs

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  5. I am so thankful they are opening up parks as well. This looks like a nice day out and everyone had fun. Glad you got to see your friends and the fur babies did too.

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  6. Calendar moments as usual, and a new furry find (to me, anyhow). I'm smiling this morning. Thank you.

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  7. Such gorgeous scenery. I bet it was so fun too!

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  8. Fabulous photos, looks so nice and relaxing. Not like the reality the world is today. Glad you had some get away time. Stay safe.

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  9. Oh it looks like a fabulous day out, so lush and green and with all the flowers, now that is a wonderful day!
    They were saying on tv today to pick 8 other people (because supposedly we will be able to be in groups of 10 this summer) that you feel follow the same guidelines that you do and just hang with those people. It's good to be able to talk to others.
    I had to laugh at Wally's stance, our little Peanut hated to go over bridges.

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  10. You went a beautiful place for your day out! Gorgeous green everywhere. It must have felt very refreshing to breathe in all that fresh air! The dogs look happy ... of course, don't they always??!! :) Except maybe Wally teetering on the log bridge. Looks a bit slippery, don't blame him for not wanting to cross the whole way. The wildflowers are a bonus ... adding lovely colours patches. Your friends dog is sweet ... lots of combing to keep Lucy tidy! xx

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  11. lovely pics. I don't blame the dogs for being hesitant on that bridge. I definitely would go on it... Have a great day

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  12. What great pictures! Thanks for sharing them. I'm glad you had an opportunity to get out and about and visit with yor friends. I love all the wild flowers. We have gone from snow and rain to hot weather. From heat on to air-conditioner. Crazy weather. We are still not open in my county but hopefully soon.

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  13. wonderful photo's Leslie, I love seeing the dogs so happy. the weather has been wonderful lately jumping between hot and cool. The garden and grass are growing like stink and our dogs are feasting on grass :)

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  14. Oh thank you so much for this little photo journal of your day! I'm still social distancing as well and doing ok with it! Of course I've moved everything in my craftroom....twice. I keep looking up and seeing something I just have to change. I've been mowing grass and killing weeds and I even planted a plant or two. Stay well my friend!

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  15. Leslie, as always you capture mother nature at it's best along with your family. Photo's are beautiful, and each one tells a story. I'm so glad the parks are slowly opening as well. I love all the wildflowers and each doggy has it's own picture, so precious they are. Your afternoon walk in the woodlands is so serene looking, a nice place to get away from it all. I'm so glad you were able to take a picnic day and enjoy the outdoors and your friends! Bill and I went to the Provincial Park near us yesterday, saw lots of spring migrants, just felt so good to be out and do what we love! Thanks for sharing a few pictures of your lovely day, I truly enjoy them, it makes my heart happy! Hope you have a wonderful day Leslie.

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  16. Oh what a beautiful day for an picnic! Thanks so much for sharing it with all of us! Don't you just LOVE all the green and wildflowers ... sure made me happy to see them! Glad you & Rich are doing well and able to get out and enjoy nature from time to time! We are keeping busy with our outdoor spring clean up. Mulching is ALL DONE (yay!), finally got the power washer running and spent 4 hours cleaning the deck yesterday (looks SO NICE) ... now to get my flowers potted and positioned on the front porch and back deck. I plan on being all ready to sit on the deck & listen to the birds all summer long while grilling out as much as possible. Thanks again for sharing your day ... I truly enjoyed the adventure!

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  17. thanks for sharing your beautiful outing with us, Leslie! That one photo would make such a beautiful blog header! LOL We have been fortunate, too, to be able to go outside on our property. Last Saturday, my friend came over for the first time. We "share" the same housekeeper, who keeps her 4 children at home, and is strict with the guidelines. It was great seeing her, and doing a little coloring. As the third most populous state in the country, with a very dense "senior" population, we are doing rather well. Our governor opened what he called Phase Point 5 (.5 as opposed to 1). We continue finding new cases with testing, but the percentage of infection is going down. Tomorrow, a more complete Phase One is beginning. But even still, bars remain closed, and so do movie houses. 60% of our cases are in Southeast Florida, so those counties are not opening up in the same timeline as the rest of us. But I continue staying home, due to autoimmune conditions. If I catch the virus, my immune system will likely fight it off fine, but it will then say, "now what ELSE can we attack" and go after some other organ, which I cannot afford. Jack is doing well. He decided this year that he wants to change from traditional vegetable gardening to green-house hydroponics. That will allow him to continue doing what he loves with less energy and toiling. He begins building a greenhouse from scratch next week, so it will likely be fall or winter before we can actually grow much. In the meantime, we're doing a combination of potted tomatoes, herbs and peppers and an experimental squash plant in a hydroponic container, but inside the pool cage LOL I'm grateful he has found a new hobby at age 76. The biggest hurdle once the house is built, will be ventilating it for our hot summers, preventing too much light coming thru the roof, and hurricanes-tornados-tropical storms. Got off on a tangent, didn't I? Next month, I have more to share with you via email. Thank you for sharing these peaceful, gorgeously green, AND VERY HAPPY photo of your life! xx

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  18. I have said it before but you are surrounded by the most beautiful countryside love all your pics and the wild flowers-I go across to the local shops(5mins walk away)twice a week with out daughter who is at home and John has been pottering around in the garden and his polytunnel getting his tomoatoes and other veg sown and planted but it's getting to him been in since the lockdown started due to his health and we have seen the grandsons a few times but still missing grandaughters!
    Carol x

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  19. You got some great shots! looks like everyone had a good time!

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