Catching Up

Oh, my gosh, I haven't posted here since August last year!  I go through these dormant spells on this blog, but it's catch up time now.

First I'll share from our final camping trip at the lake last summer.  Our friend came out to visit (outside, safely) one day and brought his furry family with him.  What a time they had!

The next two pics are wildflowers at the lake 'cause I can't resist photographing pretty much every flower I see.

 

September of 2020 was a tragic month for many in the western US who lost their homes, entire towns, their lives.  We were safe here, but now and then the smoke closed in on us from all directions.  Pictured below is the sun in late afternoon in a smoke-filled sky.  I can only imagine what it must have been like for those much closer to the fires.

Skipping to November for a couple of backyard shots:

The impatiens aren't looking their best by November, but LuLu still enjoys them:

LuLu again, loving a November day out in the wide open spaces...

... and in December, bringing Christmas dog treats home from our friend's house down the street.

My beloved family in our backyard, December:

There's even a pic of me and the dogs.  This one was taken at a favorite outdoor spot in January this year:

The last two photos bring us up to this month -- Wally with his Christmas moose:

Wally and LuLu taking themselves for a walk:

It's been a whole year of living life under the limitations of a virus pandemic, but we've managed to enjoy ourselves.  Thank goodness for our little family unit.  I hope to be here again before too long.  We're working on some home improvement projects that will keep us busy for a while, but that can be fun, too.  Wishing you a happy day!

Just Me with Wally and LuLu and Heron No. 9

Hello!  We're out camping again.  Today I have just a couple of pics from our last trip.  At that time we didn't have the most desirable site in the park, but currently we've got one of the BEST sites in the park.  Huge, private, and perfect for the dogs.

Darnell said I should give the camera to Rich once in a while, so that's what I did here.  LuLu is tucked into the crook of my arm.  Wally was apparently more interested in something across the way.

No. 9 is a heron.  Just one of many water birds that hang out around the lake.  How would you like the job of cleaning off the sign?  BTW, No. 9 is simply a mooring post.  It's not really Heron No. 9... but maybe...  At the Grand Canyon I photographed a Condor that carried the number 80 on his wing.

That's all I have for now.  I'll be back when photographs happen.  Take good care!

First Camping of the Summer

Where is summer going?  I feel like we haven't done much of anything, even though we vowed we would get an earlier start this year.  Sure, we've enjoyed the garden and we love our home, but sometimes you just want to get away.  Well, we finally managed a few days -- close to home, but it felt like another world.

North Lake RV Resort and Marina. Lakeside, Oregon.

There's a huge area where dogs can be off leash, but you hardly run into another soul out there.  Do you think the sign below is a deterrent?

We've never run into a bear on any of the three occasions we've camped out there, but I suppose there's always the possibility.  Our first destination:  The north lake where Wally and LuLu like to swim and explore the reeds and water lilies.  LuLu is pictured below.

There are endless trails going every which way, perfect for hiking or biking.  No motorized vehicles other than the golf carts the employees use.

Plenty of wildflowers in bloom.  Pictured below is the fluff of an Oregon Douglas Spirea and the waxy red blooms of Black Twinberry.  Am I imagining how gorgeous this unexpected pairing is?

We like to stop for a lounge in the grass before we head back to camp.  Perfect temps for basking in the sun.

 

A woodland path is not to be resisted.  It's just one of many paths we walked during our 3-day stay.

 

Back at camp and ready to relax a bit before dinner.

 

This was a full hook-up campsite -- sewer, water, electric -- so we were able to avoid all contact and simply greet other campers from a safe distance.  It was just what we needed and we're ready to go again.  Thanks for visiting!

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.

Getting Along in the Neighborhood

Wednesday it rained, Thursday was gorgeous, Friday it rained again.  That's spring for you!

We took the dogs for a long neighborhood walk and stopped a few times to visit on the street, always at a safe distance.  When we turned the corner onto our own street it seemed like the whole block was outside.  Our neighbor on the corner was planting flowers with her daughter, and when we stopped to talk she gave toys to Wally and LuLu, which they've been carrying around ever since.  You can see Wally has one of the toys in this picture.

And here he's keeping an eye on both toys:

Then along came our neighbor friend and his dogs from the end of the street.  The dogs played in the yard while we humans watched from the deck.  Again, we kept our distance.  You can see Bailey, a Goldendoodle, in the foreground of the picture below.

And the next pic is Lynus, another Goldendoodle.  I like how Lynus and his ball are the same color as everything else in the picture -- green, white, brown.

It was a good day.  Still feeling fortunate in our area with few COVID cases and plenty of room to get out and about.  We continue with safe practices and bide our time.  I hope you're all doing okay, too.  Be safe.  It has to return to normal some day, doesn't it?

Feeling Lucky to Live Here

Like many states, Oregon is on a stay-at-home order, which means the same thing here as it does in other states, I'm sure.  All our state and county parks are closed because too many people proved they didn't know how to NOT congregate in unsafe numbers.  Tourists flocked to our chilly beaches until, weirdly, we looked like spring break in Florida.

So now everything is shut down... however, local folk who enjoy the outdoors still know where to go.  It was a beautiful day for a walk in the woods.

All this space and not a soul in sight.

Hurry up, Mom!

Off we go.

Everything is different for the time being, but all our days and moments are precious, aren't they?  I'm glad to be with my family, even though I'm pretty sure we won't see our son for Easter or his birthday next month.  We do what we have to do.  It's temporary.  Thank goodness for The Great Outdoors.

Sheltering in our Golden Retriever Bubble

Hello, there!  Staying safe and sheltered here on the southern Oregon coast, we stick mostly to our comfortable home and yard/garden where we stay plenty busy, but that doesn't mean we can't also get out for some fresh air and exercise and a friendly visit with the neighbors (at a safe distance).  Today's pictures are from our Monday evening walk.  We ran into one of our favorite four-legged neighbors and her humans.

Here's Rich and -- left to right -- LuLu, Wally, and neighbor Lilo:

Those faces, their smiles, all that fluff... it's hard to not feel happy in their presence.

One of Lilo's humans took the pics with her phone and sent them to me.  The first pic was clear, but the next two were a bit blurry by the time they got to my computer, so I doctored them up with a painterly effect.  Pictured below is me, Rich, and LuLu.  Always when we turn the corner onto our street we let them off the leash and LuLu is very proud to carry hers the rest of the way home.

And then there's Wally:

I have to say I really do love this photo.   Believe it or not, it actually was too out of focus to keep before I went to work on it.

Well, folks, I hope you and your loved ones are okay and will remain so.  If you smiled for even a minute here, then Wally and LuLu would be very happy.  Sending love and hugs to all!