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?

Cherry Blossom Time

Still staying home and loving it on a day like this!  The cherry tree is just coming into bloom at our house.  If you like pink, it doesn't get much prettier than a branch of ruffly double cherry blossoms.

It's a half and half tree -- half pink, half white.  The white shows first, then for a spell it's pink and white at the same time.

Wet LuLu laying in its shade.

Wet Wally squinty eyed in the sun.

We'd all had a busy day working outside.  Well... Rich and I worked... Wally and LuLu made the work more fun.  In these pictures they were ready to call it a day.

Through a tangle of smoke tree branches just starting to bud you can see how the dogs got wet.  They especially enjoy helping Rich play with the hose.  There's our poor motor home just sitting there.  Not sure when or if we'll get to do this year's road trip.

We're doing okay and I hope you are, too.  I watch the news and know how lucky we are.  Take care, friends.

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!

Little Helper LuLu

LuLu always helps carry in the groceries.  I didn't have a bag small enough for her so I let her carry the cookies.  She's so dang cute and such a good helper!

Isn't that an adorable puppy face?  Eight years old.  She melts my heart!  Love.

My Beautiful Sweet Boy

They say the eyes are a window to the soul.

Love.

Great Day in the Morning

This photo opportunity happens only occasionally and those occasions are always in the wintertime when the sky is clear and the sun is at a certain angle in the morning.  The moment passes so quickly there's not much time to react.  I opened my craft room window and leaned out with my phone to snap this pic.  If I'd taken the time to grab my DSLR camera and go outside for a better view I may have missed the shot.  It's not too bad, considering.

It was the start of a beautiful day.

Take care and be well!

A Break in the Weather

Picking up after more than a month since my last post... Winter doesn't necessarily mean we don't get out and about, but lately we've had a lot of wet and dark weather.  Not complaining; that's a good and natural thing for the Oregon coast, but we do take advantage of those rain breaks.

This past weekend we had some record high tides, so we planned a day to see if they were "all that".  The news reports were making much of it, but I guess after living on the coast all our lives it didn't seem too unusual.  Nevertheless, it turned out to be a rather nice day.

We're surrounded by water.  Drive straight in any direction and you'll end up in some part of the bay.

A little further on we stopped at the boatyard.  Most of these salty old vessels are under repair, but it's hard to picture some of them as ever being seaworthy again.  They're wonderful to photograph.

Wally and LuLu were ecstatic for the chance to run around and explore some new territory.

Color and character:

A bold claim for this tiny fishing boat.

See the name of this boat... I tried to get a better picture of it with Wally, but the day was too fun for standing still.

Here's one that's looking good:

From the boatyard to a pleasant little stretch of beach where the ocean meets the bay.  This place is called Tunnel Cliff, about 23 ft tall.

There's a walkway along the top of the piled up rocks in the foreground, but you have to keep away on a day like this, and never turn your back.  Miles north of us there were, sadly, two children swept out to sea this day.  They did not survive.

In the photo below you can see what appears to be a cave, but it's actually a tunnel that goes all the way through to the other side.  That's why they call it Tunnel Cliff.  At low tide there's no water here at all.

 And that was our Saturday on the southern Oregon coast.  I should play tourist in our own back yard more often.  It's a pretty nice place!  Wishing you a happy day!

Raking Leaves

I did not get a chance to share this before... too much posting on the stamping blog... but popping in now with a Saturday post.  Rich, Wally, and LuLu raking leaves on a late November day.

I've been spotted...  See the bald spot on Wally's side?  Just a small, benign tumor removed.  No worries.

It always turns into this -- below:

Eight and ten years old and still just a couple of kids.  We love them.  Smile!