April in Elkton II

What a fine day today, the sun was shining and warmer than I can ever remember (except in Southern California last month) with only one small lapse.

The deer across the river were out for a sip of Umpqua water (an Oregon insider joke)


I walked down the embankment for a closer look and saw some Brass growing underwater.


I did like the morning sun shining on these submerged bushes with the blue background.


I even found an old washed up boot.


Considering how high the water was in the river it is very clear with little or no sediment.


I did get a shot with three deer wandering about on the distant shore before Sharyn called me wanting to walk into town for some chow.


On the way we passed a patch of healthy looking bamboo...


... next to a lovely red tulip...


... and a purple tulip - How cool is that.


Then looking up I noticed an entire tulip garden.


As we walked down Elkton's main drag we saw our destination Tomaselli's Pastry Mill & Cafe.


The decor was Italian chic and very nice.


There were some wine bottles on the shelf above my head next to our table.


While I was drinking my coffee Sharyn was hiding behind the newspaper (Eugene Register Guard) and a couple were chatting away at a corner table.


I'm not sure if this was Dayna Tomaselli one of the owners along with husband Marty Tomaselli but you can see the pride in this sweet little Cafe in her eyes. The blurb from their really nice web site says :

"Be sure to come on by and check out our family Bakery and Cafe located in the great little community of Elkton. You can do wine tasting at our local wineries, look at the beautiful scenery, catch a fish or two, rent a room to stay overnight and then join us for a bite to eat. We look forward to meeting you."

We left the cafe well fed and walked toward the bridge just east of town passing another garden, this time with many colors of Azaleas.


The new bridge into Elkton has four of these tree trunk sculptures this one has an Osprey...


... and this one has an Elk. I'm not positive but I think one of the other two has a Salmon and I finally fount out the fourth is a butterfly. They also are adorned with grape vines for the local vineyards.


Looking south from the middle of the bridge you can see Elk Creek meandering toward the Umpqua River convergence.


We then walked south spotting this old barn/ Welding repair shop...


... then turning west we found the Elkton Feed Store with it's own...


... Buddha.


Farther along we found a building that hold meetings of both the Odd Fellows and Masons.


As we approached the Elkton RV Park I got a picture from above. That's the Musemobile closest to the river beyond cab the big dark super land yacht.


Back at the campsite I walked to the Eastern end of the campground for a picture of the Umpqua River.


I also got a shot of these fishermen returning to the boat dock just West of the campground.


Since Michelle liked the sunset picture from yesterday I got one more tonight - enjoy

Scrabble Score ~ Scrabble Queen 302 ~ The Avenging Contender 354

Quote of the Day

"It is better to travel well than to arrive." Buddha

April in Elkton

Both Sharyn and I were needing a break after doing a lot of Spring Yard work and decided it would be Elkton RV Park for a second time. The park is next to the Umpqua River and is a very quiet and peaceful place to relax. This visit the river is up, the fishermen are out and the park is almost full.

Even the weeds were lovely...


... and the barn across the river is as striking as ever.


I don't want them in my yard but in the outdoors they are lovely. I thought back to a quote I used only two blogs ago by A.A. Milne "Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them."


Even the dandelions were amazingly beautiful....


It makes me wonder why we think that out yards can compete with natural selection.


I took this picture more for the cool shadow than the burned root on the ground.


Rainbow shoots of plants were all over the grounds.


I did get another shot of the barn and I'm sure I will again tomorrow.


The river was higher than when we stayed here before and much of the shore walk I took last year was under water.


Some branches were still above the fast flowing river.


These fishermen were moving fast back to the boat ramp...


... and these guys were still fishing ...


... and while the fast movers were pulling their boat out ...


... this woman fished from the shore.


The park managers like a clean park with no dog poop...


... but they keep the local birds well fed.


As we played out scrabble game I got this shot from the window of the sun setting as the river continued it's run to the Pacific Ocean.

Scrabble Score ~ Scrabble Queen 318 - The lowly Contender 293

Quote of the Day ~

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." ~ Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss)

Sarkis Antikajian at Maude Kerns

Maude Kerns had another opening. It was Sarkis Antikajian a local and well known artist.


Sarkis is not only well known and well respected as an artist he is also a very fine person who is quick to smile and offer help to other artists. I had met Sarkis months ago in the parking lot at Tamarack Health Center where the Plein Air Artist Group was having a show.

Maude Kerns Art Center was doing a retrospective on Sarkis' wonderful works.


This is a great self portrait hung at the entrance of the gallery.


I was most impressed by the variety of works from Oil to Sculpture with a wide variety of themes from Still life to...


... the human form.


There was this wonderful clay and ...


... this colorful image of a man at a table with a spray bottle.


There was man with dog...


... and beautiful clay of a woman reclining.


From black and white ink figures to ...


... and men in a field...


... and I really liked these eerie white trees in a rainbow of background colors.


I liked the girl with sunflowers I think mostly for the focal emphasis on the subject and the nondescript yet colorful background.


I think this was my favorite, a casual look at a girl at rest.


As I got to the back part of the Maude Kerns Center I saw these very unique Tulips caught perfectly in the natural light of the window.


Next to them was a book...

...changing focus I could see Sarkis also had a book on display.


Before leaving I got a picture of one more sculpture. This is a small sample of Sarkis' works for more information visit his website [Click Here] and be prepared to be impressed.


Sharyn had dropped me off and after taking pictures and visiting with Karen, Sabrina and saying hi to Nicole I went outside on the grounds of Maude Kerns Art Center to wait for my ride. I found a beautifully blooming fruit tree and got a shot with the sun behind.


I found some grass growing up through some porch planks in the back then turned to see...


... the huge cranes at the U of O sports palace being built.

Scrabble Score Scrabble Queen 432 (that's why she's the Queen) and the Contender 372

Quote of the Day ~

"No life can be barren which hears the whisper of the wind in the branches, or the voice of the sea as it breaks upon the shore; and no soul can lack happiness looking up to the midnight stars." ~ William Forrest Winter quotes (Armenian Governor and Lawyer, b.1923)