New Year - A Great Start

*** To see a larger picture of these images click on the picture 

I've been wanting to get a picture of Frank's Oar House for ages and so, as part of my New Year's Resolution list this is one of the first following my quitting smoking

 Last night we had another glorious sunset and some blue sky during the day.

 Of course Sharyn and I have a shared resolution, along with the vow to quit tobacco, and that is to get out and do some traveling and exploring. Today we took our first drive of the year to Florence, Oregon to see some predicted turbulent surf. We drove to the north jetty where the Siuslaw river...

 ... Comes into the Pacific and looked back to the town of Florence...

 ...and then at the sandy beach.

 Near where we parked was a coast guard tower...

 ...and lots of sand and beach grass...

 ... along the path to the jetty.

 There were big waves but nothing worth walking out to the end of the jetty but on the way to the car I did manage to get a shorebird in flight ...

 I'm not sure what the heck this thing was but I think it was on Coast Guard property.

 We stopped in at the  Harbor Vista RV park that's part of the Lane county park system where I got this shot of the North Jetty from the overlook just above...

 ... and this shot of a weed flowering just off of the walkway.

 Getting back into Florence I took a picture of some trees on a very high sand dune across the harbor...

 ... then took this flower on the way to Mo's seafood on the river.

 Another part of my resolution to get some pictures I always wanted and never go was this great bridge. Cushman was a station on the Coos Bay Branch of the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad, named for local residents C. C. and I. B. Cushman.

 This bridge is a swing span railroad bridge across the river there. The bridge opened to allow ocean-going barges to reach a now-closed sawmill in Mapleton. In 1940, Cushman had a population of 145 and a full-service port. At that time the hills above the community produced Port Orford-cedar, a large evergreen coniferous tree native to the region, but by 1990, this resource was depleted and the port no longer served ocean-going vessels.

 I stopped for a look at the Wildcat covered bridge ...

Just so you know I consider it a good sign seeing a beautiful rainbow next to us on our drive home and even more special to share the day with my very special lady. Looking forward to a very great New Year.

Quote of the Day ~

 "Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, or a new country." ~ Anais Nin