Saturday, March 17, 2012

 I love the rest stops in Oregon. They are all beautiful and this one called the Baldock Rest Area is at mile post 282 exactly 100 miles away from our exit.
I like this so much because of the huge trees and how the walkways...

 ... and picnic tables are placed surrounded by park like grass.

 Many travelers stop and walk and in some cases walk their pets.

 It's hard to say just how tall the trees are, I'd say these are just the right height but I don't want to be accused of plagiarism but I can say they are very tall.

 We did have Dim Sum at a great place and it was wonderful to find a good Dim Sum but I didn't take pictures because I was too busy eating. The restaurant is called  Haidu Seafood Restaurant and it's located at 5846 Northeast Sandy Boulevard, Portland. As a substitute we went after lunch to Hippo Hardware.

 Their ad says, "A Portland institution since 1976. Specializing in original and reproduction hardware, architecture, lighting, and plumbing."

 There are hippos everywhere, on cabinets...

 ... on bookshelves...

 ... even on the floor...

 ... and the door.

 Walking around outside and taking pictures I noticed just how clever some AAA Auto agent really is when he put these stickers on the "AUTO" sprinkler outlets...

 ... and how clever is this sign in Hippo's window with Dead Martin saying, "50's Hardware makes a home."

 There is something very clever also in how Hippo's decorates inside by making a trip there fun...

 ... by using off the beaten path displays...

 ...that not only show their goods but can give ideas on how to decorate using them,

 The also let you know it is an adventure digging through the packed warehouse like the pickers we can see on TV...

 Some of the goods are practical like glass light covers and other fixtures...

 and some are just plain odd like this glass sphere.
 Across the street from Hippo's is "The Guild" a public house which means a bar and grill in the more literary circles. It is a very cool building I may well visit one day.

Well we heard another storm was due in later in the day so we got home to see some very unsettled weather .Just east of our home (looking from Interstate 5, There was deluge centered on one small part of the mountain looking like a tornado but thankfully it was just rain.

Quote of the Day  ~

"The guy who owned that island was from Oregon and he decided that he wanted to have an Oregon feeling to it, so he planted pine trees all over the place!" ~ Christopher Atkins 

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Coos Bay and Horsfall

We went for a familiar trip this weekend to North Bend & Coos Bay but having our Saturn Astra for a tow car we were able to do more exploring than usual. We crossed the Conde B. McCullough bridge going north and got this picture from Horsfall Road looking east.
 This 5,305-foot steel cantilever truss bridge, designed by master bridge engineer Conde B. McCullough, was the longest structure on Oregon’s highway system when constructed in 1936. It spans the entrance to Coos Bay, carrying U.S. Hwy. 101.


We had never taken this road that goes west from Highway 101 and found a pleasant surprise in some of the view areas. There were a few ponds...

... with wonderful views...

...and even some Scotch Broom, considered a scourge, since it has taken over from the more native plants in Oregon, Washington State and Northern California.

Scotch broom is a pioneer species known to displace native plant species and increase the costs of timber production. It readily invades disturbed sites, natural areas, dunes and public and private forest lands. Maintenance of rights-of-way, facilities, parkland and private property costs millions of dollars each year because of rapid growth of young plants and the plant's persistent nature. Seeds of Scotch broom are long-lived (50 years plus) and mature plants are prolific seed producers, establishing persistent seed banks requiring long-term management objectives. The largest costs attributed to scotch broom come from additional inputs needed to establish trees in commercial and public timberlands. It is estimated that Scotch broom costs Oregon $47 million dollars annually in lost timber production.
Some of the views are terrific like this one looking down the road from a view area...


... with a great old stump at the entrance.


Farther west we came to a boat launching area and even with the heavy over cast I managed to get a few good pictures...
... of the pilings in the bay...
...that stand like sentinels of the timber industry.

We then drove east across highway 101 and drove around the bay finding water fowl like these Baffleheads.

Buffleheads have evolved their small size in order to fit the nesting cavity of their "metabiotic" host, a woodpecker, the Northern Flicker. Due to their small size, they are highly active, undertaking dives almost continuously sustained by their high metabolism. They do not tend to collect in large flocks; groups are usually limited to small numbers. One duck will serve as a sentry, watching for predators as the others in the group dive in search of food. Buffleheads are amongst the last waterfowl to leave their breeding grounds and one of the world's most punctual migrants, arriving on their wintering grounds within a narrow margin of time.
We also spotted a great white egret in the same area but it flew into the distance when I stopped to get a picture.
On the drive we went from North Bend to Coos Bay where I found a flock of VWs in lot right on the road, too cool.

We proceeded from there to Bastendorff beach where I found some kelp washed up on the beach...

... along with sea gulls...

... and a few black birds.

I liked the grasses growing on the beach...

and some of the driftwood.
Another new place for us to visit is the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve  a 5,000 acre natural area located in the Coos estuary on the south coast of Oregon.

The Reserve was designated in 1974 as the first unit of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System , a network of estuarine habitats protected and managed for the purposes of long-term research, education, and coastal stewardship. Established by Congress in 1972 as part of the Coastal Zone Management Act and  is administered as a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the coastal states.
South Slough encompasses a mixture of open water channels, tidal and freshwater wetlands, riparian areas, and forested uplands.
The Reserve supports and coordinates research, education, and stewardship programs which serve to enhance a scientific and public understanding of estuaries and contribute to improved estuarine management. \
Over the past 37 years, South Slough has grown in the depth and scope of its programs and developed facilities to meet the needs of visitors and staff.

While we were there several teachers were being given education on science education and were working together, like students, to better understand this area.

I did like that we found a "Flowering Current" much like one we have growing next to our home.

As were were leaving South Slough I got a picture of another huge tree stump and was reminded that some worthwhile things last and give us awe beyond there individual lives.

Quote of the Day ~
"Up to 80 percent of the fish that we catch spend at least part of their lives in estuaries. " ~  Jim Gerlach

Saturday, March 03, 2012

Mickey D's with Steve's Family Then With Matt

We met Steven, Martha and our grand children at a McDonald's on Scripts-Poway Parkway for many reasons like it was halfway between their home and Jill and George's home but the real reason was for the playground inside...


Jason was immediately on the video game...

 ...while Samantha sat with the adults before dashing off to the jungle gym tunnel maze...

 Jason even found a friend to play with since Christian was already deep into the maze.

 The nice thing here was that we had time to visit with Steven and Martha and it was a great visit catching up on the children and learning about all the things going on in their lives.

 I did glance around and caught Jason listening intently ...

 ... and caught Christian landing for a few minutes...

 It was great seeing Martha and realizing just how much her love for our son and their children brighten everyone's lives, including our own.


 Christian was refueling ...
 ...as Samantha posed with Sharyn of a really sweet picture.

 Finally after a long visit it was time to go and we said our goodbyes to our sweet Southern California family...
 ... but as always it's never enough time but always a joy.

 Then it was on to Arizona and a look into the life of a Bingo championship team of ....

 ...Matt sitting next to his co-heart's mom Ruby ...
... and next to his favorite bingo gal Holly. I didn't get many pictures in Arizona because neither Sharyn nor I were feeling very well and I had come by a virulent strain of bronchitis. The visit was a nice one however, and we really enjoyed meeting Holly and her mom as well as Scooby, Lucy and Gizmo (nicknamed Spike) when he is rowdy. I can't tell you how hard it was to leave earlier than we had planned.  We miss you guys!

Quote of the Day ~ 
"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family" ~  Anthony Brandt

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©Paul Viel