- NESKOWIN AGAIN -

I am feeling at home here and settled in quickly. It appears the way it was when I was here in July with the exception of flowers.  They have all faded and mums are the only things blooming now.   Wednesday and Thursday were beautiful sun shinny days with a slight breeze.  A sweatshirt was perfect for the temperatures.  Exactly my kind of weather.  I walked to the beach and enjoyed the large waves that were the result of the previous several days of storms.  Awesome!!!  The ocean surf, which is very rough as a result of the storms, can be heard in the park at night.  

The sunny days brought deep blue skies and huge fluffy white clouds.  The clouds above the trees were stunning and felt so close.  There was quite a bit of mist at the beach as the sand and rocks were emitting mist as they warmed with the sun.  It was funny to watch the gulls bathing in the water streaming down from the hills making its way to the ocean.  I just never think of gulls or other water birds needing to bathe.

Only a few people on the beach and one couple was from Boulder, Colorado.  They said their basement and the lower floor of their home were flooded.  He said there is so much to be done to recover the area.  Bridges, roads, sewer systems, and all the buildings, schools, hospitals, etc., need repair and rebuilding.  They have been there over thirty years and have never seen anything like this before now.  So, they were completely and thoroughly enjoying the beautiful sunny weather of the coast here.

I also came across an older woman using a walker who made me think of my Mom.  She was going to try and maneuver on the sand though changed her mind as it was too soft to navigate. (I remember doing this with Mom when I would take her to Morro Bay.)  She says she gets out and walks every day and goes along the streets of houses here.  She had a sweet smile and an accent and just kind of pulled one in.  I had a nice time chatting with her.

Friday now reveals rain.  Predictions are for five inches by Monday and rain continuing until next Wednesday.  Hmm!  I trust my toes will stay separated and my motor home will stay in contact with the ground.  As far as I know, this thing is incapable of floating.  I guess I could attach pontoons.  No, I will deal with whatever happens.

I had been feeling how clean everything was after the last rains.  Everything feels refreshed and renewed and ready to carry on.  I think that after this next batch of rain things will feel the same or more so and perhaps just a bit water logged.  I am grateful the rainfall will be happening  over four to five days rather than all at once.  

Fall is definitely in the air, in the trees and all around.  The day light hours are getting less and less.  The night time temperatures are cooler and shadows are getting longer as the sun is moving southward.  It is September and Christmas decorations are already out in the stores I have been in lately.  Halloween has yet to occur.  Really?

The wind is now picking up a bit and it gently rocks my little home.  It actually is rather comforting.  I was unable to bring my rocking chair with me, so this does the trick as a substitute.  It is especially nice at night when I go to bed.  Being lulled to sleep.  

It is interesting how the rain begins with these huge drops, then becomes sort of steady (with what I would call regular sized drops) and then, it mists or rains so gently and soft that I am unable to hear it on my roof even though I see it out my window.  It seems the rain drops come in three sizes and the large and small drops are at the edges of the actual rain.  Very curious!!!

Something else that is curious to me is the people that wear shorts in this weather.  I am usually amazed when I am at the coast during the winter and see people out in shorts with the temperatures below the mid fifties.  Perhaps years ago I use to do this, (memory failing?) however, it makes me cold to see someone do this now.  Does this mean I am getting soft?

I am in the need of a dentist so I contacted Mikki in Florence, who I met when last there, and she gave me a recommendation.  My plan is to be in Florence on Monday, so I will call now and see what I can arrange.  I had a recommendation for one in Lincoln City however, they are closed until Monday.  So it will be Florence.  Thanks Mikki!

On the sunny days I was so happy to see several robins.  They seemed to come to my site to let me know they are around.  I have heard and seen geese flying north and there seems to be more rabbits than before.  There are definitely young ones now.  The crows have shown up and meander around the park looking for whatever they can eat.  The rabbits and crows end up very close to each other and neither seems to mind.

To all those celebrating,

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Dotty!

Happy Birthday, Laura!

Happy Birthday, Dave!

Happy Birthday, Beth!

Happy Birthday, Barb!

"If you want others to be happy,

practice compassion.

If you want to be happy, 

practice compassion!"

 - Dalai Lama

Enjoy your happiness!

- ON THE ROAD AGAIN -

I am heading south along the Oregon Coast as I continue to make my way back to California to see and hug family and friends.  There were a few other places I though I might see while up this way, however, right now they are getting snow and I prefer to avoid that with my motor home.  I am unequipped to deal with it in any way.  So, south it is for now.

While driving Monday I came across some road work, which has occurred on many of my drives.  You know the scene.  Some guy(or gal) wearing a neon colored vest and a hard hat is standing in the middle of the street holding a pole that has a sign on top of it posting a red STOP on one side and an orange SLOW on the other.  

Well, this time it was special.  The scene was the same, however, the flagman that had us stopped for oncoming traffic,  bowed and tipped his helmet when he signaled us onward.  And the flagman at the other end did the same thing as we exited the work zone.  It was so charming and such a pleasant surprise that I smiled and chuckled and wove to both of them.  What a great gesture to add to the disruption of travelers.  Such a simple act that probably brightened everyone's journey, even if just a little.

Thankfully the rain was rather light while I drove and it had almost stopped as I went into Fred Meyer to stock up on fresh food.  They had some organic produce which was a refreshing surprise compared to several other places I have shopped.  It has become very clear to me how much I appreciate the bounty of organic foods, farmer's markets and recycling efforts in California. 

I am back at Neskowin Creek RV Park which is where the rabbits grace the grounds.  I saw several when I arrived and most of them were later hiding under the RV's while it rained.  It is amazing to see all the different colors of them and the varying sizes.  They all seem healthy, as far as I can tell.

The park is less full and wetter when compared to my last stay.  The weather prediction is for decreasing rain and by Wednesday it will be mostly clear.  I am already periodically seeing blue sky and sunshine.  I am here for a week before I move on again.  Presently, it is raining.

I have noticed that I have heard less song birds at several of the last parks I have been.  In Wheeler I did see the robins and other birds though failed to hear them singing.  Maybe it is the time of year or just the locations I have been.  Perhaps the birds go somewhere else to sing.  Rather curious as I recall the birds singing most of the year where I used to live.

I am definitely looking forward to hearing them singing again and hopefully it will be soon.  For now I will just have to press the button on the musical stuffed purple finch I have and listen to its quite cheerful song.  I sometimes wonder if any other birds will hear it and come to join in with the singing.  So far, that would be a no.

To all those celebrating,

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Virginia!

Happy Birthday, Bill!

Happy Birthday, Cammy!

"Don't equate your self-worth

with how well you do things in life.

You aren't what you do.

If you are what you do,

then when you don't...

you aren't."

"I am a human being,

not a human doing."

 - Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Enjoy your doing!

- WHEELER, OREGON 2 -

Well, so much for the accuracy of the weather forecasts.  Yesterday was to be a wet and rainy day that actually turned out to be a beautiful day with about six rain clouds that crossed over blessing us with about ten minutes of rain each.  It was rather funny to watch the weather forecasters and listen how they described the rain event.  He made it sound as though it was tremendous.  In my unprofessional opinion, it was rather sparse and less than concerning.

I have taken walks to watch the herons and egrets that do their best to keep their distance from my attempted picture taking.  Oh well, they are simply awesome to see.  I have chatted with many of the fishing people and those crabbing and have managed to stay dry for the most part.  A lot of RV's are pulling out today and I am beginning to feel a little isolated.  There are still many here, however where I am, many nearby spots are now vacant.  

This morning it is raining, as predicted.  Surprise!  They got it right this time.  I was out walking around 7 a.m. and some fishing people were already out on the bay.  I watched as more people made their way to their boats to assess how much water was in them and what measures they would need to take.  These are hardy people who have all the gear one could need in these weather conditions.  After all, what is a little rain?  The wind is another matter.  It is predicted to get gusty as the day goes on.

This will probably take a huge toll on the flowers that have been doing their best to hang in there into fall.  It always fascinates me when I see roses blooming this time of year.  I love it!  Pansies seem to be stronger and more hardy here.  Everyone has been telling me this has been such a nice summer and I suspect this is probably why all the flowers are continuing to thrive.  Perhaps it will be this rain period that will cause them to go into hiding for the winter.

OK, so I was cutting up veggies and obviously was failing to pay close attention to what I was doing.  A slight slip of the knife and ta-da!  I created a nice cut into the quick of my index finger.  It was odd that I was pain free as it looked rather frightening at the moment.  I cut the nail away to see how bad the damage was and managed to bandage it before I continued with my food project.  

Then, of course, I needed to trim the rest of my nails so they are all relatively even in length.  I accomplished this the next morning and it feels strange to have all very short nails again.  This used to be my norm while I was working, though since then I have let them grow longer.  There are definitely pros and cons to both long nails and short nails. I am back to being unable to pick some things up due to no nails.  I am also less likely to poke or seriously scratch myself due to long nails.  

Tomorrow I am moving on again and back to Neskowin.  I like this park and it is only a short walk to the beach.  I will need to find a grocery store to replenish my fresh food supply.  It would be nice if there was a Trader Joe's nearby, but alas, I would need to go inland.  So I shall make the best of whatever I find.  Maybe there will be a local fruit and vegetable stand along the way.  That would be awesome.

Life is good and wonderful and magical.  I have been so blessed on this Adventure and I experience moments of absolute happiness.  Sitting here and writing this is one of the moments when I am completely content and at peace with where I am and what I am doing and feeling.  I have had many of these while traveling and I know the feelings I have will continue to occur and increase.  For now, I am  excited to just be here and now.

To all those celebrating,

Happy Birthday!

"Your life is yours to live,

no matter how you choose to live it.  When you do not think

about how you intend to live it,

it lives you.

When you occupy it,

step into it consciously,

you live it."

 - Gary Zukav

Enjoy your life!

- WHEELER, OREGON -

Great blue heron hoping for dinner

This is a small fishing village on the Oregon Coast.  The park I am in is right on the bay and fishing is in full swing here.  There are days of great fishing, good fishing, so-so fishing, rough fishing and "why did I bother" fishing.  The ever faithful fishermen are out in their boats every day they are here, trolling for the wonderful salmon that are attempting to make it back to their spawning grounds.  

I am torn between the desire for the delicious fare and feeling sad for those that will never make it home.  I can only hope that the fish caught for eating were destined to grace someone's dinner table and provide an absolutely delicious meal for those partaking.  How grateful I am when I am fortunate to be one of those partaking.

This is a small village of 417 residents, according to the latest available information, who, I suspect, probably spend most of their lives fishing.  There is a bar and restaurant combination, a health conscious cafe, a bakery and several antique shops.  They have constructed a sweet visitor area of round tables and seats which provides a nice view of the bay.  

This afternoon it is raining and I smile as I see several fishing boats continuing to troll the bay in hopes of catching that one destined fish of the day.  I am happy to be dry inside my little home and hear the rain on my roof and watch as others scurry around to avoid getting too wet.  

I was smart enough to do my laundry this morning while it was still dry.  I meandered around the park grounds and discovered there are many flowers in their final stages of bloom for the year.  The weeds have taken over most of the beds, though I was able to find some lovely flowers doing their best to greet anyone willing to search them out.  Even pansies of unusual colors were giving it their last ditch effort.  

And slugs!  Oh my goodness, they grow big here and there are plenty to go around.  I noticed an abundance of them while in Seaside and came across several of them this morning.  These are a mud color and unless you spot them it would be very easy to step on one before realizing what you have done.  I have been extra cautious and watchful of my steps to avoid what could be a most unfortunate event for both of us.

There are lots of friendly people here and even though the park is rather rustic, everyone smiles and talks with each other.  I have been getting my dog fixes at most of the parks I have visited though mostly smaller breeds.  I did encounter a wonderful large Australian Shepherd mix last evening and he was tolerant of attention.  

The rain is predicted to do its thing through Sunday with maybe a slow down Saturday for a little while.  This will give me some extra inside time to perhaps accomplish a few things i have been putting off.  I stocked up on food before I arrived, so all is good in that aspect since there is nothing that even resembles a grocery store here. 

To all those celebrating,

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my sister, Mary!

Happy Birthday, Bobbi!

Chuckle for the day!

"In department stores,

so much kitchen equipment

is bought indiscriminately

by people that just came in

for men's underwear."

 - Julia Child

Enjoy your indiscriminate acts!

- SEASIDE -

Sunday, September, 15th

Beautiful flowers are continuing to grow here in Seaside, Oregon.  I arrived to a sunny day and checked out the area and found these lovely and colorful hydrangeas in the downtown section.  There were hanging baskets of flowers and other places where flowers were thriving.  I have also found some ripe and juicy blackberries again which were wonderful in my smoothie this morning.

I have been here since Friday and will be heading on tomorrow.  This particular RV park is very popular until the end of the month, so, rather than hang around at other parks in the area, I decided to continue south.

Lit sea star lights on lamp post

The tourist part of town is different than most tourist communities in that here it is free of the usual t-shirt and trinket shops.  There are more unusual items and shops and I think a person could find some rather interesting treasures to take back home.  I found a co-op artisan shop with some wonderful creations by some very talented and creative people.  I am always amazed at the ways in which artists come up with the ideas and then create what they imagine.  It is such a gift.

I vI ventured to the heart of towm  yesterday and was surprised by seeing a small kite festival on the beach.  They were also featuring a synchronized kite flying tournament which is amazing to watch.  Several kite flyers do their magic together and to music.  It is great fun to watch and awe inspiring to realize the amount of time and practice that must go into doing what they do.

The commentator was talking about another festival where there were eighty people flying synchronized kites and how they broke the current record for the number of kites participating.  That must have been something to see.  He said that there are specific maneuvers that must be performed and that this group did more difficult stunts and continued flying for thirteen minutes which also broke the record of five.  


I have yet to check out prices for homes in the area though I suspect they are quite costly.  Lots of condos are in the area and several right downtown in the tourist section.  It was rather funny looking up at the condos and seeing the balcony's look exactly identical.  It had kind of a "Stepford" feeling.  I will look for a small patch of land that can support growing some veggies, fruit trees and a few chickens.  

So, one thing I have come to realize is how lacking in organic produce and local farmers markets there area in many of the areas I have been.  Washington seemed to have little recycling efforts going on and I heard of those in Washington bringing their bags of recyclables to Oregon to be processed.  Quite curious.

I am more aware of how important local, organic food is to me and the caring of the land and how it is being used.  It was very concerning that in some areas, there was no organic food available at all.  The issues of our food source is something I will focus on as I continue to travel and experience areas and how they feel about and care for their lands.  

I have been getting the nesting urges lately and this is also being taken into consideration.  All I can say is I will continue to do the Adventure thing while it feels right to do and stop when I feel it is time.  I am looking forward to my drive south on Hwy 101 along the Oregon coast since I was unable to stop going north due to the lack of pull outs on the east side of the road.  

There is an excitement in the air for me right now, which I am clueless as to what that is indicating.  Guess I will find out as I travel and see and feel new areas.  It may be the changing of the seasons with the slowing down of nature and getting ready for the dormancy of winter.  It may be my feelings of desiring to get my hands in the dirt again or returning to California, where I have spent most of my adult life.  I am certain I will find out...

To all those celebrating,

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Kelly!

Happy Birthday, Julie!

Happy Birthday, Linda!

Happy Birthday, Kim!

Happy Birthday, Hiliary!

Happy Birthday, Mike!

"You will know

(the good from the bad)

when you are calm,

at peace.  Passive.

A Jedi uses the Force

for knowledge and defense,

never for attack."

- Yoda

Enjoy your peace!

- ELMA 2 -

Thursday, September 12th

Life here in Elma is a lot slower than most towns and especially larger cities.  Although, there is great activity at the local middle school and high school, since football season is in full swing, as it is everywhere else.  Both of the schools are located on the main street of town along with almost everything else.  It would be difficult to get lost in town.

Walking along the streets is very calming due to this slower pace and one gets the sense that all is well in the world.  Everyone is going about their business and doing their own thing.  Even I have slowed my pace, which I thought was already slowed, and am simply being.  My thoughts are changing as I enjoy this little space of calm.  This could mean that life is about to change again.  Always a constant.


I came across this little tree that has changed its colors.  I have been noticing that fall is in the air and I am seeing more evidence of it with the leaf colors.  This little tree is probably a transplant from back east somewhere.  It is very cute and lovely.

The main street has one entire block that appears to have been built in the early 1900's.  Upon investigation, only the Leroy building is original, as the others have been replaced along the way.  This town is named after a woman settler and was a trading center when it was founded in 1860.  The building actually looks fairly good given its age.


Flowers seem to be fading with the weather and season.  I did, however, spy this lovely little patch of miscellaneous flowers near the downtown area.  They are very wispy and were swaying in the breeze.  The hanging baskets of flowers are giving way to the rain falling on them.  They have seen better days during the spring and summer, I am sure.  

Autumn, fall, brings an excitement to the air.  The air feels clearer and a little crisp in the mornings.  I feel there is a change coming and it is unknown just what that may be.  Depending on where in this world you live, the experience is different.  Here in the United States we are beginning the gradual cool down of our temperatures in the north, east, west and parts of the south of our country.

Mural on a building

There are a few areas in the south where the people from the north go for the winter.  It is more temperate and warmer than the areas that get snow.  Of course it works both ways with the people in these southern areas going north for the summers.  Perhaps they might think about house trading for the seasons.  Thankfully we are all not in the same place at once.  I think the earth might get off balance.  Although currently, many things seem unbalanced.

I know the native Americans had this all figured out and would travel with the seasons with the caring for the lands and animals wherever they were.  They only took and used what they needed and I suspect always left things a little bit better than when they arrived. This is something I strive to accomplish as I go along my travels.  I am very grateful for the places I have been able to visit.

I am off to Seaside today.  I really want to go back to Olympia and go to Trader Joe's before I head to the coast of Oregon.  I need to see if time will allow.  I am  looking forward to getting back to cooler weather at the coast.  Rain predicted which is fine.  It was crazy hot here yesterday, 90 degrees and way out of my comfort zone.  

I walked to get my hair cut (it had been almost eight weeks since I had it cut while in Florence) because I was again beginning to look like bush woman.  After she did a great job she offered to drive me back to the RV park.  I accepted since the temperatures were still climbing at that time.  People are wonderful!

To all those celebrating today,

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Geri!

Happy Birthday, Damon!

Happy Birthday, Tauni!

Happy Birthday, Pattiann!

Happy Birthday, Dianne!

"Start by doing what's necessary;

then do what's possible;

and suddenly 

you are doing the impossible."

- Francis of Assisi

Enjoy your impossibles!

- ELMA -

Monday, September 9th

I was a little sad to leave Port Townsend and the air and water, and ship and boat activities, and all the lovely little shops, and two story homes with porches, and such.  I had gone to sleep the night before I departed. to stars and woke to rain.  I got a little wet while I was unhooking my motor home though nothing drastic.  As one can see, I am still here and none the worse for ware.

I drove to Elma as it rained off and on and when I arrived it was clear weather and partial sun.  I got everything set up and hooked up and checked out the park and then it began to thunder and rain.  The storm went into the late night as I went to sleep.  It reminded me of where I grew up in Ohio and the thunder and lightening storms I enjoyed during the summer.  I missed these storms greatly when we moved to California.  

The next morning it was foggy which cleared away by mid morning.  It was sunny and humid.  This was also something I grew up with in Ohio.  The humid part is anything other than missed.  My last visit to Virginia to see my brother and his family was humid.  I had forgotten how it felt and quickly realized I do much better in a drier climate.

The past few days have been the same fog in the morning  and then clearing to sunny skies, less humidity and with a slight breeze by mid morning.  I love watching as the trees that are still holding on to their green leaves sway so I can hear their rustling sounds.  This area reminds me of Ohio.

  Some of the homes here are similar to the homes in the area where I grew up.  Two story homes with porches.  Even now, these are the types of homes I prefer.  To me there is a wonderful charm about them.  It was quite a shock to see all of the single story homes in California.  I felt a huge cultural shock when me moved.  Literally everything was different, and at fourteen, it was strange.

It is rather nice to find, in my travels, that there are areas that are similar to my early childhood experiences.  I doubt I would want to return to Ohio to live, though it is nice to be reminded of childhood memories that were wonderful.  This sort of brings up the issue of where I may settle.  It is definitely an unknown at this time.  I am certain that when it is time, the place will present itself.  Meanwhile, I am enjoying the Adventure completely.

Elma has a population of around 3,100 and is between Olympia and Aberdeen.  They are lacking a specialty bakery and candy/ice cream shops though they do have a hospital.  Of course, this does nothing for my sweet tooth!  There are quite a few vacant stores and it feels rather depressed. There seem to be few people out and walking.  This does not seem to be a tourist stop as there are no shops with the usual t-shirts and nick-knacks for the area.  

I have heard good things about a local restaurant, the Rusty Tractor, with its home cooking and plenty to eat.  This is close to where I am staying and, if I get hungry and am low on food, it is apparently the place to go.  I am sure I will check it out sometime while I am here.

 I have been checking into camp hosting for the National Parks and may have found a few that interest me.  Private and State parks offer the same opportunities, so I am looking into all of my options.  I have talked with several people who are hosting and they truly seem to like what they are doing.  I have also discovered there are many more folks out there RV'ing full time than I ever imagined.  Most of them are friendly and offer to help.  Some I am keeping in contact with through email.

It is strange to realize that I started my actual Adventure a year ago October.  Where has the time gone?  It feels as though I just drove away from Auburn a few weeks ago.  Then I remember all of the wonderful experiences I have had and the places I have been and the people I have met along the way and it seems that I must have been gone longer.  Oh, the riddles of life.  Gotta love it!  

To all those celebrating today,

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Heather!

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!

Happy Birthday, Gaytrell!

Happy Birthday, Julie!

Happy Birthday, Bunny!

"What lies behind us

and what lies ahead of us

are tiny matters compared to

what lives within us."

- Henry David Thoreau

Enjoy within you!

SEPTEMBER SLO COAST JOURNAL

Friday, September 6th

Here is the link for the September SLO Coast Journal article.

http://www.slocoastjournal.com/docs/roeadventure.html   

Enjoy!

- PORT TOWNSEND 4 -

Thursday, September 5th

Port Townsend is a place I could stay for a while.  Winter is coming just around the corner though and it is time to venture on.  I hear from the locals that it is usually quite gray in the winter and depression is an issue for many.  I know for me, that would be the case.  I definitely need my fair share of sunshine. 

This has been a place where I have solidified that I probably do my best when I am at or near or in water.  I love the ocean waters and here at Point Hudson, where I am on a corner of the water ways, has been wonderful.  There is water on two sides of where I am staying and the marina is just a short distance away from my RV.  

Watching the boats and ships and tankers and cargo ships, motor boats, sail boats, etc. has been wonderful.  I watched last evening as the sun was getting low in the sky and a cruise liner was leaving the sound, bound for who knows where. At the same time there were several sail boats doing their thing and a ferry was chugging away to Whidbey Island.  I sat at a picnic table at the very corner of the point and enjoyed all of it.

The Navy ship that came in the other day was huge and quite impressive.  And watching the sail boats is so calming.  They simply float along, sometimes with their Spinnakers up.  All of it makes for such a beautiful setting.  Add in a sunny sky and a slight breeze and one has a piece of paradise.  Lovely.

The wooden boat festival, which is this coming weekend will probably be amazing.  I know little about all of these vessels, though a few that are here already are beautiful.  I imagine it takes quite a bit of work and money to keep them in such wonderful condition.  I am uncertain that I would be comfortable out in rough seas in some of them.  More power to those that are brave.

Point Hudson will close all of it's RV sites to accommodate all of the vendors and concessions that support the festival.  So, I would be unable to stay even if I wanted to remain here for a while.  It must be quit a sight with all the pop up canopy's of all those who will be offering their wares and goodies throughout the event.  I have heard it gets rather loud.  No surprise there!

So, I am grateful for this time here.  I have enjoyed some very good restaurants, their co-op, the wonderful old homes and structures, and of course the ice cream/candy store.  The people are fun and kind and all of it together makes this a very comfortable place to be.  I am so glad Margie and Dart brought me over one day so I could feel it before I came with my RV. Thanks, you two!

I am on the move today and in the rain.  A beautiful God ray.

To All Those Celebrating today,

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Linda!

Happy Birthday, Megan!

Happy Birthday, Bart!

"Whatever I need is already here,

and it is all for my highest good."

 - Dr. Wayne Dyer

Enjoy your here!