Part 3, our last fun day together, Sunday, August 28, 2011

On the drive to find somewhere to eat lunch, probably in Depoe Bay, Oregon, south of Lincoln City on Highway 101, we came to this scenic outlook. I just had to stop, which was OK with my passengers. Hooray for the view!


A good-looking rig drove through the parking lot.


And a beauty parked facing the ocean. A red 1960s Chevy El Camino. I don't know the year, but I know it's close to whatever year the one was the my dearly departed husband had when we married. Now, 28 years later, I can't remember the year, but I can remember vividly that he taught me to drive a stick shift in it. What a trip that was! Me, uncoordinated to say the least, and a heavy duty clutch he'd decided to install. I did learn, though, and when they came of age, I taught both of our sons to drive a stick shift Honda. Thanks, LeRoy, honey. I love you and miss you, still.


Looks like everyone found a perfect spot for watching.


We stopped at Tidal Raves in Depoe Bay for lunch. Here's part of the view from the parking lot.


And here's part of the view from the restaurant itself.


Fish and "Chips," as it is printed on the Menu at Tidal Raves Seafood Grill consists of mahi mahi in crisp beer batter served with housemade slaw. I don't know why they don't go into detail about the "chips," cause they beat the you-know-what outta that slaw. The fish was flaky and tasty, just right. I enjoyed a glass of sweet ice tea, too. Seems like Milton got a cup of clam chowder and a cup of spinach oyster bisque, an order which sort of shocked our waiter. He understood, though, when Milton said he wanted to taste both of them, so why not. Kay got the spinach oyster bisque, I think. Howard and Vanessa split an oyster po'boy, I think, and maybe some spinach oyster bisque.

Where we were seated, on a raised level above the tables at the windows, provided a splendid view of the ocean while we enjoyed our light lunch. Then we set the GPS for the Elk Cove Winery in Gaston, Oregon.

Part 2, our last fun day together, Sunday, August 28, 2011

Our second stop, the beach at Lincoln City. We had to wait quite a while for a parking space, but I was bound and determined to get one so that we could all get out of the car, go to the bathroom, and walk on the beach if we were of a mind to do so.



Somebody's about to get a mouthful of tennis ball and sand!


Had some difficulty getting whoaed up, as they say in NASCAR. Where is it? Where IS it? I see it! Now, if I can just get my right back leg out of this sand! Yes! Here I come, tennis ball! Ready! Set! Go! Full tilt boogie. That's how I roll.



Lincoln City doesn't actually do things backwards. These kites flew above the beach through which runs the "World's Shortest River," the D River. It runs a total of 120 feet from Devils Lake to the Pacific Ocean. Twice a year the city hosts a kite festival here which are known as two of the largest kite festivals in the world, so Lincoln City is known as the Kite Capital of the World. I know for a fact that the wind's always been blowing when I've been at this particular part of the Oregon coast. That's the D River you can see there, dissecting the beach. And, of course, this is not a photo during a kite festival, just an amazingly sunny Sunday around noon.


Sand in my shoes! OK with me. I knocked it out, put them back on, and we all got back into the SUV. Each of us enjoyed our short stop at the beach. Then we went looking for somewhere to eat lunch. Come see all about that soon.

Our short Ester Lee interlude, there on Sunday

I'm settled, on the concrete patio in front of our cottage, my rear in one plastic Adirondack, my feet in the other. It didn't take too long to let Mama out at the office end of the row to make her way to our door on her walker, then get Duncan and our stuff out of the Buick and down the 17 stairs to our door. It did take four trips, thus shortly thereafter I'm settled as you see here. In the background,the white is foam from waves, the lower blue is the Pacific Ocean, and the rest of the blue is the huge sky. You can tell from this photo that our cottage is atop a bluff.


Yep, that's my gray hair despite the fact that along my forehead it surely resembles someone's hairpiece. As I took this photo, the wind whipped around the chair, making me think any minute I'd have to zip the sweatshirt.


I'm smiling because I have zipped the sweatshirt and pulled up the hood, blocking some of the chilly wind so that I can remain outside in the glorious sun.


Gave up and tied the hood tightly. I managed to stay outside a total of 22 minutes.


Mama's settled inside the cottage, her walker doing duty as the leg-extension part of a make-shift recliner. She's got her crossword puzzle in her lap and her pencil in her left hand. With the bright sunlight streaming through the windows, she decided to keep her sunglasses on--otherwise she'd have had to shut the blinds and then miss the view. Can't do that when one is at the coast!


Duncan's settled on the fold-out couch.


Hours later at sunset.


The moon, high above the Pacific--lovely.

Yonder Stands a Mountain

Mt. Hood, over 60 miles from Portland, popped into view one morning last week as my No. 4 bus crossed the Williamette. Once I got off the bus at my stop, I made my way into a nearby parking garage, walking up a few flights until I could see the mountain pretty well with my CoolPix L12. When I get my Nikon D50 back, I'm going to buy a tripod for my zoom lens and get us a really good photo of this fascinating sight.

I never ever dreamed I would live where I could see mountains every day, or that I would only be a few hours from the Pacific Ocean. I love Portland!