A little bit of this and some more of that. Seems to be the pattern for me lately. No grand adventures to chronicle so I fall back to regaling you with snippets of an ordinary life lived quietly.
And, because of the paucity of organized adventures, we've had to fall back on our own resources for amusement and entertainment. And you'll see the results of all these mini-adventures in this rather long blog entry.
Haha, you've been warned!!
Haha, you've been warned!!
The Cutler City Wetlands Open Space was one of the first bird walks we participated in after moving to LCO and we haven't been back since. I can't remember how it came up but, obviously, it did and so we set out to revisit it on a day when the threat of rain was reasonably low. Haha, that's always a strong consideration for us. We're willing to put up with a lot but it's just that we're not willing to do it while wet.
So let's get started, shall we? As Harry Connick Jr. said in Independence Day, "Let's kick the tires and light the fires!!"
And we're off!!
The nice thing about this Open Space is that it is large enough to take up some time walking through it but small enough not to wear you out trying to see the whole thing.
In other words, it's just about the right size for a lazy old man. As you look at the sign below, find the white line down at the bottom of the map and that's where we were when we started. Now, see the small lake in the upper left corner? We made it up there and then turned to the right and came down a different way then we walked up.
And it was worth it. No birds but plenty of things to see.
On the southern edge of LCO, this Open Space is like walking in an area starting to transition into a rain forest. Heavy vegetation and a lot of moss. We could hear the birds in the canopy but we didn't see any of the wee creatures.
Hahaha, you're gonna see a couple of mushrooms. Hey, if you can't see the birds you go with what you have. Besides, they're interesting photo subjects.
Trust me.
Things always seem to be damp around here...especially in February and March. Off subject just a bit, but we've had some wild storms lately with winds gusting over 60 MPHs. I mean the wind is blowing shingles off of roofs.
And even though it was 1220, there was still evidence of the morning dew.
But Spring, lovely Spring, is just around the corner and we're starting to see the first hints here and there about town. Like these.
Haha, I'm ready. And from what I'm hearing, we should have a mild Summer with slightly higher than average temps. And by slight I mean maybe a degree. Regardless, it also means that it won't be raining all the doggone time and that is a huge plus!!
C'Mon Spring!!
This is pretty typical of the Open Space. Good paths but, Man, you're in the forest. No doubt about it. Oh, another thing that I like about this Open Space is that it is pretty much level. I'm not a big fan of inclines or declines any more.
Nope!!
Another mushroom, Pacific Northwest-style. Carol tells me these are called Artist Conchs.
These guys grow out on the sides of dead trees. I used to think these were rare but after walking around Oregon a bit I've been disabused of that notion.
It was interesting. Carol will tell me the type of tree this is but, for now, I liked the texture of the bark so I took the picture.
Simple, like me.
And some other fungi. I've not seen this kind before. Very thin, it was like someone spilled wax and then, after it had cooled and hardened, moved it, propping it up.
I like patterns and shoot for them...a lot. I really appreciate the patterns you can get from the ferns; especially when they start to turn.
This place is constantly amazing me. Like this, an abandoned wasp's nest. Haha, a city boy like me didn't see many of these around his urban 'Hood.
Just so much to see. I know this gets old but, y'know, it's still exciting for me. It's that "looking for the picture" thingie I've tried explaining. Just having a camera gives me both the excuse to for looking and the ability to capture what I'm seeing.
It's a total win-win!!
Haha, another of those tree mushrooms. I keep seeing them and each and every time I do, I take a picture of them. You'd think I'd learn, wouldn't you? I mean, they're OK but, well, maybe someday I'll get that really great tree mushroom picture. Until then I'll keep on trying.
Burger King just introduced a grilled...
And, so, on the 26th of February, we left the Cutler City Open Space and headed directly to our local BK so that I could try the new taste delights.
Hahaha, I'm surprised I waited that long to get one.
Here's their Grilled Chili Cheese Dog.
I guess I didn't get just one. Here's the other, the Classic Grilled Dog.
Seriously, neither one looks anything like the advertisement.
Annnnnd, they were just OK. Nothing to write home about. A nice change of pace but, not something I'd be inclined to get, again.
But that doggone Dr. Pepper shake was still kicking' butt and takin' names!!
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.........
Now if they could just make this in a Diet version. Hahaha, this was 550 calories of delicious fun but, honestly, I can't afford to take in a quarter of my daily allowance of calories like this.
And, that was a fun lunch. Y'know, if you approach things with the right attitude anything can be fun. Or an adventure.
From that adventure, let's move on to another....this time with the Scouts.
I was asked to speak about the start of Scouting when the Scouts camped at the Wapiti Campground. This campground was once owned by the Elks. Since the Elks once chartered the Troop, it was natural for the local Scouts to use it as a camp. The current owner, a former Elk, continues to allow the Scouts to use the facility.
Wapiti is just four or so miles out of LCO nestled in a valley with a branch of the Siletz River running through it. It also has a lot of stately mature trees scattered throughout.
See what I mean...
More importantly, though, it had all the makings for a fun weekend of camping.
I was scheduled to talk during the morning flag ceremony. But before any good thing can happen, you need a good, solid breakfast and these Scouts were taking care of that little task when we arrived.
It only looks unorganized.
And here's what the Scouts cooked up for themselves...Breakfast Burritos.
This is a Scout-led Troop. These boys planned the day and their menus. They assigned Scouts to each task as needed to get things done; such as making breakfast.
After the Scouts finished their breakfast, the adults took over the kitchen.
Hahaha, if Scouts eat good then it follows that Scouters eat even better.
These ain't no Breakfast Burritos, y'all.
We are, after all, carnivores. With a little bit of pancakes thrown in for fun.
I wandered around the camp and spotted this rig. Reminds me of the tents Joe and I made out of shelter halves when we camped in Germany.
The Scouts ran off some of their energy while the Scouters ate.
My small part was during the Flag Ceremony. And, finally, after everyone was fed, the Assistant Scoutmasters began the difficult task of assembling the troops. We had the new Troop from Newport camping with Troop 47 today.
And the ceremony began.
Next up was Ol' Smilin' Jack.
The Assistant Scoutmaster organizing this event had asked me to speak about Brownsea, the first Scout camp led by Lord Baden-Powell.
It was here, on an island in Poole Harbor, in August of 1907 that Baden-Powell first tested this plan to introduce boys to Scouting. His bold experiment was a success and soon Scouting spread across England and then to the U.S. and the world.
And I got to talk to these boys about this important piece of Scouting History.
At least they couldn't easily fall asleep.
Plus, I kept it mercifully short. I'm thoughtful like that.
Next up was the uniform inspection. Which was, as you can see, kinda complicated.
The Troop is working on getting all the boys into uniform for every Scout event.
After the Flag Ceremony, Carol and I took off. We couldn't stay away, though, and later that afternoon we drove on back to see how things were going.
And they were going quite well. When we got there, Mike, the Scoutmaster, was making dinner. Dutch Oven Pizza.
First he laid down some biscuit batter. Then he topped that with sauce and layered that with pepperoni. Finally, he laid down another layer of biscuit batter.
Mmmmmmmmmm..................
Carol had stopped at the market and gotten the boys all the makings for some S'Mores. That only makes sense as camping and S'Mores go together.
Finally, Mike laid a fine coat of cheese on top of the pizza.
Cookin' it up, Boss!!
Some of the Scouters had brought Hobo Dinners. They rested those on top of the Dutch Ovens. Haha, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't getting hungry smelling these dishes cooking.
Hahaha, there's just something better about good conversation around a campfire.
In short order, the Dutch Oven (DO) Pizza was ready. And, I gotta tell you, it was looking, and smelling, good.
Here's Willie, one of the Dad's, cutting his DO Pizza.
And the Scoutmaster, Mike, getting ready to dig into his DO Pizza.
And, folks, it was tasty.
Muy delicioso, y'all.
We didn't stay much longer after dinner. The Scouts were fixing to have a Flag Retirement Ceremony but we were too tired to stay. Haha, it'd been a big day and Grandpa was ready to pack it in.
Moving on down the Road of Life, every morning, at some point in the morning, I get to see Jonathan Livingstone Seagull. He's learned that if he comes down and struts around in front of our bay windows that he'll get fed.
He's spoiled now. Really spoiled. Oh, and he's developed an affection for doggie kibble bits.
And he's a jerk, too. If he is full, he'll stand there and squawk and then when the other gulls come down, he chases them away squawking and pecking at them.
But he is our gull and we sorta like him...even if he is a big jerk.
Hahaha, here it comes!! Here comes the Spring!! I can see it already. Especially in the grass. I just mowed it like yesterday (well, maybe a week and a half ago) and it's all ready to be mown again!!
I'm ready for Spring.
I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and for you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're gonna get a lot of these in the next couple months. The daffodils are starting to fade away but other flowers are starting to appear.
And I'm ready!!
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day and the dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people goin' by
Hahaha, I just don't get tired of them. And I know you don't either.
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll every know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Fun Facts: What a Wonderful World is a song written by Bob Thiele (as George Douglas) and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released in 1967 as a single.
Hahaha, mankind has got nothing on Mother Nature when it comes to art. What an amazing world we live in.
Relax, you'll be seeing more flowers in just a bit.
I've been trying to get out and walk a bit each day and when I go out, as you know, I always carry a camera with me. It makes the walks fun to be able to see photographically while I'm strolling around.
And I've been having a lot of fun 'seeing' the roads and trying to find the picture in them. Like this one. I'm gonna try again to get this shot of the crest of the small hill near the house.
Or this one, a section of Logan's Road heading out towards Road's End.
We'd driven over and walked around the State Park there and then drove through the neighborhood. For me it was a pleasant way to kill part of an afternoon. Walking and then touring the 'Hood and seeing what we could see.
Like these flowers. Cool idea, eh!?!
Logan's Road rises up toward the Knoll and the end of the city. Coming back, you get a pretty good view of LCO as it stretches down towards the south.
And, if you look real close you'll see the two entrepreneurs we ran across on our way up. See the little red shirt just in front of the cars down the road?
Yeah, it's these two capitalists. Hahaha, they spend their mornings down on the beach collecting rocks, agates and such. Then they bag them and sell them for $2 a bag.
Yeah, we bought one. Pretty cool idea and, y'know, it made them some money and taught them a couple lessons about work and life, too.
Let's just say it's not a smooth road.
But, hey!! Speaking of smooth!! Look at this smooth operator. Getting ready to take another walk around the 'Hood. I'm wearing my 'Fly-Away' University of Oregon hat. The one that took off and flew into the Salmon River and had to be 'fished' out by a guy with a rod and reel.
Hahaha, a double whammy!! Flowers and mailboxes.
The daffodils are ruling right now but the other flowers are starting to show their stuff. I'll be back.
And the garden in front of the house two doors down delivers again.
Seriously, good pictures are everywhere with these guys.
Oh, quit griping.
On one of my walks, I spotted a Red-Shafted Flicker on the ground and by the time I got the camera out and ready to shoot he'd taken off. I watched him and he flew up to the wire on this pole and then I spotted his partner.
Woo-Woo!! A Two-Fer!!
Unfortunately, they were back lit and the day was very gray.
And, further down the road, I saw Garfield.
Hahaha, starting to show the spread there, Buddy!!
FLAX!!
Hahaha, I remembered!!
Carol and our Charter Representative, Don Thomas.
He's a real character. He's 88 years old and served during WWII. He's been involved with Scouting for over 70 years.
Lining up by Patrol for the opening Flag Ceremony.
After their dreaded ten minutes with me they were still smiling. Go figure!!
The Scouts were getting ready for a campout so they had to inventory and clean out the Camp Kitchens.
Maybe these Scouts haven't gotten their Cooking Merit Badges yet.
And the Scouts were turning in money they made through the candy sales.
Woo-Woo!! Back on the road again. We headed out towards Eugene so we could stop at the Scout Store there and pick up some stuff for the Scouts and then go on a bird walk at McDonald Forest.
Yeah, life on the road. I really enjoy getting off the Interstate and driving the less traveled roads.
There it is. This Scout Council is right across the street from the University of Oregon's football stadium. It's always fun (and very expensive) to visit these Scout Stores.
Oregon Trail Council.
Danger, Will Robinson, danger!! Hide your wallet!!
Well, I made it out but my wallet took a hard hit.
But then it was time to head to the forest. OK, long story short, the forest was a bust but the drive was well worth it.
There was a lot to see.
Oh, the things you'll see...
Like this kestrel.
And this sign. I'll add it to my collection of places sharing the same name as my kids or grandkids.
We had to stop for some road construction so I was able to get some shots out to the side. If I'd tried to shoot this while moving, the trees would have been blurred.
All over the place and now we're back in LCO. On another walk and caught this little guy.
And this!!
It must have been one EPIC party.
Does anyone else besides me find it odd that out of this whole collection of empties, there's not a single Bud or Coors or PBR or Millers!?! These folks around here all flock to the designer brews, the craft brews. The good ol' brews of my yesteryear aren't too big round these parts.
I was left wondering if the party had anything to do with the screen door standing on the side of the house instead of at the front door. Haha, like I said, it must have been some kind of a party.
And we got bored so we headed out to Agnes Creek Open Space. We've been here once before and it was still rough with only one trail through it. They've done a lot with it since then. There are several trails and they've begun clearing out some of the deadfall.
It's coming together.
One of the things that Ian, the Open Spaces Coordinator, wants to do is thin out the trees. The forest here hasn't been tended to and there's too many trees. Gotta thin out the herd.
And, another tree mushroom.
Plus a banana slug. Watch where you step.
A Girl Scout put in this bench. Not bad, eh?
Mike and Bron invited us to their church to play Bunko and, at the end of the evening, Carol had won a hyacinth. It's finally blooming.
And another walk...and more artsy-fartsy pictures. Sorry, I just can't help myself.
We were walking down to the Prehistoric Store. The T-Rex must have had a baby because this guy now guards the front door. His Daddy is still inside the store.
JAWS!!
Would you believe this little thingie (about 18-20 inches long and 8-10 inches high) costs only $2,500.00!!!
Seriously!?!
They even have a fish tank with Nemo.
It still amazes me that there is a store that specializes in selling dinosaur bones. I thought all these things would go to a museum but, well, look.
And we met a guy, just around the corner from us, that sells prehistoric fossils and bones out of his garage...for a lot less than this store. Small world.
Carol knows what this is cuz I sure don't.
And, again, I'm surprised by how much they have to sell. It's a popular store.
Another walk. Hahaha, I'm gonna be a healthy boy. Found a yard with some tulips growing there.
Sometimes it is so doggone easy. These pictures sorta set themselves up.
The 'Hood, on a rare day with a blue sky. This kind of sky have been few and far between.
Sometimes I need some motivation for these walks. I've found that the Cruise Inn and the Nauti Mermaid Bar & Bistro are exactly 1.2 miles away from NW Jetty. That seems to be just about the right one-way distance to work up a thirst.
And I do.
So, as part of my conditioning regimen, I stop and conduct a through cool-down. This routine requires I down a refreshing and cool adult beverage, or two.
And U do.
And then there are times when I require some kind of nourishment so that I will be able to make the arduous trek back to the house. Hahaha, it works for me.
In spite of all the rain, I still have been able to get out and about for my walks. And, because of the camera, I always have something to do, to distract myself with during the walks. It works.
And so this life rolls on. There's always something to do. Always a picture to take.
Life is good.
Hooah!!
