Chapter 75 - The Visit Part I

There's just so many pictures and so many great memories from this visit that I've decided to divide the whole experience into two parts. 

Part I, this chapter, will cover the pictures that Michelle took with her camera phone. I'll try to fill in the details and keep the story line more or less in order. But these are all screen grabs and so there was not logical way to order them (that I was willing to do).

So you gets them the way I grabbed them.

And, at least, I got the very first ones first. Hooray for me!!

Here's Michelle and the girls getting ready to go through security at the airport. Woo, woo!!

It's early and they've driven a couple hours already. They have the LOOOOOONG flight all the way across the U.S., from one coast to the other, ahead of them. Then they get picked up by Grumps and have a 2+ hour drive over to LCO. All with Ol' Grumps' interesting and educational commentary on the driving skills of Oregon drivers and the current road conditions.

Keen fun!!

That's why they're still smiling. It hasn't all quite set in yet. And that's Laura down there in the lower left. Good friend and chauffeur extraordinaire. Thank you, Laura.

Hahahaha, travel light, travel right.

I think she needs another set of hands.

One of the delights of the trip for me were those little moments when I got to have the three girls all to myself and we had a common, simple activity to enjoy together.

Like this. I let the girls use my Canon SX170 to take pictures with in addition to the couple of hundred or so that I shot of them. In the evening, after a long day, I would download them and then we would all go through them...and laugh and laugh and laugh.

This was the first night and the picture on the computer shows Addie sitting with her Mom on one of the lawn chairs watching the sun set over the Pacific...because where they live, near the coast, they would have watched the sun rise over the Atlantic.

This was fun. Especially for me.

Most of these are pictures taken with Michelle's cell phone camera. Sooooooo...I'm just saying, she does have a Canon SX60. A pretty nifty camera but ... Noooooooo, we'd rather use the camera in the phone. [disgruntled sigh]

Pictures with Grumps, the girls and the Pacific out on the bluff. 

Addiekins.

OK, that was all Day One. The day they arrived. I'll label the other days as Day Two, Three and Four. Day Two being Tuesday and Day Three is Wednesday. Day Four would be Thursday the day they jumped in the Mini and drove away to more adventures.

Alrighty, then. This is Day Three when we went to the Tillamook Cheese Factory. And we had to pick this particular day for this adventure because, and thank goodness we did, we checked the operating hours and the status of the new Visitor's Center on the Net on Day One and discovered the Factory would be closed on Day Two to make the final move into the NEW Visitor's Center. The Grand Opening for the NEW Visitor's Center would be Wednesday, Day Three.

And this was fortuitous because we had planned on going up to Tillamook on Day Two. Ack!! Disaster!! It would have been totally closed!! A quick readjustment of plans and a intelligent decision to go very early to avoid the expected crowds and, POW, there we were!! 

Enjoying our Tillamook Ice Cream at something like Nine in the morning. Hahahaha, kids today have it so good!! And it were GA-UUUUD!!

After the Ice Cream, we drove on over to the Cape Meares Lighthouse.

And, since they're both so close together, the girls went over to see the Octopus Tree. So named because of the way the many branches of the tree grow off of the trunk...like a octopus.

And normal and average Craziness (except for Addie) of this Wild and Crazy Bunch!!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you go downhill on the way to someplace then you have to go uphill on the way back. And I'm not so fond of uphill these days.

So, while the others sprinted ahead, Delaney and I took our time. We even, as it were, stopped to smell the roses along the way. And catch our breath. Well, catch MY breath.

Hahaha, I'm in not much of a hurry most of the time anymore.

Day Two, I think.

Close proximity to the beach means that some people, regardless of the wind chill, want to go down to the beach. Not me, but some people.

OK, this picture was taken by me. I was shooting 'Continuous' on the G3 X. All this means is that I can fire off 7-8 shots in rapid sequence. Any time you shoot with a camera you're bound to catch someone looking a wee bit silly. Closed eyes, loopy grin, something to smile and laugh about.

And that's what happened here. I was shooting Delaney running into the river and, unfortunately, the other girls were with me when I downloaded this series of pictures. When they saw this one they roared with laughter and demanded that I NOT delete it. It was revisited several times.

To Delaney's credit, and I was trying to be sensitive to this, she laughed it off along with everyone else. 

Wow!! I had been worried that she would be embarrassed and feel picked on. Nope!! She rolled with the punches and everyone had a good laugh and then we let it, pretty much, go.

Well done, D-Lady.

We drove down the coast on Day Two before we went to the river. Here the girls are at Cape Foulweather. The girls seemed to enjoy the sights and were well-behaved.

One of the pictures the girls took of Michelle and I. I have on my Father's Day Gift from the Rays. A really cool NMSU Long-Sleeve T-Shirt. Now I can wear it when I watch the Aggies on TV...if they ever get on TV again.

The Silly Girls...posing in front of the Ranger Station at Cape Foulweather. It was a beautiful morning.

We also went down to Depoe Bay...home of the World's Smallest Harbor. 

Walking down to the Whale-Watching Center we stopped at this outlook. The first one to sit down and begin talking to the lady on the bench was Delaney. When she tired, she got up and then Frances took her spot. I don't know for sure but I'm thinking Addie even got in on this action.

But here you can see Addie is using the G3 X and getting a picture of her Mom taking a picture.

And Michelle got this selfie with the Devils Punch Bowl in the background. See the camera Addie has? It's the SX170. Keep scrolling to see the picture she took while Mom was taking their picture.

Ahhhh, clever girl. I tell you, we had some real fun with photography over the whole visit.

That afternoon, after we had driven down the coast, we went over to the Salmon River for a swim. The girls found this little pond up a little from where we first went and it was ideal for them. Calm and shallow it was perfect for throwing rocks into and wading.

And then Mom wanted to go down to the beach, again.

As for me, if I remember it correctly, I took me a long, long nap. 

Ahhhhhhh, bliss.

At least she wasn't painting herself with the sand like she did the mud by the river.

And then we cracked up at the pictures we had taken during the day!! This was a sweet moment for me. This picture was taken on Day Four just a bit before they left for California.

One of my favorite pics.

Also that morning, on Day Four, Michelle wanted to go for a run on the beach. I mean, how often can you walk out your front door and be on the beach within two minutes and able to run for miles and miles and miles.

Except, she got distracted by the agates, sea shells and beach glass. So, instead of running, she filled up the pockets of her sweat jacket with 'stuff' and had a great time.

In the meantime, I had grabbed up a couple girls and we'd gone to Burger King for some breakfast. Hahaha, I had pancake mix but I think we all preferred letting the King do the cooking.

And it was time for them to go.

It was tough, really tough. I almost cried when they drove my Mini away.

Hahaha, no, just kidding, Almost. It was a bittersweet moment to say good-bye after such a fun visit.

I think they even still liked me. 

After the picture by my Mini Michelle had us move over so she could get one of us with the ocean in the background. It was a typically gray and overcast morning. 

Aw, they DO like me.

Somewhere on the road to Redwood City they took a break and broke out the snacks. Ice cream and Cheetos!! Mom-of-the-Year!! 

Hooah!!

Hey, when you're on vacation you eat like you're on vacation!! 

'Nuff said.

Michelle sent me pics throughout her day of driving to let me know they were OK and where they were at. I was really worried about my Mini.

Hahaha, The Code of the Elder!! Addie got the Way-Back all to herself. 

Nice looking Mini, eh!?!

Still smiling!!

Amazing!!

Well, I can tell you for sure they're in California. What's a 'Dunsmuir'?

Hahaha, I know. Don't write me to explain.

And, finally, Redwood City and The West Coast Clan.

And there it is. Michelle's version of the visit, more-or-less. I'm sure she had plenty of other pics but these are the ones I was able to get and keep.

It was a great visit. How great?? I'm glad you asked cuz I'll show you MY pics in the next Chapter, Chapter 75 - The Visit Part II

I can't wait!!

Hooah!!

Chapter 74 - A Potpourri of Life

Argh!!

I've been so busy that pictures and stories have piled up and I've not had a chance to get to them. Amazing!! And frustrating.

But I'll drive on and get through these as best I can.

First off, I am getting tired of waiting for the Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II to come to market. It's there, they are going to do it but...they're making me WAIT!! And I don't want to. I am even thinking of possibly, maybe, could be buying a Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III. It was released in November of '17 and it is sooooooo tempting. But, no. I think the G5 X Mark II will really suit my purposes quite well. Plus it has a built-in EVF already. Big Plus.

I've become so desperate and ridiculous in my wanting a new camera that I even sorta, almost, kinda considered a EOS 6D Mark II with a EF 24-105mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM package. For $1,999.00. Oh, man, I am getting goofy. I DO NOT want to get back into a DSLR system. NO!!! I don't!! But, see, see how bad it's becoming!!

No, I think the Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II will do just fine. If they ever release it in my lifetime. The only drawback, because the camera has everything I want, is that it has only a 24-100mm lens. I don't know how I'll do with a lens that only goes to 100mm. I am expecting, because of its shortness, it will have demonstratively sharper resolution. I'm expecting it to be a superb portrait camera. And better at macro than the G3 X.

I'm excited about it and I think, maybe, possibly, could happen, that I just might get one if they come out with a Mark II within the next year. Just might.

But, here I am playing around with the 'Creative' control on the camera. It's a flower and somehow, while in that mode it came up with this. Kinda cool, eh!?! It's like a water color. The other five shots in 'Creative' were crap and I trashed them but this, well, this was different and I like it.

A colorful way to start this chapter.

But this is a 'Potpourri' sorta chapter and so it will be a real potpourri: "a mixture of things, especially a musical or literary medley."

Like this Osprey. We stopped by the Bi-Mart and saw this fellow sitting on the edge of his best bold as brass. And he stayed there for quite a while...posing. Long enough for us to spot him from the Bi-Mart parking lot and then drive on over to the Mall parking lot to get a better, and closer, angle.

And so we go from watercolored flowers taken with a camera to the perch of one of our local raptors. All in a flash!!

And then, just as quickly, I'm down at the D River State Park just off The 101 and next to the D River, the world's shortest river. And I happen to see this Happy Chappie...he was standing up and giving me the Ol' Stink Eye so I, quick as that, whipped out the trusty camera and whacked off a couple shots of him. Watching me. Taking his picture.

Kinda cute for a furry-tailed rat. And bold, too. He just sat there sorta daring me to make a move. If I'd had a sling-shot or my Red Ryder BB Rifle, I'd have stung his ass for sure. I do not have any affections for these rodents.

None!!

Ah, Oregon's sunny skies. Hahaha, in reality, I was very happy to have as much sun as there was. I am not complaining. This was a beautiful day. However, every so often it'd be nice to have a really sunny day. With calm winds. Ohhhhhh, that'd be a real treat.

Someday. Maybe.

In the meantime this ain't bad. Out over the ocean you could tell things weren't as rosy.

While I was out there I practiced shooting moving birds. I put it on the "Sports" setting to allow faster focus on moving objects. And I tried my hand at finding and following birds. This was the best of a bad lot...this young, maybe a two-year old gull.

Practice makes perfect. Or so I am told.

I switched to Tv and set the shutter speed to 1/2000. It helped to 'freeze' the water here. I unexpectedly caught a young gull giving itself a bath.

Giving his face a quick splash as it were.

And kicking up some water in the meantime.

Maybe not a blue sky kind of a day but there was enough sunshine peeking through to make the day worthwhile. I enjoy this picture. I like the almost pastel-like coloring.

There's D River in the foreground as it empties into the Pacific. Then there is the Seven Miles of Smiles beaches of LCO. Parts are lit up by the sun and parts are in shadows. And the the bluish-gray of the sky. It's not great but I like it.

This is looking north.

Then I pivoted on my feet to the south and without moving from that spot, took this completely different picture of the beach in the other direction. Here the main subject is not the painted beach but the clouds moving about the richly blue sky.

And again, things out there in the Pacific don't look all that serene. Just a quick pivot in one spot and two different pictures of, really, the same subject.

On that same walk, the one by D River State Park, I decided to cross The 101 and see the river and the lake from the south side. Usually we're always on the north side, the side with no businesses or homes. 

And as soon as I walked up into the parking lot at Vivian's Restaurant & BBQ, I spotted this fine fellow.

He was very patient and spent quite a while posing for me.

And I was so taken with him I didn't even see the mallards in front of him in the water.

Hahaha, now you have an idea of what it really means when someone says, "He really got his feathers ruffled..."

But he quickly got himself back in order and continued his vigil.

I've been playing, quite a bit, with the 'Creative' setting on the G3 X. It's fun...it's like a crap shoot, as you never know what you'll get, what the result will be.

Like this one, which I happen to like. It gave the picture a metallic sheen or so it seems to me. Plus it seems to have deliberately darkened the sides of this picture. Regardless, it appealed to me and so it made the cut for entry into this chapter.

Generally I trash all six versions I get of the scene when I shoot with 'Creative'. But, occasionally, I get a keeper. Like this one. Oh, and the next one, too.

How it does it I do not know. I do know that I can't predict what 'Creative' will give me and I'm always surprised.

A Perfect Storm, as it were. I was bored, had the time, had the G3 X and the ability to hold the camera in front of me and, viola!! There it is. And it was a complete surprise to me.

And it has no value whatsoever except as a novelty picture.

Oh, I do want to shoot some good B&W. And, yes, I know this isn't a good one but it is proof I am (still) trying. See, my frustration is that I 'see' a good B&W picture in there and I can't seem to get to it.

ARGH!!

And this. OK, maybe if I break out the tripod. Maybe if I use a gray card for metering. Hmmmmm, sitting here I am thinking of ways to improve my shots. Maybe I should get off my lazy, fat arse and actually do what I am thinking.

ARGH!!

Oh, I had stopped by the Pioneer Cemetery on my way back to the shack and got these pictures.

Reaching across the cemetery with my long lens I got this shot of a patriotic gravesite. I wonder at the stories buried there; the sacrifices and efforts made out of gratitude and love to his (or her) Country. I appreciate that this person was so loved that he, or she, is still remembered and visited.

And, back to the B&W again. Dull. I just can't find the way to get any 'snap' into my pictures. Just blah. Absolute rot.

ARGH!!

OK, I was working on B&W here but also the headstone was interesting. Remember the patriotic site? There was a theme there, a large, Red, White & Blue theme that was immediately understandable.

And then Terri. Her one thing that was so important; that so defined who she was in life was the job she held. She was the "Tourism Director'. What is the story behind this...choice. I would imagine she had some small say in what was written. If not then it was what her loved ones felt she would want forever etched on her memory.

In her 50 years was this her greatest achievement? Not as a Mother or Friend or Aunt or whatever. Nope!! Her final memory is as the Tourism Director.

I wonder about this person. 

But it doesn't end here with this inscription.

This small stone is right next to Terri's grave. I am guessing here but I would say this is the closest living thing Terri had that she loved. And Shasta (for whatever reason, just because it seems most likely, I will think of Shasta as a dog in this screed) had been gone for over ten years before Terri walked on.

Wow!! Eternity and Shasta. I am going to try and find Terri and get to know her when I walk on. I'm interested in her story. But if Shasta is a pug, well, that may be a deal-breaker.

Hahaha, a rando shot of an Osprey. This guy is over at Kirtsis Park.  I can't remember why I was over that way but there it is. You see these things in a small town along the Oregon Coast.

Playing with the metering and focusing on the G3 X. The view from the ironically named living room of my shack. Hmmmmm, Terri was The Tourism Director, maybe I can be The Picture Taker. Cuz I don't think I've yet met a potential picture I wouldn't take.

But this is a small slice of my life. Hahaha, it just struck me that it looks like a cell with bars on the window.

Alrighty, then. For Father's Day I got this card from Cade and Lexi. They had each written some very nice sentiments in it. The fun part was that it had this medal.

What is this medal for? Hahahah, read on...

SCORE!!

Maybe this will be the inscription on my headstone!! What a neat surprise this was. And when you push the center it plays the theme from Rocky. You know the one they play when he runs up the steps and then raises his arms in victory and dances around.

That one!!

It's playing in your head right now, isn't it!! Hahaha, you're welcome.

And the hits for Ol' Grumps just kept on a-coming.

Max had this opportunity at school for Father's Day and he chose to write this for me!! And the Little Rascal nailed it. Yeah!! I did all those things and, yeah, I do love him THIS MUCH!!

Hahaha, SCORE!! again.

I hadn't known he would have thought of me.

Love IT!!

I have been neglecting Sunsets lately. I know it and I chastise myself for my laziness. I finally noticed the light outside was looking good and so I grabbed the camera and headed on out to see what was what. And I got this.

First thing I noticed was the Song Bird sitting on the rock and zoomed in on him. I like the silhouette. And, incidentally, it was a kinda neat sunset, too.

Backing up a bit with the zoom, I caught this. Ain't that something!?! Folks come down to the beach access every evening to try and catch a spectacular sunset. And most times they aren't disappointed.

Backing off to a wide-angle and metering on the blue sky changes the whole feel of this sunset. But you can still feel the golden glow of the setting sun.

And so I zoomed in a bit, again, and there it was.

Gold.

The bird had flown but I was still thinking of photo opportunities and so I zoomed in and focused on the grass growing around the edge of the rock.

The two silhouettes are my favorites. Hahaha, I was thinking and I was outside when it happened. Just gotta get the Butt off the Couch.

OK, Carol and I arrived at the Rec Center early to set up a table to recruit for Scouts when we saw not one, not two, not three BUT four Ospreys flying around the sky.

And this little drama. We think the mating pair that have their nest on the center-right field Light Pole were defending their nest against a pair of interlopers. There's been a report of a FIFTH pair of Ospreys nesting on a pole on the east side of Devils Lake. Maybe that pair were nosing around and were looking for a better location.

Regardless, it wasn't working. They were not welcome.

"And don't come back!!"

They drove the other two away and then settled down to make sure they didn't come back. This comm tower is maybe 150-200 yards to the west of their nest in Kirksis Field.

Gotta admit both Carol and I were excited to see this little play. And I remembered to use the camera rather than stand, staring, and point in that direction and exclaim loudly, "LOOKIT!"

Coolio!!

We were here for the "Touch-A-Truck" event at the Rec Center. And here we are. We claimed a primo spot to set up our table. Right in the center.

And things were starting to come together. 

The Taft High School Tiger was on hand to share in the fun.

And he was everywhere. 

He came over and motioned for me to get out of my chair and then he took a break. And, not one to pass up any photo opportunity, ever, I got this shot of him, relaxing and promoting Scouting.

The amazing thing is that I got myself into a picture. I'm sorry I forgot who I coerced into taking this picture but, hahahaha, every so often, I like to get in on the fun, too.

This is the picture that appeared in Oregon Coast Today. Not good at all. I was reaching for the camera to get it off the table for a better picture. Neither Carol or I were ready.

Ah, but you takes what you gets. We made the Oregon Coast Today and that was kinda cool!!

And someone else got this pic and gave it to me. And, sitting here, I cannot at this moment, recall who did this nice thing for me. I think it was Leslie.

Ratz!!

But I got the Tiger. 

I took all the pictures of the event and sent them to the Rec Center Supervisor and gave her permission to use any of them she wanted. Oh, and I asked her if she wouldn't mind forwarding the ones of the Taft Tiger on to the Teen who put in all that work on an unusually warm Oregon day.

The Tiger was a hit wherever he went.

There are plenty more pictures of the Touch-A-Truck event but I'll spare you. However, the day was a huge success for Scouting. We had at least 8 (what I consider) serious inquiries from kids with their parents. We even talked to a couple of adults about becoming involved in Scouting.

Success!!

AND...here's the lead-in to the next Chapter, Chapter 75 - The Visit!!

The Ray's are coming!!

Michelle and the girls are getting ready to fly out to Portland where I'll pick them up.

They're going to stay for three days and then drive the Mini (that Amy and Kristi are buying) down to Redwood City. 

After that little chore, they're going to spend a month with their West Coast Cousins.

Here they're posing with their good friend, Laura, who got up early and drove them all the way to the airport. It's nice to have friends.

It will be a wild and wonderful visit and a Summer the girls will always remember!!

I think she needs another pair of hands.

It's been a regular potpourri of life. A little this and a little that. And to top it off with some Grands is just the frosting on the cake.

Life is good.

And the possibilities, well, they're limitless!!

HOOAH!!