Oregon Coast Adventures

We are home from our long weekend adventure to the Oregon Coast with our new little home on wheels. We had a wonderful, relaxing time with family in a beautiful part of the Pacific Northwest.

When we arrived at the campground where we stayed we were greeted by my sweetheart's sister and one of his brothers and their spouses. We enjoyed their big smiles and looks of delight when we pulled in with our new home-away-from-home. Not long after we arrived we were all joined by my sweetheart's youngest brother and his wife. This sibling reunion was only overshadowed by the fact that one sister and her husband live too far away to join us for the weekend.

We stayed at a small, privately owned campground at the north end of Tillamook, across Highway 101 from the Tillamook Cheese factory. Tillamook is an area rich in top-quality pasture land and the farmers of the area take great pride in their herds of cows that provide the daily supply of milk for the famous cheese that is made there. We toured the factory and shopped in their very big store that offers their products and many other wonderful things to enjoy. Our favorite is cheese curds, the fresh cheese pieces that have not yet been aged. Curds are often called 'squeaky cheese' because they squeak on your teeth as you chew them. Yum - what a treat!Early one morning I walked down the country road next to our campground to enjoy the quietness of the hour and to see the fog hovering over nearby pasture lands.

Saturday was a busy day for the eight of us. While my sweetheart and five others in our group went crabbing out on the bay my sister-in-law and I ventured north up Highway 101 to the quaint little town of Wheeler in pursuit of antiques. We parked across the street from the Old Wheeler Hotel. The hotel sign and the matching fabric awning over their main entrance captured my eye.

Saturday evening we all drove a ways south to the delightful little beach community of Oceanside. It is far off of Highway 101, the busy thoroughfare that takes millions of people each year up and down the Pacific coastlines of Washington, Oregon and California. Oceanside is nestled on a steep hillside that tumbles down toward a gorgeous beach. There is only one road in and out of this beach community. The focal point of the entire town is just offshore - Three Arch Rocks (a National Wildlife Refuge).

This little town has a restaurant that claims to be one of the best restaurants on the Oregon coast. I think they just may be right. Roseanna's Cafe is in an old, historic building on a bluff above the beach. Window boxes full of flowers, lace curtains and a squeaky wooden screen door greet you at entrance. The food is wonderful, the service excellent and the view is nearly indescribable. Since people come from far and near to eat at Roseanna's the wait can be long (but well worth it!). As we waited to be seated a man who was leaving told us we wouldn't regret our decision to eat there. He told us to be sure and save room for dessert. All the desserts are made by an 82-year-old lady - he said the bread pudding custard is the best anywhere. We enjoyed our dinners and each of us saved room for dessert. Unfortunately, the bread pudding was gone by the time we requested it. Our desserts were great but we must go back again to try the bread pudding! The view from our window table was enhanced by the setting sun. Twice during dinner I excused myself, with camera in hand, and went outside to try to capture the scene.

By the time we had finished and were leaving Roseanna's night had closed in on the little beach community. I loved what I saw as I looked out at the beach so I found a spot near the edge of the bluff to try and capture one last picture. My family thought there would be no way my camera would pick up what we saw. Surprise! A 'night setting' captured a bit of the enchantment I felt as I stood high above the rocks and the waves.

Imagine my delight when I stepped to the edge of the bluff and saw this below.

Bonfires on the beach! In both directions. I didn't want to leave - I wanted to join the groups of people gathered below to enjoy the beauty of the beach and the fresh, open breezes at the end of a wonderful September day.

We all had a wonderful time together over the weekend and we agreed to make this an annual event. We will return again to relax, go crabbing, fishing and antiquing but, most important, to be together with our family we love dearly.

Home Away From Home

We have a new home! It's a home that we will take with us for many get-aways and adventures in the future. After looking and planning and dreaming and 'scheming' for a long time we bought a travel trailer that will be our home in a lot of different places. We are busy packing and outfitting it for a trip that was planned before we knew we would have our little home on wheels and we will leave later today for a fun weekend with family.

Here is what our home-for-adventure looks like. This is the way we first saw it at the home of the sweet people who sold it to us. They were so kind and generous to us, giving us many accessories that make our little palace-on-wheels safe, useable and comfortable. We bought this little jewel two days ago but we didn't bring it home until yesterday. We needed to take care of the business that goes along with things like this - insurance, a special trailer brake control installed inside our car and mirrors that will let us see if someone is 'sneaking' up behind us on the road. During that time we planned, shopped and packed totes and boxes of things so we could move in as soon as it was in our driveway. I've had fun gathering odds and ends of things at the Goodwill and discount stores so we have some of the things needed to help us enjoy our stay when we're on the road. I have had to fight the tendency to 'decorate' it - I haven't had time in two days to take care of all of the necessities plus the fun things that will make it uniquely ours. So - there will be more fun in the future! An excuse for more garage sales and thrifting expeditions! I can't wait to share some of my trailer finds with you but that will have to wait for another day.

In years past, when our children were young, we spent many hours camping in a tent. We have such fun memories of those times together. My sweetheart has continued to camp in the tent for some of his hunting expeditions and with our grandsons but as time went by we knew it was time to fold the tent and move on to something else. The last two days have been interesting and have brought back a lot of memories as we brought all of the camping equipment into the house, sorted, tossed, reminisced and laughed a lot. Some of those things have been moved into the trailer; others will find new homes and just be part of our memories. A look at the floorplan of our new 'home' reminds us how small our tent was when it was filled with the four of us and a good-sized dog. Especially when it was pouring rain outside! This isn't a large trailer but it's perfect for the two of us - that's all that matters!

We will leave home in a few hours - headed for the Oregon Coast where we will meet some of my sweetheart's family for the weekend ahead. All of them have trailers and we were going to be the only ones in a tent. We haven't told them about our new trailer. We can't wait to drive into the campground and see the looks of surprise on their faces when they see what we have. (Right after we bought the trailer my sweetheart called the campground and changed our 'tent' reservation to a 'trailer' reservation.) We will be in the camp site next to my sweetheart's sister and her husband - neighbors for a few days! What fun we will have!

I will be away from here for a few days but, oh, what tales I will have to tell when I return. Until then - may you have a safe and restful weekend.

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Courtroom!

My last two posts have been about my experience as a juror on a court case this week. I just can't leave this subject without sharing a funny experience I had on the way to the courtroom on Wednesday morning. It didn't seem too funny at the time. A bit embarrassing.

Each time court reconvened we met in the Jury Assembly Room in an adjoining building. Shortly before time for court to begin the Court Clerk came next door, checked the sign-in sheet and counted noses to be sure we were all there. Then he took us to the courthouse where we went through airport-type security and he led us upstairs to the Jury Room just off the courtroom where he left us until the judge asked him to take us into court. The Jury Room adjacent to the courtroom has 2 small restrooms - something we all appreciated, especially during our hours of deliberation yesterday.

Wednesday morning while we waited in the Jury Room several of our group used the restrooms. Close to the time we expected to enter the courtroom I knew I should the same. I turned to the people seated near me and said, "At the risk of holding up the schedule, I'm going to the restroom." Just a couple of minutes later when I opened the restroom door the Jury Room was completely empty! They were gone! I had been left in the restroom and now they were all in the courtroom. What should I do now? Should I open the door next to the jury box, near the witness stand, and just march into court? Had the judge seated the alternate in my seat? At the risk of doing the wrong thing I opened the door.
All eyes in the courtroom were on me! The judge, the court clerk, all of the attorneys, the plaintiff, the defendant and the entire group seated in the gallery. I quietly stepped into the room and walked across the front of the jury box, passed the witness on the witness stand, excused myself as I walked in front of the alternate juror, stepped across the two jurors seated at the end near my seat and quickly took my seat -- right in the MIDDLE of the front row! Fortunately the judge had not begun proceedings. (Later I was told that he had noted the absence of one juror and had waited just seconds before my head appeared out the door of the Jury Room.) I'm sure this isn't the first time this has happened. The Court Clerk knew he had taken 13 jurors in the Jury Room. What he had failed to do was to make sure no one was in either of the restrooms.

As soon as we entered the Jury Room during our next break I said (loud enough to be heard by most of the jurors, "I am going to the restroom - don't leave me in there again!" It never happened again. Every time the Court Clerk entered the Jury Room to take us into court he was sure to do a head count!

Free At Last To Resume Life

Juror 36, you are are released from service to the court of the State of Oregon! Sweeter words could not have been said to me today! Finished - task completed - mission accomplished - free now to go back to real life.

I didn't feel the impact of those words until I walked out of the courtroom and removed my juror button that has been part of my wardrobe accessories for the past four days. Somehow I felt lighter without this round, pink button on my shoulder. I answered the call when summoned, I listened attentively as attorneys and witnesses tried to convince me of the truths they wanted me to believe, I responded when appropriate and I was free to walk away today and resume life as it was before Tuesday morning. But can I really ever resume life as it was before this week? I doubt it. I will carry away the lessons I've learned and the experience I've gained and I will view life from a different perspective than before.

What did we feel we learned? Get EVERYTHING in writing - and take pictures of EVERYTHING you do! Don't assume anything. Talk to the people involved before you act. Try to work things out before they get out of hand and you meet in court. Ours was a civil case - a dispute between two wealthy men who had, at one time owned neighboring properties. The dispute centered on the right one man believed the law gave him to remove a big, old Douglas fir tree that blocked his view of the river below and of Mount Hood in the distance from his neighbor's undeveloped property. The man whose tree was cut believed the law didn't give his neighbor that right. In the end it was 12 people in a small room today who decided that the law was indeed broken and damages were due the other man. Agreeing on the amount of damages owed was a challenge - the parameters were wide and opinions varied greatly. In the end we came to a place of consent.

Immediately following the trial the judge met us in the jury room to express his thanks, answer our questions and discuss anything we would like to know. Our first question: Do you feel we were right? Were we fair? His answer: Yes, you were right - you were very fair. We have been invited to come back any time to sit in chambers with the judge and talk to him. He wants to learn from us and he values us as citizens who were willing to give of our lives to make this system work. When he asked what he could do to make things better for members of the jury, we answered - almost in unison - "get new chairs!" Which, by the way, are on order. He is a very laid back, fair judge and we appreciate the way he looked out for us and the care his staff showed us.

As I look back on this week I realize that the best part of it all was the people - people who were doing their jobs to pull it all together and make the due process of the law go smoothly and eleven people who shared a week of their lives with me. We shared some incredibly funny stories as we waited together and we have come to know a little bit of each other's worlds and perspectives. We seemed to have a sense of sadness as we told each other goodbye and drove away. What a nice thing to hear - "I'm very glad I got to meet you!"

Just Doin' My Duty!

I may be away from here for a few days. I was summoned for jury duty. Today at nearly the last minute, when it looked like I would get to come home, I was added to the prospective jury pool in one of the courtrooms. Following the process of the legal system I was seated as a juror for a trial that is expected to last all week. Fortunately the courthouse has changed from the artist's rendition of the former courthouse above. I'm sure it would not be set up for the modern technology and conveniences that today's court system requires.

The current courthouse was built in 1937 and has undergone several major renovations through the years. I will spend the next few days in the newly remodeled, recently dedicated courthouse that serves the citizens of our ever-growing county.

I would like to spend my lunch hours taking incredible pictures of the area surrounding the courthouse but, since I'm not allowed to take a camera into the courthouse, I may have to go back after this trial is over and just wander around the area with no schedule and no agenda - just to take photos of things that capture my attention. In the meantime I will do my best to be alert and pay attention to all of the testimony and exhibits presented and to be fair to the individuals involved. When the due process of the law has been accomplished I will return to share bits and pieces of my life once again.

High Above The Trees

Over the last two weeks I have shared about the wonderful trip we took with our out-of-state family. We had a wonderful day trip together, sharing the beauty and history of our area with them. We drove through the Columbia River Gorge, along a historic highway, stood on the shores of the Columbia River and loved every minute of our drive around Mount Hood. This is the final part of that journey to share - I think it was my favorite!

Nestled midway to the summit of Mt. Hood is Timberline Lodge, a National Historic Landmark and masterpiece of mountain lodges. Constructed of mammoth timbers and native stone in 1937, Timberline Lodge stands today as a tribute to the rugged spirit of the Pacific Northwest.*

Timberline (as the locals call it) is on the south side of the mountain, about 60 miles east of Portland. This is a popular tourist attraction where more than a million visitors come each year. The lodge was built entirely by hand - inside and out - at the height of the Depression. It was built by unemployed craftspeople hired by the Federal Works Progress Administration. It is a wonderful monument to the talents of local artists and craftsmen who used materials of the area to express the spirit of the mountain.

Architects provided for even the tiniest decorative detail, using three themes to illustrate regional heritage: hand-hewn timbers and hand-crafted furnishings to pay tribute to early pioneers, carved wood and wrought iron designs to capture the Indian spirit, and carvings of animals and paintings of wildflowers to represent wildlife native to Mt. Hood.*
A broad sloping roof rising up to a central point was designed to harmonize with the shape of the mountain and its ridges. Stone buttressed walls and massive timbers were planned to withstand heavy alpine winds and deeps snows. Blueprints included huge observation windows to bring the mountain and surrounding valleys "into" the lodge.*

Wooden salmon sculpture

silouetted against the view of the mountain above

(The terrace below was being set up for a wedding!)

The interior of the lodge is amazing! The craftsmanship and decor throughout each area is perfect for this special place on the mountain.

Hand-carved stairways seen through stone archways

Massive hand-hewn timbers join the stone chimney

Doorway into Blue Ox Bar

(The back wall is a huge stained-glass rendition

of Paul Bunyan and Babe, the Blue Ox)

Mount Jefferson (seen through the doorway of the 2nd-story stone terrace)

Timberline Lodge is a fascinating place to visit. I plan to return again, perhaps sometime in the winter when the snow is deep and winter has changed the views. Perhaps my wintertime visits will be reserved for rainy days in the valley below by way of beautiful books and photos of those more adventurous than I! No matter how or when, I know that I will return to this place above the trees again in the future - if not personally, in my heart.

*with gratitude to Timberline Lodge

Psalm 84

How lovely is your dwelling place,

O LORD Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints,

for the courts of the LORD;

my heart and my flesh cry out

for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may have her young—

a place near your altar,

O LORD Almighty,

my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house;

they are ever praising you.

Selah

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baca,

they make it a place of springs;

the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

They go from strength to strength,

till each appears before God in Zion.

Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;

listen to me, O God of Jacob.

Selah

Look upon our shield, O God;

look with favor on your anointed one.

Better is one day in your courts

than a thousand elsewhere;

I would rather be a doorkeeper

in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

the LORD bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold

from those whose walk is blameless.

O LORD Almighty,

blessed is the man who trusts in you.