Photos, videos and docs of Janet Brien, with the keywords: "water"

Beautiful Silver Creek at Silver Falls State Park! (+5 insets)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 18:22:37 +0000

(+5 insets)

Rain, Rain, Go Away! *cry*
How would you feel if you got to stay for an entire two weeks at an incredibly gorgeous state park when there was also a two-week-long rain storm? Unfortunately, that's what happened for us at Silver Falls. The afternoon we arrived it was sunny but the clouds were rolling in. We had a lovely walk around the park's incredible nature trail with no idea that we'd only walk this trail together a few times the entire two weeks. That night it started to rain. Pounding deluges of water dumped onto the area for the next TWO WEEKS! At the very least it was sprinkling but most of the time it was raining hard enough that going outside wasn't an option without an umbrella, rain gear and perhaps a boat and paddle. We were stuck inside for most of our stay and it was such a total bummer because we'd planned to go hiking and biking every day! I did manage to sneak out in the morning when the rains sometimes dwindled to a sprinkle and marched quickly around the 1.1-mile trail, usually making it back before it started to pour again.

We kept an eagle-eye on the weather reports and looked to see if there was a pause in the rain, but it seemed the storm had booked the same reservation we did. However, there were exactly TWO days when the sun came out and we were READY! One day we went on the Trail of Ten Falls, and the other day we hopped on our bikes and rode on an unbelievably stunning ride which took us on a challenging but wonderful ride…we commented that we needed sunglasses to cut down on all of the brilliant, glowing greenery everywhere!

So, in the end we were really sad that our plans for exploring this wonderful park were thwarted by the heavy downpours, but we counted our lucky stars for the opportunities that we did get to enjoy this lovely park.

Today's Picture
There was a wonderful little footbridge that crossed over the south fork of Silver Creek and it was so nice to just stand and enjoy the view. The light dancing on the water, the logs criss-crossing, the glowing greenery…oh what a pretty spot!

Today's Insets
Inset #1: What a perfect picture for HFF!! This view stopped me in my tracks every time I got to this part of the park's looping nature trail. You can certainly see why this trail was so popular! (Although this trail is listed as one of Oregon's most beautiful, I rarely ran into anyone because of the rain, thank goodness.)

Inset #2: Walking through the campground, this marvelous tree took my breath away with its vibrating greens and lovely shape.

Inset #3: And yet ANOTHER perfect picture for HFF! This was taken on the day we rode our bikes on the lovely group of trails which included this spot, which is also Silver Creek but about a mile away from the main picture's location. The bridge linked two huge meadows adorned with picnic tables for happy visitors.

Inset #4: Every time I walked to the campground bathroom, I saw this wonderful tree and waited for the chance when I could take a picture to share. To me it looks like a happy old couple, arm in arm, who get to look at the playground they face that's often filled with squealing, happy children!

Inset #5: I noticed this funny face in the puddles on the path to the bathroom and kept an eye out for a break in the rain to get this picture to share! I loved the goofy expression!

Please Take Care
Hope all is well with you…I am horrified at what's going on with Ukraine invasion. How does anything like this happen in this day and age? It's so awful that I cannot stand to see more than headlines. In any event, I hope you are all safe with family away from this terrible situation. My heart goes out to Kyiv and the Ukraine.

Explored on 3/1/22; highest placement #15.

Harbor Seal at Yaquina Lighthouse, Oregon! (+6 insets)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 18:17:57 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+6 insets)

Harbor Seal Pupping Season at Yaquina Head Light House!
Everywhere along the coast of Oregon, there are so many wonderful things to see! One day we went out to the mouth of the Yaquina River, which featured the Yaquina Head Lighthouse. We read that there were tide pools and seals, trails and magnificent views. We were not prepared for the wonderful things we'd see that day!

As luck would have it, we arrived during harbor seal pupping season! Furthermore, I nearly vibrated with excitement when I found out the area around Yaquina Head had a colony of seals there! In fact, to keep them safe, part of the accessible beach where the mothers and pups frequented was cordoned off and watched by eagle-eyed caretakers who were quick to tell anyone too close to please stay behind the tape. Yes! With all of the selfish ignoramuses out there, were very pleased that the seals had protectors looking out for them!

Today's Picture
Who doesn't love to watch seals?! They are like huge sea puppies and I adore them! Although the main attraction was the mothers and pups laying around on the algae-covered rocks, spotting them swimming around was a great game! I managed to get this incredibly lucky shot of an adult popping out of the water on its back and turning over, with a spray of water launched next to it. It's one of my very best sea life pictures! :)

Today's Insets
Inset #1: The main draw of this area is the gorgeous Yaquina Head Lighthouse. Viewed from the rocky beach near the Harbor Seal pupping grounds, you can see the wonderful tide pools found all up and down the coast here.

Inset #2: The algae-covered rocks where the Harbor Seals raised their pups were full of rolly-polly moms and their babies. I couldn't stop cooing as I took pictures! :) How nice it was to have my Sony RX10 IV bridge camera with its 24-600 lens! I couldn't have gotten any worthwhile seal pictures without this super camera!

Inset #2: At the far side of the accessible part of the beach I spotted a little cove where a mother had come out of the water, her pup just visible at her side. She looks rather non-plussed, don't you think?! :D

Inset #4: Cormorants and other sea birds covered the rocks at the far side of the beach and Steve and I enjoyed watching their antics. I was happy to see that the area was cordoned off too, as the birds were busy planning families too. They were far enough away that I wasn't sure any pictures would turn out and I was delighted when I found this picture turned out so nicely!

Inset #5: Yaquina Head's Cobble Beach was very unique because it was covered with true cobble stones, something we'd never encountered before. These polished rocks were slippery to walk on--warning signs were posted!--and they created an incredibly loud, almost musical tone as you walked carefully over them.

Inset #6: The tide pools next to the rocky beach were teeming with life! This image shows some anemones and mussels that we saw, surrounded by different kinds of algae.

Thank You For Visiting!
Every time I check on my new presentation my face breaks out is such a big smile. It makes me so happy that you folks come to visit, even though I've been so negligent in my reciprocal visits. We've been getting so much frost in the mornings but in the afternoon it's warming up and Steve and I, with Pumpkin too, are going on walks in preparation for our upcoming adventures! Hope you're all healthy and doing well!

Explored on 2/3/22; highest placement #1.

Stream and Sand Abstract at South Harris Beach (+7 insets)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 18:32:34 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+7 insets) (This image looks super cool against black, please click!) (Please scroll down to "Today's Image" for photo info)

Notes Written on the Road: The Kayakers
I love my morning walks because there's no telling what I'll find, and on this morning, I was stunned by the show I got to watch!

Heading down Rock Beach Trail, which leads to North Harris Beach, I looked out at the gorgeous view as I went. At the top of the steep hill is a perfectly-placed bench and I passed an older gentleman perched there, chatting with someone on his phone. I mused to myself as I passed by, "That's not a bad place to be!"

I zigzagged down the roughly-paved trail, making sure to watch my step. I couldn't help looking out at the staggering view of the rock-strewn coastline and the last thing I needed to do was trip! At one point I spotted a splash of bright orange--what was that? Heading closer, I could see it was couple making their way down to the water with a pair of nested kayaks. Woah…seriously? I thought they might be insane but hey, maybe they weren't!

A few moments later I emerged onto the southern end of North Harris Beach and traced the water's edge, appreciating the lovely shapes of the waves sneaking up the beach. Looking up, I saw the couple had set their kayaks down and brought one closer to the water. They were arranging gear, a fishing pole, a paddle, and tucking in loose items.

I stood and watched from a distance and could see they were totally relaxed and confident--likely they'd done this plenty of times in the past. The pair moved towards the water for a moment, discussing the plan of attack with many gestures. Soon they walked back, grabbed each end of the woman's kayak and made their way out into the water, waves racing around their ankles and then knees. They watched the waves and moved into the water bit by bit until they were about knee-deep; the woman then took over and, with the timing coinciding with the breaking waves, she straddled and sank into her kayak and then puddled furiously as a small wave came her way. Crashing through the crest, her boat easily maneuvered the frothy spray and she was on her way!

I gawked and shook my head, feeling totally stunned by what I'd witnessed. Even though the waves were very small and the surf quite mild, it's not an easy thing to get a boat through waves and into the deeper, calmer water. Kayaks are so tippy that I really wasn't sure it was possible. But as I stood and clapped my hands in joy for the lady, she negotiated the other waves coming her way with fast, strong strokes of her paddle and emerged on the other side in calm water, totally victorious! Hooray!!! Her man turned and quickly got his kayak down to the water and negotiated the waves with perfect timing and experience, joining her in just a few minutes. WHAT FUN IT WAS TO WATCH THIS!! There's something extra fun about watching something that doesn't seem possible and get the reward of seeing it happen right in front of you! (Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of this cool show but it's a memory I'll never forget!)

Today's Picture
I'm just crazy about the patterns, shapes and reflections that water and sand create. Waves rushing up on the shore and retreating leave such cool textures. And, if you're lucky enough to have a creek running into the ocean, the fabulous imagery is simply endless! The main picture today shows a very abstract and beautiful shape of sand with stream water making its way down to the ocean.

Today's Insets
I've included a handful of images I captured at the same time…in fact, I have so many useable images that I had to stop myself from processing more! Here's what I've included:
• a view of a creek meeting the ocean, accented with a huge boulder and seagulls
• a young seagull standing in a retreating wave, looking for a tidbit
• a shallow dof shot focused on an interesting rock with receding water lines and lots of cool bokeh to enjoy behind
• one of the countless beautiful rocks in the sand which cried out for a picture
• a still life featuring some rocks and the tracks of little clams (I think!)
• a nearly-submerged rock covered with seaweed and kelp
• an artistic image showing the pattern left by retreating waves In the sand. To me, it looks like an aerial photograph from miles above!

Thank You For Stopping By!
Every visit I get makes me smile and feel grateful that I can share images that you like to see. The words you leave me are so nice, I am often left blushing with joy! I also enjoy thinking about the things you relate to me, memories that come to mind. It's so much fun to trade our comments back and forth! My visits to your photos are always full of great surprises, wonder and delight, and I enjoy letting you know what I'm thinking. Aren't we lucky to have such a warm community?! Have a super day and rest of your week! :)

Explored on 11/23/21; highest placement #3.

Craggy Shore Scene at Humbug Mountain State Park Beach (+7 insets!)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 15:01:12 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+7 inset!) (please view large!)

Injuries on the Road
I mentioned that just before our trip, Steve hurt his knee and ankle and was forced to rest his leg. It took a lot longer for his injuries to heal because he needed to be up and around to tend to various trailer/truck jobs, but once he finally became a "potato", his body responded rapidly and within a week he was much better, and by the end of the trip he was able to resume most of his mobility. Wisely, we took it very slowly and it paid off. He still has a bit of soreness and stiffness from time to time but for the most part he's completely healed.

As for me…about a week from the end of our trip I noticed that my right foot was a little sore on the top and also a bit on the bottom. It felt like one of those times your foot hurts oddly and then it goes away inexplicably. Only, this time it didn't go away. Since I thought it was just that routine soreness that happens once in a while, I ignored it. After a few days I couldn't deny that a) it wasn't going away and b) it was getting worse, to the point of actual pain.

I couldn't imagine what I'd done to hurt my foot--no hard impacts, trips, falls, or obvious accidents. Nothing landed on it and I didn't twist it. That's why I'd initially ignored the slowly-increased ache. But it became obvious when I couldn't walk without a limp that I'd certainly done something to my foot and I'd better start focusing on healing.

A Very Slow Recovery
Unlike Steve's injuries, however, my foot didn't respond as well. I admit that I did use it more than I should have *shame-face*…I limped my way on a slow 3-mile macro photo walk the day before we came home and it was very annoyed with me by the time I got back to the trailer. Thus, I barely felt any improvement by the time we'd gotten home. Then I spent umpteen hours back and forth from the trailer to the house unpacking, etc., and that certainly didn't help whatsoever.

It was only when I'd finished my necessary trailer-house activities that I finally began to feel some improvement. I've been a proper (couch) potato whenever possible, keeping my foot elevated and being very careful to stay off my foot unless necessary. Now, in the week before we leave, the soreness has mostly abated and I'd say I'm at about 80-85% healed.

So what the heck happened? I did some reading and it turns out I most likely have an "overuse injury," along with a minor fracture somewhere in my foot and with some pulled ligaments caused by compensation. This injury is not all that uncommon in high-impact sports or dancing such as ballet. The strange thing is that I haven't been all that active during our trip. I purposely haven't gone overboard but apparently my foot felt otherwise.

Anyway, I'll continue to take it easy and hopefully by the time we're off on our next trip I'll be back to normal, though I will certainly be very careful to baby my foot for a while. Just because it doesn't hurt does not mean it's 100%. So cross your fingers that I am successful at achieving completely healed foot!

Today's Pictures: Another Set From Humbug Mountain State Park Beach!
What a lovely, serene experience it was to visit this wonderful beach. Who doesn't love a secluded beach experience without hordes of people?! The wind was pretty fierce later in the day but when I visited earlier in the day it was just blissful! :)

The main picture is a view of the jagged rocks tumbling into the sea from the left side of the beach. I shared a similar picture in my last set of pictures but this one is a panorama and shows a flock of seagulls who were relaxing there. I stood and watched them for a bit as they cleaned their feathers, pecked at the seaweed and walked around. It was nice to share this scene with them on such a lovely morning.

Insets include…
1) With focused determination, a little girl marches with intent to the edge of the water…
2) A super-wide panorama shows the lovely coast from the other direction shows a darling little girl running to join her sister who is digging in the wet sand…
3) The pair of girls crouch together as a nestled pair with the magnificent coastline in the background. They would soon stand up and return to the sand castles and moat they were working on and I got to watch surreptitiously through my Sony's wonderful zoom lens.
4) A still life starring a lovely bull kelp with its characteristic gas-filled bulb (this is called a pneumatocyst) and large, flat blades; this is an edible seaweed which can grow as large as 120 feet long!! On the right is a different kind of seaweed in lustrous green.
5) Another natural still-life with a strongly-textured rock and an open mussel shell that looks like angel wings
6) Monkey Flowers grow lushly alongside the magnificent driftwood in Brush Creek, which empties into the ocean near the left side of Humbug Mountain State Park beach.
7) The driftwood and Monkey Flowers were so beautiful, adorning Brush Creek as it flowed out to the sea.

Thanks to all of you for your visits, comments and stars! I hope that you all have a safe and wonderful week!

Explored on 8/4/20; highest placement #6.

Blackbird on Cattails and Update!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 16:14:26 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(Please view large for the best experience) :D

Hello everyone! I hope you're all doing well in the midst of this unprecedented outbreak. Steve and I are doing great and have all of our provisions in line. Our state of Oregon has not been hit hard by the coronavirus--though the numbers are increasing every day, only 70 have been reported as opposed to 1,000 in the state of Washington north of us and 700 in California, south of us. Steve went out for groceries a couple of days ago and was very happy to find that people weren't acting as crazy as they were a few days earlier. We both wanted to get everything in order in case the numbers start to go up and we're all asked to stay home as so many others have been.

I am still keeping my head down…this pandemic seems like a ridiculous Lifetime Channel 2-hr movie with all of the idiotic details that could never actually happen in real life--only, it's not a movie at all. We've got the crazy president spouting endless streams of jaw-dropping lies and denying everything going on (only to then do an about-face a day later), the people fighting over toilet paper and hand-sanitizer (captured on millions of YouTubes for incredulous viewing), and the reality of a virus which has infected people in 170 of the world's 195 countries, with total cases now over 200,000. Even prominent officials and movie stars have been infected, it seems so unreal. It's comforting to know that for the overwhelming majority who get this virus, it's like a mild cold. The flu, in comparison, is so much more dangerous! Still, this virus is still a rather unknown thing and that's what's worrisome. In any event, it's now a new cold virus we will have to deal with from now on. Let's hope that it becomes less dangerous to those with respiratory illness as time goes on.

The picture today was taken last April on our first RV trip to Upper Klamath Lake (about two hours from our home). Steve and I went on a "canoe trail" around the lake one day and had a lovely time taking pictures and taking in the peaceful beauty of this wonderful place. It was neat to hear all of the birds in the reeds and those flying by overhead. This lake is an important breeding ground for a plethora of species and a great destination for any bird watcher!

***
I hope all is going well for you these days, Pam. I was happy to know that you're looking at all of this with an educated eye and thinking about past sicknesses as a barometer for staying calm and not worrying about this virus. I appreciated your care-filled letter to give me understanding and knowledge too. Yes, this will all blow over, but I sure don't like seeing the numbers skyrocket! *MANY HUGS from southern Oregon*

Explored on 3/18/20; highest placement #9.

Outrageously Lovely Little Qualicum Falls! (Set 1 of 2) (+4 insets!)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 18:24:26 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+4 insets!) (Please view large for a proper look! :) (Scroll down to "Today's Pictures" for information about the insets)

Trip Talk: Big Fun at Little Qualicum Falls
After our fantastic adventure at Englishman River Provincial Park, we couldn't imagine finding another waterfall and hike that would equal that experience. Well, we were about to be delightfully corrected! Heading along the beautiful Alberni Highway, we drove 13.5 miles (21.9 km) northwest to the trailhead for Little Qualicum Falls.

Getting to the trailhead turned out to be a bit of a challenge, however. Arriving at the Google Map location, we didn't see any signs to direct us to a parking lot. We wondered if we were actually supposed to just pull off onto the shoulder, but that couldn't be right. Driving up and down the road a couple of times, we finally spotted a tiny road leading into a very small--but nicely paved--parking lot. "How did we miss that?!" we both exclaimed…a parking lot sign titled with Little Qualicum Falls was right there--it just wasn't obvious unless you knew where to look. There was exactly one spot left and Steve maneuvered our long truck expertly into place.

The trail that led from the parking lot was equally unobtrusive but we were soon wowed by the unfolding beauty before us. A glowing, vibrant forest welcomed us as we took in the beautiful environment complete with the twitters and calls of birds near and far.

Soon we heard the telltale sound of rushing water and saw water racing down a boulder-strewn chasm below. What a sight! Peeking over the side of the trail as we went, we found ourselves totally blown away by the views we saw. How can nature be so beautiful?! WOW!!

Working our way up the trail and across a well-constructed bridge, we eventually came to an observation lookout and found ourselves staring in awe at the gorgeous two-levels of Little Qualicum Falls…WHAT A SIGHT! The shape of the falls, the way the logs seemed to arrange themselves so perfectly around the base of the main drop…the color of water in the pools and stream…the rocks and formations…it was just jaw-dropping!!

The only thing which ruined the remarkable beauty of this place was the chain-link fencing along the edge of the deep chasm. They were annoying eyesores but unfortunately this place has a history of people falling to their deaths so the fencing is necessary. It took a bit of looking around but we were able to get plenty of nice angles through various holes in the fence and over the top.

When we had satisfied our exploration of the area, we found a nice place for our lunch and enjoyed the views and the sound of crashing water cascading over the falls, tumbling topsy-turvy down the streambed towards the sea. What a joy to behold such incredible beauty! How lucky we were to get the opportunity to see this lovely place! Neither of us will ever take for granted our good fortune that allows us to explore the world.

At one point on the meandering hike back to the truck, I noticed movement just off the trail. Investigating closer, I was delighted to find a garter snake on the hunt for lunch. While I was slowly crept nearer, stepping carefully over branches and around trees--clicking away with my Sony camera--a kid-filled family walking past noticed me and wondered what I was looking at. I told them it was a snake and if they approached quietly they might get a glimpse too...so, one by one they copied my stealthy movement and because the garter snake was relaxed and unafraid, they were able to see it too! Everyone stood frozen, appreciating its beauty until it silently slipped away into the brush. Then we chatted about snakes for a few minutes before we all headed off on our hikes again! What a fun memory for this day!

Today's Pictures
My main picture shows the awesome double-levels of Little Qualicum Falls, complete with logs that got stuck on the way down! This was a sight we stared at for a long time…it was just so beautiful!

My first inset is a wide panorama showing the bridge up to the Falls and starring Steve in the middle! Other insets include some of the gorgeous views as we hiked the trail up to the Falls and finally, a pictures of the darling garter snake that allowed me to take its picture. I hope you enjoy the show! :)

Pam, have you ever seen a "double-decker" waterfall like this one? What a special sight! We are amazed at the beautiful shapes that waterfalls can create and this particular one almost seems man-made because it's so pretty. I like to do long-exposure shots of waterfalls but they require tripods and we didn't have one with us today. Have you ever fooled around with long-exposure? I looked in your stream but didn't find any, though you may have a trove of these which you never uploaded. :) It's a fun skill to work on if the conditions are right and you're in the mood! Anyway, I'm sending a virtual *hug* your way on this soon-to-be-rainy day!

Explored on 2/24/20; highest placement #1.

Lovely Englishman River Falls (Set 1 of 2) (+5 insets!)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 19:40:50 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+5 insets!) (even prettier full size!) :D

Trip Talk: Two Breathtaking Waterfalls in One Day!
Our jaw-dropping evening at Parksville gave us a pretty good indication that our adventures here would be fantastic--that sure turned out to be true! :)

Our first morning after we set up at Parksville, we decided to check out a couple of waterfalls that everyone raved about--Englishman River Falls and Little Qualicum Falls. They both included beautiful hikes and both of us were really excited as we ate breakfast and prepared our lunch of various cheeses, sausages and other tasty treats.

Walking through the Forest to Englishman River Falls
This lovely provincial park was located mere moments from our campsite and its close proximity to the nearby towns of Qualicum Beach, Coombs and Parksville meant it was a popular destination for the locals too. It also has an very popular campground but sadly for us, the many campsites are small and have no electrical or sewer hookups. (These "old-style" campgrounds without amenities are standard for the many provincial parks on Vancouver Island. The restrictions of these "primitive" sites also meant we couldn't include them in our reservations.)

The most popular features of Englishman River Falls Provincial Park are the wonderful rock-slab beaches along the river. Perfect for relaxing with the family on this lovely, warm Sunday, Steve and I felt a pang of regret that we didn't pack swimsuits, but kept this in mind for the future. As we headed out of the parking lot to begin our hike, we were amused to see little kids squealing in excitement as they ran circles around their parents. They carried all-important, brightly-colored buckets and shovels in their tiny hands, but not a stitch on their adorable little bodies!

Once we were on the main trail we found ourselves alone in blissful solitude and Steve and I enjoyed a beautiful hike through dappled forest on well-cared-for trails. The path lead along the picturesque fast-moving river to some lovely view-points to see the Falls, which included a pair of handsome bridges that we crossed to get up to the Falls themselves. Steve and I had a very wonderful, relaxing walk accented with plenty of photos!

Today's Pictures
My main picture shows the Englishman River Falls and I think you'll agree that the sight is a breathtaking one! Steve and I stood for a long while, marveling at the strong-flowing water cascading into the chasm below. Due to its location, there wasn't any way to photograph the entire waterfall but I was really happy with this view!

Insets include an abstract of the rushing water and some of the beautiful forest scenery we encountered along the way.

Pam, I looked through your pictures because I was sure I'd see waterfalls but WOW! There aren't any! I did see though, that there are some really beautiful waterfalls not that far from where you live. (Waterfalls near you). I'm going to bet you've visited some of them! Steve and I are crazy about these water features so whenever we have the chance we will go to see them! How is the weather treating you these days? For us, freezing mornings and gorgeous sunny days lately! It won't last forever but we're enjoying the sunshine and lovely, warm afternoons while they are here! Sending *hugssssss* your way!

Explored on 2/20/20; highest placement #2.

Kayakers in Fairy Light at Parkside, Vancouver Island (+6 insets!)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 18:38:06 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+6 insets!) (Another picture that looks nice at full size!) (Please scroll down to "Today's Pictures" for details about the insets)

Frosty Mornings are so COLD!
Holy Frostbite, Batman, it's COLD OUT THERE!!! :D As I sit here at my computer, I have our the space heater in front of my seat, my sock-covered feeties tingling before it and trying to get warm again. It's not that horribly cold outside compared to many places but 28.5°F / -1.94°C is still WAY TOO COLD for my liking! You would think my tromping up and down my driveway would compensate, but it's just not enough. Even with the excellent, heat-generating slope all the way up from the main road to the base of our steep hillside. Add to that the fact that my washed hair makes my head and entire body struggle to get warm, even bundled up with a hat, scarf, gloves and heavy sweaters. But I'm slowly warming up and as always, the experience out there was easily worth what discomfort I might feel for a while after returning to the warmth of the house.

Sharing a Breathtaking Sunrise with Pumpkin
The beautiful day began the moment I got up. Together with Pumpkin, we peeked out the window after she climbed out of her fleecy-soft tent onto my finger and stretched her wingies, accenting each side with a satisfied "Urrrrrk." We admired the breathtaking pastel pinks, oranges and blues of the sunrise, contrails from the high-flying airplanes penciling soft white lines in the sky which slowly spread out into lovely, dissipating ripples. I couldn't help uttering my amazement of this view, complete with the beautiful Upper Table Rock stretching out in the distance before us. "Wowwwwwww, isn't that just gorgeous…" I considered running down to get my phone for a picture but decided against it. I didn't want to ruin this special moment with my little girl, nor did I want to wreck the serenity and peace that we were experiencing.

Morning Routines and a Food-Flinging Parrot!
Tiptoeing downstairs after a shower and getting dressed--I didn't want to disturb Steve, who was still sleeping at this early hour of just after 7am--Pumpkin and I shared the morning routine of preparing her food and getting my daily vitamins and pair of drinks together. Steve and I live a ketogenic lifestyle and part of this requires us to have extra potassium, salt and other electrolytes in our diet, which we get from an apple cider vinegar drink blend. It's so important, in fact, that if we don't have this drink every day, our bodies will respond eventually with fatigue and flu-like symptoms. The other drink was, of course, coffee, in the form of an Americano espresso (espresso and water). I save my cherished espresso and cream for a decadent afternoon treat. And yet, I totally enjoy my watered-down burst of caffeine I drink after downing my vitamins and cider brew. The crema and bouquet of espresso are so delicious!

By the time I finish, Pumpkin's decided that violently flinging the contents of her food cup are the order of the day. I cannot help but smirk as I watch in amusement while chunks of bread and various seeds and pepper flakes are scattered over her perch and bounce into the sink. She is delighted at the mess she's made and I snicker at the maniacal, satisfied expression on her lovely face. Red eyes surrounding black pupils in her glowing yellow and orange face could look demonic if she were a nasty bird but she's an absolute doll and her mood right now is feisty and hungry. She was ready for a proper breakfast and I wasn't moving fast enough--this show was letting me know how she felt!

"Well then!" Stepping boldly onto my offered finger, I continue, "Let's get you upstairs for your breakfast my dear!" Gripping my finger tightly with her large, scaly feet (we like to call them "her big, fat, chicken feet!"), we go upstairs together along with her prepared food bowl of veggies, fruit, and lots of other goodies. Pumpkin eagerly stepped onto her cage's upper perch while I put her breakfast in place. Before leaving, I turn on her music (80's and other fun songs that she loves) and tell her I love her with wishes for a happy breakfast before quietly closing the door.

When I step inside after my frigid walk, Steve is bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and coming downstairs for his breakfast after having a wonderful shower with Pumpkin too! :) Our day has begun and it will be a beauty! :)

Today's Pictures
I'm sharing another selection from our evening walk along the water at Surfside RV Resort! My main picture today shows a perfectly synchronous pair of ladies enjoying their kayaks on the bay. I took some liberties with some creative filters and the result turned this otherwise "meh!" picture into an image I really like!

Lots of insets today as well! There are three panoramas--a super wide one which made the view look like a bowl of land surrounded by water; a fading sunset view of a fingerling jetty which joined the place I stood at a 90 degree angle, and a wide view of the lovely, peaceful lagoon next to Surfside's resort.

Also included is an image of interesting kelp that washed up on the shore. I have never seen anything like it and thought the resulting picture showed the fascinating shapes quite well.

There are also two artistic renditions of an oystercatcher that I photographed. In the fading light, my camera's ISO shot up to a ridiculous number and the resulting grain rendered the pictures totally useless. Or so I thought. I'd never gotten a picture of this species before and I really wanted to do something with them if I could, grainy or not. Then I realized that I could break out my artistic filters and give that a try. How nice to have the excuse to play with my pictures in a purely artistic sense. I am delighted at the outcome, as these pictures were not savable otherwise. The results, in my opinion, are colorful and fun! :) I hope you like them too! (but I won't blame you if you hate them! :D)

Pam, I looked to see if you have any pictures of shore birds, but I didn't see any. While I worked on my two Oystercatcher pictures, I couldn't help but think of you. I deeply admire your skill and dedication to the countless artistic images and collages that you've created over the years. I don't usually go that route but with my travel photography I am presented with the opportunity much more often. It's pretty common to find pictures that aren't up to par in one way or another, but when I switch on my creative eye, it's usually very easy to see the potential of an otherwise "garbage" shot. It's fun. I don't spend hours on them as you have with your gazillions of layers, filters, additional elements and so forth but I do allow myself the freedom to have a good time. It's really nice to do this and makes me feel as if I'm stretching other artistic muscles. Great stuff! Anyway, I hope this is a nice day for you!! *BIG HUGS* from southern Oregon! :)

Explored on 2/13/20; highest placement #4.

Nanaimo Harbor (+8 insets!)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 21:29:36 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+8 insets!)

Appreciating Nanaimo from our Ferry Ride Back
Unlike our trip over to Newcastle Island, the ferry back to Nanaimo included enough people that every available seat was taken and there were several other bikes stowed away up top as well. Everyone was in a very bright mood, chattering happily about their visit to remarkable Saysuchun Island.

As we neared the shores of Nanaimo, we saw a seaplane land nearby and we also got to watch a group of people exchange goodbyes to loved ones as they entered a seaplane standing by. Immediately after, the seaplane took off and I was able to get pictures of the whole proceeding while we were on the ferry!

We pulled up to the dock after our short ride and were soon on our way, though we did stop for a few pictures first. Once we pushed our bikes up to the parking lot, we hopped aboard and buzzed over to our truck and loaded them in the back.

There was plenty of time so another walk along the harbor was in order on this oft-changing day of sun and clouds. It was never cold though which was a nice treat. We enjoyed our walk, strolling along a section we missed the first time we went. It was a wonderful way to end the day’s adventures!

Today’s Pictures
The main picture today shows another picture of Nanaimo’s lovely wharf. Insets include a picture of Nanaimo from the ferry as we were approaching the dock, a series of seaplane pictures, and two art pieces that we saw along the harbor walking path. Also included was a cool restaurant on stilts out on the bay and finally, another picture from the ramp down to the ferry. I posted a different one the other day but this one turned out well to so I thought I’d share it too!

Pam, have you ever been on a boat cruise? Being on that little ferry was such fun but it’s certainly not something you could sleep on. I’ve always been resistant to cruises but I can see their value in certain circumstances—most especially to cold climates where driving would be problematic or even downright impossible. Some day we’d like to go on a cruise up to Alaska or another northern place…what about you? I hope all is well with you—it hailed yesterday and today the low was a frigid 25 degrees, oh my!! There were snow flurries all morning, BRRRRR!!!

Explored on 2/04/20; highest placement #2.

Exploring Newcastle Island (Saysutchun) (+10 insets!)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 17:28:18 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+10 insets!) (This image looks best at full size! :D) (Please scroll down to Today's Pictures for more information about the insets)

A Proper Exploration of the Island
Steve and I finally felt satisfied with our visit to the amazing tidal flats and made our way back over to the trailhead to begin our hike along the coast. On one side, deep, thick, healthy forest headed up and away towards the center of the island while the trail hugged the edge of the coast on the other side, with wonderful views of the ocean all the way.

Seafaring vessels could be seen in a constant stream and we would often stop and look out between the trees to watch as they went by. Smaller ones were common--sailboats, yachts, jet boats, fishing boats and others we couldn't identify. Large watercraft made their presence known as well--container ships and oil tankers cruised silently by far out on the water and ferries too--huge ones unlike the cute little guy we rode on to get to the island. Of course we couldn't resist taking lots of pictures and you'll see plenty included today as insets.

The weather couldn’t have been better on this wonderful day--it was overcast and cloudy but perfectly comfortable! I wondered if it would be terribly windy but it was just right—a bit of breeze but nothing strong or blustery. How lucky we were. There have been plenty of times when it's been raining on a day that we'd hoped to go on a hike; other times it might be sunny but the wind was just furious and miserable! You always throw the dice when it comes to the weather and we always appreciated good fortune!

Into the Forest We Go!
Eventually the coastal trail headed inland and we disappeared into the shadowy forest with its tall trees of mixed species. Most were conifers that filled the air with their rich, pungent pine aroma and muffled the sounds of our footsteps as we walked on the needle-covered path. Making our way through the forest, I could not help feeling a warmth of gentle presences around me—more than just the trees that I normally felt. I sensed there were others around us and it was a bit peculiar to me as I have only felt this on a rare occasion. Who knows if it was just me wanting to feel that there was more going on here than just a cool island with a lovely hiking trail. All I can tell you is that it was very different and I felt very good there.

Through the trees we saw the forest opening up with flashes of water beyond. It was a beautiful small lake covered with lily pads and water plants, dead conifers spiking up to the sky in the center. Logs littered the edges, some of which were covered by moss and dense thickets of plants. We were enchanted by the beauty of this lovely, emerald gem, and enjoyed the view for many long moments, taking in all the details we could before we took pictures to remember this special place by.

Walking on towards our bikes, it wasn't long before we arrived--along with our massive appetites! We pulled out our spread of cheese and sausage, bbq pork rinds and fauxtato salad, along with lots of water, and sat on a driftwood log for our feast. How nice that we were back at the tidal flats to sit and look out at that wonderful place again.

What a Ride!! AKA: WHEEEEEE!!!! :D
Once we were satisfied and ready for a bike ride, we got everything stowed away, put on our backpacks and helmets and off we went! Both of us have recently replaced our old mountain bikes and cannot believe how easy it is to make it up steep hills now. The new gearing on current bikes is really impressive, so instead of pushing our bikes up these fairly substantial hills, we rode all the way up without stopping! AMAZING! Both of us were gasping for breath when we finally reached the crest but felt extremely pleased with our successful climb.

As it turned out, we'd gotten the hardest climb out of the way and the rest of our ride was full of fabulous screaming downhills, zipping through the forest on nice, wide trails and plenty of lovely views accented with glimpses of the ocean through the trees. It was a fantastic ride and we were totally exhilarated as we finally emerged from the cover of trees and arrived back at the visitor's kiosk.

Island Stewardship and a Wave Goodbye
There was just a few minutes before the ferry arrived so we looked around at some of the interesting informational displays they'd set up to describe the island's history and explain the plans they had for the future. The island had gone through many changes through the years. It had been used as a fish salting plant, a shipyard, a sandstone quarry and even a luxury resort. However, today it is a protected marine park and set up for its traditional purpose—a medicinal healing destination and a place for First Nation people to come together for special events. We were very impressed that these gentle folk had returned this island to a better place and felt extremely glad for the opportunity to explore its beauty.

When we saw the little ferry approaching in the distance, we waved to the friendly fellow there who was now talking to another couple and walked our bikes down the ramp to the dock. What a fantastic day it was--what a great adventure! We were so happy that we'd gotten the chance to visit.

Today's Pictures
The main image today shows the beautiful lake that we found on our hike—Mallard Lake—and I think you'll agree that it's pretty cool. I could have easily spent an entire day taking pictures here, and it's probably a good thing that I didn't have my macro lens with me or I'd still be there!

Insets include lots of boats that we saw, a panorama of the forest, a view of the ocean through the trees, another picture of the pond, and a pretty feather that I noticed on the trail. I hope you like the show! :)

Pam, this place really was so very magical. Everything about Saysutchun was special. The experience of visiting this place would have been so nice to share with you but I hope that my writing and pictures have captured the experience well enough that you can picture it for yourself! I hope all is well with you, it's been cold and wet here but otherwise very nice! *BIG HUGS from southern Oregon* :)

Explored on 2/02/20; highest placement #10.

Nanaimo Ferry to Newcastle Island (Saysutshun) + HFF! (+4 insets)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 18:41:13 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+4 insets!) (Please view large for more details!)

Vancouver Island's bustling city of Nanaimo is perfectly located between the rugged, sparsely populated northern town of Port Hardy and the metropolitan city of Victoria in the south. I mentioned in my last report how unfortunate it was that we weren't able to book a 5-day stay at our campground. We had to make due with three days and because we wanted to be in the area for a total of at least five days, we found another campsite just a bit north which we booked for four days. However, as I've mentioned on other posts, any "travel" day, no matter how short, is a complete disruption and we hate it. Usually we cannot do anything at all on those days other than get from Point A to Point B, set up, eat dinner, and then wind down before bed.

In this case, we had exactly ONE full day to be in this area and throwing out all the other excursions around, we decided to go to Newcastle Island for the day. Located just off the coast of Nanaimo, it's just a short 10-minute ferry ride over to this sizable and culturally significant island.

Owned and managed by the Snuneymuxw First Nation people, the proper name for Newcastle Island is Saysutshun, which means 'training for running.' This island has always been hugely important to the Snuneymuxw as a place of physical and spiritual healing and to prepare mentally for races or battles. There are no cars or motor vehicles allowed (except for First People's maintenance-related) and there is something really wonderful about being required to walk or ride a bike to get anywhere.

This being said, we decided to take our bikes with us on our adventure, as it is a fantastic way to see the island and travel on its 22 km of well-maintained trails.

Saysutshun's little ferry runs to and fro every 30 minutes with a modest fee of $9 for a roundtrip ticket which includes a bike and we were so excited as we parked and made our way over to the pier.

Today's Pictures
My main picture today also works for Happy Fence Friday! It shows the walkway down to the docking area for the ferry and temporary docking. Our ferry, the Grey Selkie, is docked in place on the left side with another boat docked on the right. This picture was taken after we returned from Saysutshun but I wanted to use it so you could see the ferry. I was so excited when it arrived that I totally forgot to take one! :D

We only waited for about five minutes before the boat pulled up and while we waited I got a picture of the cute little blue boat docked there. We initially thought it was the ferry but realized that it probably wasn't, especially when the actual one pulled up! Once it was tied to the pier, Steve helped the captain and assistant to lift our bikes up to the cargo area on top of the boat. After we were seated I took a picture of the inside which I thought was really interesting. I'd never been in such a small ferry before and was overwhelmed by the "cute" factor of this little work boat!

I have also included a panorama that I took as we motored from Nanaimo to Saysutshun. You can see just how close the island is to the mainland on the left side of the picture. You can see the Nanaimo harbor and also, near the right side of the panorama, Saysutshun's harbor! Pretty cool! :) (The land mass on the right side is Protection Island, a First People's private land, not normally visited by non-indigenous people and a home to many of these folk.)

Pam, I hope that you are comfortable and resting a lot. You've been in my thoughts so often and I am very relieved that all went well. This hurdle out of the way, now you can focus on being as well as possible. I hope that you get a little better quality of life with this stress out of the way. Maybe there is a possibility that your Left Side Neglect will fade some as time passes from your procedure. You mentioned that what's done is done but I can't help hoping for some improvements for you. *BIG HUGS* from southern Oregon.

Explored on 1/24/20; highest placement #4.

A Beating Heart and a Pool of Tears

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 05 Jan 2020 17:55:35 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

I found this lovely madrone leaf a few days ago and had to get my camera because it was such a special sight. It reflects the way things are for me right now too...I'm not in a good place and sometimes it's hard to find the will to do anything at all. I hope things will get better...

My Two Insets
One of the things that makes me happy is finding mushrooms and right now the micro mushrooms peek out at me when I stare nose-close at the lichen and moss-covered oak trees which these darling, miniscule mushrooms call their home. When I say tiny, they are only about 1/16-1/8" in diameter when full grown! So cute!

Finally, it hasn't been snowing lately but the forecast suggests some snowy days in the next week. We'll see, but in the meantime, the inset pano is from a month back when we had a very cold weather pattern roll through. Such a pretty sight!

I am very worried about our ipernity friend George (Tiabunny), whose home was threatened once again, by the horrific fires in Australia. I hope he is ok.

Pam, you are in my thoughts as well, and I'm so happy about your upcoming surgery, though I am worried too because it's some serious business. Hoping that the outcome places you on the path for a much happier lifestyle with improvements in your vision and ability to create as you did before.

Thank you all for visiting me when I have not been by for so long. It's so touching. I am sorry I don't have the energy to share with all of you...my life is sucking me dry right now. I feel terrible about neglecting all of my friends. :(

Explored on 1/05/20; highest placement #1.

Joseph Stewart State Park, Set 1: Lost Creek Lake Pano and...Our First Outing with our New RV was a SMASHING SUCCESS!! (+10 insets!)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 16 Nov 2019 00:29:52 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+10 insets!) Please view large, you'll love it!! (for photo info, please scroll down to "Today's Pictures")

Steve and I arrived home yesterday afternoon from our 4-night stay at Joseph Stewart State Park and it went PERFECTLY!!

Everything went as we'd hoped! We got everything packed, the trailer attached to the truck hitch, and away we went! The roads were clear, the weather was perfect and we encountered no problems whatsoever on the 45-minute drive to the park.

The exhaust brakes are AWESOME! There is a fairly long hill up and then down the other side on the way and we were delighted that our truck purred the whole time. Everyone knows that feeling safe is priceless and it was just wonderful to experience how smoothly and easily the truck slowed the trailer down. Also, the brakes are quiet! What a great system and a perfect decision to add them to the truck. By the time we got home, both of us felt completely confident that we would be able to take our new trailer wherever we wanted to go! Hooray!

Getting into our campsite was a dream--backing up and maneuvering into position is so much easier! And when it came time to level the trailer…all he has to do is press a button! Our Avalanche has its own automatic system so we don't have to do anything but watch! No more ramps! No more leveling apps that never work! No more stress! YESSSS!

Our stay was fabulous! Surrounded by lovely parkland on all sides, we enjoyed marvelous weather every day. The mornings started out cold and cloudy and became warm and sunny in the afternoons.

And my…what posh accommodations we have now! The Avalanche is a huge step up from our comparatively junky Grey Wolf. Granted, the Grey Wolf wasn't horrible but it was well-used and left us increasingly unhappy with its multitude of problems and shortfalls.

Highlights of our New Coach:

Living Room and Kitchen: The living room, with its 10' ceiling, is very inviting and has a cozy (electric) fireplace, a large sofa and extremely comfortable lounge chairs (our last coach had a tiny couch but no living room at all!) The dining area has actual chairs at the table instead of needing to slide into a dinette booth. The kitchen has an ISLAND, lots of counterspace and a deep, 2-part sink with a very nice multi-function faucet. There's a super stove and oven and a huge microwave! The refrigerator and freezer are twice as large as the unit in the Grey Wolf--nearly as large as the one in our home!

Windows: This coach is absolutely filled with windows! The Grey Wolf was like a cave with its few small windows. The Avalanche has windows everywhere, and most of them are very big! They're tinted so we can look out and nobody can see in until it gets dark, at which point we pull down the blinds! :) The height of our coach allows us to have wonderful views and we enjoy just looking outside with happy smiles on our faces!

Bathroom: The bathroom is small but includes a very spacious shower with sliding glass doors instead of a flimsy shower curtain. The mirror is well-lit! This might seem like a small thing but a badly lit mirror will drive you crazy! The Grey Wolf's bathroom mirror had such horrible illumination that our additional lighting couldn't correct the situation…it was so annoying!

Bedrooms: We both have proper bedrooms, each with doors!! (Steve snores so we sleep separately, thus getting a good night's sleep and Steve isn't pummeled all night! :D) For this trip, my bed was the couch which folds out into a bed, topped with a memory foam mattress. The situation isn't ideal because the bed fills the room entirely. Eventually we'll have a twin-size bed to replace the couch and it will be exactly right!

Our Visit:
We had a very relaxing stay and just enjoyed being there. We had bacon and eggs or steak omelets for breakfast and for dinner we ate steaks, roasted chicken, and even cooked hotdogs over our propane fire pit! And of course, we enjoyed our lovely espressos with cream!

Pumpkin had a fabulous time too. She really loves the coach and RV life in general because she gets so much attention and one day we took her on a very nice walk that had her full of song! Joseph Stewart State Park really is a marvelous place!

Steve and I would happily move there forever except for one thing: ZERO internet. Steve gets the tiniest blip of data so he can read the news but that's about it. However, we knew this from our first trip so we were prepared for being cut off while we were away.

I spent my time relaxing, wandering around taking pictures, processing my images, writing, treasure hunting with my metal detector and doing crosswords. Steve relaxed, added mud flaps to the truck, fiddled around with a few things in the coach, and played video games. Both of us played with Pumpkin too, which is always fun. In other words, our trip was pure bliss!

Today's Pictures:
During our walk with Pumpkin, we ended up looking out over Lost Creek Lake and of course, I just had to take a panorama! I hope that you look at it full-size as it's quite a sight! :D You can see that the water level is quite low right now but will fill up again with the upcoming storms.

My insets: I had a lovely time strolling around and just "being in the moment" with my camera. The set today includes bunches of wonderful things I found as I nosed around, including a picture of an oak tree I featured from our last trip (I've included an inset to show the original), a picture of our truck and trailer, mushrooms, leaves, a pretty little foot bridge in the forest, and an oak tree with the biggest burl I've ever seen!

Pam, I hope you are doing well…I wish you could have looked out on the water at Lost Creek Lake and toddled around with me on my strolls. It was such a treat to be there. Neither of us felt hurried or obligated to fill our days with a million things. It was wonderful. I hope that you're feeling well! SENDING HUGS!!!

Explored on 11/16/19; highest placement #1.

Breathtaking Sproat Lake, Near Port Alberni on Vancouver Island

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 22:11:42 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+8 insets) (this pano is terrific at full size!)

Trip Talk: The Problems of Structured Travel

Have you ever been on a really, really long trip before? The longest I’d ever been away was a 28-day whirlwind tour of Europe when I was a mere 21 years old. Steve had been on a three-week trip before we met but this trip to Vancouver Island was to be six whole weeks when all was said and done. Even though we’d planned our accommodations and made possible itineraries for each destination, we hoped there would be ample time to relax and just absorb the surroundings wherever we went.

We’d learned from our past trips that the acceptable minimum stay at each destination was four days, with five days being better. However, as it turned out, the very fact of having a finite amount of time took away our desire for carefree spontaneity. As well, we felt an obligation to do and see as much as we could at each place because in the backs of our minds we couldn’t help thinking that we may never see this place again. We didn’t want to “miss anything”.

But isn’t that the opposite of what a vacation is supposed to be? What’s the point of rabidly running around an area to the point of exhaustion? Granted, Steve and I didn’t actually do that. We did our best to be reasonable and not put too much into each day. However, both of us still felt a level of disappointment whenever we moved on to the next leg of our journey. It was rare that we felt that we’d had enough time to experience a place as we’d wanted to.

One day while we were on a gorgeous hike to a place called Marble Falls, we spent some time chatting about the trip so far. We both felt stifled and pushed along just when we were getting to know a place. We felt frustrated that we couldn’t just have a day to do nothing at all if we liked.

Steve wanted to be able to just go out fishing for the whole day if he wanted. Or maybe just stay in the rig and take a day off by playing a computer game. Or whatever he felt like that wasn’t necessarily the best choice for the day.

I was upset because taking any time at all to write about the trip felt too selfish so I just didn’t. As well, macro photography was something I did only a few times during the entire six weeks. I need to be creatively free without pressure so I can creep around and be “in the moment”. Because we had limited time at each spot, I couldn’t just relax and enjoy my creative pursuits. That made me very unhappy— I felt like I wasn’t allowed to express myself creatively and that’s not what I’d signed up for.

We needed a different approach to allow us to feel satisfied by our experience of each place. In other words, we really need to go “Full-Time”. Instead of spending 4-5 days at a place, we need to spend an undefined amount of time that allows us to stay as long as we want until we’re ready to move on.

That means we’ll need to sell our house. No surprise but we have all the more reason to work towards that goal. Ugh. Not a chapter I want to be part of but the end result will be freedom and enough coin to afford a bigger, better RV. Something for us to look forward to!

————

Today’s Pictures

One of our campsite destinations was near a place called Port Alberni, located fairly close to the center of Vancouver Island. With so many fun activities available to us, we decided to try fishing at nearby Sproat Lake. Tempted by reports of excellent fishing, we soon made our way out to the large, four-armed lake by way of a relatively short hike. The hike turned out to be a lot longer than we anticipated and our fishing gear got heavier and heavier as we trekked along. However, we didn’t know how beautiful the trail would be and soon felt the misjudged time was well worth it to find this gem. We were surprised by a super cool suspension bridge, a little waterfall, and lush beautiful forest along the way. Eventually the trail spilled out onto the shore of Sproat Lake and the sight simply took our breaths away!

Main Image: the view of Sproat Lake when we got to the end of Fossili Trail.

Inset 1: Steve catches a branch! Fishing turned out to be a bust for us, but we loved being out there in such a pretty place. Steve did catch a small Sculpin, but they’re not good for eating unless you’re ocean fishing and get a really big one.

Inset 2: Vertical panorama of the trail we walked on. What a lovely forest it was!

Inset 3: Panorama of verdant Fossili Trail. So lush and green!

Inset 4: Another vertical panorama of the trail, I just love the way these pictures look!

Inset 5: The wonderful suspension bridge along the trail, we were so happy because we love these bridges so much. What’s funny is that I’m afraid of heights and suspension bridges bounce, sway, and move freely as you walk on them. Terrifying much? Um, yeah. But my love for the construction and appearance of these marvels supersedes my fears and I am able to force myself to cross them without freaking out! :)

Inset 6: Where we parked the truck, I noticed a possible view if I scrambled over some boulders and fallen trees. With Steve urging me on, I approached the opening in the forest and I saw a huge meadow lined with timber. I really liked the way this row of tall, slender trees looks, standing guard over the vista.

Inset 7: This is a panorama of the timber-lined meadow when I moved past the trees.

Inset 8: On the way home I asked Steve to pull over so I could take this picture, which shows how beautiful the area around Port Alberni is! :)

Pam, I think you would have loved this hike and the lovely time we spent out at the lake. Most of the forests we visited on Vancouver Island glowed vibrantly. They felt so welcoming and left us content and happy. Forests at home feel almost desperate from the heat and lack of water. What a difference. I expect that’s the same where you live too. Well, I do hope that you are having a good day! *BIG HUGS*

Explored on 9/10/19; highest placement #6.

Ferry from Washington to Vancouver Island, a Pair of Islands with Crazy Clouds

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 08 Sep 2019 02:44:51 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+4 insets) (bigger is better!)

I've done some thinking about how I should approach my trip pictures and posts here on ipernity. I have so many things to talk about and countless pictures to go through that I'm going to have two parts of each post: Trip Talk and Today's Pictures. This way, if you only want to know about the pictures, you can scroll down to that part. And this way it won't matter if the main subject has absolutely nothing to do with the pictures…such as today! Now is the time to go get a cup of coffee or perhaps a bottle of wine? Let's get this party started!! :)

Trip Talk
Traveling to Vancouver Island and spending five weeks there was an amazing experience. Neither of us had been on such a long trip before and even the planning took many weeks. We had our share of problems, as can be expected.

Pumpkin Couldn’t Go On Our Trip!!!
One of the worst surprises was when—just a few days before we were set to leave—we discovered that we wouldn’t be able to bring our parrot with us. We were so upset that our first thought was to cancel the entire trip. However, at that point we couldn't afford NOT to go, as so many of our accommodations had been paid for already.

The good news was that the vet where we board her would be able to accommodate her while we were gone. Also, the fact is that Pumpkin has such a good time staying there that we refer to her boarding place as “Camp Chicken”. We worried if she’d be able to forgive us for leaving her for six weeks but we had nothing to fear. As we hoped, our weekly calls revealed that Pumpkin was having a blast and was loved by the staff as well. Steve and I had the hard part, which was managing our feelings. Pumpkin is like our child—can you imagine being separated from your little one with basically no warning—and for six WEEKS? It was really, really hard to deal with that, but what else could we do? Both of us missed her so deeply that we had to just shut down those thoughts. We purposely didn’t talk about her, though she was so often on our minds. The only thing that made our painful longing bearable was knowing that she was doing great and having full days of fun entertainment with lots of attention.

To tell you how much we wanted to see her, we TRIED to change our plans so we could get back sooner, but nothing was possible. The last five days of our trip revolved around Labor Day weekend and the non-existence of camping spots anywhere except for totally overpriced spots we couldn’t—wouldn’t—afford. As it was, Steve made reservations for those last five days months ago and even then, finding anything was next to impossible. We were good and truly stuck with our full itinerary, so we did our best to not think about her.Wretched.

We DID make one alteration to our plans though. Since the trailer is so big, we planned to drive home, drop off the trailer and then return to pick up Pumpkin. This would surely threaten to kill us as we’d be literally driving right past the town where she was staying…and the added time would be nearly two hours. UGH!! However, before we started driving that morning, I showed Steve how we could drive the truck and trailer around the block where there would be room for our rig while we picked up Biscuit (Pumpkin). At first he didn’t think it would be wise, but when we were nearly there, Steve changed his mind and we pulled off the freeway to pick up Pumpkin! It turned out to be an easy situation and there was even a place for us to parallel park just out front! PERFECT!!

When we stepped inside the office, not a minute had passed before we heard Pumpkin’s sweet whistling melodies from where she was housed. It was all we could do to keep from running into the back to get her! “CHICKEN!!!” I squealed in anticipation, bouncing up and down and beaming back at Steve. A few minutes later her cage was carried out to us and Steve and I were just coo-coo at the sight of her.

She not only remembered us, the sight of us made her equally excited and as Steve took her out of her cage and held her up to his face for a kiss, Pumpkin’s dear vocalizations were so sweet and full of undeniable joy and longing too. What an amazing reunion for all three of us. Stepping onto my offered finger, I held Pumpkin up to my face for a kiss and cooed at her while she made wonderful purring chirps and whistles that were so full of love…all three of us were just so happy to be a family again. All was well. Our family was once again complete.

And, I’m so pleased to report that Pumpkin never punished us with bad behavior to let us know how angry she’d been that we were gone for so long. You may be aware that companion animals will sometimes act up to let you know they were upset at a long parting. I certainly wouldn’t have blamed Pumpkin for lashing out at us but she never did. How blessed we are to have this angel of a bird in our lives!

Today's Pictures
My main picture is a pair of islands that Steve and I saw while on the ferry ride from Anacortes, Washington to Sidney, Vancouver Island. The ferry was HUGE! I mean…REALLY HUGE!!! There were many RVs and trucks loaded on as well as dozens of cars. Everyone drove onto the ferry in designated aisles demarcated by lines and workers directed each vehicle into position. It was just amazing to me that we drove our rig--nearly 60 feet long--onto a BOAT, which would carry us to an island in Canada! CRAZY!

The ride took over an hour and we were free to stay in our truck or walk around the ferry if we liked. We met a man with an adorable Boxer and spent time chatting with him while we showered the dog with affection…we sure do miss our Boxer, Zoey, and the lovely fawn-colored beauty was fun to see!

Inset 1: This was a view from Anacortes while we were waiting for the ferry.
Inset 2: After two days of driving, pulling into the ferry terminal was incredibly exciting for us!
Inset 3: Here's a view from the truck on the ferry!
Inset 4: I am including a picture of what the ferries look like as well as a map showing our route from Anacortes to Sidney.

We were both really worried about going through customs because we had so much food with us. However, I'd done my homework and even though many websites written by travelers to Canada have said you can't bring ANY food, I figured out that you merely have to let the agent know what you have when they ask. I did forget to toss the apples--fruit is a no-no--so Steve popped into the RV to retrieve them. Another agent peeked inside our trailer, using a stick to push the bedroom curtain aside, just to see that everything was normal looking. Steve offered to let him come in but the man declined and soon we were off and starting our adventure on Vancouver Island!!

Pam, would you agree that going through Customs is one of the worst hells on the planet?! Heh…it gets worse every time I go through, although our experience with land-based customs was nothing at all! I hope all is well with you, I'm sending my *BIG HUGS* your way!!

Explored on September 7, 2019. Highest placement, #3.

Home from our Trip! This is Deception Pass, Washington

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 17:18:43 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+8 insets with larger versions below) (please view this main image large for more cool details!)

WE ARE BACK!!! :D

Steve and I are finally home from our epic adventure to Vancouver Island, Canada! How strange it is to be back in a place that doesn't move. And after living in our comparatively tiny RV (Recreational Vehicle if you don't know), the house is GIGANTIC! We keep wondering why we ever chose such a big home for just two people. (It has a master bedroom and two smaller ones plus a large den/game room, three bathrooms, a kitchen, dinette, laundry room, large living room and a sizable one-car garage.) Downsizing is definitely in our future! :D

Our Canada trip was six weeks in total, longer than any trip either of us has ever been on, and included countless amazing experiences that were mostly wonderful but also a number of bummers along the way. What a crazy, life-changing ride!!

Today I'm sharing a series of pictures from one of our very last stops, which happened to be in the United States. This incredible place is called Deception Pass and is located on the northern border of Washington. It was named by the famous explorer, George Vancouver, when he mistakenly thought Whidbey Island was a peninsula. There is a lovely pair of bridges that cross from Whidbey, over the small Canoe Pass and Deception Pass just next to it, connecting Whidby to Fidalgo Island which lies just north.

Returning to the United States, we took the enormous Washington-BC ferry from the charming southwestern Vancouver Island town of Sidney to the busy Washington island port town of Anacortes, Washington, situated on Fidalgo Island. We drove south over the Deception Pass Bridge and then to our 3-night stay at an RV campground on Whidby Island.

On our first of two full days we decided to incorporate a walk across the fabulous bridges we'd driven over to get to our campsite. We simply could not believe the jaw-dropping views we saw and knew the bridges would make a fine adventure out of this day.

Along with a picture-laden walk over the bridges, we also went on the gorgeous Goose Rock perimeter hike along Cornet Bay, including a climb to the top of Goose Rock Summit. There we sat and enjoyed a yummy picnic as we looked out over the bay with a view of the pretty little uninhabited marine sanctuary, Strawberry Island.

My main picture is a panorama of the view westward out to the Pacific Ocean with Deception Island off in the distance.

Inset 1: Next are a couple of boats passing by. There was a fairly constant stream of boats buzzing under the bridge, really fun to watch!
Inset 2: The third inset is a vertical panorama! Steve was taking one of his million panorama pictures with his phone one day and decided to try doing a vertical version. The results are so cool that he turned both of us into panorama junkies! This picture shows the view looking eastward toward the northern side of Puget Sound and you can see Strawberry Island in the distance.
Inset 3: look at the water going under the bridge! A huge volume is squished into this tiny space and the power and speed are incredible. I am afraid of heights but push past it when I must…looking down at this churning, roiling water was shocking when you understand what exactly is going on!
Inset 4: a view of the bridge from below, we just loved the construction of this masterpiece!
Inset 5: a map to show the area called Dire Straits (the band didn't name it for this place, btw) and shows the fascinating jumble of islands and waterways in the area. I've put a large version of this image at the end so you can look more closely.
Inset 6: a vertical panorama showing part of the Goose Rock Perimeter Trail that we hiked. We just love the way these pictures turn out and think a series of super cool bookmarks is in order! :)
Inset 7: another panorama, though it's not obvious, which shows a very long, fallen tree which lay just next to the trail. The lush vegetation here was just captivating. (By the way, I will upload a video at one point, which shows me walking down this log…it's pretty silly!)
Inset 8: This is our Goose Rock Summit picnic lunch view! You can see little Strawberry Island at near-center-stage!

I have many other pictures of our bridge walk and hike but I think eight pictures is more than enough for now! :D

Pam, we thought of you so often along our long trip--as you know--and hope that our pictures will be fun for you to experience as I roll them out! Would have been so nice to have you with us, even though logistically it just couldn't have happened…still it was fun to think about, if only something like that were a possibility! I sure do hope that you have a wonderful day--I'm sending *BIG HUGS* your way!

Thank you so much for coming by while I've been away, it's been wonderful to see your comments and support!

Explored on September 5, 2019. Highest placement, #1.

Pictures for Pam, Day 210: Coo's Bay Sunset Through Tees in a Double Dedication with Marie-claire Gallet

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 08 Jun 2019 04:36:07 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+1 inset!) (please view large for the best impression!) :D

What a day! Finally I have a moment to sit down and it's after 8pm! Sheesh! So much to write though, so let me get this new novel written! :D

The excitement of today began last night, actually.

Every evening we watch an hour of a movie or an episode brought to us via Netflix. Night before last we'd finished watching the first season of what turned out to be a fantastic sci-fi show called "The Expanse." We'd need to start something new except...I had a plan.

We're leaving on our next RV adventure in a few days and I'd been dropping hints about fishing but Steve apparently wasn't tuning in. Fact is, for all but the past couple of months of our relationship, Steve has been totally uninterested in fishing. He had an issue with it, but primarily with folks who catch and release because he thinks it's horribly cruel (I agree). Those who fish and actually eat the fish or catch to sell the fish are fine but because he loves fish (as divers and self-appointed ambassadors to the sea, we both love and respect marine life), the idea of catching, killing, cleaning and eating a fish was totally out of the question.

I respected his feelings on the subject and didn't try to change his mind. We both feel that it's a person's right to choose not to do something they don't like. However, that being said...I love fishing! What fun it is!

Throughout my teen years until I was about 16 or so, I went fishing almost every weekend up at our summer cabin. The resort community where our family's cabin resided put on a couple of fishing contests every year, and every single year I'd invariably with first or second place in several categories—Biggest Bluegill, Most Bluegill Caught, Biggest Catfish, Most Catfish Caught, and sometimes I'd get lucky and catch a winning Carp too. My brothers also fished (except my oldest brother, he couldn't care less about fishing!) and both Brian and Scott vied for the top place in the Bass and Trout categories.

Once we stopped going up to the cabin, I stopped fishing and life went on. I never thought about it. When I met Steve, it was fun telling him about my fishing history and it was ok to me that he didn't like the idea. I'd had my day in the sun with angling and was content without it.

But a funny thing happened. We got an RV. We began going on camping trips. And everywhere we went, we saw folks fishing and going out in boats. I didn't say anything about it...but one day out of the blue, Steve said to me, "You know, I think I might want to change my mind about fishing." We talked about our feelings regarding fish and he thought that maybe he could handle killing a fish and ultimately eating it.

I was amazed because it's a big step to get to that point. In fact, even though we love eating poultry, beef and pork, we absolutely could not raise these animals, have them killed and then eat them. We are very cognizant of the origin of every bite we eat but we love these animals too much to kill and eat livestock that we actually know. It's too close.

Fish are different. They are different enough that even though they do have a variable amount of intelligence, it's not a hard task to distance yourself from feeling destroyed over the thought. I have killed plenty of fish in my young days of fishing and even though it's not fun, it can be done quickly and humanely and then you have a meal to eat!

Which brings me to an admission: when I fished as a teen, I never ever ate my catches! (My parents did!) At that age, the only fish I'd eat was tuna from a can, mixed with plenty of mayonnaise and made into a sandwich or casserole. We all know that canned tuna really isn't like a normal "fishy" fish, and that's the only reason I'd eat it.

Other than a bit of catfish sometimes in my 30's, I wouldn't eat fish for years until I met Steve. My ex tried to get me to eat raw fish in sushi but his attempts to shame me into it weren't exactly a technique that would have a chance of working.

Then I met Steve. Soon after we met he took me to his favorite sushi restaurant and had me try hamachi. To my utter disbelief, I *LOVED* it. Sushi soon became my favorite food and at the same time, Steve took me to seafood restaurants and introduced me to different kinds of fish that I almost always loved.

These days we have sushi on special occasions and we will pick up a lovely steelhead trout about once a month. We adore fish and are hopeless trout junkies. Bass is lovely too but too pricey usually, as are most of our favorites.

Which brings us back to camping in our RV and our next adventure. We'll be staying at several lakes for up to 5 days each and I couldn't stop thinking about fishing and what Steve had said. However, I wasn't making a big enough noise apparently. So last night, instead of watching Netflix, I suggested we watch a series of videos made by the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. They explained everything you'd need to know about how to catch trout, including what to buy, how to get set up and even exact techniques.

Steve loved the idea so much that we not only watched the entire series last night, we got up early this morning and went all over the place to look at fishing gear! We are now the proud owners of two new poles, really nice reels and everything we need to go trout fishing on our trip!! HOORAY!!! We are so excited! The idea of catching our yummy trout dinners has us bouncing up and down! I am so happy that Steve is excited too. We can't wait to try out this new fun activity together! :)

Ok, today's photo is another view of the amazing sunset that Steve and I photographed when we were in Coo's Bay. It was the first picture I took as we arrived on the beach and I loved the way the sun was shining through the trees. I am also including an inset, which is an archive picture I posted years ago when I had my older camera. Steve and I went to Ashland, about 40 miles south of us, to photograph the splendor of autumn at Lithia Park. I found this amazing mosaic artwork as we entered the park and just loved the detail. It's a trout! How perfect to share for today! :)

Pam, do you like to go fishing? It really is such fun and so exciting. I can't wait to catch and cook our own fish...what about you? Is that something you've ever tried? Anyway, my thoughts are on you right now...and I'm hoping you'd doing well today! *BIG HUGS*!!!

Explored on 6/8/19; highest placement, #1.

Pictures for Pam, Day 208: Cape Arago Lighthouse in a Double Dedication with Marie-claire Gallet

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 03:43:12 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+2 insets!) (please view large for a much better view and impact!)

Boy, it's amazing how memories blend together and start to fade so quickly. Steve and I have been home for less than a week but I find that remembering specific details on this past trip is becoming a rather muddled affair in many cases. This is EXACTLY why I have been so fastidious about writing everything down. That way we have our memories safe in both written and photographic forms. It's just so nice to go back and relive memories through written accounts. By reading and looking at pictures, more memories come bubbling up to the surface. I just love that.

One of the places that we stayed along the Oregon coastline was an RV park near Coo's Bay. Via AllTrails.com, we found a wonderful hike to go on and discovered that we could actually get to the trailhead by walking three miles along a path that led directly from our campground! How cool is that?! :D

The Sunset Beach to Cape Arago trail led us through verdant, lush and flower-filled forest which was the home to many happy and twittering birds. Every once in a while we would come upon a side trail that would take us out to a coastal view. Each time we were rewarded by incredible beautiful rocky coastlines and crashing waves that mesmerized us.

Because we had to tack on six miles onto the official hike of 8.5 miles, the overall distance was too long for us to complete--and we also got a late start--but we didn't mind turning back before we reached Cape Arago. Every moment was so rewarding to us and this hike would be one of our favorite highlights of the trip!

Today I am sharing a series of pictures I captured on our hike. A prominent feature we saw when we got coastal peeks was the attractive Arago Lighthouse. Both of us took lots of pictures whenever we got the opportunity. My main picture shows how far out the lighthouse is on its peninsula and shows the lovely landscape and watery vista all around. I am also sharing a couple of other views--one is a closer view and the other one shows the rugged coastline as well. I hope you enjoy the show! :)

Pam, I see that you are a lighthouse fan too! I was delighted to discover that you love them so much, in fact, that you painted one as part of a Christmas card for your husband! That's just so cool! What a marvelous design and a perfect idea. Red and white are often the color of light houses so that couldn't be better. Nice job, and what a treat to enjoy! Here's hoping that your day has been a good one! :)

Pictures for Pam, Day 203: Droplet-Covered Purple Bud

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 03:11:57 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+1 inset!) (I've produced another War & Peace tome but I wanted to make sure I had it all written down for myself! Hopefully you'll find it interesting!)

The title of this blog could be: "Janet and Steve learn more about RV reservations and reality checks!" Heh…

Last night we started making reservations for our next adventure! My-oh-my…how quickly itineraries change the moment you try to book a spot for a favored destination!

Our PLAN was to drive from our home near Medford, Oregon, up to Sun River, Oregon, and spend 4-5 nights. Then we'd drive over to John Day Fossil Beds area for a few days. Then over to Bend, Oregon for another few days and finally down to Diamond Lake for our last destination before heading home. *insert hysterical laughter* Yeah, right.

We noticed there might be a slight problem when we couldn't even get the first place booked as we hoped. Then we found out that our second destination, John Day, doesn't even HAVE campgrounds with electricity/water hookups! Third place: nothing available in Bend. Last place: there was so much winter and spring storm damage that Diamond lake is totally shut down until they get it cleaned up! *insert more insane laughter*

Steve wondered if we'd be forced to stay home all summer but I suggested we throw our plans out the window and start over with the attitude of a dandelion seed parachute...up into the air and where we drifted, we didn't know!

We approached our next trip in a different way...which RV-camper-friendly state parks were within three hours of us and had at least three nights available? After some hunting we found one! It was actually at the original place we looked at but instead of asking for five nights, we tried for three and found a spot, hooray!

Spot number two was found at a high-desert lake campground we'd never heard of before: Cove Palisades State Park We were delighted by its beauty and unique rock formations and look forward to spending time there!

We found another place to camp a few hours away in the northwest corner of Oregon at LL Stubb State Park Yet another park we'd never heard of, we realized how little we actually know about our state parks. What we ARE learning is that our favorite camping experiences have all involved state parks so we were confident this popular park would delight us as much as the others have.

The next place we found threw us a curve ball. There were lots of days available at Detroit Lake but we couldn't go directly from LL Stubb because there was a gap of two days.

Oh those two DAYS! ARGH!! They cost us hours of frustration and fruitless searching. Our nerves frayed but held as we worked together on this challenge. We wondered why that particular weekend was such a problem. I finally figured it out. The last day of school for K-12 would be the previous Friday. Logic shakes it out: that weekend and the following week would be when parents got ready for their summer get-aways with the kids, who would be out of school and available to help get ready too. The crazy weekend we couldn't find any lodging was likely booked up many months ago by wise and experienced parents who knew the drill, unlike us newbies! Oh well, live and learn.

With that in mind we looked for lodging outside state parks and finally found two nights at a place near Tillamook, which is actually on the coast! Only an hour's drive from our last destination, we were happy to learn about all of the wonderful hiking and biking available there...and I discovered a CHEESERY there too! Oooooo...we'll definitely be picking up some specialty brie from Blue Heron during our stay! HUZZAH!

A bit more than two hour's drive will take us to Detroit Lake State Park for our last stay and it promises to be a very nice place to spend a few days. We might even try out fishing! :)

Finally we'll drive south and spend a night at the first campground of our trip so we don't have to drive five hours to get home. Driving a 52-foot truck and trailer is not the most relaxing pastime and even though Steve is more and more comfortable driving our rig, it's still a serious responsibility. It's stressful, no two ways about it, and that includes being a passenger. We're relaxed about it but driving days are exhausting. We don't like to drive more than three hours if we can help it. As expected, it's easier to go longer distances as time goes by, and we'll need to get used to that, especially if we want to travel beyond Oregon!

We ended up spending hours last night working on our travel plans and today we were finally finished at about 3pm after beginning at about 9:30! It's a LOT of work to plan a trip!! After we finished, Steve opted for a cup of coffee and I dove into bed for a nap! We're so happy our next trip is planned, but we also know that if we want to try to avoid the problems we ran into, we'll need to begin our trip after this one sooner rather than later! SHEESH!

With all my time taken up with our travel plans, house work and so forth, I haven't had time to process any new pictures but happily I have a bunch that are already done so I'll pick a few to share!

Today's main picture is a droplet-covered flower bud I found in the meadow outside our RV when we stayed at the campground near Jedediah Smith State Park. There were so many lovely flowers that I took pictures until the rain forced me inside. The shocking truth is that the very next day they mowed down the entire meadow. Every flower that I photographed there was destroyed, including this one. So I'm very happy to share this picture because at least this beauty will live forever in an image. :)

I'm also sharing a picture I took of a wild Azalea I saw at Stout Grove. It was amazing to see these flowers everywhere. In fact, there were wild Azaleas and Rhododendrons all up and down the coast that we couldn't help seeing as we drove. Plenty were planted in gardens but we saw many thousands of wild ones too. What a treat.

Pam, I hope that all is well where you live...I've been reading about the crazy tornadoes in your neck of the woods and I hope that you and folks you know around there are all escaping the damage. Oh, and thank you for the lovely comments...I'm not at all surprised to learn that your caravans needed work too. It's a common theme, but I'm glad you guys were able to get yours ship-shape too! *BIG HUGS*

Explored on 5/31/19; highest placement, #3.

Pictures for Pam, Day 199: Natural Bridge at Whaleshead Cove

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 28 May 2019 04:12:46 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+3 insets!)

I'm running late again but I blame the beauty of the hike we went on today! I had to process pictures to share and one was just not enough! :D

This morning turned out to be heavily overcast but no rain was forecast so we moved ahead with our plans for the day. We hoped to visit the last day's festival vendors as well as go on a hike. So, after our delicious bacon and eggs late-breakfast, we packed up and headed out.

We found some of the vendors near our RV park and enjoyed visiting their stalls. One of them was selling lots of stuff that was useful for the RV crowd and we picked up a bunch of fun things…a pair of telescoping weinie roasting tines, some extra large carabiners to attach stuff, a bbq grill brush and a few other assorted things. All very inexpensive, three cheers! :)

Even though almost all of the vendors were gone we didn't mind because we can always find these vendors wherever we go. What we really wanted to do was go on our hike!

Off we went to the trailhead for the Thomas Creek Whaleshead hike, just a few minutes north of Brookings. The hike turned out to be yet another spectacular adventure, brimming with gorgeous forest and rugged coast views. Both of us had a great time with our photography and enjoying the lovely scenery all around us. I even got some super pictures of a Stellar Jay who sat in "full fluff" on a branch where I was able to get a wonderful view. (I'll post another day as a main image, what a lovely bird!) We got pictures of cool mushrooms and forest views, lots of flowers and many other pretty subjects. What a day for photography! :)

We stopped for a late lunch at the half-way point, which happened to be an incredibly gorgeous view looking north. It featured craggy shoreline, a remote beach and huge boulders rising out of the ocean. What a sight! Sitting there and looking out at the ocean, the fog rolled in and drifted out and it was fun to watch the visibility increase and fade as we nibbled on our tasty fare.

This loop hike took us down nearer to the water, though we were still high above the crashing waves. The highlight of this hike took us to a stunning grotto which featured a natural bridge in the rocks under which the waves rolled in and out. It was so beautiful and we felt so delighted that we got to see this awesome rock formation.

My main picture today is the natural bridge, and my insets include some of the rugged coastal views we enjoyed, including a view from where I sat eating my late lunch! :)

Pam, you are not allowed to NEED to wear the Ruby shoes! :D Glad you enjoyed my pictures of the darling seals! :) I would love to see grey seals too. Actually, I hope to some day have a collection of different seals that I've photographed over the years, I simply adore them! :) Hope your day was good, you were certainly in our thoughts today! :D *BIG HUGS*

Explored on 5/28/19; highest placement, #12.