Oops, I knew I had more pictures then that! My camera didn't transfer the last few from my parents visit… ((Look at these after the July 11th photos, to have them in chronological order))

so let's continue with that beautiful beach sunset…

The next morning after breakfast, we headed back to the beach. Now, don't let the bright sunshine fool you, it was freaking cold!

Next, it was off to Misty Meadows Jams. Now for those of you that are Discovery Channel junkies like us, you'll recognize this location from the show Dirty Jobs. They did in fact have a couple group photos with Mike Rowe on the wall. They said he was a great guy, really funny and the whole crew was really good to the staff. Also of Dirty Jobs fame, we drove past the cranberry bogs and shingle factory where Mike also put in time.


As we were near the location they shot the movie "Goonies," it was a little unnerving to see this ship sailing along the horizon… One-eyed Willie? Sloth? Chunk? Hey you guys!!




At the Simpson Reef, part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, we were greeted by the unmistakable sound of marine mammals. All available flat, exposed rock was covered with Stellar and Californian Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, and Northern Elephant Seals.

We walked around Shore Acres. This State Park's grounds contained five acres of formal gardens, including a Japanese-style garden built around a 100-foot lily pond.


In the pond, we spotted hundreds of Roughskin Newt swimming along, enjoying the sun-lit water.


Although the skin secretions of this Newt can be toxic to humans, it was the Gunnera (Giant Rhubarb) that we really had to look out for. Alas, Chris found out the hard way…

After seeing my parents off from the Portland Airport, Keizer models my new hat.

Success!! After months of searching, we finally found a place in Seattle, a triplex apartment in the Ballard area. We drove up last Thursday, took a look at the place (along with a few others), signed the lease in the afternoon, and drove back to Roseburg that night! Downstairs it has a large living room, kitchen, laundry, and 1/2 bath. Upstairs, it has 2 bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, perfect for visitors, hint hint… Anyway, now I can move from arduous apartment searching to the equally daunting task of posting 4 months worth of photos. Here goes…

Mid April, we decided to make another attempt at skiing Mt Bachelor. This time, we rented a small cabin so our friends Angie and Ryan could bunk with us. We got there Thursday night and decided to go skiing Friday to avoid the weekend rush. Well, Mt Bachelor must have felt bad after its treatment of us the time before, because when we arrived at the resort, we were amazed to find that it was "Ski Free Day." Usually, you would donate 3 cans of food to ski, but we just donated $5 each, a savings of about $50 a person!!


With over 50% of the trails advanced intermediate to expert, we had our choice of sweet runs. I pose before bombing one of my favorite trails, Osprey, on the Northwest side of the mountain. (Background- Sisters on left and Broken Top on right)


As usual, Chris cajoled me into skiing on a very scary trial (I was always taught to avoid things labeled "Caution"). Starting at Bachelor's peak (9,065 ft), The Cirque bowl contained 4 precipitous double black diamond trails. (Distant Background- Mt Washington b/w Sisters and B Top, Mt Jefferson to the right of B Top)


I skied to the bottom first so I could capture Chris, on the left, speeding down the steep slope. We both made it out alive (and with our skies this time!)

On our way back to camp, we spotted a large herd of Elk off the side of the road.


The next day, we hiked around the campground. We traveled along the picturesque Deschutes River to a great of Paulina Peak in the distance.


On the return hike, a specter swooped over our heads and landed in a nearby Ponderosa. It took us a minute to spot it, a large Great Horned Owl.

Sunday, we trekked to the "Big Tree," the aptly named largest Ponderosa Pine in Oregon. This OR Heritage Tree is over 191 ft tall (old sign) with a circumference of 326 inches. As you can see, it would be much taller if it could have avoided lightning strikes. Notice, only in Oregon would they list the "board feet" of this colossus. Must get the loggers drooling…


On last look at the snowcapped Cascades: Mt Bachelor, the Sisters, and Broken Top.

Two weeks later, we went camping up in the Umpqua Forest. We hiked to the local hot springs, and met this muppet-looking rock along the way.

We went to a replanted logging site, Chris and Keizer searching for antlers and me lying on the ground taking photos of stumps. It's comforting to see life benefiting from the sad lose of another. (Eventually, I found an antler on a steep hillside next to the cut.)

Paused to pose at Steamboat Falls.


Back at camp we admired our lush surroundings,

like Oregon Wood Sorrel…


Stream Violets…


Western Trillium…


and the rare orchid, the Fairy Slipper.

During the arduous apartment search, we drove up to Seattle to check out a place, only to find another dead end. So I treated Chris to a baseball game as an early birthday present. View of the Olympics…


and Mt Rainer from the ball park.