2017 - Our First Year - Settlin' In~

Our first year at the Home Place!  Twelve-months that will go down in our history as a basis of comparison for future years. Whether the routines, the weather, the landscape or the memories.

1-14-17 Our new norm - sunshine!

January, the first couple weeks we were in Boulder. Once we returned home, I was busy hacking, pruning & hauling years of accumulated trash up from the creek area.  The weather was so mild!  Butch was installing cabinets & new sinks in the master bath.

1-21-17 Nika & me - hard at work~

With such nice weather, I started bringing up trash from the bottom of the hillside between our backyard area & the creek.  Projects of one sort or another dominated most of the year.

2-15-17 Butch, Nika & the new fence~

By mid-February, the fence was finally in!  Nika was free to run & was the happiest dog ever!

Butch installed tile backsplash & the new kitchen island.  Farah & I enjoyed trails at Two Rivers, NE & the local Wabash Trace for the first time.  Butch & I joined the newly formed BCHIA, SW Chapter.  Butch was elected Secretary of the Mills County Trails Board - which we both joined.

3-19-17 Clearing~

March, the weather was still wonderful.  I started to clear & clean out the area between our south fence & the creek.  Vines went high into the trees & were covered with thorns.

4-16-17 Dutchman's Breeches

Spring was Grand!  We'd been taking walks around town all winter & continued them into spring.  The local parks were fun to explore & I loved finding new-to-me native flowers!  We took down a large Mulberry tree at the east end of the house.  We were referred to the best deck contractor in the area & John agreed to take on our deck & porch projects.

6-11-17 - Done!

Butch tore off the old deck & John began work on the new one mid-May.  It was complete the first week of June!  The front porch was delayed by our wait for a variance, which we eventually received.  John started the third week of June & by the Fourth of July - it too was done!

7-1-17 Summertime~

Farah & I were busy finding anyplace somewhat local - to ride.  Waubonsie was our usual haunt, but we branched out to Indian Caves State Park, NE, Glen Cunningham Lake north of Omaha, Lake of Three Fires near Bedford & Pierce Creek outside Shenandoah.  All of these places roughly a 100-mile round trip.

Butch was driving the big yellow school bus & doing maintenance at a small apartment property.  Between the two jobs, working full-time.

8-15-17 Mason, Butch, Cassidy & Courtney

August was the month we'd looked forward to all year! Courtney & the kids came for their first visit! We toured the Omaha Zoo & drove to Indian Caves State Park to see the total eclipse. It seemed like every day went by faster than the last... The kids were happy to see the things they remembered were still with us. Farah was thrilled to see them too!

9-3-17 Sliding Door in~

September, Butch installed a sliding door in the family room - where we'd just had windows before.  Huge improvement in the views & accessibility to the back deck.  We had volunteered to help with the BCHIA Poker Ride & camped at Brushy Creek Recreation Area.  Wow - what a great place to ride with miles & miles of trails.  So fun to see all the new to us country!

9-30-17 At Brushy Creek~

October of last year, we were in Sheridan, WY, this year, enjoying our 35th Anniversary weekend at Lake Okoboji.  The drive up was beautiful & the lakes incredible.  So great to find a place that we like so much, easy drive & no traffic!  Yes, we're spoiled now!

10-13-17 Touring the largest of the lakes~

November & fall - gorgeous weather - some of the nicest of the entire year.  Farah & I were on the trails more than any other month & had traveled 400-miles by year's end.  Not the huge number's we used to accumulate, my priorities are changing as the years continue to march by.  We found the north end of the Wabash Trace is closest to home & the longest ride in the area - so we do it often.  We also had fun horse camping weekend with a new friend at Lake of Three Fires.

12-12-17 NW Corner of our second lot~

Though we were still waiting for the survey, I took advantage of the nice weather to start clearing into the timber areas.  After some reconnaissance, it was obvious the area was totally overgrown, forgotten & covered in trash.

December we flew to Washington - then drove south to Oregon - to visit the Grand-kids!  How many ways are there to say how much we miss them?  The two weeks have flown by...  We packed as much fun into each day as possible.  Making memories that will last a lifetime for us & hopefully for them too...

After spending the day at the beach, with the Wrights & loving every minute, they left for home  We drove south - to what was in the past - our favorite get-a-way Cannon Beach, OR.  Though the day had turned cloudy & cool - just an hour before sunset - the sun broke through the low hanging clouds.

We stood witness to a gift from God, humbled to be in such a place, at such a time.  2017 left us in a blaze of glory~

Past Year - 2016~

Fort Stevens State Park, OR ~

(A long overdue post. I'm finally getting it written & published, over two-years later.)  This was to be our last day with the Wright family...  Everyone wanted some time at the beach & Fort Stevens State Park is close & beautiful.

The dunes~

It was another just stunning day!  Light cloud cover, warm, light breeze, perfect!  The girls took off at a run!  This family spends a lot of time in the great outdoors! 

Butch with a kelp whip!

We gave Butch plenty of room to show off his skills!  I enjoyed each & every minute...  I'd spent so many years of my life wanting to see an ocean.  Butch recognized that soft spot - after he met me & took full advantage.  Moving our little family to the Pacific Northwest was a decision we will never regret.

Shades of silver light, reflecting on the waves~

When Jentry's family moved to Astoria, it was heartbreaking for us.  It wasn't so much the distance, but the horrible hours in traffic that made it difficult to visit even on a three-day weekend.

Oldest Grandson Ben & Butch~

We'd been so lucky to have both the girls families within a short drive of our home for so many years...  Living nearby, gave us the unparalleled opportunity to enjoy time with our Grandkids!  Ben - being the first & living the closest - spent at least a day a week with us.  The girls were both so young when the family moved - it was hard for us to lose that involvement. 

Ben, Skyla & Josie

Our world seemed a bit emptier with them gone.  With our move - we realize every moment with them is so precious & we've missed them so much.

Josie~

Beachcombing has been a family favorite forever! 

Skyla with a Big clam shell!

There's nothing like kids who know how to play!  Ben decided to make a contest of who could jump the highest & farthest off the dunes! 

Skyla was up to the challenge!

Sand, sand, everywhere!

Skyla - a sandy landing!

Ben though - really put some style into his jumps!

Ben in midair!

Josie had her landing technique down pat!

Josie~

The bunny below was very artistic & even has his walking stick!

Bunny Sculpture~

Leaving the beach area, we moved over to the large parking area for bike riding!

Josie & Skyla~

Everyone had a fast & furious ride!

Josie speeding along!

Even Papa had to take a turn trying out Jentry's new Trike!

Butch on Jentry's Trike!

As it got later in the day, the colors changed.  I loved seeing the mountain peaks of Washington, on the far side of the Columbia River.

View from Oregon to Washington~

Lighthouses are a coastal favorite. 

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse on the bluff~

Finally, it was time to go...  None of us wanted to leave~

South down the beach~

Saying goodbye is as hard as it gets...  Especially when so much distance separates us & we don't know when we'll all be together again... 

Then & Now, Thirty-five Years~

During our first year in Washington state, we'd found employment that included an apartment.  A great way to get our start.  By the second, the dust had settled & we were married!  On a very tight budget & we'd only made one trip to the Washington Coast for me to see the ocean.  A honeymoon on the Oregon coast sounded perfect.  We'd planned on going further south, but as soon as we saw Haystack Rock, we knew we'd arrived.

Then - 10/1982

In those long-ago days, you didn't need reservations. Cannon Beach was a sleepy little tourist town, hardly anyone around by summers end. Every year, for our anniversary, we'd go down & spend a weekend. We had a favorite little motel, right on the beach, with a kitchenette & the owners gave us a great deal.

As the years went by - that changed. The owners retired, the motel was sold & knocked down to make way for a luxury high rise hotel. The town had been discovered in a big way. It was no longer a place we could enjoy. Way too many people & reservations had to be made months in advance for overpriced rooms. We made one more visit a few years ago. Friends drove from Portland to meet us for dinner, the town was jam packed. The proximity to a growing Portland & improved roads had contributed to the town's ever increasing popularity.

Now - 12/31/2017

Here we were though, New Year's Eve & not far up the coast.  The day had turned overcast, but I remembered those sunsets & we decided to make the drive.  Butch found a place to park - it had to be the only open spot in town.  It was at the north end & the rock is further south.  Once on the beach, we walked fast!  I was determined to get to the spot we both remembered so well.  We made it with minutes to spare.  A lady walking her dog was kind enough to get our photo.

West, almost sunset~

There were lots & lots of people out.  More than we'd ever seen, but when we got right up to the edge of the surf, it was still like we were the only ones there.  With the low lying clouds, I didn't expect much of a sunset, but mother nature is good at playing tricks on the unsuspecting.  Minute by minute the scene became one of wonder...

North up the beach~

To the north - the scene was so rich!  Pinks, lavender, silver & gray.  To the south, brilliant oranges, reds, golds.  Two entirely different worlds, connected by the incoming tide.

The last sunset of 2017~

We stayed until dark fell.  Behind us, the full moon rose above the hills.  It was a fitting end to the year & our trip.  A reminder of how very far we've come & how blessed we've been to travel these years together~

Oswald West State Park~

After two-days of pouring rain, it was grand to see the sun!  We'd already found the best bakery in town, so stopped there for coffee & a donut before our planned drive south.  I was determined to find a place to hike in an old growth forest that wasn't too far to drive.

Oswald West was one of those parks we'd driven by many times on our way to somewhere else - usually - the beach.  It doesn't have a campground & we always camped.  Less than an hour south of the Astoria, we could make the drive, get in a hike & still be back in time for the dinner Jentry had planned.

We were surprised at the number of cars already parked in the lot.  Jentry had called to remind us to not leave any valuables in the car - so that meant locking up the few things we had in the trunk.  When you fly in the winter, taking coats etc., takes up so much space.  We hadn't brought our hiking boots or gear.

On our way~

The beginning of the trail was well traveled & along a crystal clear, rushing creek.  Just the sound was so incredibly wonderful.  The air was full of negative ions & had that rich, earthy smell I love so much.

Necarney Creek

It's an ecosystem so rare now, every step is precious.  We wanted to hike every trail we could find.  The day went from sunny to cloud cover, then later in the afternoon, back to sunshine.   

Big Trees!

It's impossible to capture the scale of these Giant Sitka Spruce.

In the land of the Giants~

 We soon found the bridge~

Suspension~

Built in Western Red Cedar, it was the perfect complement to the terrain.  Only a short hike later, we came out on Short Sand Beach.  There were several people surf boarding further down from where our trail had come out.  So popular now & too close to the ever-growing population of Portland...

A tucked away cove~

From here, we found another trail without crossing back across the bridge & it climbed up the mountainside.  Called Elk Flats Trail - it seemed to go about straight up!

Looking down at the creek from the trail~

As Butch climbed ahead of me, I asked him to stop for this photo - adding scale to the image :-)

Butch on the trail~

We climbed & climbed!  We saw some Huge trees!  It was truly a grand landscape, green, moist & lush.  Cresting the top of the ridge, we'd gone down a short way, when we came up on the huge tree below.  We had no idea where we'd end up.

Tree on Elk Flats Trail~

Soon, we came to the edge of either a clear-cut, or the park, or something?  Taking a little off-shoot path - we found ourselves looking straight down at the ocean!

Looking down~

Checking the map numerous times, it showed the many trails here, there & we weren't sure just where we were.  The highway was somewhere off to the east & we'd been moving mostly south.  I hadn't brought my Garmin - it would have been fun to have downloaded our hike onto Google Earth!

Heading back~

 We eventually came out into the meadow on the side of the mountain.  The trail became a mowed, muddy path with tall grass on both sides.  Another couple - coming from the opposite direction with large backpacks - told us we were just a short distance from Devils Caldron.  We were running out of time & I was hungry!  My morning cinnamon roll had long been hiked off!

Back at the creek~

Turning back, we found a short trail that we didn't recognize.  This trail soon put us back on Elk Flats & we climbed the mountain again, the opposite direction.  We weren't the only one's who'd made this mistake.  We another couple we'd passed early in the day :-)

At the Bridge~

By the time we arrived back at the car, we'd been out almost four-hours.  We did have water in the trunk & split a left-over donut!  We made it back in time for dinner!  Jentry's spaghetti & meatballs were the best Ever! 

Walk in the Wright Woods!

Thursday we couldn't get on the road fast enough to go see Jentry & the kids!  What a gorgeous area they live in.  Just off a main estuary of the Columbia, it's lowland, with hillsides covered in second & third growth timber.  Heavily logged for generations, there are still a few trees here & there that remind us of what once was.  The tree below is a Redwood, that neighbors say is a rare species. Jentry has contacted a naturalist to come & identify it.

Skyla, Ben, Grammy & Cooper!

This family has always loved the outdoors & hiking - so even though it was raining - we headed outside to walk the property.  With their home on the lower area of the hill, they also have land on the far, uphill side of the road.  A driveway goes up to another area - level & much higher on the hill.

All it takes for fun is a wet log!  :-)

By the time I was done admiring the offspring of the big Redwood, now getting big too, the kids had already found fun!

Skyla & Ben

These two girls are so lucky to have their big brother Ben!  Now that he's outnumbered, he takes the brunt of little girl fun.  

Ben~

As we looked up at the hillside, we decided that we could hike up & see where the property corners might be.  It was wet, very wet, but also so beautiful & I loved being back in the lush green!

Ben & Josie~

Josie too, is one tough little hiker!  Ben worked to clear her a path, but more than once she just ducked & went for it on her own!

Tiny & fast too!

She got up some speed on the slippery leaves!

Butch, Skyla & Ben

These guys found one of the creeks ahead of us.  It looked like there was more than one spring feeding all the small creeks that were flowing off the hill.

Deep ravines, lots of flowing water~

We found the corners, Butch found survey tape in the right areas.  We decided to take a different way back down with Cooper in the lead.

Heading back~

Skyla was running along in the lead when suddenly...  She came to a stop - her boots stuck more than ankle deep in mud! 

Papa to the rescue!  

Butch found a way to get to her that didn't involve stepping right into the mud.

Almost free!

We were laughing, because years ago her mother got the nickname of Swamp Monster for going into a bog up on the pass & coming back covered in black slime!  I wish I had that picture!

Out she comes!

Jentry & I took the lower path around what is probably another underground spring.  We could smell Sulphur in the air.

Woodland Beauty~

 We got back to the house soaked!  Hot drinks hit the spot!  We finished off the day with dinner at Grandson Ben's place of employment - Geno's Pizza, some the best Pizza ever!