Summer before it sizzled

Eugene Oregon is seriously HOT  right now.  We are also under a hazardous air quality alert because of a  wildfire in the eastern sections of Lane County, so I'm posting some memories from the earlier and prettier part of the season.       

Just like for almost everywhere these days, extreme heat and wildfire are both pretty much normal now for at least part of our summer months.   The current fires are not a danger to us here in the City, except for the smoke and air inversion.    We can only offer hope for the people affected by the flames.  For our own health, we stay indoors as much as possible.  Instead of any new day trips,  one of us is planning for the future and the other is documenting the past.   As usual,  I'm the memory person and Bill is the planner, but we do work together on both.   

All of the pictures in this post are very recent memories.  I'm still working on some posts from our June trip.  The ones directly below are from our son-in-law and daughter's yard back in July:

 

The butterfly was quite cooperative taking its time at each nectar stop.  I'm usually not that lucky with these flighty beauties.

 

 

The pictures below are even more recent — from our trip to the Coast earlier this month.  (We probably should have stayed there — it is always cooler at the Ocean!)  To be perfectly honest, even without the heat and smoke we would probably be staying close to home right now anyway.  We actually do a lot of that — I just don't often blog about it.

 

 

This is Simpson Beach at Shore Acres State Park.  The  eerie tree trunk in the center picture is along the path leading from the beach to the "tamer" part of the Park.

 

 

At the end of one of the forested paths from the beach viewpoint, you arrive at this small gate.  On the other side, in just a few yards, you are in the middle of the precisely landscaped gardens of Shore Acres.   The entire park, including the beach, forest, lawns and gardens, was once the estate of  the Simpson lumber baron family.  Heirs donated the property to the State for public use.

 

 

We were kind of between flowering seasons at the Gardens, but there is always beautiful color and the Japanese-style garden and pond are so calm and restful.    We visit Shore Acres almost every summer — one of my favorite State Parks.  I like the combination of wild and tame.

 

Store front mural, Bandon Oregon

I am grateful  for the memories  and enjoy planning for future ones.  But this week I'm especially grateful for   not-so-simple things that don't get blogged about — the shade trees around our home that keep the outside temperature a little lower than the official reading and  the air conditioner and air purifier that continue to keep it comfortable indoors.  

LINKING THIS WEEK (and next) to these sharing opportunities:  

THANKFUL THURSDAY;   SKYWATCH FRIDAY;   SATURDAY CRITTERS ; MOSAIC MONDAY;  NATURE NOTES;  THROUGH MY LENS;  and MY CORNER OF THE WORLD