A Full-time Life

Category: Exploring Oregon

  • SEA LION PORTRAITS

     

    FOR Misty Dawn's CAMERA CRITTERS  and  Mary's MOSAIC MONDAY this is a continuation of an earlier  FullTime-Life post about California sea lions in Oregon (click the blue link to see it).  Thanks to both hosts!

     

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    I was more than fascinated by the opportunity to get close-ups of these gentle giants at Newport's Sea Lion docks.  Instead of trying to rephrase what we learned about them, I am reproducing the FAQ sign.  (Each picture will enlarge on clicking.) 

     

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    I'm still not totally sure about whether the sea lion docks are a good idea or not, but it was great to have the up close and personal photo ops! 

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  • FLY-BY SKIES 2012

    for SKYWATCH FRIDAY -  Thank you to the host team.!

     It was a flying trip across country for us this year, with one great stop in the middle.  The first leg of our journey we flew from Fort Myers to Denver. 

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    Colorado from the air

     Then, after our wonderful weeks visiting at our kids' home and car-tripping in the Four Corners, we flew from Denver to Portland.  We both had window seats this time (really, both of us — our cheap flights separated us to opposite sides of the aisle, but we both got window seats, so we had no complaints!)

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    Leaving Denver

    The smoke in both the above pictures is from one of the several range fires that were still burning in Colorado at the time.  

    And, below, arriving in Portland….. Bill had the side with iconic Portland Mt. Hood — but I had the camera.  This is one of the Washington State Mountains, we're not sure which. Mt. Adams.  (Per Geoff's comment below – thank you!)

     

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    Arriving Portland

    It was a lot less travel time than a cross-country roadtrip — but not as scenic.  I'm glad I was able to snap this handful of memories.

    We still have many pictures from the beautiful (and very photogenic) Southwest and I'm definitely not through posting about that roadtrip — watch out for the whiplash effect in the next few posts as this blog seesaws back and forth between Colorado and the Pacific Northwest!

  • YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR

    FOR SIGNS SIGNS.  Thank you Lesley!!  This sign, in the window of a restaurant where we ate last Fall, listed the local bands that would entertain at an upcoming festival.    

     

    Free admission sign-1

    The name of one of the bands was "You Get What You Pay For."   And, as the bottom line of the poster makes clear, there was Free Admission to the event!  

    (We didn't go back to hear the music, so we can't say for sure whether or not those attending got what they paid for.  Or more.  Or less.)  

  • OUR WATER WORLD, last year

    We live as much of our life as possible on the water — this look-back to 2011 is shared with water lovers everywhere and linked with NATURE FOOTSTEPS-WATER and OUR WORLD.  Happy watery New Year!

    Water all year

    WINTER:  in Florida Winter means car trips to water places and boat trips on the water, with friends and visiting family.

    Water all year1

    LATE WINTER/EARLY SPRING:  Boat club trips including one across Lake Okechobee to the other side of the state.   We successfully navigated many locks.

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    SPRING:  We stayed near the water as often as we could when we traveled acros the country East to West. We even saw pelicans — and kayaks — in Colorado.

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    SUMMER:  Oregon.   Sweet Creek Falls and Fern Ridge Lake.

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    FALL:  Washington

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    FALL and EARLY WINTER:  More watery places on our road trip west to East — and back in Florida looking forward to another year on the water!

  • GOT PUMPKIN?

    FOR SIGNS SIGNS.  THANK YOU LESLEY!!

     

    Got pumpkin

    Yes we do! 

    Pumpkin stack

    Jack o lntern man
    Happy Halloween!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • DR PIERCE’S PLEASANT PELLETS BARN

      LINKED TO SIGNS SIGNS  (thank you to Lesley for having this great idea and hosting) and to a new meme for me BARN CHARM.  (This post just seemed perfect to share with for barn lovers.)

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    In the early twentieth century, advertising on barns was a popular way to get your message out in front of the public.  The advertisers usually paid the farmer for the space by providing a coat of paint.  Dubious remedies were pretty popular back then too.

    This sign is said to have been painted in 1903.  It stands within the present day city limits of Cottage Grove, Oregon, and is easily visible when driving through the city along Highway 99.  

    Save the barn 2 Sadly, the barn is in serious disrepair and the current owner of the property wants to tear it down in order to make the home and property more saleable.      

    The County Historical Society is interested in its preservation but has been unable to negotiate a price.   

    Although a group of people are still trying to save it in some way, this icon of another time is slated to be demolished this month. 

      Here is an article about the barn.

  • THE PATH

    First, a quick note to let you know, if you use Blogspot and have your comment box set to "Embedded below post" I am unable to leave a comment on your blog.  Please consider changing to "Pop-up window" under Dashboard-Settings-Comments-Comment Placement Form.  Thanks!

    FOR SIGNS SIGNS.  These aren't exactly  signs, but they are pictures of printed words that I really wanted to share!  This is one final post from the Recycling Center — the stepping stones of this meditative path are  part of the garden.     Listen to Leonard Cohen while you virtually walk the path by clicking on the link below:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e39UmEnqY8

     FORGET YR PERFECT (1)

                                                                                                                                                                           

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    THATS HOW

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  • SHADOWS FROM SCRAP

    This post is linked to SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY hosted by Tracy at Hey Harriet.

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    More wild and wacky sculpture made from recycled materials.

    (Recycle through this week's posts to see more.)

     

  • BRING (ME) SIGNS

    Bring purpose sign-2 FOR SIGNS SIGNS

    Here are some creative uses of recycled materials from the BRING Recycling Facility that I posted about earlier in the week.

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    Plumbing                    These mark aisles of recycled building materials with signs made from those materials.

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    Garden sign tree sculpture 
    And another sign marking the recycled-art garden — sign is made from recycled tiles.  Bench and arch  are lined with (ready for this?) recycled toilet tank lids. (Enlarge to see better.)  The sculpture, fence and gate are also made from recycled materials.

  • REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE RETHINK

    This reminder of the importance of taking care of our world is serendipitously ready to be linked to the wonderful OUR WORLD meme. 

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    Last week, we visited the BRING Recycling Facility in Eugene.  Here's the Website for this non-profit facility.

    Warehouse sign front door-1 Oregon has always been a  leader in the recycling movement (it was the first state to institute a bottle-return law) and recycling of household goods and building materials is a widely-accepted practice.  BRING recycling in Eugene is a leader in this effort.

    BRING began 40 years ago as a household recycling center and expanded to building materials.  Back in our other life, when we owned a home in nearby Springfield, we used to take our recycling there and often bought materials for home remodeling projects.  Back then the facility was a dusty collection of bins for sorting glass, cans and newspaper.  The building materials were piled helter-skelter under makeshift roofs.

    Aisle-1 But a few years ago, well after we had sold our house and started our full-time RV adventures, BRING bought a large piece of land and built a clean and modern facility.  Although everything that's for sale has been recycled, the warehouse is as spiffy as any home improvement store with new goods for sale.

     Doorknobs-1 Now Bring accepts and sells mostly building materials. 

    Businesses and homeowners use the facility to recycle goods that otherwise would go into the wastestream. 

    This was our first visit to the new facility — and we just went to look.  Because unlike back in the 70s,  nowdays you don't have to make special trips with your  ordinary household recycling.   Most people get a weekly pickup at the same time as household garbage is collected.

     Bring garden sign                                                                                Even though he didn't need anything, Bill enjoyed browsing around the sales warehouse, receiving areas and work areas.  So did I, but what I enjoyed most was that the new facility has a pretty garden with recycled-art installations. 

    I'll post some more garden-art pictures later.