Spring Flowers

We've had a couple of really busy weeks but nothing too exciting going on. We are still working on the landscaping projects that feels never-ending. Somedays we only have 20 spare minutes but we try to find a way to work outside every day.

We have really loved watching spring come on. Many of our plants are coming back to life. We were sure our winter-over onions and garlic were not going to make it - back in March they were all limp and sad - but they are now thriving and we're excited to see them get closer to their harvest time. We've continued to harden some of the plants we started indoors and get them planted outside. We quickly realized the space we'd allotted for our vegetable garden was not large enough. Since filling all the designated space up we've started to find creative places all around the property to grow our vegetables. It's possible that the wildlife harvest them before we do but we are enjoying the experience and hoping for results.

Many of our annual flowers have bloomed as well. Greg and Debbie love the evenings that they are able to get out for a little walk around the property. Just examining the vegetation as it grows is fascinating.

We hope in May we will be a little less busy with doctors, swim meets, and errands so that we can really focus on wrapping up the landscaping before summer.

 

Spring Break

Even though there are tons of projects and work happening at the house Debbie and the kids planned a little getaway for Spring Break. 

They left on Monday and met Debbie's parents in central Oregon. They spent the next few days playing games, eating food, and exploring the area.

On the first full day, Debbie had planned a hike to "the best view in central Oregon." But as it turned out the area was quite snowy and the trailhead could not be found. So, they decided to find something at a lower elevation. They ended up spending more than two hours at a scenic viewpoint looking for a geocache. Even though it had been logged by someone else just two days before they were not able to find it. It was a lot of fun to look for though. The area had some craggy rocks with lots of hiding places. The kids loved scrambling around, climbing up and down and all around. 

The afternoon was spent at the High Desert Museum. They had exhibits that explored how the area has changed through history. The kids were fascinated by the tools and lifestyles of the native people and how things changed as it became more populated with people migrating from the east. The museum had some animals that they were rehabilitating or could not be released back into the wild. There was a habitat for a fox that both of the kids kept going back to. There was also a bird presentation where a wildlife expert brought out a Merlin Falcon. While the bird feasted on something with feathers we learned about how they hunt mid-flight and fearlessly defend their territory. The kids were excited about the gift shop where they both spent some of their money on amethyst crystals. Papa enjoyed exploring the outdoor village set up with the kids. There were little cabins, barns, and an old sawmill. The engineering of the sawmill was quite interesting to figure out and the tack and tools around helped show just how much manual labor was necessary for early pioneer life.

Our second day of fun started a little slower, which was nice. When they did get out it was to the outlet mall. Both kids have been growing out of their clothes lately and this seemed like a good opportunity to take care of it. Unfortunately, there wasn't much found for Alex. But after searching every store Abby finally found some pants that fit her long lanky legs. 

Shopping worked up an appetite for hole-in-the-wall Hawaiian fare which turned out really delicious. After which we hiked in the Newberry Volcanic Butte area. The trail here was very easy and provided many views of the Deschutes River. The kids liked throwing giant pinecones into the water. It was amazing to see how many of the pinecones stayed in the same place while the rest of the river was rushing by. 

Alongside those planned activities there was time for fun at the timeshare condo. There was a couple of bike rides around the area. On one of these rides, at a little bridge, Abby was the only one lucky enough to see a beaver pop its head out of the water. Everyone else only saw the bubble trail though so it probably wasn't just her imagination. There were also table games, home improvement TV, and a little time in the hot tub.

Papa and Mema had to start their drive earlier on the final day so they said goodbye and got on the road. The kids were excited about going out for breakfast but Debbie had them qualify for it by getting packed up and ready to go by a certain time. They worked really well and got everything ready to go before the established time. They were so excited. 

Meanwhile back at home, Bella kept Greg company as he worked at his job and worked on endless landscaping projects (and took care of Abby's rabbits).

 

Easter

Easter this year was fairly mellow. We were happy that it was sunny and beautiful outside. While Debbie and the kids tuned into church Greg helped the easter bunny hide eggs around the yard. They kept close to the house for the most part but there was an extra special bonus in the orchard.

The kid's baskets had personalized cookies, candy, and a few toys. The eggs they found contained puzzle pieces (and sometimes candy). While they have yet to finish the puzzle they didn't seem to miss the excessive amounts of candy that usually accompany this holiday.

After a little turkey dinner, we finished the day with a homemade carrot cake made by Greg. It was an enjoyable day for all of us.

Working Hard

The month of March really flew by for us. Along with work and school, we have been getting some landscaping done. We drastically underestimated the amount of property that would be dug up for our new septic system to go in. Luckily, with some connections, we found a semi-retired guy who has been doing some heavy equipment work for us. He has done some amazing work with the piles and piles of boulders the septic guys displaced.

The big rock work has created enough smaller jobs to keep us busy. One thing that Greg wanted was a bit more privacy from the neighbor's goats. So, with help, we created "the berm." This is really just a build-up of rock and dirt that we have since planted a variety of perennials in that will hopefully grow in to create a wonderful view on that side of the yard. We've planted bamboo, rhododendrons, lilacs, and hydrangeas, among other things. It was Debbie's idea to also transplant some of the native ferns on our property. So far we are pleased with how it's coming together and we're crossing our fingers that none (or not too many) of the plants die. On a whim one weekend we rented a pressure washer to use on some of our new rock walls. It took up a good chunk of the day and Greg and Debbie were pretty filthy and tired by the end. That effort didn't make too much of a difference on the walls but we got some build-up off the chimney and around the house.

The backside of our property slopes down quite a bit and half of it was dug up to create the drain field. This left the other half looking lost and confused. We had our heavy equipment guy spend some time back there generally tidying up while also making it more possible to get the riding mower around which was something that was not possible last year. The only issue now is the number of smaller rocks that need to be picked up and dirt to be smoothed before we can spread grass seed. Hopefully, we can finish the backyard before it is taken over by weeds and other vegetation.

Finally, we've been working a bit on our vegetable garden. We planted onions and garlic back in November not really knowing how it would turn out. Things were not looking too promising a few weeks ago when the little they had grown had started turning yellow and leaning over. But with a little bit of sunshine and rain, they have come back to life and are looking quite promising now. We also planted a few of the starts that seemed big enough to transplant. Debbie spent some time hardening off one tray of lettuce and Brussel sprouts. On a whim, Greg decided to plant a tray of cabbage, broccoli, and pumpkin, without hardening them. To our dismay, we woke up the next morning with snow on the grown. Even though it was gone by mid-afternoon we were sure our newly planted veggies were goners. Debbie is happy to report that the lettuce and Brussel sprouts look like they are doing quite well. Greg can't say the same about the broccoli and cabbage. 

Milestone Birthday

We celebrated Abby's 12th birthday. She has been very excited about this milestone for a long time. She was looking forward to the extra attention she would get at school but was disappointed. Because of some privacy forms Debbie signed, her name was not announced on the birthday list and no one knew it was her birthday.

She requested hamburgers and milkshakes for her birthday dinner. Normally, we'd like to have homemade meals but we wanted to go back to this one burger place that we visited more than a year ago. So, we decided to go there. Debbie remembered to bring candles along and both birthday girls got a candle in their burger.

Another request Abby had for her birthday was a new dress. She had picked out a pattern and fabric for Debbie to make her a fancy dress. Debbie worked any moment she could spare and finished the dress only a week late. Still, Abby loves it and says she feels like a princess.

Some other presents that Abby was excited about were a Bob Ross painting kit and some fun rabbit supplies.

For Debbie's birthday, she received a cordless nail gun and is very excited to put it to use. 

Overall it was a great day for both girls.

 

 

 

The Oregon Coast

Back in February, we'd planned a trip to the Oregon coast but we ended up postponing it because of the snowstorm that swept through the PNW that weekend. We took that postponed trip last weekend. 

We left after Greg finished work on Friday afternoon and headed to our hotel in Astoria. It was a relatively short drive and Debbie set the kids up to watch The Goonies (which was filmed in Astoria). Alex watched half of it then decided he'd had enough but Abby watched all of it and said she liked it.

Of course, the first thing Abby wanted to do when we got to the hotel was to get in the pool. The hotel had a reservation system to ensure the pool area never had too many people. True to each personality Abby was in the pool showing all her skills and Alex opted out and just watched from the deck. Debbie relaxed (and watched Abby) in the hot tub. While Debbie took the kids to the pool Greg went and picked up a pizza. We should have ordered more than we did. It was a delicious pizza and we all wanted more.

We were up and ready to go early Saturday morning. After snagging a geocache near the hotel we had our to-go breakfast in the car then headed South. 

Our first stop was the Astoria Column which is a concrete tower built in 1929 overlooking the mouth of the Columbia River. The views were spectacular and there were a couple fun geocaches to get.

We spent a good chunk of the morning exploring Fort Steven's State Park. We tried to snag a geocache at each point of interest. We were lucky on our first one at the Wreck of the Peter Iredale. When we first arrived the waves were gently lapping the bow of the ship. We took a little detour to find what we thought would be the stern. When we went back to the more exposed part of the wreck the waves had cut off our access. We spent a bit of time still on the beach and then move a little back to the bluff and found another geocache and watched a bald eagle.

We also wandered the Battery Russell and Battery Freeman. These were active military sites from the late 19th century through WWII. Alex loved climbing around the fort and Abby was guessing what the track on the ceiling of some interconnected rooms and passageways would be. 

As we continued down the 101 we stopped at the beach in Seaside, enjoyed the view at Ecola State Park, and found a few more geocaches. Looking for caches was a real highlight for this trip. 

We ate a picnic-style lunch in the van and grabbed another geocache at Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. It was super windy and cold at Haystack rock. There wasn't easy parking either. Debbie and the kids just jumped out of the van at a beach access point on a slightly busy road (that was interesting). While they looked for the cache Greg found a parking spot up the road and walked down the beach to meet them. We didn't stay long because of how cold the wind was.

Our next stop was a bit longer and way more adventurous. At Hug Point there are a few sea caves and lots of beach to wander around. The geocache here ended up being a little harder to find. We had to traverse around an outcropping of rock that was going into the beach. This meant we had to time the waves just right before making a mad dash. We also had to scramble up some wet boulders and cross the top of a small waterfall. We continued up a hill that gave us spectacular views of the beach and ocean. When we finally found the cache it was designed like a little pirate treasure chest hidden in the wreck of a fallen tree. 

While getting to the cache was exciting we all thought making our way back to the van was even more exciting. The tide had come in a bit which made going around the point more difficult. Alex was not happy about accidentally running into a deeper place close to the rocks as he tried to stay as far away from the incoming waves as possible. His boots were absolutely soaked. Good thing he had dry clothes in the car to change into.

We didn't detour much after Hug Point because we wanted to get to the Tillamook Creamery before it closed. But first, we had to make a quick stop at the store to get Alex some dry shoes (he was due for a new pair anyway) and some dry ice so that we could get some of the specialty ice cream flavors they offer at the creamery.

We began our Tillamook Creamery visit with the self-guided walking tour which outlined their cheese-making process. At some point in the process, the cheese is in 40-pound blocks. It took some of us way too long to figure out that the orange-colored boxes hanging from the ceiling represented these large bricks of cheese.  We then headed to the cafe where we got dinner first and then ice cream. For dinner, most of us had a grilled cheese sandwich (duh) but Alex ordered a cheeseburger without the cheese. Our ice cream dessert was worth the wait. The scoops were huge each with a waffle cone on top. To finish our time we wandered their store. We were a bit disappointed that their prices were just about the same as at the regular grocery store so we didn't end up getting much. But we did buy a quart each of Dark Chocolate Red Raspberry and Sea Salt and Honeycombe Toffee.

   

We stayed the night in a beachside resort but by that time it was kind of dark so we didn't really get to enjoy it. The night was a little rough with a storm blowing, thin walls, and outside lights shining through the window. Even though we were all a little tired we got going fairly early. The sun was shining while the rain fell as we packed the van.

We started day two at Cape Meares. It was a little disappointing but not surprising that the lighthouse museum was not admitting visitors. The early morning easy hike was nice, even if it was a bit cold and blustery. We logged one geocache, walked around the lighthouse, and then went and visited the Octopus tree. No one is really sure if the tree naturally grew in this strange shape or if it was manipulated by indigenous people. Either way, it's a really cool-looking tree.

Next on the list was Neskowin Beach. The morning sun had burned off a lot of the earlier dampness making this stop quite pleasant and bright. Greg found a cache while Debbie grabbed a mid-morning snack for everyone then we had a little walk to the beach. Abby and Alex were very excited by a stick fort left by someone and they were careful not to alter it. The kids ended up playing for a bit which gave Greg and Debbie a moment to enjoy the beach and ocean.

More than ten years ago we'd visited the Oregon coast with Greg's family. One well-remembered place was this old used bookstore. It had piles of books and mazes bookshelves. It took a little bit of research and there was some question on if we'd located the right bookstore. But as soon as we pulled in we knew it was the same place. We spent a good hour there, getting lost or separated and then finding each other again. Alex was fascinated by the many antiques it had on any spare bit of wall, shelf, or ceiling. Some of us didn't get to stay as long as they'd like but some others were getting a little antsy (or claustrophobic...).

Perhaps the coolest stop we made was to the Yaquina head lighthouse. As with Cape Meares this lighthouse was also closed to the public. But after finding the geocache Greg and Alex found a gathering of sunbathing sea lions. Alex was happy that he had his binoculars so that he could get a close-up view. No dogs were allowed near the lighthouse so Debbie and Abby went ahead with Bella to the beach. This beach was not sandy like the others we'd visited. It was covered with baseball-sized rocks. They were charcoal in color and washed smooth by the waves. We were again lucky with the tide which was out revealing a bunch of tide pools.  After Greg and Alex finished near the lighthouse and sea loins they joined the girls on the beach. Greg and Debbie took turns relaxing with Bella a distance away from the pools while the other parent examined different pools with the kids. The kids discovered that anemones will squelch your finger if you poke them and that StarFish can come in super bright purple and orange. They watched the hermit crabs and tried to catch glimpses of little Sculpin fish. 

We could have stayed longer at the tide pools but we had to leave to get to the pie place before it closed. Greg had seen really good reviews of this pie place situated southwest of Portland. We decided to make it a stop on the way back home. As we drove east from the coast we were excited to notice a number of Tillamook dairy farm signs. The creamery gets the freshest milk for their products.

We were cutting it close making it to the pie place before closing time. Greg even dropped Debbie off at the place before finding a bathroom for the kids. Debbie was quite disappointed to see they'd sold out many of their pies. but it makes sense being close to closing time. Still, we were able to get their last chicken pie to eat for dinner, a cherry hand pie, and a small grasshopper pie for dessert. For good measure, Debbie bought a frozen, bake-at-home berry crumble pie.

After the pie stop, we finished driving home. We got home with just enough time to have a snack and get the kids in bed. We had such a fabulous weekend enjoying the Oregon coast. We are happy that we postponed for weather reasons. We're even happier that there was much more sun than we'd anticipated. The trip was exciting, relaxing, educational, and quite enjoyable. It was nice to get away just as a family.

Finishing February

We wrapped up February with a beautiful afternoon in the sun and a Canadian dinner.

As usual during our winter and spring when the sun decides to shine we like to take advantage of it and get outside. The last day of February we decided to get out and do a little bit of geocaching. The first cache we found was at a tiny park off the beaten path where the kids enjoyed the climbing tree. The other one was along the riverfront walk. We went off-roading a little and wondered close to the water. While Debbie and Greg basked in the sunshine the kids explored finding sticks and moss to add to the partially made teepee structured they found. It was quite enjoable.

The other thing we did to complete February was to finish our study of Canada with a Canadian dinner. Luckily Debbie found some things at the store which made putting the meal together a little easier. We had maple grilled chicken with roasted asparagus, poutine, and ketchup chips. Dessert featured Nanaimo bars and chocolate Smarties. Everyone agreed the maple chicken was delicious but most of the family preferred the plain fries to the poutine. 

We're looking forward to the exciting things spring has in store for us (birthdays, gardening, and such) as well as studying our next country, Argentina.