Camping on Hood Canal, Duckabush, Quilcene, Dosewallips Rivers

We just went for probably the last camping trip until spring. It rained like crazy, but we still had fun. We drove around looking for photo ops on Saturday, but it was so wet, Dave only took one picture and I took none. The rivers were raging,

It cleared off on Sunday morning, so we went up the Duckabush and found some beauty.


All the little campgrounds are closed, but we found a beautiful little one that we will come back for next spring. We also found a cabin we had not known about. It's called Interrorum cabin and it costs $30 a night. There is no running water, and you have to use an outhouse. It's adorable, though. We saw tons of mushrooms and I got a wildlife shot. The chipmunk- or it might be a squirrel, there is some controversy about this...



Shaggy Mane Mushrooms

unknown mushies

pretty roads everywhere

Dave takes a shot, this was before he hurt his back! Also, I took it through the truck window so it's blurry. I just want to remember when he could still move.

Duckabush River at Collins Campground

The outhouse for the cabin. I must say these are the cutest outhouses I have ever seen, but they still stink inside.

Back porch of the cabin

Interrorum cabin built in 1907 by the first Olympic ranger. Mr Finch, he built it himself and brought his new bride there. Lucky girl.
I felt kind of bad snooping around the cabin, since it was rented, but the people were gone, so I looked in the windows. Yes, I'm like that.
You can see me in the reflection of the window, but that white teapot really got me... inside where I am soft like a woman, and knowing that I won't EVER stay in this cabin

Primitive. Yikes! I like my paid for 1986 fifth wheel better. We can make lattes and it's warm as toast.
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Foxglove at Oswald West State Park

Author's note** Evidently, I uploaded the uncorrected photos this morning, and the photographer was horrified. So I put the right ones on now, and added a few more.

This park is between Cannon Beach and Manzanita. My family can attest to the whining I have done this spring about having a foxglove photoshoot. I thought it was too late, but here they are at least 2 weeks behind Tacoma in flower bloom. So, we were able to find a pretty place to do it yesterday. Do you see the little creek behind the stand of foxglove? My husband is awesome, he found this place and I held the shiny thing for him. (some big shiny thing that makes a reflection on what he is focusing on)

Today I took photos of Manzanita, they won't be as good as the photographer's, but you will get to see how cute it is.

Anyway, back to the photographer's photos:

To get that stream one, he took off his shoes and socks and stood in icy cold water. brrr!

There's a snail on that mossy branch. Salmonberries, and the red ones are elderberries, ferns, and a mossy path. I need to go look up elderberries, I think the red ones are poison, and the blue ones come later that you can make wine and jelly with. If the red ones were edible, they could make a killing on them here, there are millions of them. Now I will probably have to come back and fix this. I'm probably wrong.

We are off to do some more exploring today.

Camping at Pacific Beach

We had such a good four days at Pacific Beach. It was so beautiful! Peaceful, relaxing, and fun. Our normal routine when we are camping is to get up at 7-8, have a latte (this time we brought our Pasquini espresso machine, never again will we go without it) after Dave takes the dogs out, and then reading, breakfast (Dave usually makes breakfast, but I cut up the potatoes in a fine manner) about 9 or 10, then more reading and another latte. Maybe a trip to town, or in this case a day trip one of the days that I will tell you about later. Then lunch, a walk on the beach, more reading, a sit in the sun, a latte, dinner, more reading, more walking, then sleep.

I read a really good book by Joyce Maynard, The Usual Rules. It was about a 13 year old girl whose mother was in one of the towers on sept 11. I cried in it 3 times or maybe more. On the other hand, one of my go-to-sleep movies was PS I Love You, which I was disappointed by. I did not even cry in that one. I thought it rang false. Everyone I talked to had told me it was good, and I have had it from netflix for 2 months and did not want to watch it and cry, so I kept putting it off. Finally watched it on the laptop, to go to sleep with. It just left me cold.

I read some other books, but that Joyce Maynard one was the best. I'm also finishing up a Peter Mayle, Hotel Pastis which is good too, but not great.

Dave took the pictures, it's our lovely trailer with the million dollar view of the beach that we had for 4 days, and then one of the sunsets.

First Camping Trip of 2009

The past weekend we took our maiden voyage in the new-to-us RV we bought in February. I have done no redecorating, yet. The picture of Zoe illustrates what kind of weekend it was. I wish I could get an action shot of Flight, our greyhound, running on the beach. It is a joy to see. At one point, she ran into the water up to her back, chasing seagulls, and was quite surprised when she found herself up to her neck in water. I never thought she would do that.
We had fun.
The first photo is the view out our window, which faced on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We were camping at Fort Worden. We had coffee at Sweet Laurette's, but mostly we enjoyed the storms and the dogs and the quiet.

My latest busy-ness

I have the twelve sailboat blocks done on the Sailing, Sailing baby quilt for our new baby that's coming. Right now his name is Harley, but it keeps changing. I have to make about 27 more 3x3" pinwheels and then I can sew it all together. I can see now why people like piecing. I appeals to my sense of order, somehow. It might be because the rest of my life is so chaotic, I like sewing those perfect little pieces of cut fabric together.

Dave and I bought a 25' 5th wheel trailer yesterday. It is a 1988, so it was not very expensive and I am SO excited. It needs a little work, but it is so cozy and I think we will be having loads of fun with it soon. Maybe I will post when we get the work done. I want to make new curtains, and maybe put a pergo floor in. Turquoise and Orange curtains and pillows I am thinking... I have not told Dave yet. :) But mostly I just want to go camping with him at the ocean with the dogs. Pure heaven!

I am also working on some paintings for my sister-in-law, Erica, and I hope she likes them. I do love trees.