Spring Forth

Just when you think you can't take another day of dull, gray rain, colorful blooms pop out of the earth to give you hope.  Good timing!

The Bright Side

"Another day, another storm," that's all we hear from the weather authorities.  Oceanside and parts of Netarts have been cut off from the world for weeks this winter thanks to washed out culverts.

The bright side?  Sand dollar hunting has never been better.  We discovered six beautiful "sea cookies" (to those Down Under) on this winter stroll.  

What Lies Beneath

Harsh winter storms have scoured the beach of it's soft sand, revealing rocks and tide pools.  It is quite beautiful and a completely different place than summer.

Will I remember what lies beneath when the sand returns?

There's No Place Like Home

When this is the place you call home, there is no reason to leave. None.  Even though the winter storms are getting a little old and I long for the day when I can sit in my favorite chair with the sun on my face, it is still heaven.


I found this aerial photo of Netarts Bay looking toward Oceanside online.   When we look really closely, we can see home on the right.  It is hard to tell if I am outside in my chair or not.  Thanks to the photographer who would get credit if I only knew. 

My Father's Best Friend

My Dad made a very detailed list of things I was supposed to do upon his death.  The most important one was to “Find a good home for Goldie.”  Goldie, a gentle yellow lab he rescued at the age of eight, became his constant companion during the last years of his life.  Their daily walks to the little store for a pack of smokes for him and a pepperoni stick for Goldie were legendary.  Even after his hip replacement when the doctor advised him to stop walking her for fear she would pull him over, they kept right on with their afternoon strolls.  When we found Dad in bed with a stroke, Goldie was laying right beside him patiently waiting for him to get better.

Upon his death, Goldie went to stay with my sister and her family and a while later, Bob and I stole her away to live with us.  She took to Bob immediately and quickly became our constant companion too.  During the day she would be at work with one of us and served as the well-loved office dog for everyone’s petting enjoyment.  She loved riding around in cars and when you looked in the rear view mirror it was a like “Driving Miss Daisy” as she sat properly upright hoping the next stop would be a walk. The only thing she didn’t like was being left behind and would always rather go along, napping in the car during errands knowing you would be back shortly.  Anyway, if you tried to drive away without her, she just followed the car so it wasn’t any use.

Goldie always made us feel as though Dad was still close by.   She even had an uncanny way of giving my sister and me “The Look” that Dad was famous for when we were in trouble.  Even the grandkids knew the look when they saw Goldie flash it and shaped up immediately.

Her happy place was in Netarts where she didn’t have to wear a leash, freely explored the alder cove and sat overlooking the bay at sunset, nose in the air to drink in the scent traveling in on the breeze. Long beach walks exploring every single object and her selective hearing when being called was this old dog’s favorite new trick.

When she passed away last week at the age of 14, she left a huge hole in our hearts and in our lives.  In fact, everywhere we turn. Let it be said that I followed my father’s final instructions to the letter and found her a good home.  A home she made by nestling deep in our hearts and souls. 

So, "Thanks, Dad for your best friend, Goldie.  We are grateful for the gift of time and love she shared with each of us.  We are sending her back to you for a pepperoni and a scratch in her favorite spot, although, we really wanted you both to stay here with us forever."

Sanity Check

Mother Nature wreaked havoc on the Oregon Coast this week.  Homes were evacuated, raging rivers flooded their banks, the power was out and entire communities became cut off from the outside world by landslides.

Undaunted, these citizens watched out for each other during the storms and continue to help each other dig out from under tons of silt, water, and trees.  Often sending a distressed plea through social media for others to check on loved ones when the roads were washed away.  This small community banded together and the heartwarming stories are many.

We fared much better than most, only losing a pine tree to the wild winds.  It snapped off 16 feet up, unceremoniously dropping the upper half on the fence.  At the coast they jokingly call this "having your firewood delivered to your door."  Many have had it delivered by ocean waves this week, thankfully, not in our case.

The storms continue to batter the shore with lively thunder and lighting last night and another high wind warning alert for tomorrow.  Just as you are considering a sanity check might be in order, a moment (like the one pictured here) comes along.  The salty air whirls around you, the sky lightens and the birds once again take flight.  The calm before the next storm reminds you of why you live here.

From Our Home to Yours

Tis the season to receive delightful Christmas letters from friends far and wide.  Letters that eloquently describe their lives filled with fantastic vacations, children becoming doctors and new homes in gated communities.  In the spirit of the “holiday letter,” we offer our own newsy communiqué…

We hope this letter finds you as happy and healthy as we are, grateful for so much as we enjoy the beauty of the season.   Living the dream and wanting some help around the house, this year we were fortunate enough to secure the services of a personal monkey butler named, Mr. Jeeves. 

While it took us a while to understand each other, things have worked out swimmingly.  This summer, Mr. Jeeves was quite a help around the yard too.  On warm summer days when Bob was busy clearing brush and cutting back blackberry bushes, Mr. Jeeves jockeyed on the front of the riding lawnmower, drinking PBR with his little aviator hat flapping in the breeze.

Mr. Jeeves’ domestic skills have improved dramatically.  He learned how to set a beautiful table, pour the wine, and serve each course from left to right.  Although he is terribly shy and won’t actually perform any of those duties when we have guests, retreating to the comfort of his bunk and cable shows when they arrive.  Who doesn’t want to binge on Sister Wives from time to time?

This fall was a busy one with back-to-back events in Las Vegas.   Imagine my surprise when I checked into the fancy casino hotel, opened my suitcase and out popped a stowaway, Mr. Jeeves!  Dressed in an outfit that would have made Liberace jealous, he bolted for the door saying something about showgirls.   A few days later, I was getting dressed for work as the sun was rising when I heard a knock at the door.  Mr. Jeeves was back looking exhausted and a bit under the weather.  He ambled in, pulled the blackout shades closed, put on his satin sleep mask and climbed into bed. 

He was still there when I returned 14 hours later although the room service trays led me to believe he had been awake at some point.  The little scalawag had run up quite a bill, but nothing compared to the mini-bar charges I saw upon checkout.  Anyway, we will write that off to a well-deserved vacation for our favorite personal monkey butler.

Back in Netarts, Mr. Jeeves has been on his best behavior, now that Tillamook County has arranged to drop the charges for an earlier misunderstanding with several tourists.  He has agreed to sign on for another year and we are thrilled. 

From Our Home to Yours, Here’s to an Exciting 2016!