Saturday

Jesse, Erin and her parents came over last night for a simple dinner of pizza and salad.  Don and Susan were leaving in the morning and  the weather was so lovely we all enjoyed sitting outside at the picnic table until well after dark.

Dave, Susan, Erin, Jesse and Don

Today, the dogs had a lazy morning while Dave and I went to Jesse and Erin's to meet for a trip to the famous Eugene Farmer's Market.

The roses surrounding their front door are wild and exuberant.  Red ones, pink ones and they smell wonderful.  This is a really cute house, it fits them well and I know they will miss it when they have to leave.

Oh Dave.....
(and yes, he did bring me one of those roses)

Jesse's Ruby gently kisses Dave while Erin's Kikan snuggles close - what a welcome

The market was as good as I remembered it.  We shopped for dinner tomorrow.  Jesse and Erin will cook for us.   We  started our walk around  the booths with a delicious cup of coffee and a pastry.   Then we got down to business and started making our purchases.

Jesse and Erin with carrots and tiny strawberries

I can hardly believe the size of these morels.
Dave thinks they look like Lewis' tail!

this display of chard reminds me of bouquets of flowers

now we've added asparagus, morels, green onions, cukes, a red onion and some gorgeous pink peonies

some people carry their recently purchased produce in cloth bags.
Other people carry their little blond children in cloth bags!

   

Later, Jesse and Erin had dinner with some of their graduating friends and Dave and I had a nice, quiet supper at Beluga.  We built a little fire and enjoyed a grilled chicken sandwich that Tom  calls a "bushy tail", at least thats what I think he calls it.  Grilled chicken, bbq sauce, sharp cheddar and bacon on a grilled onion roll.  I cut up some of our Farmer's Market veggies just to stay on the healthy side!  Another nice evening.

sweet Ruby

Friday - Jesse and Erin's Terminals

Terminal.....that word doesn't describe yesterday.  It sounds negative, and yesterday was anything but negative.

It was a long, exciting, gratifying, tiring, busy, happy and proud day for all of us.   Jesse has finished his Master's of Architecture program and we were lucky enough to be at the presentation of his terminal studio project.  Erin's parents, her brother and sister-in-law and their tiny beautiful baby daughter were there for both presentations also.

Dave  entering the Architecture bldg.

last minute details in the studio

explaining the finer points of the project to dad

model makers - father and son

the guys put together a book detailing the key aspects of the project

Jesse explains their concept of the Nordic Heritage Museum to the first of three reviewers

the "dream team" plus one in front of their  project

the three men silently pulling for Erin during her presentation

Erin, her dad, a reviewer (seated) and Erin's mom

The day was busy.   Finding a parking space on campus with the NCAA Collegiate Track Championship going on (Eugene is nicknamed Track Town for a reason!) and various other end of the year affairs was no easy matter.    Jesse called us as we were approaching campus and gave us the location of a few empty spots, so we were in!    It was brilliantly sunny and  warm for our walk to the Architecture bldg. - the gods were smiling on us I think!    The campus was in bloom and guess who had to stop and do guess what.....

Oh Dave.......

We chatted with Jesse while he as finishing up some last minute details then went in to see Erin's presentation to the reviewers.  She did a wonderful job, got compliments and good feedback from the team.   Afterward, she went home for a much needed snooze, her parents and brother/et al got some lunch and Dave and I walked back to the jeep and headed back to Beluga for lunch and a potty break for Lewis and Sasha.

An hour later we were back on campus, looking for a spot to park again.   We couldn't believe our luck when we found one fairly close to our destination.   Reason it was empty is because the meter only took quarters, and a quarter only bought 12 minutes.    We fed it all the quarters we had and only got back a stupid blinking sign saying we had an hour and a half to stay there.   Grrrr.   We needed at least 4 hours!

Luckily the student union was just a few blocks down so we ran over there to get some change.  Back to the jeep, feed the beast, then back to the Architecture bldg.   Phew!

Jesse and his team gave their presentation, answered questions, and defended their decisions THREE different times, to three different reviewers.   The first was a Professor, the next were a Professor and an Architect and the last gentleman was a local businessman in the energy field.    Erin had her three reviewers all at once, only had to give her deal once, but Jesse and the guys had to do it over and over and over.

Jesse was happy and satisfied and proud of the hard work, mental and physical, put into this project.  The reviewers all asked different and interesting questions and Jesse had good answers to all.   We were just busting our buttons, we were so proud and impressed!


Jesse stayed to have a final group meeting with the Professors and take down their installation.   Dave and I walked back to the car and drove back to Beluga, completely exhausted.  (I know, I know, we had no reason  to be exhausted, but the emotion of the day had worn us out - who knew?)

Later we met everyone at one of our favorite Eugene restaurants, Marche, for a celebratory dinner.  It was a perfect way to end a really wonderful day.

Marche's beautiful courtyard

Oh, and congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bell - we love you!

Wednesday - Eugene

We're back in green Eugene

So, back to yesterday.   Lovely, sunny day again.  We took the dogs  to Heceta Beach for a good romp before Mr. David's Mobile Grooming Salon arrived for Lewis' trim.   We got out of the jeep and walked the few hundred yards to the sand and I almost turned right back around again.  I couldn't see the ocean and barely saw the beach, it looked like a sand devil was blowing up a storm, churning all the sand into the air.   Wind on the beach is one thing, cold wind is one thing, sand swirling in a terrific wind is quite another, one I'm not interested in experiencing.      But....it was an odd color for sand, whitish almost.

Turns out it was not a sand storm, it was thick fog blowing off the ocean and across the beach.  The effect was really beautiful.   Blue sky and sun above, a layer of fog at eye level and the sand almost glowing at our feet.    We snugged down our hoods and walked on into the mist.     It was a challenge for Lewis to see his green ball as it flew through the misty air.  You know he he rose to the occasion.

Lew charges off into the mist

(pay no attention to that spot on the right, I fear my little camera has developed macular degeneration)

After an hour or so we decided to see how the river looked in the mist, so we walked  to the car and drove back to a wide spot in the road, next to the river's overflow.    No mist!   The tide was out and it was a perfect time to walk along the river bottom.

Sasha enjoyed all the new, muddy smells and.....

and Lewis chased every crow he saw.....

Finally it was time for Mr. David to arrive, so we loaded the muddy dogs up, drove back up the hill to Beluga and rinsed them both off just in time for our appointment.

Lewis and Mr. David  discussed the location, neither liked the picnic table in the sun.

after the grooming table was set up in the bushes, they both were much happier and the trimming began.

Hummingbirds, Western Jay's and Chickadees kept right on eating at the feeders above the "boys" heads.
Lewis has never been in a salon with birds before.

We left the tired and nicely groomed dogs in Beluga and went out to dinner.  We'd heard about a new-ish restaurant (Homegrown) that served Albacore Fish and Chips so we had to try it.   As I said last night - fabulous but very filling.   The fresh cut french fries with malt vinegar were pretty good too, maybe they put us over the edge.

or, perhaps it was the homemade Marionberry pie.   Oh my we were full.

Florence gets an wonderful NPR radio channel and we sat  in the car watching  the sun go down while listening to Brazilian pianist, Nelson Freire play Chopin.    It was a perfect ending to a wonderful visit to Florence.

second cup inside this morning, chilly outside even in the sun

After second cup we left Harbor Vista County Park and turned east toward Eugene.  Travel on 126 is always lovely, and it was a short drive.   We stopped at a truck weigh station to weigh each of Beluga's axles in preparation for the installation of her new "sneakers" next week.

I had a nice phone conversation with Barb (she just bought a cute little condo in Webster) and one with Tom and Robin who were on their way to Steve's wedding.   Wish we were there, but important things are happening here in Eugene right now.    We got last minute parking instructions from Jesse and then settled down in our lovely, green home for the next two weeks.

afternoon cocktails in our new back yard

Tomorrow is Jesse and Erin's terminal studio and then a celebratory dinner with them and her family.  Can't wait!

Tuesday - leaving in the morning

We just got back from a fab. and  filling dinner of albacore fish and chips, now we're having trouble keeping our eyes open for tonight's movie.

last day at the beach

Check in tomorrow, I'll be awake then, I promise.

Monday - windy beach day

Second cup outside in the sun, yes!  Its still very windy from the north but we seem to be just a little sheltered in our site so we had the chance to sit outside again this morning.   The sky is beautifully blue but the tops of the tall pines around us are waving in wild  circles over our heads and we're glad we can hunker down here and enjoy our coffees in peace.

That being said, we (I) needed to get to the ocean for a long walk, wind be d amned!  After lunch we took the dogs to Heceta Beach, just a mile or so away.

big, wide, windswept Heceta beach

Lewis and Dave played ball, what else do you do on a beach?  I leaned into the wind and walked down the beach with Sasha following in my footsteps.  She's not really interested in being sandblasted so she stays behind me out of the wind.   Smart old gal....

Today she decided to do some of her impressions.....I was able to capture them for you.

here she is playing Sally Fields as the Flying Nun

and here she portrays her favorite Rorschach Inkblot

 

A couple of hours on the sand and we were all thoroughly exfoliated and exhausted so we called it quits and headed into Florence to take care of a few necessary errands.  Thats pretty much all for today.

Sunday - BCA

I'm sitting here in the early evening sunshine, listening to the pas de deux from the Nutcracker Suite on Sirius.   We just got back from an unexpected and delicious dinner at the river and I'm a totally happy camper.   I'm getting used to this No TV thing, and its turning out to be just fine.   The dinner was unexpected in that we had just run out to pick up some take-out bbq only to find out Craig's family bbq wasn't open tonight....

We drove into Old Town Florence to see if 1285 Restobar was open, and it was.  We got a table in the window so we could keep an eye on the dogs in the jeep and settled down for dinner.   It was fabulous!  Herb Crusted Halibut with Shrimp Sauce, mmmmm.  The atmosphere was friendly and the place was full of locals.  So, now we're back home and getting ready to watch a movie.


We spent most of the day listening to the NASCAR race on the radio.  It was over by about 2:30 and since it was windy and quite cool out, Dave suggested building a campfire.   Great idea, we had some left over wood to burn and the nice hot fire was delightful and sort of decadent to sit by in broad daylight!

Sasha takes her usual post NASCAR snooze

Lewis supervises from a distance

birds were singing maddeningly out of sight

finally we located this spotted Towhee singing its little heart out for us

a fire perfect for toasting marshmallows, if we only had some

Rhododendron shadows dapple Beluga

On the way home from dinner we stopped along the river to watch the wind reconfigure the sand dunes on the other side.

wind is a mighty force here

Suislaw River beach behind our campground with the ocean in the distance

Saturday, June 1 - a day for Dave

Its pretty late and we've just gotten home from a lovely birthday dinner with Jesse.  I'll keep this post short.

Dave is taking a birthday phone call from brother Mike this morning

Second cup outside - YES!!!

Couldn't get a good picture of Dave and Jesse eating birthday cake - they were moving way too fast!

Good cake

Happy Birthday dear man......