Exploring Prospect Oregon

26 Aug 2017 4 Comments

by beyondcinderella in General Updates, Health and Exercise, Travel

Bill and I are spending the summer getting to know Oregon. We’ve seen some amazing and beautiful sights. It’s hard for me to say what I loved the most about our summer Oregon adventure to date. I don’t have words to give justice to the  beautiful Oregon Coast. And we are amazed at how many waterfalls there are in Oregon. Seems like every place we’ve visited had numerous beautiful waterfalls to see, and amazing hiking trails.

This week Bill and I went to see the Mill Creek Waterfall. It’s a little hidden jewel within the woods around the town of Prospect. The air is very smokey from the wildfires that are contained, but still burning themselves out, just outside of Prospect. But that didn’t take away from the experience once you get there.

We hiked up to the waterfall viewing spot, and sat and just enjoyed the beauty of the forest, and the waterfall cascading down from the mountain. So, so, peaceful.

The hiking trails around the waterfall are very pretty as well. Its like walking through an enchanted forest.

When we left the Mill Creek area, we went a short distance down the road to the Rogue River Gorge. The hike we took here started where the water coming into the Gorge looked calm.

But very quickly picked up speed as we made our way down the trail along the Gorge…

Of course the rushing water took on very different looks as the Gorge widened and narrowed, but all of it was amazing and really gave us a sense of the power of nature.

You never know who, or what, you will meet up with when you are hiking through the forest. This little guy/girl was slowly making its way across the forest floor towards the water. Looks like a snail without it’s shell to me.

This tree stump caught our eye and we just had to go over and read the sign in front of it that read “Living Stump: On the flat surface of the lava flow, away from the Gorge wall, the trees live as a group rather than as individuals, the roots of these Douglas-Firs have grown together, providing each other with nutrients and water. Before it was cut, the roots of this tree had grafted onto those of a neighbor. Because of this, the stump continues to live”. I find that AMAZING, and I LOVE that!!!

Wouldn’t it be wonderful, if everyone in the world, would take a lesson from these trees, and help one another (family, neighbors, strangers..), like that? Just imagine what a beautiful world that would be.

Stay Tuned!

Crater Lake

16 Aug 2017 6 Comments

by beyondcinderella in Food, General Updates, Humor, Travel

I know I said I didn’t think I would be able to do any blog postings here at Crater Lake RV Park, in Prospect Oregon. But we were finally able to get logged into the free WiFi they offer here, and even though it is really, really, SLOW, it’s free, and presents an “opportunity” for me to practice patience.

I read somewhere that you should never pray for patience, because then God will send you many, many, challenges in your life, to help you learn patience. Unfortunately, for me…, I didn’t read that until I had already prayed for many years for patience. That said, I do have my limits on how much patience I can endure. So I will keep my postings short and sweet due to the fact that I could do a load of laundry while I’m waiting for my pictures to load..

Anyway, we arrived, and are all settled into our lovely campsite for the next six weeks.  Surrounded by lots of big shade trees, and parked right next door to one of several camp hosts here in the privately owned RV Park. I met the owner of this adorable RV Park this morning when I was taking my walk. We chatted it up for a while, and she told me if we ever want to come here and spend the summer hosting for her, she would love to have us. She said her hosts work one day on, and three days off…one on, and three off… Sounds pretty sweet to me, and if we were ever going to come back this way for a summer we would look into taking her up on her offer. Great way to see this beautiful area with free space, free full hook-ups, free propane, and even free Dish TV… Sweet deal!

 

After we finished getting settled in this morning, we couldn’t wait to go and see Crater Lake, which is only 30 miles from our campsite. OMG! It is everything we have been told it would be and MORE! I’ve never seen a lake with that color of blue water. The next two pictures are what I decided to keep out of 22 pictures I took. I will make one of them my background picture for my FB page.

After a quick view of Crater Lake, we stopped by the Visitor Center to find out about boat trips to the island in Crater Lake. You can fish for free in Crater Lake, but it is another 700 ft hike down to the lake, and of course the same distance to get back up after your finished fishing… And, don’t forget you have to carry all your fishing gear down to the lake, and back up again, not to mention that 20 plus pound big fish you are going to catch… And, the only rule is you can’t clean fish at the lake. You have to pack them out and clean them at home… After the 700 ft. up/down hill hike Bill and I just completed at Mirror Lake, we are still pondering if we are up to this next 700 ft. challenge. More on that later

On the way home, we stopped by an adorable little ice cream shop “Cones and More” Bill “took one for the team” again, and tried their ice cream. And, right next door is a little restaurant that has been in that family since 1922. We will go there for breakfast or lunch sometime soon.

In the yard between the ice cream shop and the restaurant, which is owned by the same family, along with the country store and B-B-Q smoker across the street…, is this HUGE chair and end table. Big enough for the Jolly Green Giant to sit in. Of course I had to have Bill take a picture to show this off. He said all you need now is a BIG glass of wine to match the chair and end table…  Well, OK, I guess I’ll take one for the team…  bring it on.. Good thing I didn’t have any wine, because it was harder getting out of that huge chair than it was getting into it. Ha!  🙂

LOVE it here, and can’t wait to explore all this area has to offer.

Stay tuned!

 

Winding Down, And Moving On

12 Aug 2017 6 Comments

by beyondcinderella in General Updates

I’ve been trying to think of how I could recap our time in and around Viento State Park Oregon. First of all one cannot spend any amount of time in this campground and not mention the train, the train, OMG boss, the train…

To be honest, Bill and I both read all the reviews about the VERY active train line here in Viento State Park. But, shame on us…, we just thought “it can’t be that bad”.  Well let me tell you, read, and BELIEVE , every review if you are going to stay here any length of time like we did, two full weeks… We thought we would “learn to love the train, or get used to the train…” NO!!! We have not had a decent nights sleep from the time we arrived… And, we are so looking forward to leaving on Tuesday. But, that said, it has been an experience that I’m glad we had. Living on the road is all just one big experience, and is what I think “full-time RV’s live for…  It makes us appreciate when we are parked somewhere quiet…

And, Bill and I have seen some amazing things, while putting up with that train. Like Multnomah Falls.

 

We visited the fish hatchery,

and. I captured this picture, that looks to me like the fish pond lit up, Just thought this was interesting.

Of course we have visited the Columbia River Gorge many times since we arrived.. Never get tired of looking at that.

 

 

Then, today, we took the Mirror Lake hike… Oh, my… listed as “easy” on one of the websites we visited.

In reality, it is a 700 ft steady climb to the lake. Bill and I hike a lot, and I would never say this hike was “easy” I would say moderate to hard..

Beautiful trails along the way..

And lots of unique things to see..

Lots of rocky, challenges ,along the hike..

But the view of the lake is worth it.. Except we left home at 8:30, and arrived by 9:45 and the very small parking lot was full. So, we had to park at least a half a mile away, at the ski lodge, and hike that half-mile just to get to the trail head, and of course back again,  which all said and done,was a 6.5 mile hike round trip.

 

Both Bill and I were exhausted, and ready for some lunch, by the time we reached the lake, but we couldn’t find a spot down by the lake because people were all over that on a Saturday… S0, we found a rock to have our lunch… I LOVE the next two pictures of Mr. Adorable enjoying his lunch on a rock we found…

 

As we were making our way back down the trail… we came across this unique tree sculpture where visitors thought they needed to add a little enhancement with rock eyes, and rock teeth….

Loved our time here.

Leaving soon.

Stay Tuned!

 

 

Trillium Lake, Oregon

09 Aug 2017 4 Comments

by beyondcinderella in General Updates, Health and Exercise, Travel

Today, Bill and I took a scenic drive to Trillium Lake. We stopped on our way along the side of the road so I could capture this picture of the mighty Mt. Hood. So reminds me of the first time I saw the Grand Tetons.

When we arrived at Trillium Lake, we were greeted and captivated, for the entire afternoon, by the stillness of the water (minus a few tiny ripples when a row-boat, or paddle board, goes by), and the sight of Mt. Hood in the background, casting its mirror image on the lake.

The water of Trillium Lake is crystal clear.

The lake itself is not natural: “The boggy meadows here were submerged by a dam built across Mud Creek in 1960.” But, regardless how the lake was built, it is beautiful, and the perfect place for folks that want to spend time in nature and having fun on the water.

The hike around Trillium Lake is a lovely 2 miles.

Around every curve in the trail is another opportunity to stop…, and take in all this area has to offer, like these pretty purple wild flowers that surround the lake.

I couldn’t resist getting a picture of these three canoes, one red, one silver, and one black, just lined up in a row on the edge of the water. So inviting..

As we made our way around the lake, I just loved how the trees seemed to part, and make space for me to take another picture of the lake and all the beautiful trees that surround it. Bill and I shared a lovely picnic lunch enjoying views just like this.

And how could anyone, with a camera in their hand, resist taking a picture of this adorable little blue canoe, sitting on the edge of the water between the trees, just waiting for someone to get in and take a spin around the lake? I couldn’t!

Another beautiful day exploring the FABULOUS state of Oregon.

Stay Tuned!

 

 

Lavender Field And Blueberry Patch

07 Aug 2017 6 Comments

by beyondcinderella in Food, General Updates, Travel

Oh my, my, my, what a lovely, fun-filled day Bill and I enjoyed yesterday. We took a drive to a beautiful lavender field near Mt. Hood. Bill and I have never been to a lavender field, and it was a real treat for the senses.

When you arrive at this lavender field, you are greeted by this adorable little purple farm stand that just begs you to sit a spell and take in all the beautiful lavender aroma. Inside the building are lavender products of every kind. Soaps, body mist, bunches of dried lavender, bath bombs, lip balm, etc. I could stand in that little shop all day just taking in the smell of lavender.

 

Then we made our way out into the lavender field… So, so, beautiful. Bees were very busy, busy, busy, but not one of them paid any mind to me taking pictures all around them.

The green, tree-covered hills, surrounding the lavender plants, and the smell of lavender in the air, just make you feel like you are in a dream…

We didn’t know that there are several varieties of lavender plants. Some are almost white in color, and each has a very unique scent.

We finally had to tear ourselves away from the lavender field, and made our way to a “u-pick” blueberry patch. Bill and I had never picked blueberries before, and we are so glad we stopped and had this experience. This blueberry patch had three different types of blueberries, each tasting different. We sampled a few of each type and decided on the taste we liked best.

We started off picking the blueberries one by one. Then, we very quickly learned the fastest way to pick blueberries is to put your hand under a big bunch and roll them very gently between your fingers…

And, in no time at all we had our bucket almost full. YUM!

We stopped and had lunch, then made our way down to the edge of the Columbia River Gorge, to watch the activity on the water, and the cars going across the toll bridge over to Washington State.

Another day of “firsts” for Bill and I here in Oregon.

Stay Tuned!

 

 

Starvation Creek Falls, Oregon

05 Aug 2017 6 Comments

by beyondcinderella in General Updates, Happy Ever After, Health and Exercise, Travel

Bill and I took an amazingly beautiful hike today at Starvation Creek State Park, located in Oregon, just west of Hood River.

One of the trails we hiked was called “starvation creek” because it was said that a train was stopped there by snow drifts, and passengers had to dig out the train. No one actually starved there. The passengers were kept from starvation by men who packed supplies in from Hood River on skis.

There are several amazing waterfalls in the area. The first waterfall we saw was coming down from the top of a mountain, in a beautiful water cascade, that flowed down to a small creek at the bottom of the mountain. Huge, green trees, all around the area, made for lots of shade, and a beautiful picture.

The second waterfall we saw wasn’t as big, and I didn’t notice anything strange about it, until I got home, and started looking at the pictures I took. That’s when I noticed what looks to me, to be the image of a face of a man inside the waterfall. Don’t know if my sighted readers can see it, but Bill said he does. The man’s face is towards the top of where the waterfall begins. I can see two eyes, a nose, a mouth, and one ear. If you look closely, you can also see what looks to Bill and I like a snake that wraps around the man’s head just in front of the man’s ear, going over his forehead, and over the other side of the man’s head. The snake looks like it has its mouth open… This was early morning and no, we were not drinking…Ha!

When we got to this next waterfall, the water was coming down so fast and hard, we could feel the mist spraying out over the surrounding rocks and trees. It felt wonderful just to stand there and let the cool mist spray over us too.

It was a lovely hike, with stunning views. Like this view I captured looking down from halfway up the mountain trail we were on. The 24/7 train that runs by our campground is in the foreground, and there were lots of sailboats, with colorful sails, out enjoying the waters of the Columbia River Gorge.

When we first started our hike, we saw two men hiking up to one of the waterfalls we were looking at. They were carrying a large ice chest cooler between them. One of the men had on a white shirt and tie, while the other was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. The man in the white shirt and tie left immediately after the ice chest was delivered. The other man was taking pictures, and we got to chatting with him, and found out the man in the white shirt and tie was his friend who was getting married this morning right at that very waterfall. I asked if the bride was going to hike all the way up there in her wedding gown and heals… and he said no, they were going to ride bikes up to the trailhead, and then it was just a very short distance to the waterfall. He said the bride would be wearing a wedding dress, but it was not a big, puffy bottom gown. He said we might see the bride and groom getting married when we make our way back down the mountain after our hike. And, sure enough we did. An adorable young couple were saying their wedding vowels just as we arrived back to that spot. The bride was in a long white gown, but it was more straight fitting, and something like you would see when a couple are getting married on the beach…

As we made our way down to the beginning of the trailhead, we saw the “bikes” the bride and groom rode in on… How adorable is this three wheel bike with a sign on the back that reads “just married” complete with the traditional tin cans tied to the back of it?

Yet another fun-filled day in Oregon…

Stayed Tuned!

Columbia River Gorge

03 Aug 2017 6 Comments

by beyondcinderella in Finding Peace, General Updates, Travel

We are all settled in at Viento State Park in Oregon, right on the Columbia River Gorge, which of course is one of the seven wonders of Oregon. Bill and I will get to spend some quality time at three of the seven wonders of Oregon while we are here. In addition to the Columbia River Gorge, and Mt. Hood, we will spend six weeks in Prospect Oregon, which is about 30 miles from Crater Lake, which is another of the seven wonders of Oregon.

Our campsite here in Viento is nothing to dance and shout about… but the surrounding area just outside the campground is gorgeous!

 

Shantel, the trees are amazing. Huge, with branches full of leaves that cascade down to the ground.

There are trains that run 24/7 right beside the park and every time one passes by the park they are required to blow their horn at least four times, and it is loud! The pictures I took today are all cloudy looking, but actually it is smoke from wildfires burning in Montana and Washington State. The wind is carrying the smoke all over our area…

This next picture shows how close the train tracks are to the campground. There is a fence pole just a couple of feet to the left of the train tracks and that is the gate to our campground.

Papa/Bill and I took a walk down to see the Columbia River Gorge this morning and saw a big ship pushing a barge down the river. Just on the other side of the Columbia River Gorge is Washington State.

Papa and I decided we both needed to dip our toe in the Columbia River Gorge… just to say we did. The next picture is Papa going first.

Then, I took my turn, and tried to be as graceful as possible, while trying to balance on one foot as I dipped the toe of my other foot in the river.

This next picture is just showing the mountains on the Washington State side of the river.

And another shot of a huge rock, as big as a small mountain, sitting out in the middle of the river.

Papa/Bill and I decided to ditch the freeway, and took a nice drive up Historic Highway 30 to the city of Dalles. It is the largest city on the Oregon side along the Columbia River, outside of the Portland Metropolitan area. It was a beautiful scenic drive up one side of a mountain and down the other side. We could see the smoke from the wildfires even more as we got closer to the top of the mountain.

Everywhere you look are big beautiful trees, mountains, and of course that spectacular Columbia River Gorge.

 

Papa/Bill took a picture of me sitting on a wall overlooking all the scenery, and I said “yep, nothing but just pure beauty everywhere you look”. Ha!

We had lunch at the Dalles, and even through all the smoke-filled air…it was still a beautiful day. And, I’m hoping all this smoke will make for a spectacular sunset picture since I never did get one at the ocean.

Shantel, Papa and I love and miss you and are so proud of you.

Stay Tuned!

 

 

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