Back to Oregon...

Oh my swirling head! First we were in Oregon and camping and exploring all points between here and there, then we came home to sad, sad news and our week became about comforting friends as best we could. And then snap! we were in Wisconsin and absorbing love and sunlight and zucchini bread!

Geoff did his magic and made my computer cooperate, so that finally I can download pictures. Downloading pictures, for me, is as essential as deep breathing, or pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, and I have been lost without my latest photographs... but now there is the dilemma: Do I clean house, share Oregon memories, stay current and share our Wisconsin vacation, or get really on top of things and write about Alex and Max heading back to school? It sort of messes with my sensibilities to mix them all up, which is really hysterically ironic, since the real mix-up is the way the house looks right now. Why doesn't it mess my sensibilities to have the results of Maria's 2 hour paper cutting lesson all over the carpet? Grin.

Well, let's go back to Oregon. I should look at the calendar and remind myself when we were there etc... nah... Let's see... our first full day there was grandmother Eunice's 85th birthday and in her honor we went to the farmer's market in search of local tastees and to enjoy the sights of Coos Bay.


Uncle Dan, Grampa Ronnie, Great-Grandma, Aunt Becky, Max, Alex and William. Maria is holding my leg and my Mom is getting some delicious cranberry-hazelnut bread for breakfast.


My mother makes jewelry and I really, really wish she had a blog and a little Etsy shop, so everyone could see lots of examples of her silver, gold and bead work. She sells in Oregon galleries and shops. She's probably busy enough without having to keep up a blog. She calls her business "BogBeads" in deference to the many cranberry bogs in their neck of the woods. I think of her beads when ever I see fresh berries, like these blackberries from her yard. Beautiful jewelry can be as enticing and tempting as sweet berries!


Delia works at home. Oh my goodness what a wonderland her work area is! Imagine drawers, baskets, boxes and table tops overflowing with beads, gem stones, pearls, tools, wire, threads... and outside her window is the forest; green and serene.


Maria was very mature and respectful and somehow managed to restrain herself. She spilled only one bag of very teeny-tiny beads, and then she was very pleased to help scoop each one up. No harm. No foul. Grin.


I have seen my Mom enjoy many aspects of jewelry making and her latest interest is in making rings, either of gold or silver. Here she is making a gold twisted ring with a plump freshwater pearl.


I need to ask my Mom for the name of this shop. It's an art gallery in Coos Bay, right there with the farmer's market, so if you find yourself in Coos Bay, you can go see her rings, earrings, necklaces and lots of other beautiful artwork, like paintings, textiles, and instruments. After you shop, ask a local to point out "Foodies." It's the smallest food stand ever and it serves only 3 items, all of which are scrumptious.


I took hundreds of photographs in Oregon and the whole trip there and back was wonderful. It will take me a long time to go through all of my pictures and I may never get around to completely summarizing all the things we did and saw. I was with family; that's the main point, the highlight, the inspiration for wanting to go back again soon.