Where did the year go?

Today is Thanksgiving and as I sit here listening to the sound of rain falling on the porch around my mom's house, I can't help but think where did this year go? I mean, it's the end of November already and I feel like the summer came and went without so much as a "hey there, how's it going?"

I've made a few promises to myself, one being that next year I'll take a road trip. Even if it's just down to Reno to visit friends, or over to Yellowstone for a few days. Whatever I decide, I have to do SOMETHING. Even though I didn't get to do as much as I hoped I would this year, I did manage to squeeze in a few treks. I'll drop in a few photos here so you can see where I've been over the last five months (since my last post).

Let's see...where to start? Of course! My early morning sunrise moment. One day when I was heading down to mom's house, in July or August, I think. I left my apartment when it was dark, so I could meet my sister for coffee before she started her 7am shift. So, somehow after waking up at 3:30am, I had enough brain function to think 'I should take my camera so I can get a shot of the sunrise if i see one'. So I did. I took my camera. And just about the time I hit Corvallis, I noticed the sun starting to peek over the horizon and decided I'd better stop for a picture. I happened to pass this perfectly picturesque wheat field, and knew I had to go back and take a picture. These pictures don't even do justice to how pretty it was. I'm a sucker for sunrises/sunsets. They're the perfect piece of art, and are different everyday.

That morning, the light was almost surreal, as if I were in a movie. There was nobody else on that road and it was just me and the sun. I know, I know. I sound like a dork. Newsflash! I am!! :) But I just really liked the moment I was having. It was a good moment, in that magical light and I'm glad I had my camera with me!

Moving on...

I did manage to go camping only a few times this summer. What a sad state of affairs!! I promise myself I'll go camping more next year. One of the trips, I trekked down to Siltcoos Lake near Florence. My family used to go there every summer. We would stay at Nightengale's Fish Camp and visit with The Hahns. Well, this summer when I rediscovered it as an adult, I was flooded with memories of my sister and I catching polliwogs and salamanders in the lily pads, speeding around the lake on our 22ft Starcraft boat, enjoying the fight of Blue Gil and Crappy as we caught them from the docks. The Hahns of course are no longer there. They sold out over ten years ago to a nice couple who still own it. And when I told her my history with the place, she was happy to chat with me about all the "old times". Sadly, the lake was hit hard after the 1996 floods and the fish population hasn't rebuilt. The lake is over-fished, but has slightly fewer weeds and it still quite beautiful.

My campsite was at the very edge of the lake, below the now non-working railroad tracks. (The same tracks that used to carry the trains that would wake us up at 3am!) Most of the patrons of Nightengale's are summer dwellers – they are retired and live there in the summer. What a life!! I chatted with a few of the old-timers there and felt very much at home. Regardless of whether there's fish in that lake or not, it's beautiful! And very peaceful to wake up to after a long night around the campfire.

While I was by Siltcoos, I decided to "find out where that road goes..." and took a skinny, winding little road around the lake. Ended up on the top of the hill on a power line road and had a great little view of the valley below and the ocean. Very cool. Wish I had the Jeep for that trip though!!

I went a few other places, did a few other things...but these are the ones that I had my camera with me. I'll post a few more pics another time. Gotta spend some time with the family...Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!