Janet Brien's photos

(+5 insets) (Please click! Wonderful crow details await!) (Sscroll down to "Today's Image" for photo info) Notes Written on the Road: The Elderly Gentleman On my walks I often encounter folks along the way, and sometimes I run into them again during the same stroll! One fellow brings a smile to myself when I think about him. One morning I was walking up North Harris Beach and I noticed a person standing stock still at the base of a craggy boulder where the waves were creeping up with the tide. Hands held at his side, he was staring intently at something where the water hit the rocks. As the waves sank back, he crept closer, penguin-style. If the waves got too close he waggled backwards. What a funny sight! By the time I made it to the rock he'd been scooting back and forth on, he'd backed away from his tenuous position and disappeared up the beach. I couldn't help wondering what he'd been looking at. Later I trekked up the trail that winds around and leads up to the small but impressive Harris Butte which overlooks the coast and boasts a fabulous view. (I shared a picture in my last presentation) On the way, who should I meet but the fellow I'd seen on the beach! As we passed, I had my opportunity to quell my curiosity and after wishing him a good morning, asked, "What were you looking at down there on the beach?" He smiled widely, remembering where he'd seen me and reported proudly, "I saw two starfish, one purple, the other orange! I thought there was another one but the waves kept coming in and I didn't want to get soaked." I congratulated him and told him that I might try looking myself another day. I would see him for three more days on this trail and each time we said hello as we passed one another. I loved that he was so active and interested in the beauty of Harris Beach and wondered how he came to be there and if he was a full-time traveler. It would have been fun to have a chat with him. In the end, I never did check out the side of that rock down at the edge of the water but I can picture the starfish that he saw. (I wish I'd gotten a picture of him at some point but it wasn't in the cards.) A Note to Introduce Today's Picture Harris Beach State Park is unique because it has two wonderful beaches: North and South. Between them sits a boulder-glutted area and a very large, healthy tide pool--all of which can be scrambled around when the tide is low. Further bi- and trisecting the beaches, a number of creeks empty out into the ocean in several places and create lagoons or busy streams which snake down to the water's edge. Crossing them to continue walking along the beach can be a simple wide stretch with some momentum, a careful hop or a running leap. Alternatively, one may choose to abandon any decorum whatsoever and splash across or, for those who really don't want to get soaked, the adventurous can climb over the cobbled driftwood and rocks that collect at the tops of the beaches where the streams come down the hillside. The streams running down to the ocean are very popular with the local birdlife and there are usually a cluster of seagulls hanging out, bathing, or hunting for a meal. Plovers, oyster-catchers, and sandpipers are also regular visitors too. Today's Picture One day I walked to the edge of one of the streams emptying out into the ocean and watched a crow with something in its beak. It would toss it in the water and then pick it up again. Then it would walk to another spot and do it again. I wasn't sure what it was up to but I think it was washing the sand off of its goody! The main picture shows this crow eying its morsel. (Please see this picture at full-size, it's best viewed large!) Today's Insets Along with the crow image, I'm including a few more: • a portrait of the crow that shows its treat (a slice of ham? Pastrami?) • a shining abstract of charred driftwood • the a driftwood still life that includes the charred driftwood • beautiful lines showing rippling stream water • a collage of images to show the pretty millipede I saw on the beach Thank You For Your Visit, Comments & Stars! What fun to read what you have to say about my latest presentation! It's so enjoyable to learn a tidbit that relates to you or if you have a favorite image. Likewise, I really love to hop around the world through the lenses of your cameras to see what you're sharing today, and to let you know what I think too! :) Hope you had a wonderful weekend and crossing your fingers that this coming week is great too! Explored on 11/21/21; highest placement #4.

(+7 insets) (seeing larger shows some fun fence detail!) (Please scroll down to "Today's Image" for photo info) Notes Written on the Road: You Never Know What You'll Find when Hiking! One day I was riding my bike around the campground loops when I saw what appeared to be a pet cat walking across the road. Couldn't be, I thought. I'd seen cats taken along on camping trips but they always had a harness and leash attached to a carefully attentive owner. And, anyone who's put a harness on a cat knows that such contraptions are mostly there for show…if a cat wants to escape, it can almost always contort its way easily out of a harness faster than Houdini! The reality of a missing cat on a road trip would be a total nightmare…just thinking about it makes me shudder. And yet, as I rode by, I confirmed what I saw: a lovely grey tabby strolling along with its tail held high over its back. I was amazed! Could there be a long-term host who had their cat with them? Something to ponder about. Later, Steve and I were walking around the loops with Pumpkin when we saw the cat again. Steve had seen it previously as well, and we both talked to it as we went by. The kitty was friendly enough that it didn't run away but couldn't be bothered to come over and visit. Fine by us, we had Pumpkin with us and didn't want it to approach anyway. The next morning I was on my walk, heading down the trail leading to North Harris Beach when I saw a couple of ladies with their dogs enjoying the view. Suddenly I saw a flash of movement--the cat! What was this?!! Was this their cat? A CAT going on a WALK?!! NO WAY!! I exclaimed in excitement, "I can't believe my eyes! Never in my life have I seen a CAT going on a WALK!" The two of them turned and laughed, nodding their heads. One said, "This is Whiskey! She really is amazing! Seriously--the first time we opened the door to let her out we thought, 'That's the last time we'll see the cat, she'll take off and never come back.' But she was fine!" I whooped my surprise as she continued, "She goes out and comes right back when we call! And when we go on walks, she comes with us! People are so surprised that they've been taking pictures of her and post them online--she's actually got her own Instagram account!" With another amazed, "WOW!!", I shook my head and stared in wonder as Whisky came running over when I knelt down to say hi. Running my hands over her soft, luxurious coat, I rubbed her ears and skritched under her chin as she rubbed up against me. I was in love--what a sweetheart! I learned that the ladies were sisters, traveling in their RV to Washington-one lived there, the other had joined her for this adventure from her home in California. "I always wanted to go on one of my sister's RV trips, and it's such fun that I'm going to figure out how to do it myself, full-time!" I told them about our adventures and plans, agreeing wholeheartedly that RV life is wonderful. Finally it was time to continue my walk, but before I did I asked them if I could take a picture of Whiskey and they couldn't be happier to say yes! :) What a wonderful encounter. :) Today's Picture We've been lucky enough to stay at a bunch of coastal campgrounds but Harris Beach is one of the best for dramatic, huge rocks. This battalion of boulders leading out to the sea also features unique and interesting shapes along with lovely coloring. And…what's that? There is a fence there, meant to keep curious kids off this sensitive and dangerous area. (The fence is at the beach-side of the park's day use parking area and includes a sign that asks people not to climb there.) Do you see the OTHER fence? This aerie's nest location marks the top of Harris Beach's little butte. It includes a jaw-dropping view of the coastline for all who make their way up the energizing trail to the top! (see inset!) Today's Insets The first inset shows the amazing view from the top of Harris Butte, featuring Goat Island, the largest island off the Oregon Coast and an important bird sanctuary. Other insets from my adventures here include: • A picture of Whisky for you to see--such a beautiful, dear cat! • An inviting beach driftwood fire on its way out (though the people left and should have doused it completely!) • South Harris Beach at low tide (that triangular rock is surrounded by waves at high tide!) • A picture of Steve enjoying photography on North Harris Beach • Extreme wind one day blew the tops of waves into a mist, shown here against a boulder off the coast • I saw a number of beautiful Yellow Spotted Millipedes on the beach and couldn't help getting this view, with my phone, no less! Thank You For Stopping By! It's sure been wonderful to get your blush-worthy comments and happy remarks--this never fails to make me feel very honored and lucky to be part of such a warm community of friends. When Steve and I are away in our RV, our internet is so inconsistent that trying to visit everyone is a trial in frustration, so I gave up. That being said, it's hard to be away and so now that we're home I've really enjoyed catching up with everyone! Here's hoping you guys have a lovely weekend! Explored on 11/20/21; highest placement #8.

(+5 insets) (seeing larger is better!) (Please scroll down to "Today's Image" for photo info) Notes Written on the Road: Morning Light at Harris Beach State Park It's hard to beat that gorgeous golden glow from Magic Hour. It gets me up and out of the trailer in anticipation of marvelous oohs and ahhs as I walk along, discovering one lovely sight after another. I was heading towards the far end of the campground loops when I was stopped in my tracks by what I saw. Some folks had started a campfire and the smoke was drifting softly through the trees. The sun shone down through the branches and created those magical beams of light we all love so much. In front of me was the dappled shadows on the pavement and grass and the star of the show was a camper van tucked under a tree at the side of the magical beams of light. I thought to myself, "WOW! That looks like an ad for Reserve America Campgrounds!" What a beautiful sight! I stood and stared for a moment when I noticed a bit of movement next to the van. I'd missed spotting a picnic table there but now I could see a woman, bundled up and contentedly reading a book, puffs of chilly breath rising up around her. Normally I would pass by quietly so as to not disturb her reverie but this time I had to intrude. "Good morning!" I called, and stepped close enough that she could see me around the bushes obscuring the table and campsite. She looked up in surprise and said, "Oh! Good morning!" "I'm sorry to disturb you but if you enjoy taking pictures of your campsites, there is a very magical view here from where I'm standing. The sunlight is creating beautiful shafts of light which make your van and campsite look amazing!" She put her book down, stood and turned to smile in excitement. "YES! Oh, THANK YOU! I'll go get my camera!" She clapped her mitten-covered hands and rushed to get into her van. Grinning back at her I departed with, "ENJOY! And have a lovely day!" She called back, "YOU TOO!!" As I continued my walk I felt so happy that I was able to share that moment! Today's Picture My main image shows the photo I took on my walk that I described above. Sometimes everything is just right and you are lucky enough to have a camera with you to capture the magic moment! Today's Insets I'm also including another group of images showing some of the neat things I've found on my morning walk… * Another view of the rugged coast at one of the Sunset Trail's benches… * The gorgeous dappling on the trail that leads down to South Harris Beach… * A collage of bunny pictures that show the fluffy little friend who I frequented on that path down to South Harris Beach… * A man enjoying a walk on South Harris Beach with his two very boisterous buddies… * And finally, the silly face I spotted on a tree trunk along Sunset Trail! Thank You For Stopping By! It is very humbling to get so many kind remarks from all of you who take the time to visit my pictures! There's no feeling like the waves of joy I feel, knowing that I've accomplished my goal: to make people happy with a gift I am so fortunate to have. At the same time, it's a very powerful experience to visit all of the incredible photography that you all share with us here on ipernity. I'm so glad to be part of this community. You're my online family and I couldn't be luckier to be a part of this fine group! Hope all of you are doing well on "Hump Day"! :) Explored on 11/17/21; highest placement #1.

(+6 insets) (Please scroll down to "Today's Image" for photo info) Notes From the Road: Exciting Times are Afoot! We Got Our First Vaccine Shot! The other morning Steve rushed into my room exclaiming, "I have some very important news!!" Holding his phone in front of me I read the headline: "Vaccine Now Available to All Oregon Residents Beginning April First." OMG! OMG OMG!! Steve and I immediately went to the registration site and were excited to learn that there was a vaccination event happening in three days, just an 8-minute's drive from Harris Beach State Park to Brookings! Furthermore, we were able to get appointments one after the other and in the late morning too. Huzzah! For the next couple of days we couldn't stop talking about our upcoming shots. Since vaccine research was first announced, I've kept tabs on developments but didn't fixate on them. Why work myself I into a lather every day? I watched the expanding distribution that began in December last year, and looked forward to the day we would finally qualify to get our first shots. In the end though, it was Steve who discovered we were eligible for our first shot! We arrived at the hospital early that day, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. It was a good thing because the paperwork took a while but soon we were sent back to a clinic room. We pulled our sleeves up and before we knew it, Steve and I were the very happy recipients of the Moderna version of the vaccine--as luck would have it, that was our preferred type! As I sit typing, it's the day after and I'm happy to report that neither of us have had any side effects whatsoever. I don't consider tenderness at the shot site a side-effect since that's a given whenever I get shots. I didn't sleep on my left side because the muscle is sore but that's normal. Steve only feels tenderness if he touches the spot where the needle went in. We don't expect any ill effects and feel great. We wonder if being on a keto lifestyle might have anything to do with lack of issues, though we do know that we've been extraordinarily healthy since we began this low-carb lifestyle years ago. We have appointments to return in a month, which will mean a four-hour drive each way to get from the campground we'll be at. We'd like to find somewhere closer but if we can't manage, we'll happily make the drive. The drive down and back up the rugged Oregon coast would be lovely so it's not something we'll worry about either way. :) I hope that folks are getting their vaccines too. In the end, even vaccinated there is a possibility of infection so we'll always need to be careful but what a relief it will be to have such great protection. (This post was originally written about April 10, 2021) Today's Picture Steve and I had such a great time on our hike to Loeb State Park! The trail was just the type we like, with plenty of elevation gain and loss, interesting curves in the trail, lots of variation in areas we walked through, including a lovely canopy of deciduous forest and traveling next to a river and various streams. I also loved the plants and flowers along the way. It really was such a pretty walk! At one point we found this old bench, made from logs, overtaken by moss and rotting away into nothing. I couldn't resist capturing this old relic and though it's not the greatest picture, I love the uniqueness of this hand-hewn place to sit, where one can look out at the pretty forest beyond and think about the good fortune of being there. Today's Insets The first picture would be perfect for Happy Fence Friday and shows an awe-struck view up a mossy-covered, boulder-strewn stream with a footbridge at the top and trees above. Steve and I couldn't get enough of this amazing spot and this is also my favorite picture of today's group! Other insets include the following: Logs beset by moss and shelf fungus, accented by dappled sunshine Another little stream waterfall A stream bed filled with boulders and accented by interesting branches to enjoy A lovely Wood Sorrel blossom sitting in its sea of leaves--any wonder why this is also called "False Clover"?! :) A vertical panorama featuring a dappled trail and the wonderful habitat we walked through Thank You For Stopping By! I've always have a great time romping about to see what each of you is up to. Such a wonderful way to get a fabulous world tour that includes photography of every sort, and many interesting things to read and think about. Hope you all have a lovely week ahead! :) Explored on 11/15/21; highest placement #1.

(+5 insets) (Please view large!) (Please scroll down to "Today's Image" for photo info) Notes Written During our Trip: Houston, We Have a Problem!! Whenever you go on an adventure, it's best to go with the understanding that things are bound to go wrong at some point. After all, how can you possibly be prepared for stuff you aren't even aware of? We've learned that taking care of problems as they arise without getting freaked out is the best policy and this has made our lives so much happier when we're out on the road. Case in Point: Um, the TV Isn't Supposed to Look Like That… Every night, Steve and I curl up in bed with Pumpkin and watch an episode of a tv show or part of a movie. Pumpkin gets a chance to settle down, preen her feathers and cuddle with us before we tuck her into her sleeping tent. On our first night away from home at lovely Harris Beach, I was getting things put away in the kitchen when I heard Steve call from his bedroom, "Janet, we have a problem." I walked back to find out what was going on and he pointed at our tv screen on the wall. What I saw made me cringe. Instead of having a lovely image to look at, abstract rays of lines criss-crossed the screen, originating from a single impact point. Somehow in the midst of one of Steve's many projects around the trailer he must have smacked the screen with something pointed. We stared at the screen for a moment with rather amazed expressions on our faces. Just to put an obvious point on the situation, one of us said, "Well, that tv is toast." Thankfully, televisions don't cost much these days so it wouldn't be expensive to replace. The bigger problem was getting our hands on a new one. Given our location, this presented an issue because we were hours from a Costco (big warehouse store) or any place that might carry a tv that didn't break the bank. If you're thinking, "Big deal, just read a book!", that wasn't an option. Our nightly routine with Pumpkin is set in stone and something we can't just not do--she would never understand! For the time-being, setting up a laptop on the bed between us would suffice, so that's what we did. To our great relief, it worked out fine! Pumpkin was able to do her nightly preening and cuddling with us before settling down for bed, and we were able to watch a show like we normally do. An Unfortunate Situation Met with a Great Attitude! Before we watched our show though, we did some research online. We wondered how far Steve would have to go to find a store with a proper tv. Unfortunately, we determined with groans of unhappiness, that it would require a 2.5 hour drive all the way back to Medford. There just wasn't enough need for big stores that carried appliances on the Oregon coast. BUMMER. Instead of getting upset about this unforeseen catastrophe, Steve was good with it. Problems are bound to come up and the drive back is beautiful. Plus, if there were any items we forgot at home, he would swing by and pick them up. All good. What a trooper. The next day Steve departed after breakfast, leaving me at the trailer to hang out and be with Pumpkin. Calling with updates, I learned the drive was sunny and beautiful. Later, he arrived at Costco and found a very nice replacement for our tv that was the same size and cost less than the one we had! How nice that electronics prices are so much better these days--I still remember paying $800 for my first 30-inch television (more than twice the price of our new huge wall-mounted tv)! It was also nice that he could stop by the house because we'd forgotten our griddle (pancakes!!!) and a few other things. We could have lived without them but now we didn't have to…yay! It would be nearly 6pm before Steve pulled up at the trailer and he was absolutely done for after his adventure. Before we had dinner, Steve had the tv set up and it was perfect. Hooray! It's safe to say that we got to bed extra early and Steve slept in late the next morning! Today's Picture This is my second set of tide pool pictures and today's main image shows a cluster of goose-necked barnacles, retracted at low tide When the tide comes in they extend their long "goose neck" stalks which help them reach more food. Aren't they bizarre-looking?! I was really happy when I found this photogenic group. The angle and position was just right to get some background bokeh along with crisp details of these crazy barnacles! Did you know they are edible? In fact, these extremely expensive crustaceans are supposed to taste like a cross between lobsters and clams…YUMM!! Today's Insets I have some other neat pictures to share today, naturally! There's a really interesting translucent seaweed macro that almost looks like some strange creature. A cluster of Bay Mussels sitting on a rock encrusted with barnacles A pair of starfish in tones of red and purple. A marvelous still life featuring anemones, whelks, barnacles, limpets and a bit of kelp. Finally, another view of this incredible tidal zone, brimming with life and at the lowest tidal point. Thank You For Stopping By! It's wonderful to read your comments and find out what you liked the most. I am very touched and humbled because I find your photography so incredible! What fun to explore the world through each other's photos, to see through your eyes and to learn so many things we didn't know about. I hope your weekend has been wonderful! Enjoy the day/night/morning! :) Explored on 11/13/21; highest placement #2.

(+7 insets) (Please scroll down to "Today's Image" for photo info) Notes Written During our Trip: What a Difference a Year Makes! When 2020 began, we'd just started to seriously plan our upcoming RV trip when Covid hit. We would eventually leave three months later and had a fabulous season of adventures. This year we didn't have to wait! And to make things easier the state park reservation system changed to allow bookings six months ahead and we jumped on the opportunity. It took hours that day but we locked in nearly 3.5 months of our season! From then on, we slowly prepared and began packing a few things. Steve worked on upgrade projects as weather permitted--it gets very cold here in the winter and our shop isn't heated so he worked on days that were warmer. Steve kept last year's preparations in mind and this year he didn't hurt himself just as we were about to leave. (He'd slipped off our ladder, landing on a knee and hurting it badly--it would be more than a month before he could really use it.) Both of us were very careful because we learned what a total bummer it was to be trailer-ridden and unable to hike, cycle or enjoy the beautiful setting we were in. We Could Hardly Wait to Leave on our Adventure! As April rounded the corner, we got increasingly excited because our first reservation would be on April 6 at a hugely popular campground we never thought we'd get into--Harris Beach State Park. Amazingly, we got a full two weeks at a perfect site for our large rig! Steve and I worked very hard all the way until the very moment we left and then it was showtime! Off and Away! On the morning we left, I walked down to the gate, opened it and waited for Steve to make his way through. As our rig passed by, I couldn't help but watch and think of the past fun we'd had in the last couple of years. This season we were set up for almost six months of camping! NO MORE WAITING! It was time to GO!!! I pulled the gate shut, locked it and trotted across the road to hop into our fabulous new truck. Steve and I shared a face-to-face grin and high-fived. LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!!! What a Wonderful Drive! Driving out to the Oregon coast, we took a route that many RV and trailer owners have openly worried about online. The two-way road gets very narrow in places with some very tight curves combined with rocky walls encroaching on the road. Trees are reported to lean over the road with low-hanging branches that cause a real concern. However, we were happy to learn that the trees were gone and we had no problems with the curves or the rock walls, though we did go cautiously through those spots. We enjoyed a beautiful three-hour drive through redwoods, past verdant meadows and farmland, and finally we reached the gorgeous coast! All the while Steve and I chatted about our trip and Pumpkin supervised from her Lucite travel cage braced between my knees. Munching on her food and whistling joyfully, she couldn't be happier either----she adores travelling and camping too! Once we arrived at the campground, Steve had no problems backing into our site. We'd learned to check reserved sites online to make sure they would be easy to get into--we've had our share of stressful parking memories! Upon parking, we hopped out of our truck to congratulate each other with a big hug. Our happy Cheshire Cat smiles couldn't be bigger! Our very first site was HARRIS BEACH!!! YAHOO!!! What a way to start our 2021 camping trip! Today's Picture There seems to be no end to the gorgeous macro opportunities at Harris Beach State Park, and I found some lovely African Daisies planted in a landscaped area which were exploding in blooms of white and magenta. This flower was a perfect choice for a square-format close-up! Today's Insets I'm also including a macro that shows the heart of that flower with all of its beautiful details. Other insets include a Candy Flower with cool bokeh, a wide-format shot showing a wild cucumber tendril clinging to a thorny blackberry stem, a fuzzy wild cucumber blossom (they are perfectly smooth when viewed normally!), a pair of willow catkins, a crinkly thimbleberry blossom, and finally, an unfurling fern (Lady Fern?) Thank You For Stopping By! I'm so glad you guys enjoyed my classic car pictures posted a couple of days ago, that was such a treat! Have a great start to your weekend! Explored on 11/11/21; highest placement #1.

You Never Know When You'll See a Classic Car…Even if it's a Replica! My morning walk takes me on a complete tour of Harris Beach State Park, which makes it extremely satisfying. All-told, it's about 3 miles and has everything--the campground loops so I can peek in at the visitor vignettes as I walk by, there are many trails I traverse, I walk two beaches and I even get to the top of the park's small butte that overlooks the coast! I other words, it's a pretty darned awesome way to start the day! At one point I emerge from the campground's nature trail at a small parking area just above South Harris Beach. One day I crossed the road and spotted an old classic car parked in one of the spots. Hooray!! I don't know about you but every time I see an old car I get excited! AND, I just happened to have my Canon with me! I got a bunch of different angles as I moved around it, appreciating all of its interesting lines and details. I read the car's logo--Morgan--and was intrigued because I'd never heard of this kind of car. When I got home I looked it up and found out that Morgan cars have been around since 1905 and today they are in the business of recreating one of their older models with contemporary engines so people today can enjoy them without needing to be a professional classic car renovator. What a great idea! Imagine being able to own an old car with today's technology?! Today's Picture and Insets I thought this front view with some creative processing was the right choice for my main image, but I'm also including a 3/4 view and the company's cool logo. One of the other two insets is an ocean view from the Sunset Trail which runs parallel to the park's main road and there's also a trail shot to enjoy. The last image shows a man who was walking his dog, Toby. When I went down to South Harris Beach, I saw a fellow throwing a stick for his very happy, enthusiastic dog. It was great fun watching them enjoy the morning out on the sandy shore. After I left, I continued my walk back up to the road, along Sunset Trail and then down a zigzag trail leading to North Harris Beach. As I headed down to the beach, I ran into the man and his dog! They'd walked up South Beach, through the tide pool area and made their way to the trail I was on! We said hello, I got to pet Toby and I took this picture before we parted ways. Thank You For the Visits! I hope you're all having a good week! We had a power outage last night due to high winds in the area, but happily it was just a few seconds--thank goodness! Stay safe, dry and warm! Explored on 11/9/21; highest placement #6.

(+5 insets) Memories of Tide Pools as a Kid I remember when I was a kid, raised in San Francisco, and one day my elementary class went on a field trip to the beach where there were tide pools. I'll never forget the first time I saw a starfish clinging to the rocks, sea anemones, mussels and limpets. There were real crabs--Dungeness and hermit--scrabbling around too! It was incredible to me and I hoped to visit more tide pools whenever I could! What I didn't know is that those were the very last tide pools on San Francisco beaches. The next time I went to visit the same area, the tide pools were gone. The only thing that remained were bleached limpet shells and some remaining but empty mussels. What a shock to my pre-teen eyes to be faced with the reality of over-visitation and pollution on a delicate biome. There are still plenty of fantastic tide pools to explore near San Francisco but as far as I know, the tide pools never made a comeback. Harris Beach has Tide Pools! I was really excited when I read about this popular state park and learned about one of its popular features: tide pools! Between this park's south and north beaches is an area at the water's edge littered with tightly packed rocks and boulders of all sizes. When the tide is out, careful visitors can discover the incredible diversity of life that makes its home there. One day I made sure to time my visit so I'd have plenty of time exploring the pools without worrying about waves catching me while I was taking pictures. I was immediately transported back to myself as a child, exploring with rapt joy and discovering the special plants and animals that made their home there. One thing I love to do is find a perfect pool, freeze and wait. After a few minutes, the seemingly empty pool wakes up and out come different species of crabs and other life forms, crawling around and looking for food. What fun! Today's Picture Who doesn't love a star fish? I was so excited when I found this perfectly-shaped Sea Star in a place where I could get a nice picture. I think it looks very happy to see me, don't you?! I'm lucky to see it too, because in 2014, a horrible wasting disease hit the west coast of North America and killed off millions of starfish between Alaska and Mexico. Recovery has been slow in many areas but some places, like Harris Beach, have sprung back in a wonderful way! I had no idea about this tragedy and I'm so happy I got to see some beautiful star fish on my visit to the tide pools on Harris Beach! (For more information, please visit this link: www.nps.gov/im/swan/ssws.htm ) Today's Insets I'm including a really cool find--a group of sea stars partially buried by sand, right where the waves were lapping. I'm also including a picture of barnacles with barnacle bokeh, an image of striped Shield Limpets with barnacles and a bit of kelp, a photo that shows a pair of closed-up anemones and Northern Stiped Dogwinkles and finally, a picture of the tide pool area! I have gotten so many countless pictures of the treasures there, I could spend weeks sharing my discoveries! I'll be posting another set in the coming Harris Beach report, maybe more! Thank You For Stopping By! While Steve and I were away on our trip, internet was often not available and it was frustrating that I couldn't make my rounds to say hello. So I've really been enjoying myself as I hop from one stream to another, reacquainting myself with all of your wonderful photography and chatting happily back and forth! Thanks so much for coming by and leaving comments and stars! It totally makes my day. I hope that each of you has a wonderful new week as we march into November! Explored on 11/8/21; highest placement #4.

(+5 insets) Thank Goodness For Photography!!! Since today is Happy Fence Friday (hooray!), I must add my contribution, as I am a total junky for this crazy day too (I remember when I first encountered pictures labeled with "HFF" and was like…what is the DEAL with FENCES? Why is this even a thing?! Little did I know the insanity that would eventually come over me every time I find a cool fence or bridge or whatever might be acceptable for this day.)! Looking for a proper HFF contribution, I peeked in my finished pictures folder for our first campground stop at Harris Beach State Park and lo' and behold, discovered another folder inside. It was for a nearby place called Loeb State Park, and when I looked inside and found three pictures, one of which was this bridge shot. I could just barely remember this area. I looked at my trip notes…nothing. I guess I hadn't gotten around to mentioning our hike that day. Shucks. I went back to digging for clues. I went over to my folder of unfinished pictures for this place and it started to become clear. I oriented myself with a look at Google Maps, and suddenly, it all came back with a rush of memories. THIS PLACE!!! OH YEAH!!! I REMEMBER! WHAT A DAY! :D Scrolling through the pictures, I smiled and sighed in joy, stepping back in time to the beautiful trail we walked, the little waterfalls, the river, the flowers, the glow of springtime taking over…how lucky we were! I can't help but stop and think about the reality: if I hadn't taken all of these pictures, I'd have totally forgotten about this beautiful hike we took back in April. So much has happened since the beginning of our trip! There really isn't any way to keep it all straight except to take pictures and write down my impressions. I have tried to keep up with trip notes but it takes time, energy and a well of creativity to spend time writing. I don't always do it. But with the pictures, my memories are preserved and take me back to where I was. I say it again: THANK GOODNESS FOR PHOTOGRAPHY! (And Jenny, I'm thinking about you too--we've had conversations about the bad idea of travelling without recording the adventure in any way, just hoping the memories will be there. They probably won't! Here's the proof!) Today's Picture Loeb State Park has a small, primitive campground (no power or electricity) for tent campers and small trailers. What a special place to stay, it's just beautiful! The park also has a gorgeous trail which takes hikers along the Chetco River, past small waterfalls and through a gorgeous forest complete with dappled sunlight filtering down through the trees. This bridge was in a perfect spot for a cool picture and Steve and I had a great time playing with different angles and getting panoramas with our phone cameras too. It's wonderful to have an excuse to take pictures of fences and bridges because they really are neat, aren't they? Today's Insets I have so many pictures to share, but five insets will be perfect for today! You'll see the magnificent Chetco River and one of the many streams that had cascading waterfalls. A dappled trail picture is mandatory too! I have a view up through the trees to the blue sky peeking through and finally, a stunning white trillium blossom which looks ready for a wedding! Thank You For the Visits and Amazing Comments! I hope you're all having a wonderful start of your week. I want to tell you all how much your comments have meant to me--you've totally made my day with the things you've said! I'm totally glowing and truly delighted that I can make you guys happy with the images I've been sharing. :) Also, it's been such FUN to go around and visit! What a massive talent ipernity has! What a fine community…and what a lovely group of friends I have in you all. Have a super week and keep staying safe if you can!