Honeyman State Park

(+3 insets)(view large to really enjoy the scene!) Time To Head Up the Road to Honeyman! Time flies and after a fantastic week-long stay at Tugman State Park, we packed up and moved a short 30-minute drive up the coast to Honeyman State Park. We have driven past this park several times in the past couple of years but didn't have the chance to stay here until now. Since Tugman State Park is so close to Honeyman, we drove through the campground last year to check it out. WOW! So huge! Eight loops brimming with over 400 well-spaced sites nestled in a lovely forest, and just next to the Oregon Dunes! We really wanted to stay here, so when it came time to book our 2021 trip, we made sure to secure a spot. You can imagine how happy we were to get a full two weeks in the site that was perfect for us! Hooray! Today's Picture Honeyman is a short walk from several lakes, including beautiful Cleowox Lake. On our first morning here, I popped out of bed and hot-footed through the entire length of the campground--a 10-minute walk. Then I went along a nature trail that passed tiny Lily Lake (a large pond) and popped out at the edge of Cleowox Lake. The sun was shining brightly as I walked out onto their floating dock and the view out there totally took my breath away. The main picture today is a panorama which shows the lake where one of the dunes reaches the lake. We can't get over the combination of dune + water feature! (The Skeleton Coast of Namibia is totally on my bucket list!) Today's Insets The first inset shows the mist rising up off the lake in the other direction, the sun's rays shining down and creating cool lens effects. I'm also sharing a picture of glowing moss and leaves along the trail out to Cleowox Lake. Finally, morning sunlight filtering through another tree and casting beautiful shadows on the pavement just couldn't be ignored! I hope you are all having a wonderful week! Explored on 4/30/21; highest placement #21.

Moving on From Tugman State Park to Honeyman State Park...and an Update! I could spend weeks sharing pictures from Tugman but we must move on! Next stop is just up the coast at Honeyman State Park! I'll get into details in a future post but for now, I wanted to let everyone know that I'm doing fine, but I'm getting hit in the face by Covid anxiety again. One of the triggers is visiting folks on ipernity because I worry for everyone's safety and I cannot stop the mental chess from going on about the state of affairs and the horror of it all. I will do my best to post when I can but I apologize if I have to run and hide instead of visiting. I feel bad because I should be able to deal with this by now. Maybe because I'm so empathic, I just can't handle the mental imagery and waves of worry that sweep over me. :( I hope you are all doing well these days and I'll check in soon! Take care everyone! Explored on 12/21/21; highest placement #1.

A Park Featuring Sand Dunes! How would you like to stay at a campground sitting right next to sand dunes? Along part of the Oregon coast lies a 40-mile stretch called the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, which are especially popular for folks who enjoy ATVs, dune-buggies and of all things, sand skiing! These dunes are also quite beautiful to look at, but I wouldn't recommend walking over them for any distance. The loose, deep and slippery sand is very arduous for cross and not recommended except for short stretches. (By the way, these dunes are only open to vehicles in certain areas.) Honeyman State Park has plenty of hiking and biking trails that do not go into the sand though, and I fell in love with this wonderful park and its unique habitat. The forest which hugged the edge of the sand was healthy and full of birds and other animals to enjoy, and of course I found lots of flowers and mushrooms to photograph as well! Today's Picture One of the trails I love takes me past a small pond and out to a much larger and picturesque lake. Every morning I was greeted by sun or diffused light streaming down through the trees, and in some of the trees, ferns grew. With beds of moss to cling to, the glowing greens and beautiful light was a sight that took my breath away every day. Up in one tree I saw this pair of vibrant fronds which showed the beautiful spores dotting each blade. Magnificent! Art News: New Doodles! I'm posting a pair of doodles I drew the other day and of course I have many more to share, which I'll do whenever I add another post! I don't draw every day but still, my linework improves quickly, which I'm very delighted by. It will be fun to see where my creativity leads me. Today's Insets One day Steve and I got to watch a family enjoying the sand dunes in their ATVs and it was such fun to get pictures! You'll see several pictures showing them buzzing around and climbing the hills of sand. One also shows the ocean in the distance. You will also see a picture of huckleberry flowers and a row of shelf fungus I found on the bark of a tree. Thank You For Stopping By! Thank you so much for your visits and support! Please forgive my lack of visits, I hope to get back to stopping by as soon as I am able. :) Have a safe and happy weekend! :) Explored on 1/7/22; highest placement #5.

The Dunes are So Close but Mostly Hidden! Even though this park is situated right next to a massive sand dune area which stretches for 40 miles, you'd never know it if you weren't aware of the surroundings. The soil is very sandy, true, and when it's open, there is a sandy ATV road which leads out to the dunes and the tracks leave heaps of sand in the road. But otherwise the forest and hills completely hide the dunes! Only when you get out to the lake and look off to the side do you see the dunes. It's the most peculiar thing and I was amazed at the dramatic change in scenery from sand to forest. Today's Picture Each morning I strolled through the vast campground (Oregon's 2nd largest with over 350 sites!) and in one part, there's a little trail leading along a nearly-dry stream and past a campsite. One day it was empty so I took a closer look. Next to a pine tree I found this beautiful group of Forget-Me-Nots! Because the lighting was so low, I decided to come back the next day with my macro lens and flash for a proper picture. It rained during the night and I was delighted to see the droplets on some of the petals! Today's Insets Inset #1: The first image shows a trail that leads along the dunes for a short stretch. Even though you only have to walk across the sand for five minutes or so, it's too much! I eventually altered my daily walk to avoid this section because I tired of the arduous, slippery sand and needing to sit down and shake the sand out of my shoes and socks! Inset #2: One of the trails takes hikers to a different lake situated a ways from the main campground and if one has the time, it leads to a deep and magical forest! It was a highlight every time I went! Inset #3 Blossoms were everywhere to be seen in the lovely explosion of Spring's flower show! High in the trees or next to the dirt, adorning bushes and dressing up patches of grass, I loved every floral sight I found! Inset #4: Of course there were mushrooms too! This one I found nestling in a vibrant patch of moss, and I had fun looking for them every day. Inset #5: Plenty of critters to find as well, I noticed this spider web shining in the light and was very happy to find its artist waiting for a meal to arrive! Thank You For the Visits! I hope all of you are doing well! It's a lovely, frosty day with bright sunshine and nary a cloud! Happy Sunday/Monday to you all! (I need to scan in some more doodles to share!) Explored on 1/9/22; highest placement #7.

(+7 insets! Treasures Abound Everywhere You Turn My morning walk at Honeyman had me marching at a fast clip every day because to walk the special forest loop that I loved, I had to trek quite a distance. It worked out to be nearly seven miles round-trip and was so rewarding every time. I would see sand dunes and lakes, deep forest and lovely meadows, and everywhere there were flowers and fungus, birds and bunnies, and even the rare person and their dog to pass by. One afternoon I took Steve on my entire walk and he couldn't believe how far I went! :D He agreed though, that the magical forest loop at Woahink Lake was the prize and worthy of the challenge. Today's Picture The trail to the forest loop took me along nearby Woahink Lake, and as I entered the deep woods, the mushrooms came out to greet me! This beautiful family was quite the prize! Today's Insets: The number of fabulous subjects I managed to capture on our two-week stay here just goes on and on, and here are a few! Inset #1: There is a kind of parasitic perennial herb called California Ground Cone which defies description if you should ever be so lucky as to discover one! Inset #2: One of the trails takes hikers to a different lake situated a ways from the main campground and if one has the time, it leads to a deep and magical forest! It was a highlight every time I went! Inset #2 &3: These two pictures show the sand dunes near the park and were taken one day when Steve and I took an arduous trail that included walking over the sand. The views are fantastic, including a point when we crested a tower of sand and were greeted with the view of Cleawox Lake and the ocean beyond. Inset #4 Walking around the forest loop, I found this marvelous group of stumps and was delighted when I saw Stump Man looking up at me! Inset #5: There were countless wild Azalea bushes along the trail covered with breathtaking blossoms which were just starting to open for the season. What a sight they were! Inset #6 Returning from my walk, the sight of this glowing tree in the campground made me pause and soak up its beauty. Inset #7: When I'd return from my adventure, Steve and Pumpkin would greet me, and often I'd find them cuddling on the couch with Pumpkin nestled in Steve's fluffy robe. Darling! Thank You For the Visits! I've enjoyed seeing your comments and appreciate your visits so much. Please take care of yourselves and best of luck to you and your families while this virus continues to take over. Let's cross our fingers that it ends up weakening into "just another cold." Until then…please take care! Explored on 1/16/22; highest placement #1.

(+5 insets) Eek! I almost forgot about HBM! I'll make this quick! Today's Picture On the wonderful trail around the edge of Woahink Lake, which leads to the magical forest loop, is a fantastic memorial bench and the plaque that tells all about the couple who the bench is dedicated to. I sat on that bench many times and enjoyed the view through the trees and out onto the water. (By the way, if you click on the link "View on map", on the right side of this page, you can see exactly where this picture was taken, and shows the trail too! :) Zooming out shows the park as well!) Today's Insets Inset #1: This is the plaque centered on the bench backrest and I reread it many times because it was so touching. Inset #2-5: Honeyman's campground was vast in size and fun to walk through to and from my daily hike. One day I walked past one site and saw a wonderful chalk drawing of Winnie the Pooh adorning the cement in front of the RV. As it happened, a very friendly fellow stepped out of his RV as I was admiring the artwork and I asked if he'd drawn it. "Yes!" he said, and we then had a great conversation about art and camping and life that was really cool and interesting. What a nice guy. Later, Steve came back from walking Pumpkin around in her pocket front-pack and told me about Michael, who turned out to be the same guy I'd met! They'd chatted for 20 minutes about all sorts of things and both Steve and I were so happy to make his acquaintance. The next day I walked by and there was another drawing, this time of Piglet! With Michael this time was his darling daughter, who was cute as a button! It was very nice to meet her and later I also waved at Michael's wife. I learned they were just driving from one campground to the next, enjoying life and having a fantastic, nomadic existence. How cool is that?! :) Over the next few days there were more drawings, of Wise Owl and a beautiful mandala too! What fun it was to appreciate such pretty drawings every day! :) Thank you so much! I cannot tell you how nice it is that you are all visiting and giving me your comments, stars and support. I'm still wrestling with a lot of anxiety but starting to get a handle on it. I'm hoping I'll be able to be my usual vociferous self with my comments soon! Until then, I appreciate you all very much and miss my visits with you! Please take care!! Explored on 1/18/22; highest placement #5.

(+5 insets) Too Many Pictures, Not Enough Time! It's a gorgeous, freezing cold Sunday morning here in southern Oregon and I've got another set of pictures to share from our two-week stay at Honeyman State Park! The pictures just go on and on, and to be honest, I cannot bear to visit my folder of unprocessed photos because I know there are dozens that are worthy of sharing...but there's just not enough time! As it is, we're leaving on our next trip in a few weeks and I'll only be able to show pictures from the first part of our trip from 2021! I could get upset, I could skip forward and post a single picture from all the places we went, but in the end I think it doesn't matter, does it? The whole point, for me, is to share some of the lovely and wonderful things I've seen in the hopes to bring a smile to your face, to take you away from your troubles for a moment, to make you think about the subject, to try to dazzle and delight--to make you happy. I don't need to show every picture I captured, I merely need to show what I can with the hopes to get a smile and feeling of enjoyment from you. :) If I can do that, I have succeeded. :) So...here we go! Today's Picture Have you ever seen a forest full of native Rhododendrons just beginning to explode into bloom? It's quite the sight, let me tell you! It was our lucky fortune that these shrubs--generally large but sometimes quite massive, rivaling full-sized trees in size--were just starting their show and the fireworks began a few days after we arrived. The outrageous pinks and magentas, combined with sun streaming through the petals to turn the blossoms into glowing beacons, was just breathtaking! Today's Insets Inset #1: Look at the crazy bokeh I got that showcases this cone from a Larch tree! (I'm not positive about the ID, please correct me if I'm not right!) Simply stunning...I loves seeing these trees covered with their countless cones, the texture is just grand! Inset #2: After a rainy night, I went on a wonderful droplet-filled walk and as I was heading to the first trail leading out of the park I saw this gorgeous crow sitting on a dripping power line. They are so beautiful but equally annoying with the ruckus they cause...so much noise! Inset #3: Can you even believe how cool this plant-stuffed island is? As you can imagine, it was a favorite sight and I walked out to unobstructed views like this one every day. I would stand and stare in wonder, watching geese and ducks swim and fly by, and I'd appreciate the sunlight shining through the trees. It was a rare treat that I was very aware of so I always took many long looks as I hiked along Woahink Lake to the forest loop at the far side of the trail. Inset #4: This wide conifer-filled pano shows the hill leading up and leading back to the beginning of the forest loop that I was so enamored by. Everywhere along this loop I would stop and stand perfectly still to take it all in. I listened to the birds going about their business and watch squirrels climb trees and leap from one to the next, swinging in the branches. I looked at the light that showed me treasures from this special place. It was an incredible, special area, and I could literally feel the warm and welcoming glow from the forest here. Inset #5: Last, another sand dunes picture to remind you where we were! Just next to the campground, a dry desert area led for 30 miles up and down the coast, and though the dunes seemed to have nothing in them, were in fact, the breeding ground for endangered birds. So only some areas were open to people and their playthings--dune buggies, atvs and sand skiis! Thank You So Much I cannot express strongly enough, my thankfulness for your visits, comments and stars when I've not been able to visit in return. I have actually gone to see my doctor about my anxiety and am trying out Lexepro. You know, I only just started and already I'm feeling a little better! Let's cross our fingers that I'm back to my normal chatty self soon! Please take care of yourselves and have a great Sunday and beginning of your week! Explored on 1/23/22; highest placement #2.

(+5 insets) Starting to Feel Better! The sun is breathtaking this morning, blinding me with radiance as it lights up the sparkling frost carpeting our meadow. The frozen twinkles will be gone soon though, now that the sun has found them, but I am overjoyed to see this dazzling show. I am delighted to report that I'm beginning to feel better, with just a little bit of help from medicine to ease my terrible anxiety and clawing depression. These feelings are like rolling tides that go in and out. Right now they are at a low ebb and I can gaze around me with welling joy and happiness, looking forward to our upcoming trip. I know these tides will slowly rise again and I will struggle once more, but finally they aren't getting as bad as they were. Knowing that things are getting better, for even a little while, is priceless to me. Thank You I also think about all of you who have come to visit me, even when I've not been able to return the favor. Although I have said thank you many times, perhaps you don't know that I've found your support to be a kind of lifeline sometimes. When I've felt so desperate, and worthless, I've come to read your comments and they've reminded me that I'm none of the terrible things I'm feeling. Coaxing me to smile and laugh, enjoying the words you leave for me, it really has meant so much. I am forever grateful. Today's Picture Honeyman State Park is the second largest Oregon state park campground, offering more than 350 campsites spread across eight loops which are nested in the forest just next to the sand dunes which march up and down the coast for 30 miles. Every site is unique, with trees and bushes, moss, ferns and logs to set them apart. One campsite had a gorgeous Forget-Me-Not plant that had burst into bloom and one morning after a night of rain, I brought my macro flash over to capture these stunning beauties, with hopes I would get some pretty pictures to share. Success! :) Today's Insets Inset #1: I was delighted to see the beautiful groups of California Groundcone along the Woahink Lake portion of my daily walk. They were in such perfect condition and perfectly placed for easy photography! Inset #2: Light shining through this pair of glowing fern fronds took my breath away, showing off the spores that dotted each pinnae. I didn't see that I'd also captured the gossamer threads of a spiderweb until I looked at the images on my computer! Inset #3: I looked up the trunks of trees with hopes to find mushrooms and here I found a beautiful shelf fungus. It was adorned with its nightly exudence of moisture, gleaming droplets forming as the change in temperature from night to day and liquid was forced out with the increase of pressure. Inset #4: Falling trees are a big headache to anyone maintaining a trail system and often the easiest solution is to saw a chunk out of the trunk and leaving the rest. I love the way this looks and loved walking through this timber doorway! :) Inset #5: I really couldn't get enough of this beautiful sight, the sand dunes meeting the edge of Cleawox Lake. I cannot help but think about all of the sand dunes and deserts in the world which march slowly across the world. Again, Thank You So Much! Your visits, comments and stars really make my day and I appreciate more than I can say. I've not been able to return the favor but finally I am seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you for stopping by! Please take care of yourselves and have a wonderful rest of your week! Explored on 1/26/22; highest placement #3.