A Winter Day at the Oregon Coast

February 28, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

2/21/2019

We drove over the snowy Coast Range from Portland to Cannon Beach and explored some of our favorite places on a cold, sunny day. Everywhere else within reach was colder, wetter, snowier.

Arcadia Beach State Park

First stop, late morning. High tide was in the early afternoon so the beach was shrinking as we walked a couple of miles south along the shore. We could not get around any of the headlands. Heavy mineral concentrations on the sand-depleted winter beaches made beautiful patterns.

Looking down on Arcadia Beach from above – at low tide we would be able to walk around the headland and north all the way to Cannon Beach.

Tidal channels

Heavy mineral patterns

Foot for scale.

View to the south toward Hug Point and beyond.

Zooming in on Hug Point – as close as we would get to it today.

Hug Point State Park

Tide even higher, so our stop here was brief.

Beach at Hug Point State Park – north view at high tide. We would not be able to see the waterfall or Hug Point itself today.

South view – in the summer the sand stretches for miles at low tide!

Arch Cape Beach

We have stayed near this beach many times over the past 30 years. We found a log to perch on while we ate our lunch. Only the rocky shingle was exposed on the winter beach. Thick foam was washing around in the swash zone, floating on the ebbing water, sparkling in the sun.

Lunch view to the north.

Lunch view to the south, Arch Cape and Castle Rock.

Neahkahnie Viewpoint

At the south end of Oswald West State Park, the view to Nehalem Bay and Manzanita to the south is stunning.

Neahkahnie Mountain

We hiked the three mile round trip to the top of Neahkahnie Mountain – beautiful views on this cold day.

Much of the trail is through shady forest.

View from the rocky top. Nehalem Bay and Manzanita Beach.

Note the snow capped peaks in the Coast Range.

Short Sand Beach, Oswald West State Park

We walked a couple of miles here on the interconnected trails that lead to Short Sand Beach in Smuggler’s Cove.

Bridge over Necarney Creek

View to north from the south beach

View to south from the south beach

North beach of Smuggler’s Cove – Falcon Point and Blumenthal Falls

There were a few surfers in the water.

I accidentally photographed a surfer when I was zooming in on the falls.

Blumenthal Falls

Silver Point View

Looking back toward Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock.

Cannon Beach/Haystack Rock at Sunset

After an early dinner in Cannon Beach, we parked near Haystack Rock. Dan walked down the beach to photograph the sunset. I watched from above, keeping warm in the car. (Hike #11, 8 miles, 1100 feet for the day).

Haystack Rock

Tillamook Head to the north.

Crafting

I finished the first sock of this pair. I have set up a frame to practice canvas stitching.

Winter Gardens, Portland

February 19, 2019February 19, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Hoyt Arboretum 2/15/2019

Two hours with no rain – we took a walk to the Winter Garden in Hoyt Arboretum, Washington Park. (Hike #9, 2 miles, 200 feet)

hellebore

wich hazel and daphne

bleeding dogwood

camellia

Erica arborea

heather

rose hips

birch trees

We saw more blooming witch hazel near the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial:

Crystal Springs 2/17/2019

A dry day – we met friends at Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, and walked all around the lakes and garden paths. We then crossed the road and walked along Crystal Springs Creek through Reed Canyon on the Reed College campus. (Hike#10, 3 miles, 150 feet).

Bridge at the north end of the gardens near the entrance.

Winter plants were blooming, though nothing like the riot of color during rhododendron and azalea season.

Early blooming azalea

hellebore

heather

manzanita

heather

snow drops

an early rhododendron

paper bush

Water birds and reflections:

Crystal Springs Creek trail in Reed Canyon:

The bicycle/pedestrian bridge across the canyon.

Walking east along Reed Canyon.

A great blue heron near the marsh.

The spring inlet on the east end of campus.

The lake on the west end of campus.

Cross Stitch

I mounted the Jane Austen House Cross Stitch on foam board using sequin pins and a few stitches at the corners. The piece is now hanging on my wall!

Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, May 2018. I realize now the cross stitch kit view is the side facing the garden, not the street front.

Knitting

I found buttons for my Brioche Headscarf, and have worn it!

White herons at Ridgefield

February 14, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge, Washington, 2/7/2019

Cold and snowy in the Pacific Northwest. We went to the wildlife refuge to stretch our legs and look for birds. We walked the Oaks to Wetlands trail in the Carty Unit. Hike #8, 3.2 miles.

Bridge into the refuge.

Old oak tree.

Great blue heron on the path.

Wild geese in the distance.

We saw several great blue herons, and two of them seemed to have a white egret companion, but after a little googling, we found that there is a white morph of the great blue heron.

Two herons across one of the lakes.

We saw another pair in the distance across the northernmost lake.

Icy shoreline, two herons in the far distance.

Zoomed in – the two herons.

Crafting

I knit a Brioche Headscarf, pattern by Margaret K. L. Thompson, out of the leftover Berroco Millifiori hat yarn. Two evenings of knitting, I just need to add a button.

I am working on framing my Jane Austen’s House cross stitch.

Lewis River Waterfalls, a hat finish, and snow in Pdx

February 8, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

January 31, 2019 Moulton Falls, Bells Mountain trail, and Lucia Falls, Washington

Our first time hiking here. We have passed through on our way to Silver Star Mountain in the summer, and noted the crowds enjoying the swimming holes along the Lewis River near Battleground, Washington. Today we stopped to see the waterfalls in the off season, and to hike up the nearby Bells Mountain trail for a view of Mt St Helens.

The rails to trails path along the Lewis River goes over this beautiful bridge, the East Fork High Bridge, which is apparently a popular jumping spot in summer.

Downstream from the bridge.

Upstream from the bridge.

Looking down…

My shadow self portrait.

Up the Bells Mountain trail – about 1000 feet up in 1.5 miles, so a good work out.

Uphill through ferns and second growth forest…

Until we cross a clear cut area, and the view to Mt St Helens opens up.

Ice on the trail

Lunch time view – across the Lewis River area to Mt St Helens.

Passing Moulton Falls on the return hike

Nearby Yacolt Falls

And Lucia Falls:

Total for the day: 6.7 miles, 1100 feet, hike #7.

Knitting

I finished my Brioche Watch Cap, after having to buy an extra skein of Berocco Millifiore yarn, just in time for snow in Portland.

Neighborhood, 2/5/2019

Snow…

And a view of Mt St Helens and the Ross Island and Tilikum Crossing Bridges from the OHSU eighth floor waiting room. Latest follow up results are all good!

1/29/2019

Silver Falls and Steigerwald

February 2, 2019February 2, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

1/27/2019 Steigerwald Wildlife Refuge, WA

A short walk on a foggy day with one of our sons.

Ducks

Swans

Great Blue Heron near the bridge

Ephemeral reflections

Bald eagle pair watching over all.

2.3 miles, hike #5 for 2019.

1/28/2019 Silver Falls, OR

Windy and cold in Portland, but warmer to the south. We drove to Silver Falls State Park in the Cascade foothills east of Salem, Oregon, where the North and South Forks of Silver Creek fall in steep drops or shorter cascades over ledges of volcanic rock. We hiked the Trail of Ten Falls, though we skipped one – so the Trail of Nine Falls. One or more waterfalls every mile of the seven mile loop keeps the trail interesting. Lots of water in the falls, compared to my last visit in August of 2017!

South Falls 177 ft

We started at South Falls, but skipped the path behind the falls as I didn’t want to start out the hike wet.

South Falls from the upper viewpoint

South Falls from the bridge.

Lower South Falls 93 ft

Stairs down the cliff.

Walking behind the falls.

Dan on the left, emerging from behind the falls.

The trail follows the river, with occasional bridge crossings.

Lower North Falls 30 ft

Double Falls 178 ft

Drake Falls 27 ft

Named for the man who created the park.

Middle North Falls 106 ft

Twin Falls 31 ft

North Falls 136 ft

The trail leads behind North Falls.

Behind the falls.

Looking back.

And now we have to climb up out of the canyon.

Looking back down at North Falls.

We did not walk the extra distance to Upper North Falls (65 ft), but followed the Rim Trail toward –

Winter Falls 134 ft

We only saw the upper lip of this one, though there is a trail down to the base.

Winter Falls rim.

This was the last waterfall of the hike (7.0 miles, 1200 feet, hike #6 for 2019).

Wildlife

There was a ladybug picnic on one of the fence posts:

White River, first crocus

January 28, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

1/24/2019 White River Snowshoe, Mt Hood, OR

We started in mist with promise of sun breaking through. As we walked up the snow covered braid plain of the White River, the glowing peak of Mt Hood showed in silhouette, then in clarity against clear blue sky.

Looking back to the start point, fog lifting.

Clear blue skies over Mt Hood.

We hiked up onto the ridge and continued toward the mountain.

Approaching Boy Scout Ridge, near our lunch stop.

Lunch stop view point. A large group was already there, and the mountain peak was glowing ethereally as the sun came in through the clouds.

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Lunch view.

Return down the White River, high clouds forming.

Tree shadows on the snowy moraine surface.

Last look back at Mt Hood.

(Hike # 5, 3.3 miles, 750 feet)

Winter Bulbs Blooming

The first snowdrop and crocus bulbs have opened in the garden this week.

Pink and blue striped sky, half moon hanging above. From January 12, 2019.

Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge birds, a lunar eclipse, and new knitting projects

January 23, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

1/19/2019 Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge, WA, in the fog

We drove the auto tour in the southern, River S Unit, to see if anyone was out today.

We saw several bald eagles through the fog all along the route.

It was a great day for Great Blue Herons near the road.

Great blue heron standing in the field beyond a flock of Canada geese.

We also saw swans and more geese,

lots of nutria swimming, and this one crossing the road:

lots of ducks,

We watched a hawk take a bath on a sign near the exit.

1/20/2019 Lunar Eclipse

The clouds cleared for about 10 minutes. We saw the moon just as it was entering totality. My camera could not see it once it went dark, but we briefly saw the orange glow of the blood red moon before the clouds closed in again.

My best image, hand held and zoomed in.

New knitting

I cast on another pair of socks from Berocco Sox yarn – plain vanilla with a 3×3 cable down the sides.

And a Brioche Watch Cap from Berroco Millifiori yarn – this makes a cushy and shiny fabric, and works up fast!

Good deeds for the week – I cleaned out my sewing cabinet and organized my threads and notions, so now I should be able to find things and get back to sewing. And I enabled a new sock knitter!

Neighborhood Poetry Posting

Rest In Peace, Mary Oliver. Your poems will live forever.

Hummocks Trail, Mt St Helens, WA, and some finished projects!

January 19, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

1/14/2019 Hummocks Trail

We drove north from Portland through fog and hoarfrost, up the Toutle River Valley on Hwy. 504, then out of the fog to the Hummocks Trailhead, the end of the road this time of year.

Mt St Helens with hummocky landscape in the foreground.

The Hummocks Loop Trail winds through hummocks, which are mounds of poorly consolidated pulverized volcanic deposits that were dropped here like a house out of a tornado, as the debris avalanche produced by Mt St Helens’ eruption passed over the area. Since that time, 38 years ago, lakes and primitive drainages have formed between the hummocks, and trees and plants have grown on their slopes, every form of life younger than 38 years old. Today we saw bare alder trees, iced lakes and dry grass in the stark landscape, but the hummocks also protected us from the wind.

Walking along an icy lake

Lake ice

Another lake between the hummocks

Icy surface

Alders

Trail companions

Small creek between hummocks.

Our lunch time view of Mt St Helens, slightly sheltered from the wind.

We continued to the Toutle River viewpoint.

Looking downstream – the river carves through the hummock deposits.

Upstream – the Toutle River braid plain and the mountain.

We also saw the Science and Learning Center situated high above Coldwater Lake.

Another lake in the hummocks.

The white and windy mountain – stunted by eruption, wide maw open to the north, wind blown dust and snow hazing our view.

Half moon rising over 38 year old stumps on the ridge to the east.

The present is the key to the past, in geological thinking. Except when it isn’t – that is, when the present hasn’t yet revealed how the rocks got that way. On May 18, 1980, about three weeks before I graduated from college with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology, Mt St Helens revealed to scientists all over the world how these particular deposits form. It was a moment of instant enlightenment, as my professor excitedly told us, once the ash finished falling and the studies begun. Wide ranging theories about how similar hummocky landscapes all over the world were formed were replaced by the lateral blast model. Going forward, Red Evacuation Zones would be wider, and more lives protected. It was just a blip in geological time, but a catastrophe in human time, a moment that changed everything.

Coldwater Lake

Coldwater Lake was not even here before the eruption. The blast debris dammed up the drainage, and then engineers stabilized it. It is now a lovely place to contemplate the surrounding landscape. Dan and I completed the 12 mile hike around the lake a few years ago in a low snow year. Along the way we witnessed the rusting logging equipment that survives on the lee side of Coldwater Ridge, while walking through a mostly new and revegetating landscape. Today, we walked past the “shutdown” locked gate to the shore.

We held onto our hats while the wind whipped the water into white caps, and looked at the barren knife edge of Minnie Peak at the far end of the lake. The surrounding slopes were all denuded by the 180 mph lateral blast of volcanic debris, ash, and gas.

Coldwater Lake

A large hummock right in the middle of the lake.

Closer view of Minnie Peak.

The lake, and all the vegetation are less than 38 years old. It is an awe inspiring sight!

(4.2 miles, 200 feet, for the day, hike #4 for 2019)

Elk Rock Viewpoint

On our way home we stopped at a high point on Hwy 504 – the Elk Rock Viewpoint. No elk today, but another look at Mt St Helens, the adjacent Mt Margaret back country, and Mt Adams peeking over her shoulder, volcanic cone intact for now.

Mt St Helens

The Mt Margaret back country.

Closer view of Mt Adams.

Panoramic view.

Crafting

I finished knitting the toe of the second sock.

I relearned how to stitch French knots, so placed the final stitches in Jane Austen’s house. My next step is to figure out how to frame it. And then move on to my Nova project, teach myself the canvas stitches – tent, cashmere, mosaic, Scottish. A new stitching adventure awaits.

Klickitat Bald Eagles and the Labyrinth, WA

January 13, 2019January 13, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

1/10/2019 Balfour/Klickitat Bald Eagles

We met up with friends in Cascade Locks, then drove to the Balfour/Klickitat wildlife viewing area near Lyle, Washington. Early January is bald eagle nesting season there, and we saw many eagles in the trees across the pond.

Our first eagle sighting – white head in the oak trees.

Two eagles on this branch…

Actually, there are seven in this picture – four on the lower level and three higher up.

I watched these two eagles for a while – as they looked around.

For every white head in the trees, there were two or three brown juvenile eagles. They are as big as the mature eagles, but harder to spot because they don’t get their white feathers fully until they are four years old.

Three juvenile eagles in the tree, one flying nearby.

We witnessed a lone salmon struggling up the stream, and then watched as a juvenile bald eagle grabbed it with his talons, pulled it onto the adjacent mudflat, and ate it. Other eagles joined in after a while. It was the circle of life before our eyes – not pretty, but the way of nature.

The salmon

Juvenile eagle lands nearby

and pounces

Drags the salmon onto the mudflat

Joined by other eagles.

We also saw two great blue herons on the nearby cliffs.

Two great blue herons, circled in blue.

A closer view of the herons.

Shortly after this drama, a couple of dozen eagles flew in circles above the area for five minutes. My camera telephoto lens is not quite up to clear pictures of all these events, but I enjoyed watching and marveling at the beauty.

Labyrinth Trail

After a quick lunch we walked up the nearby Labyrinth trail to the tall Jefferson pine landmark tree. We saw Mt Hood, the Columbia Hills and eastern gorge with snow dusting, and a few early wildflowers on on this misty, cloudy day. A good day with friends. (5.8 miles/1000 feet/#2 for 2019)

The Old Highway waterfall

The upper waterfall

My favorite oak grove

Views of Mt Hood

Phlox

Phlox, eastern gorge dusted with snow

Salt and pepper

Oak trees in low light

Columnar basalts

View under the Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks, our meeting place.

Happy New Year 2019!

January 10, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

First Hike of the New Year: Ferry Springs Trail, Deschutes River State Park, Oregon – January 5, 2019

We did this same hike almost exactly one year ago – January 6th, 2018. It was a beautiful day with blue sky and long reaching views. Today, was a cloud covered day with no actual rain. We saw the effects of the July 2019 Substation Fire that burned both river banks for about 20 miles upstream from the park.

There was a bald eagle near the trailhead, but it flew off as I watched it.

Bald eagle near the trailhead.

Bald eagle – the white tail visible in the center of the photo, flying downstream.

Our trail started along the river, through riparian vegetation, but then we crossed the fire line and saw before us nearly completely denuded and blackened landscape through which grass in now emerging, a green/black palette. In some ways it reminded us of the highlands of Scotland.

From dry grass to burn zone, though the bench is intact, as were the other benches along the lower trail.

We passed below, then above the arch as the trail looped back north and uphill towards Ferry Springs.

Looking up at the arch.

Looking down through the arch.

I was looking forward to resting on the bench on the upper trail, but it was burned.

Lookback: Two views from the Upper Trail toward the mouth of the Deschutes River and Columbia River. In 2018 we were walking through dry grass. This year, the edge of the burn is well defined.

January 2018, pre-burn

January 2019, post fire

After crossing Ferry Springs, we headed back to the trailhead, looking down at the fire scars along the way.

This wooden gate survived, though the area around was scorched.

Looking back upriver.

The dry waterfall

More scorched earth, then back to dry grass.

This landscape is renewed by fire. I don’t think all the green grasses emerging are native grasses, but we did see new growth on some of the native plants. It will be interesting to return next year to see what happens. (5 miles, 560 feet, Hike #1 for 2019)

A yellow composite flower

New foliage on burned shrubs.

Crafting

Cross stitch of Jane Austen’s house – I just need to add the windowpanes and french knot flower centers.

I finished the second sock, now I have to find the place in the stripe sequence that will match the place where the knot was in the first sock.

Other Adventures

It has been a busy couple of weeks of the New Year, winding down from the holidays, and getting my daughter and her things sent back to college. I note that today is one year exactly since my surgery. I am adjusting to all my new medications, and am healthier for not having excess growth hormone secretly running around in my body and creating future problems. I am grateful for my recovery. My husband has just stepped down to half time work, with full retirement planned for a year from now. Thus we will likely have many more hikes and adventures in the years to come, including having just booked a hiking trip in New Zealand for a year from now! I am used to hiking at my own pace, but I will need to increase the difficulty of my hikes as the year goes on to prepare for the trip. A good goal, one of many, for 2019. (2019-1)