A Family Treehouse: March 2012

Friday, March 30, 2012

7 Quick Takes - (volume 11)

--- 1 ---

Orthodontia will begin in our home soon. Branch will have round one beginning in April. It looks like this: braces on the front 8 (top front 4 and bottom front 4) and on the back molars to guide the wires. We will make visits to the orthodontist every 6 weeks for 8 months give or take a bit of time. Braces will be removed and there will be straight front teeth with room for new teeth to come in! Then, when alllll of the permanent teeth are in, we will do braces again to get everything straight and aligned. That will be in about 2.5 to 3 years.

--- 2 ---

I looked in Blossom's mouth... and it is looking like she will follow suit in about 2 years - maybe sooner, depending on how long it takes to get her front teeth all grown in! At least it is all sounding easier than the mess I had to deal with when I was young!!

--- 3 ---

I looked at Pops' schedule yesterday for the rest of this month, April and May. I had to bite my lip - hard. It does not look good for the home team. I hope that we will see him as he passes in and out of our life!! I don't think that he has ever had a schedule that looked so hairy in his professional career. NOT looking forward to this spring... Hoping for a calm summer and cooler weather!!

--- 4 ---

I am looking at some new ideas for home learning, here. I have enjoyed watching them learn all about things like calves and fowl and reptiles and doing all that hands-on stuff! I wonder what else we can add in to do hands-on - WITHOUT adding ANY more lives to care for! I am going to have to dig in and get a plan churning!

--- 5 ---

Have you been having some unusual weather in your neck-of-the-woods?? It has been very warm here! We have seen temps in the upper 80s and I turned on the air conditioner yesterday. I am not ready for hot hot hot! I do like when the weather is at least cool in the morning still, though. So, I shouldn't complain, eh? But, those emerging bugs are driving me crazy! Have you ever sat in a hot tub at night in the complete dark? Well, we turn on the lights on the other side of the house to encourage the bugs to go over there! It is a weird experience to soak in the dark!!

--- 6 ---

I am working on setting up a Twitter Account (dunno why - I am NOT the short-winded type!) and automatic feeds of my blog posts to FaceBook. I used to have some kind of "Networked Blogs" thing on FB, but it doesn't feed anything over, now. I tried something called RSS Graffiti that is an app for Facebook, but it hasn't fed anything over in 3 days. Is there a setting that I need to change in my blog?? I allow partial feeds to feed readers... Any thoughts or helpful ideas to get my posts over there? Thanks!!

--- 7 ---

Speaking of Twitter, #, @ bit.ly... anyone want to give me an education - out by the woodshed is not an option. BUT, I would like to know what and how to do all that - as soon as I learn to be brief I can use it!! :)

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Growing Chicks and Ducklings

OH, the transformation from little chick to adult hen pecking around out on a farmyard! I have seen both of those stages prior to our purchasing these little chicks.

Growing Chicks and Ducks - ready for lift off! - 03, All of the chicks have feathers coming in - as opposed to just fluff! They flap their wings a lot and practice a bit of flying now and then. Bud loves to hold them a bit above the floor of the box and let them fly down to the wood shavings. It seems that a few of them have quite a bit of experience in their flying! It flies up to perch on the edge of the feeder. Of course, that means that it also, well, poops in the feed. I leave it to Bud to clean out! He seems to be willing! Before we got the chicks he thought that we should get chicks not just for the eggs that they would lay and we could use or sell, but we could also collect and sell the chicken poop! How exciting! Well, we'll see how it goes with selling chicken poop!

I mean, who HASN'T seen the pictures around Easter of the soft fuzzy little duckling? So cute and soft... And, of course, the mama hen clucking and scratching in the yard. We've all seen them both even in a child's picture story book.

Growing Chicks and Ducks - ready for lift off! - 04, All of the chicks have feathers coming in - as opposed to just fluff! They flap their wings a lot and practice a bit of flying now and then. Bud loves to hold them a bit above the floor of the box and let them fly down to the wood shavings. It seems that a few of them have quite a bit of experience in their flying! It flies up to perch on the edge of the feeder. Of course, that means that it also, well, poops in the feed. I leave it to Bud to clean out! He seems to be willing! Before we got the chicks he thought that we should get chicks not just for the eggs that they would lay and we could use or sell, but we could also collect and sell the chicken poop! How exciting! Well, we'll see how it goes with selling chicken poop!

But, this funny in between, loosing the fluff and growing in the feathers stage is a whole new ball game for me (and the treekids, too!) I just had no idea how the process went!

Growing Chicks and Ducks - ready for lift off! - 05, All of the chicks have feathers coming in - as opposed to just fluff! They flap their wings a lot and practice a bit of flying now and then. Bud loves to hold them a bit above the floor of the box and let them fly down to the wood shavings. It seems that a few of them have quite a bit of experience in their flying! It flies up to perch on the edge of the feeder. Of course, that means that it also, well, poops in the feed. I leave it to Bud to clean out! He seems to be willing! Before we got the chicks he thought that we should get chicks not just for the eggs that they would lay and we could use or sell, but we could also collect and sell the chicken poop! How exciting! Well, we'll see how it goes with selling chicken poop!

It is funny, too, that the ducklings are growing so much faster than the chicks. Which leads to those bigger ducks making a lot bigger mess! Oh, the wet mess they make in all those pine shavings!

Growing Chicks and Ducks - ready for lift off! - 09, All of the chicks have feathers coming in - as opposed to just fluff! They flap their wings a lot and practice a bit of flying now and then. Bud loves to hold them a bit above the floor of the box and let them fly down to the wood shavings. It seems that a few of them have quite a bit of experience in their flying! It flies up to perch on the edge of the feeder. Of course, that means that it also, well, poops in the feed. I leave it to Bud to clean out! He seems to be willing! Before we got the chicks he thought that we should get chicks not just for the eggs that they would lay and we could use or sell, but we could also collect and sell the chicken poop! How exciting! Well, we'll see how it goes with selling chicken poop!

Here, this one with 2/3 fuzz, 1/3 feathers and the little tail feathers emerging!! Oh, how they love to roost, now!

Growing Chicks and Ducks - ready for lift off! - 11, All of the chicks have feathers coming in - as opposed to just fluff! They flap their wings a lot and practice a bit of flying now and then. Bud loves to hold them a bit above the floor of the box and let them fly down to the wood shavings. It seems that a few of them have quite a bit of experience in their flying! It flies up to perch on the edge of the feeder. Of course, that means that it also, well, poops in the feed. I leave it to Bud to clean out! He seems to be willing! Before we got the chicks he thought that we should get chicks not just for the eggs that they would lay and we could use or sell, but we could also collect and sell the chicken poop! How exciting! Well, we'll see how it goes with selling chicken poop!

The need to hop/fly up to sit on the edge is stronger and there are several who get up on the edge of the feeder (and do the fine honor of pooping in the feed - nice).

Growing Chicks and Ducks - ready for lift off! - 13, All of the chicks have feathers coming in - as opposed to just fluff! They flap their wings a lot and practice a bit of flying now and then. Bud loves to hold them a bit above the floor of the box and let them fly down to the wood shavings. It seems that a few of them have quite a bit of experience in their flying! It flies up to perch on the edge of the feeder. Of course, that means that it also, well, poops in the feed. I leave it to Bud to clean out! He seems to be willing! Before we got the chicks he thought that we should get chicks not just for the eggs that they would lay and we could use or sell, but we could also collect and sell the chicken poop! How exciting! Well, we'll see how it goes with selling chicken poop!

There a few others who move from the feeder to the edge of the box, now. But, since I took these pictures, only a few days ago, they are bigger yet and have so many more feathers!!

Growing Chicks and Ducks - ready for lift off! - 15, All of the chicks have feathers coming in - as opposed to just fluff! They flap their wings a lot and practice a bit of flying now and then. Bud loves to hold them a bit above the floor of the box and let them fly down to the wood shavings. It seems that a few of them have quite a bit of experience in their flying! It flies up to perch on the edge of the feeder. Of course, that means that it also, well, poops in the feed. I leave it to Bud to clean out! He seems to be willing! Before we got the chicks he thought that we should get chicks not just for the eggs that they would lay and we could use or sell, but we could also collect and sell the chicken poop! How exciting! Well, we'll see how it goes with selling chicken poop!

Fowl are turning out to be fairly easy to care for, although there is a bit of caution needed... young children might use those beautiful duck beaks as handles with which to pick up said duckling!

Growing Chicks and Ducks - ready for lift off! - 17, All of the chicks have feathers coming in - as opposed to just fluff! They flap their wings a lot and practice a bit of flying now and then. Bud loves to hold them a bit above the floor of the box and let them fly down to the wood shavings. It seems that a few of them have quite a bit of experience in their flying! It flies up to perch on the edge of the feeder. Of course, that means that it also, well, poops in the feed. I leave it to Bud to clean out! He seems to be willing! Before we got the chicks he thought that we should get chicks not just for the eggs that they would lay and we could use or sell, but we could also collect and sell the chicken poop! How exciting! Well, we'll see how it goes with selling chicken poop!

In order to protect the ducklings and chicks, I put a piece of window screen over the box, yesterday.

Growing Chicks and Ducks - ready for lift off! - 19, All of the chicks have feathers coming in - as opposed to just fluff! They flap their wings a lot and practice a bit of flying now and then. Bud loves to hold them a bit above the floor of the box and let them fly down to the wood shavings. It seems that a few of them have quite a bit of experience in their flying! It flies up to perch on the edge of the feeder. Of course, that means that it also, well, poops in the feed. I leave it to Bud to clean out! He seems to be willing! Before we got the chicks he thought that we should get chicks not just for the eggs that they would lay and we could use or sell, but we could also collect and sell the chicken poop! How exciting! Well, we'll see how it goes with selling chicken poop!

This should help keep the small hands away from the little birdies and preserve their lives! It will also keep the birds IN the box with the water, food and heat - again, preserving their lives!

Growing Chicks and Ducks - ready for lift off! - 20, All of the chicks have feathers coming in - as opposed to just fluff! They flap their wings a lot and practice a bit of flying now and then. Bud loves to hold them a bit above the floor of the box and let them fly down to the wood shavings. It seems that a few of them have quite a bit of experience in their flying! It flies up to perch on the edge of the feeder. Of course, that means that it also, well, poops in the feed. I leave it to Bud to clean out! He seems to be willing! Before we got the chicks he thought that we should get chicks not just for the eggs that they would lay and we could use or sell, but we could also collect and sell the chicken poop! How exciting! Well, we'll see how it goes with selling chicken poop!

We are all looking forward to their move to the chicken coop in the great outdoors! I am hoping that it will be VERY soon! :)

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Wordless Wednesday: Success!!

Potty Training Success! - 4, Yippeee! Potty Training Success for our 2 yr old Bump!!! :)

Potty Training Success! - 5, Yippeee! Potty Training Success for our 2 yr old Bump!!! :)

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Adding to the Collection of Critters with some Box Turtles

This past weekend when Pops took the treekids hunting for morels, they ran into a few slow moving reptiles!

In all, they collected four box turtles so that each of the treekids could have their "own one." (As in the words of Bump... everything when he wants his own, he says "I want my own one, own one.")

A friend dropped off their old baby pool this weekend for us to use for our ducks, which are still a little too small right now for swimming. So, it is a perfect little place for the turtles to be held captive for observation.

Blossom had out the World Book Encyclopedia this morning looking up turtles to find out more information. She found that some swim under water, but have to come up to get air.

She found that they lay eggs and they are white! But, usually the female will dig a hole, lay the eggs inside and cover them back up. The sun will keep the area warm and in about 100 days, the turtles will hatch.

That is about all that she wanted to learn today about turtles from a book. So, out she went and is trying to coax them out of their shell to watch them walk - and wouldn't ya know, they come out of the shell easily and happily for that noisy child! Anyone else makes much noise out there and they clam up in their shell!

As an aside: Branch is pretty excited about the little French Manicure I did for her yesterday. But it wasn't long before the polish was all smudged and chipped. Anything in the name of science exploration, eh?!!

Bud released his turtle yesterday afternoon and said that he thought perhaps the Constitution should "go for" animals as well. So, he freed his turtle. I hope that he doesn't decide to let the chicks, ducks and calves loose or I will have to let loose on him!!

This experience here in Oklahoma is turning out to be so much fun for the treekids and a great opportunity to learn about the world with a hands on approach!!

Monday, March 26, 2012

Hunting Morel Mushrooms in the Woods

Pops and some of the tree kids went hunting on our little acreage for the coveted morel mushroom this weekend. There was a lot of fun to be had!

Morel Mushroom Hunting Turns up some serious treats! - 31, Pops and some of the tree kids went hunting on our little acreage for the coveted morel mushroom this weekend. There was a lot of fun to be had! They found several areas that had some 'shrooms previously, but the areas were disturbed and the mushrooms were no longer good for cutting. This was their first go at mushroom hunting and we have learned about good mushrooms as well as poisonous ones - stay clear of those!! There have been finds along creek beds, near the base of trees, hiding by fences and the lone monster sitting out alongside nothing standing proud and tall (the largest of all the ones they found) while a beautiful sunbeam streaked through the branches and shone on it like a spotlight. Definitely a fun memory made!

They found several areas that had some 'shrooms previously, but the areas were disturbed and the mushrooms were no longer good for cutting.

Morel Mushroom Hunting Turns up some serious treats! - 21, Pops and some of the tree kids went hunting on our little acreage for the coveted morel mushroom this weekend. There was a lot of fun to be had! They found several areas that had some 'shrooms previously, but the areas were disturbed and the mushrooms were no longer good for cutting. This was their first go at mushroom hunting and we have learned about good mushrooms as well as poisonous ones - stay clear of those!! There have been finds along creek beds, near the base of trees, hiding by fences and the lone monster sitting out alongside nothing standing proud and tall (the largest of all the ones they found) while a beautiful sunbeam streaked through the branches and shone on it like a spotlight. Definitely a fun memory made!

This was their first go at mushroom hunting and we have learned about good mushrooms as well as poisonous ones - stay clear of those!!

Morel Mushroom Hunting Turns up some serious treats! - 28, Pops and some of the tree kids went hunting on our little acreage for the coveted morel mushroom this weekend. There was a lot of fun to be had! They found several areas that had some 'shrooms previously, but the areas were disturbed and the mushrooms were no longer good for cutting. This was their first go at mushroom hunting and we have learned about good mushrooms as well as poisonous ones - stay clear of those!! There have been finds along creek beds, near the base of trees, hiding by fences and the lone monster sitting out alongside nothing standing proud and tall (the largest of all the ones they found) while a beautiful sunbeam streaked through the branches and shone on it like a spotlight. Definitely a fun memory made!

There have been finds along creek beds, near the base of trees, hiding by fences and the lone monster sitting out alongside nothing - standing proud and tall (the largest of all the ones they found at nearly 7 inches tall!) while a beautiful sunbeam streaked through the branches and shone on it like a spotlight.

Morel Mushroom Hunting Turns up some serious treats! - 26, Pops and some of the tree kids went hunting on our little acreage for the coveted morel mushroom this weekend. There was a lot of fun to be had! They found several areas that had some 'shrooms previously, but the areas were disturbed and the mushrooms were no longer good for cutting. This was their first go at mushroom hunting and we have learned about good mushrooms as well as poisonous ones - stay clear of those!! There have been finds along creek beds, near the base of trees, hiding by fences and the lone monster sitting out alongside nothing standing proud and tall (the largest of all the ones they found) while a beautiful sunbeam streaked through the branches and shone on it like a spotlight. Definitely a fun memory made!

Definitely a fun memory made!

Morel Mushroom Hunting Turns up some serious treats! - 25, Pops and some of the tree kids went hunting on our little acreage for the coveted morel mushroom this weekend. There was a lot of fun to be had! They found several areas that had some 'shrooms previously, but the areas were disturbed and the mushrooms were no longer good for cutting. This was their first go at mushroom hunting and we have learned about good mushrooms as well as poisonous ones - stay clear of those!! There have been finds along creek beds, near the base of trees, hiding by fences and the lone monster sitting out alongside nothing standing proud and tall (the largest of all the ones they found) while a beautiful sunbeam streaked through the branches and shone on it like a spotlight. Definitely a fun memory made!

I cleaned them very well, cut them lengthwise, dredged them in flour (with salt and pepper added) and fried them up in butter! YUM YUM YUM (and we are all still alive with no nasty nausea!!)

Friday, March 23, 2012

A Conversation with Cattle in the Western Pasture

I love this view out the window over my computer! The cattle don't come all the way to the fence very often. I always can see them grazing way off in the distance, but not so close that my regular Nikkor 18-55mm lens can get in there and see what the black spots really are! (Did I tell you that when we moved out of our RV into this house I discovered a disaster? My nice long zoom lens was broken. I do not think that it is reparable. So, I am hoping that I will be able to get a new one. I haven't a clue how it got broke - I found it broke in its bag in my camera bag. Grrrrr. If I had it, I could take good pictures of cows and calves all day long and twice on a sunny day!!)

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 18, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

Anyway, I decided I needed to go out and make friendly with the neighbors since they made the extra effort, you know? I am not always good at making new friends, but these ladies seemed to be standing there just waiting for me to come and introduce myself, so... out I went with my camera - let them think that I am the paparazzi!

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 20, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

Well, hello, ladies! The recent rains have turned the grass so long and luscious and a deep verdant green. Does that make it taste better for you?

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 21, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

Munch. Munch. Munch. Welllllll, it doooooooes taste frrrreshhhh, yesssssss. Moooooooooore than uuuuuuuusual.

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 22, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

I suppose that it helps that this grass hasn't been trampled by your sisters, either. That's a plus! And lucky for you, with this fence up, my treekids can't get in and trample it either! I suppose it is just a deterrent and they could cross the fence if they really wished to. It is only 3 or 4 strands of barbed wire here and there. I'm sure they could cross it. But, I have tried to teach them to be well-mannered and to know their place. So, I hope they stay out of your pasture and in ours.

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 24, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

Thaannnnnk yooouuuuuuuu.

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 26, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

Looks like you are expecting some new calves soon. OH, WAIT! I would never say that to someone at the grocery store. You know... there are ladies who well, aren't expecting and then whooops! there ya go, sticking foot in mouth. I'm sorry. It's just that many of the cows out in this pasture are turning up with new calves and I guess, I just assumed. I thought maybe you were all in the same Lamaze type group or something and working on building your playgroup or moms group. Sorry, I overstepped. You see, I should have just waved from the window and let you go about your business. Sheesh. Apologizing profusely.

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 27, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

Ooooooh, nnnnnnnooooooooooo. It's finnnnnnnnne. Both Clareeeeeeeeece and I, oohhhhhh, I'mmmmmmmmm Mmmmaaaaaaaarrthaaaaaa, by the waaay. Weeeee arrrrre gooooing to calve soooooooooooooooon. I'mmmmmmmm suuuuuuuuuure youuuuuu'll seeeeeee the friskyyyy ones sooooooooon.

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 31, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

Oh, well, good! You can call me ELM. At least I made a correct assumption! You're looking great and so happy - this weather must be great for you. Looks like the rain helped to clean your coat and give you the freshen up that all nice ladies like before they have their babe. I'm sure you're no exception! It's been nice visiting! Come back to the fence anytime!

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 33, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

Thannnnnnnnk youuuuuuu. I nnnnnnnneed toooooo be onnnnn mmmmmmy waaaaaay.

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 35, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

Ok, it's been real nice chatting, Martha! Bye, now!

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 36, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

Oh, Clarece! It was nice meeting you, too!

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 39, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

To mmmmmmeet youuuuuu, wasssss aaaaaa pleasuuuuuuuure innnnnnndeeeeeeeed. Geeeet youuuuuuuuuur nnnnnnnew lennnnnnns sooooooooon. Theeeeesssse calves will neeeeeeeeed photos annnnnnnnnd I'vvvvvvvve neverrrrrrrrrr mmmmmmmmet a cammmmmmmeraaaaaaa wooooommmmmmmmannnn.

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 40, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

Marvelous, ladies!! It's been great! Have a nice evening!! And with that, they sauntered off toward their friends and sisters.

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 51, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

They had quite a ways to walk to get back by their herd. But, there was plenty of green grass to nibble on their journey.

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 52, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

I haven't seen them around lately... I wonder if the rancher has brought them into the pens to watch for their calves that are due soon.

Cattle in the Western Pasture - 53, To the west of our yard is a pasture and it is dotted with beautiful black and black-baldie cattle. I like the black baldie calves the best out there! Sometimes they come right up to the fence, although more often than not, the stay further away where teh grass is not greener!

I'm not sure, but it was a nice 20 minute visit and it looks like they watch out for each other some. As I sit here remembering the conversation, I see a calf standing out in the pasture about a half mile away. I wonder if it is Clarece's or Martha's or some other mama. Such a fun time... calving in the spring!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

One year ago this week: Oregon Coast Good Byes

It was a year ago this week that we said good bye to Oregon and its beautiful coast, mountains, lush green (well, not in the late summer/early fall!), beautiful rains, and treasured friends.

Last Day on the Oregon Coast, Add a descriptionâ�¦Do you like the starfish I found??

Lately, I have been remembering and longing for the home I have lived the longest as an adult! We lived in Southwest Oregon for just over 3.5 years. Every other adult home I have lived in has been a much shorter stay!

(here Bud is putting the starfish back near the water's edge so that the outgoing water will take this amazing creature back to sea)

So, it was interesting to me as I looked back last night that this last day on the Oregon Coast last spring was actually March 21st!

I wonder if Bump will recall any of the fun at the ocean - the feet sinking in the saturated sand, the smell of the ocean mist, the roar of the waves crashing all night long through the open windows (No it is not a lapping sound, at all, ever! It is a CONSTANT roar and crash. It is amazing and awe inspiring!), the feel of the mist and the warm sun together.

Will Bump remember the Oregon Coast?, Our baby turned one, here... but will he remember the waves, the crashing, the smell, the sounds... I hope it is PART of him!

You know, I love the midwest. I love being able to see for miles and miles and miles. I love seeing the black spots of cattle across the fields. I love seeing the crops starting to peek up in late spring.

Last digs at the sand and surf on the Oregon Coast

Perhaps that is why I loved the ocean so much. The ocean is a lot like the midwest, to me.

You can stand on the shore and look out for miles and miles and miles...

Last Day on the Coast, Drift wood = Teeter Totter!

The spots on the ocean are the ships coming and going - but they could be carrying cattle into port from Hawaii!?!!

And the crops surprising you as they appear are like the birds flying and diving for fish or the nose of a sea otter poking up as you stand and look off the dock, or the blow of a gray whale.

Speaking of whales, the spring migration watch is just about to begin! Too bad we can't pop in the car and get to the Oregon coast in as little as 2 hours!

Oh, well... it is calving season around here! Lots of baby calves popping up on the nearby pastures and lots and lots of mama cows heavy with their calves about to be born.

There are so many wonderful things to see and do in our amazing country... will there be enough time in our lifetime to do and see it all??

Our home in Oregon... a place of fond memories that I miss

This is my old home... it is "under contract" now and will likely have a new family living there soon. Neighbors in the 'hood have kept us in the know! I was secretly hoping that the house wouldn't sell and would have to have its price lowered to an unbelievable price so that we could re-purchase the home as a "vacation home" to stay and go back to visit all the places that we loved. Do you have a previous home that you loved the are and miss? Do you have a list of things you still must go and see or do in the good ol' U.S. of A. before your time is up on this world??