Clamming In The Fog

Its been socked in here for several days now -- yesterday I had bright sunshine until around 4pm when the sun disappeared behind a heavy blanket of clouds and fog. Today it has been foggy all day -- not a surprise when it is hot in Portland, it tends to be foggy here.

The picture up top was taken a few days ago -- shows folks returning to the fish hatchery nearby after clamming during low tide. As always, click the picture to biggify it.

Spoke Too Soon

Yesterday was spectacular - just look at last night's sunset through the trees:


After sunset and just before everything faded to dark:


The smoke from the Mt. Hood fire and the other fires in the Cascades and central Oregon reached me just before sunset and gave everything a hazy look (and a lot of particles in the air to reflect color). Here you can see the haze looking up at Cape Lookout:


I was so amped when I saw the haze -- figured for sure I would have a repeat of last night's colorful sunset tonight. I fear I jinxed myself - look at today:


Socked in foggy all day long. Temps in the mid to high 60's most of the afternoon. It got down into the 40's last night (brrrr) but it is still in the mid 50's right now. I went from short sleeves light cotton clothing yesterday to a fleece hoodie today. Was great sleeping weather last night tho -- nice and cool and I'm hoping for a repeat tonight. Don't think I'll get it -- that thick fog blanket is gonna keep it much warmer.

The record still stands at 4 days in a row of sunshine... didn't see hide nor hair of the sun today.

Getting Better

Last night's sunset was even better! Woke up to a much warmer day without a cloud in the sky. Thank goodness an afternoon breeze cooled it down from 95 to the mid 80's. Now the sun is behind the trees and the house is in shade, the temperature has dropped to a very pleasant 76 on my front deck. Per the weather service, it is still 91 in Tillamook.

I had both doors open this afternoon, letting the breeze air out the house. My head cold/allergy thingie was back with a vengeance earlier today but now it appears to have been blown away with the breeze. All in all, a better day that brings to mind this song:



The Beatles -- Getting Better.

First Sunset of September

I love the interplay of the whiteness of the moon in the sky that still has traces of blue but is transforming into the fading colors left by a below the horizon sun and how it contrasts with the dark land and trees. A sunset worthy of celebrating the new month. As always, click on the photo to biggify it.

Weather dood said we may get up to 90 here tomorrow. The winds are shifting from the northwest to an easterly flow and that is going to bring all the hot air from the other side of the Cascades (by way of the Columbia Gorge) clear out to here at the coast. Of course, that also will mean clear skies and the temps will really cool off fast at night. Labor Day Weekend is the last weekend of tourist season around here -- the area will return to its slower pace of life with a lot less traffic. The trees will soon be changing color and dropping their leaves as the peaceful retreat by the bay welcomes fall.

Cotton Candy Sunset

June started off with a great sunset last night. The actual sunset was hidden in the trees but the clouds along the horizon do a good job of reflecting the cotton candy colors.

Still, its only been in the 50's and 60's during the day -- weather dood said we are going to get Instant Summer this weekend when the winds shift -- dood is predicting 83 Saturday and 85 Sunday.

Yeah. Sure. Right. I'll believe it when I see it. Of course, he is also predicting rain on Monday.

I've had bands of showers coming across the bay this afternoon. I enjoy sitting at my desk, watching the dark clouds move in against the lighter grey and white clouds on the other side of the spit. Everything else seems so still until the wind starts to push up ridges on the bay waters. I can watch the wind's progress as it moves toward me by watching those mini white-caps. The wind and the rain usually arrive at the same time and quickly move on. Brief showers instead of the steady rain of winter.

There will be no sunset eye candy tonight. The blue patches in the sky are quickly filling in with clouds of varying shades of gray.

Apple Blossom Sunset

No new Jujube pics so I'm sharing some apple blossom photos I took Saturday and tonight's sorta sunset. As you can see, the actual sun setting has moved to the north and is blocked by the large stand of trees to my northwest. You can see the blooming rhododendron on the north side of my deck to the right of the sunset:


This is the view from my deck taken at the same time.


Tis the first color I've had at sunset in a long time. Weather dood tonight is predicting four (4!) days of no rain in a row. I'm not sure if I'm gonna believe him but ... tonight's pretty in pink sunset after today being yet another day of rain sure was a hope raiser.

Baby Pineapple Snow

Snow falling Wednesday night on the back deck. When I woke up Thursday, a lot of it had melted off but there was still plenty of snow to look at.



The studio roof and garden still had snow along with the cape and alongside the road. Weather dood said we got around 2 inches of snow during the night.

From Jen's email with Baby Julianna's size descriptor for week 33:

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

I am so looking forward to spring -- not only will it be warmer (was 27 last night) but I get to finally meet my granddaughter. Jen had a 3D/4D ultrasound Thursday -- say howdy to Julianna Renee:

Jicama Sunset

Had sunshine today but these clouds to the west are reminding me the weather dood is forecasting snow on the coast tonight and tomorrow morning. We've had snow for the last two mornings but it has pretty much melted away by the time I get up. Sounds like we may get more than the dusting we've had the past two days.

From Jen's email with Julianna's size descriptor for week 32:

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb.

Time sure seems to be speeding by -- 8 weeks (52 days) left until Jen's due date. Jen's having an ultrasound tomorrow and I am looking forward to getting another glimpse of my granddaughter before she arrives in mid-April.

Baby Corn Christmas

Seeing Jen today reminded me that I had neglected to share this week's Baby Julianna size descriptor:

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Had a nice low key Christmas -- talked to Stephanie on the phone while I opened my gifts from her -- love the framed photo of her and the K's, my Maxine desk calendar, the ornaments, and Token's coat (with hood) is too cute. She's having a fun Christmas in southern Kansas at the K's parents' house before they head to the K's sister's house in northern Kansas.

Today, Mike and Jen came over the coast range for a visit and to celebrate but the weather was terrible. They had chunky rain (a snow/rain/ice mix) coming over the Wilson River summit and there was a ferocious hailstorm here just as they arrived. We decided it would be a short visit so they could get back over the pass before the snow levels fell. The summit is 1,500 ft and snow levels were predicted to be down to 1,000 ft by mid to late afternoon.

We had a wonderful visit in a short amount of time. Got to rub Jen's belly (so much bigger) and poke at Baby Julianna Corn trying to get her to kick back at me but to no avail. Jen and Mike got me the cutest bird feeder, a pair of Rachel Ray silicon large spoons that are notched so ya can hook them on the pot rim (eliminating having to use a spoon holder next to the stove), and a way cool weather station (with wind gauge!) and I've been putting batteries in the various components and reading the set up manual. My old weather station died earlier this year and I've been having to rely on online sites for temperatures. My old station was also a gift from Jen many years ago when I was still at the cabin.

No picture up top because there has been nothing but gray drippy skies -- and because I forking forgot to take pictures while Jen and Mike were here. Doh!

Baby Bell Pepper

Baby Bell Pepper is the descriptor of the week per Jen's email:

Head to rump, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, although he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

She finds out if Baby Bell Pepper is a boy or a girl this coming Thursday, the 18th. So exciting!!! Less than a week!!!

Thanksgiving Day she will be exactly 20 weeks, the halfway point. She's planning her baby shower for the end of January down in the SF Bay Area at her dad's house. His place is great for hosting parties (her bridal shower was held there) with a great backyard if weather is good and a snazzy great room if its not. All her girl friends will be there -- I've not seen the girls since her wedding and it will be good to catch up with them and her dad's family.

No sunsets in a while -- been overcast or drippy when it's not raining. Saw the sun for a wee bit today but the high clouds are doing a pretty good job of keeping it hidden this afternoon. Another storm is headed this way and it should start raining again late tonight and last tomorrow and the extended forecast is a chance of rain for every day for the next week.

Picture is of Jen and Mike at the pumpkin patch last month.

Neon

T'was an ugly gray day today so I'm sharing sunsets from earlier in the week instead of bitching about my day and whining about the weather.

Both have a slightly different view -- they were taken from the breakfast room by the front door. Tis directly over the bedroom of the downstairs unit so I don't use it as an office as I had originally planned. Really does have a great view but the living room has the wood stove.

Tuesday's sunset was neon -- you can tell that the setting sun is still hidden behind the stand of trees on the right but it won't be long -- it is moving south daily.

This was Wedsnesday's sunset. Pretty but not as electric as the day before.


I'm sure my take on the day today was colored by being in a very foul mood. I'm sure I'll be in a better mood tomorrow... ok, later today.... and will be back to waxing about the silvery clouds, the sounds of falling rain and the way the trees sway in the wind. Today was a bah humbug kinda day.

As always, click on the pictures to make them bigger.

Yesterday and Today

Yesterday it was so foggy that I could barely see the creek.


Today.


Yet today was cooler than yesterday. Got up to 72 (for about 10 minutes) yesterday -- was 70 for most of the afternoon. Today it only got up to 68.

The Hot In Pictures

Got up to 93 today. Kept the house closed up and my itty bitty fan going and was able to stay somewhat comfortable.

While I was closing the shades on the bay side of the house, I saw a couple of kayaks out in some very shallow water trying to head south. The low tide was just starting to rise but this appeard to be as far as they could go. I dashed outside onto the deck to take a few pictures and then scurried back inside before I got too hot.

If you click on the first picture to make it bigger, you can sorta see them in the water in the center.



Here's a closer view -- they realized they couldn't go any further south and turned around and paddled to the north behind the trees. The water was very shallow.


A little later, I saw birds on the bay where the creek enters the bay. This is the same spot the eagles like to wash up in.


A closeup of the birds on the bay.


High tide and it was finally starting to cool down.


It is almost 1am and still 63 degrees outside. I'm headed outside to see if I can see any meteors tonight -- the skies are clear for the first time in about 3 weeks.

The Hot Is A'Coming

The hot is a'coming. Sure didn't look that way today, although it was 5 degrees warmer than yesterday -- got up to 68 in spite of the marine layer.


The mat of crap (pollen floating in Netarts Bay) was very noticeable today. Here it is near high tide in the cove where the creek enters the bay. You can also see other mats in the far cove and around the point:


You can see what the tide left behind as it went out in the next two pictures. Needless to say, I'm still sneezing.



August 12, 2008 was the last night I spent in the little cabin by the creek in the redwoods. Easy date for me to remember since it is my friend Joanie's birthday.

I put the padlock on the pod on August 13th, locked up the cabin, gave the keys to my real estate agent and headed down to Carmel to spent the night with a friend. I started my trek north on the 14th, headed up 101 to my temporary digs in Otter Rock. August 15th was the first night I spent in Oregon -- I had stayed in a motel in Crescent City, CA on the drive up.

A lot sure has happened in the past two years but I do not regret moving to Oregon. I can not imagine living back down in CA again -- I've been spoiled by the nice folks, cheaper cost of living, the slower pace to life, and drop dead gorgeous eye candy the State of Oregon offers.

Went into town today -- ran some errands and picked up some groceries. My plan for the heat is to hunker down, close the blinds and shade the windows on the west facing side of the house. On the plus side, I'll have an opportunity to wear the summer clothes I brought up in those two suitcases two years ago. I have to admit, I was freezing a lot (especially considering it was August) when I first got up here but I like to think I have acclimated since then.

I'm no longer a Californian who moved to Oregon -- I am an Oregonian.

Sunshine

Finally -- a wee bit of sunshine today! It had been almost 2 weeks of overcast skies and I have to admit, my old eyes were not used to all that brightness. I've probably got a few new wrinkles from squinting today but they would be totally worth it.

The rose that tries to eat the stairs is putting on quite a show -- both from a distance and up close.


Has been a day to kick back, listening to music, enjoying the view, and occasionally pinch myself.

The Day

Was a changeable day today on the bay. The stiff breeze blowing from the north was trying to push the low clouds towards Cape Lookout with varying degrees of success until late afternoon when the fog-like clouds were finally chased away. The breeze is, however, still quite brisk.

The first picture was taken around 2pm.


This next picture was taken about an hour later -- I figured the clouds had won and the bay would be wrapped in their mists for the rest of the day.


I was wrong.


The marine layer is staying off the coast and the strong breeze is continuing to blow any stragglers south before they can come inland.

One of my fuchsias thinks it is spring again and has a bud that is starting to open. I played around with the macro function on the camera and was able to snag this:


As always, click on any picture to make it larger.

Overcast

Overcast with high clouds for most of the day. Took the first picture early afternoon when the tide was out.



The second was after dinner when I noticed the boat on the bay as high tide approached. They approached the far point, circled the area for a bit and then headed back behind the point.


Didn't see much of the sun today -- but as you can tell, the day was just as pretty. Stayed in the high 60's today and I was able to run around barefoot most of the day.

Drove into Netarts and picked up some delicious prawn scampi from The Three Capes Cafe -- yummy yummy for my tummy. Was my treat to myself for the month. All in all, a good day off spent lounging about and doing nothing -- magnificently I might add.

No Words Needed

No words needed.

95

95 forking degrees outside this afternoon. Not a whisper of a breeze until around 3pm and it didn't stay around long.

The good news is a finger of fog is creeping northward -- you can see the low clouds gathering on the other side of the spit. I don't think I've been happy to see fog clouds gather before...

88

Netarts Bay was 88 degrees today. Hottest it has been since I've been here and tomorrow and Thursday are forecast to be even hotter. Drove into town to run some errands today and it was stinking hot. The weather doodette said on the 4pm news that it got up into the 90's in Tillamook this afternoon and I can believe it.

I discovered that the a/c in the car needs to be recharged -- am adding that to the list of things to be checked out at the mechanics. Did some grocery shopping and stopped and made an appointment for a haircut on Friday -- am way overdue and quite shaggy looking and hightailed it back home before I melted.

Picture up top is of low tide this afternoon. As always, check on the picture to biggafy it.