Humbug Mountain State Park

(+5 insets!) (full-size is dreamy!) :) I haven't had much time to write so here's another entry from my trip file! Oh, the Joy of a Window-Filled Trailer! As I type, I'm glancing out at the campsite next to us. I am lounging on my perfect little bed, custom-made to fit the twin-sized space in my perfect little room. (My bed sits on a custom-made bed frame, complete with three huge drawers for storage, made beautifully by Steve!) This bed sits in a nook that is entirely filled with windows! Two tall, narrow ones on either end and a bisected, full size window on the long side! Every window in our coach is darkened so that in the daytime, people can't see in but we have a marvelous view outside. I am seated about five feet off the ground so it's like an eagle's nest! The floor of the entire coach is much higher than our old Grey Wolf trailer and we can't get over the awesomeness of the great views we have. To be honest, one of the (many) selling points of this trailer were all of the windows! The entire dining and kitchen area are completely filled with windows, with exception for the back wall where the stove/oven, coffee counter and refrigerator reside. The hallway leading up the three stairs to the master bedroom has a tall narrow window and there's also a window in the outer door. The master bedroom has a large one on one wall and the head of the bed there are a pair of tall narrow windows on each side. Even the bathroom has light streaming in through the skylight! The overall effect of this beautifully lit coach is cheery and inviting, an expansive space that's totally comfortable and homey. What an opposite to the Grey Wolf. No matter how many lights we added to that tin can cave, there was no way to make it feel homey and truly nice. It really was a "weekender" trailer and when we finally admitted defeat, one of the things on our "Won't Sacrifice" list was Lots of Windows! Our Avalanche is a dream come true! Yeah, But What About All That Light in the Morning?! You might wonder how we get any sleep when the light begins to tinge the sky at o-dark-hundred every day. Well, every window also has its own black-out blind and they work perfectly! Paired with tinted windows, it could be high noon out in the desert and still dark as a tomb inside! To be honest, some light does come in but it's totally negligible. The litmus test is our little parrot, Pumpkin. If it's getting light and she awakens, she begins a non-stop series of darling little peeps to say good morning, letting us know it's time to start the day. However, with these blackout blinds, the coach is dark until we say so…hurray! Today's Pictures I got lots of really neat pictures when we were at Humbug Mountain State Park, and my main picture is a favorite! These flowers are about 4" in diameter and simply glow in the morning light so I was delighted when I was able to get a worthy capture. I am also including an inset that shows a pair of these pretty flowers, as well as a meadow filled with Cat Ear flowers, and a Hedge Blindweed vine (an invasive flower in the morning glory family but not a true Morning Glory, which is in the ipomena genus ) wrapped around a blackberry cane. Finally, the opening bud of a Queen Anne's Lace couldn't be passed up--they are just magnificent--and last but not least, a Cat Ear plant with webs all over it! :) (I found an interesting, short, and picture-filled page about this plant and similar ones here: Invasive Vine Weeds for those who are curious!) This morning is lovely and sunny and we are hoping to drive down to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and then go agate rock hunting on the beach! Wish us luck! Sending my *virtual* hugs and love your way! Explored on 7/19/20; highest placement #4.

(+2 insets) This is the Life! We are nearly through our second full-week of camping now and life is great! Everything we'd hoped this trailer would be for us has been realized. It's spacious, well-made (ok, within reason…heh…trailers = shoddy builds), totally comfortable and has more storage that we need so we aren't having to repack everything when we are getting an item we're after. Happy Animal Family! Our animal family is doing great! Pumpkin, our darling parrot, is as happy as a clam with mom and dad usually close by whenever we're in the trailer. One way to tell that she's at ease is the amount of food she eats. Perhaps she needs a piggy tail as she's chowing like a 700-pound porker, yay! :) Meanwhile, our near-20-yr old frogs are content enough that they are hooting at one another and eating crickets with wild abandon. We are joyfully amused that they take turns soaking in the little pool we have for them, it's such a cute sight! And last but not least, Snakey McSnakerton started the trip in pre-shed condition with a gray sheen and opaqued eyes. We offered him a mouse a few days ago but as we expected, he didn't eat it--he rarely eats just before he sheds but we wanted to give him the opportunity. Yesterday Steve turned Snakey's light on and found a bunched-up shed up against the glass--for the next while he stood cooing beautiful, gleaming sentiments at our lovely boy. Snakey really is extra pretty just after he sheds! At lunchtime I got a mouse ready for him (they are frozen so I thaw and warm one for him before offering) and after dancing it around in front of him and placing it nearby, I was happy to find him swallowing the last of it when I checked in a bit later. So it's official--all of our animals think the RV lifestyle is fantastic, just like we do! :) Steve's Injured Leg is Nearly 100% Better! I didn't mention that just before we left on our trip, Steve seriously hurt himself. A ladder he was on shifted and fell in the gravel driveway and he sustained a terrible sprained ankle and badly-twisted knee. For the entire week at Humbug Mountain State Park, Steve was barely able to walk around without being in a lot of pain. Unfortunately, there were a lot of things he needed to do which kept him from resting his leg, all of which prolonged the injuries. However, as he was able to rest and elevate his leg, it very slowly began to get better. In the past few days the rate of recovery has really sped up. In fact, for the first time this trip, we went on a bike ride a couple of days ago! It was such a gentle trip around the three campground loops that Steve added another mile down one of the bike paths! And last night he was able to walk up and down the three stairs inside our coach without using the handrail or going down one step at a time. We lit up the coach with our beaming smiles of relief and happiness, isn't it just wonderful?! Time to Relax and Enjoy our Stay We learned last year that short stays at a campground are a bummer. Just when you've really relaxed and begun to feel at home, it's time to pack up and leave for the next spot. These 2-4-day stays made us feel hurried, unhappy and stressed-out. We decided that the perfect length of stay would be a full week if possible, with five days being a preferred minimum. So, for this trip, we've aimed at 7-day stays at our chosen campgrounds and the result has been fantastic! We have time to do what we want to without feeling like we must plan our days carefully to fit everything in. We just enjoy ourselves and whatever happens, happens! Time to be lazy and take naps, swing in the hammock or sit in our lounge chairs just watching folks walk or ride by. Time to read, do crosswords or cruise the 'net (if it's available). Time to go on my daily morning walk, or go out later with my macro lens and creep around for cool shots. Time to listen to the birds singing or maybe even watch them doing their thing. Time to cuddle Chicken (Pumpkin) and look at our frogs and snake. Time to go on bike rides or go on hikes. There's even time to play video games if we want! Finally, Steve and I can stay in these beautiful places and really relax and soak up all they have to offer. We are at peace. Today's Pictures I've got piles of processed pictures building up but today I've decided to share the blue jay pictures I captured last week. One day when we were at Humbug Mountain State Park, Steve saw a flash of blue and looked out to see that a Steller's Jay had landed next to the trailer. He called to me so I could see and then exclaimed, "Oh wow! It's sunning itself!" I looked out and we stood watching the beautiful bird warming its wings, a second bird landing nearby a moment later. I didn't think I'd be able to get pictures before the birds flew away but Steve reminded me that it's worth a try. I'm so glad I got my Sony because I was able to get a whole bunch of pictures before finally the pair flew away. I'm sharing two insets as well--one shows a nice side view and the other is a feather close-up! ENJOY! I hope everyone is doing well!! I'll be posting again in the next few days with some really neat finds! *BIG HUGS ALL AROUND* Explored on 7/12/20; highest placement #1.

(+5 insets!) We're Camping and Having a Blast! Life is just wonderful! Hello everyone! Steve and I are into our second week of our trip and having a great time! Our trailer is absolutely magnificent. My little bedroom is simply perfect and so my bed! Steve's is just as comfortable--we are so happy! Our coach is sumptuous and spacious and allows us to move around without bumping into each other whenever we do something. Especially nice is the fact that our kitchen has an island with access to the sink from either side! Our family is doing just as well as we are…Snakey McSnakerton has a smaller habitat that's large enough for him to cruise around but not too big either. Our two frogs are set up in a smaller terrarium too and enjoying their little pool along with daily cricket installments! :) Pumpkin is having a super time--she adores travelling and every day is full of happy adventures for her--whether that means going on a walk around the park in her little backpack cage or sitting in her cage with a carrot in a foot to nibble on while looking out of all the windows of our marvelous coach! Amidst the Pandemic, Camping with Others is Fine! It's been no problem staying at State Parks! Everyone has been super-respectful of social distancing and everyone is cheerful and happy. If I didn't know there was a world-wide virus to be careful about, you certainly wouldn't know by looking around. Families are acting normally and when I pass by people, we just keep our distance. How nice is that?! :) Humbug Mountain State Park and the Gorgeous Oregon Coast How very lucky we are! Last year when we did our coastal trip in our first RV (recreational vehicle), we passed by this state park and wondered if we'd ever be able to get a spot. To our amazement, when Steve looked into reservations, he was able to get us 7 nights there--the only spot that was available in fact! What are the odds, right?! Delighted doesn't express our joy! The campground has two loops to accommodate both RVs and traditional tent campers. The lower of the two loops has a sandy trail that leads along a the babbling Brush Creek to the ocean beach beyond. Situated in a canyon, there is an almost constant wind, though here and there are areas that are protected from the wind and are lovely and warm to walk through. There are hiking trails that make their way up and around the beautifully forested park and even a trail to the top of Humbug Mountain. It is a slice of paradise. Today's Pictures I have lots to chatter about but don't want to run out of time before posting my pictures so here we go! Today I'm featuring pictures of Humbug Mountain State Park beach and the creek that runs into the ocean at the beach. Included are several views of each and a panorama too! I hope everyone is doing well, I am so happy to be back to my bright-eyed and bushy-tailed self! Explored on 7/8/20; highest placement #1.

(+3 insets!) We're Back From our Covid Trip! Best. Trip. Evar! Steve and I got home a few days ago and we're delighted to report that it was the very best trip we've been on since we began our RV camping trips last year! Despite the scary concepts of virus everywhere, we travelled from one place to the next and had a safe and wonderful series of adventures. Our rig is all we could have hoped for--the trailer is just incredible and the truck is handling the load perfectly! We have learned how to slow down, relax, and chill out. I've had time to enjoy hammocks (Steve's a master!), macro photography, reading, writing--even playing video games if the mood suits me. Steve's gotten to chat with folks and make new friends, go fishing, play video games, fiddle around with trailer and truck enhancements, etc. We've been hiking and bike riding, shared weenie-roasts and time with Steve's family. Most importantly, it's a fact that travelling has always been hard on our relationship in one way or another, but not this time!! That's the best part of all and we couldn't be happier about the whole kit and caboodle! Finally, we've even figured out how to bring our whole family with us--frogs, our snake, and of course our parrot and grand supervisor, Pumpkin--and this totally completes us! In the time since we left for our first adventure, the weather turned from warm to blasting inferno--over 100 degrees most days, ugh! This has been a bit of a shock to our systems every time step outside but we're slowly getting used to it. Also, since we now view our trailer more as our home than our actual home, readjusting is a bit odd. The one thing we really don't like about where we live is the incredible summer heat, blah! The moment we got back, Steve's been buzzing around with laser focus towards his list of projects. There are lots of things to modify and add to the trailer, fix and resupply. It's astonishing to see everything he's done in this short time already! Besides shopping for essentials, he's gotten materials for a bunch of things he's working on. Currently he's installing a super-cool attachment that will store and secure our fold-up Porta-Bote to the side of our RV, so we'll have it with us on our next trip! I have been running around the house, updating lists, organizing and preparing for our next trip in a couple of weeks. There's a lot of coordination involved and Steve and I have quite the partnership down. I've also been processing images from the trip but I haven't had time to post them because I have to focus on preparation. However, I'm finally at a point where I can begin putting images up again, so here we go! :) Today's Pictures Our first seven days was spent at a truly lovely campground called Humbug Mountain State Park. I was so happy that I finally had time to relax and take pictures of all types--most especially macro--but I also had time to watch critters and wait for opportunities for good pictures. Walking to the beach one day with my marvelous Sony camera presented just that chance! My main picture shows an American Robin that stopped in mid-run to listen and look for bugs. You will notice that it's wet! Apparently it had just had a bath and wasn't dry yet, what fun! My first inset shows a portrait which turned out nicely too! Insets also include a picture of a colorful chalk-drawn star that was right outside our trailer, and on the trailer door itself, I found this adorable caterpillar! (I captured this cutie with my macro lens) I hope everyone is doing well! Stay safe and comfortable!! Explored on 7/29/20; highest placement #1.

(+8 insets!) (Please view large! It's a wonderful zen view! :D) (Please scroll down to Today's Pictures for image details!) Fewer Locations with Longer Stays = Happy Campers! Part one of our wonderful Covid Trip lasted 26 days and yet we only stayed in four locations: Humbug Mountain State Park (7 nights), Bullard's Beach State Park (7 nights), William Tugman State Park (two 4-night stays), and Hecata (pronounced Huh-see-tuh) Beach RV Park (4 nights). We learned our lesson last season that short stays = cranky campers! Truthfully, this trip DID have 3 shorter stays of four days each but they were close to each other and that made them reasonable enough. The juggling of short stays allowed us to meet up with Steve's sister and two sons for our first RV trip with them and it was wonderful! Humbug Mountain State Park Nestled at its base, this park is a lovely gem with several picturesque trails and a gorgeous beach just five minutes from the lower campground. The mountain was originally named Me-tus by the indigenous Tututni people, though first known by Sugarloaf Mountain by American settlers. It was renamed Tichenor's Humbug --eventually shortened to Humbug Mountain --by the founder of nearby Port Orford, Captain William V. Tichenor. The name served as a permanent reminder of the exploring blunder when the party sent by Techinor got lost and headed north of the port instead of south. (The mountain has also been called Mount Franklin .) Our stay was a relaxing one in which we settled into the happy reality of our new fabulous trailer and discovered what it was like to stay put for more than a few days. What a joy! The only bummer was the fact that Steve had badly hurt his knee and sprained his ankle just before we left for our trip. This forced him to stay in the trailer and off his feet as much as possible, something that he really didn't want to do, of course. We both felt very depressed and worried about his leg and the future, and all of this weighed on our mood. However, once he got serious about resting his leg, it began to heal and we felt better in turn as the days passed. I got out for walks every day and had many photo adventures. The trails, the beach, the trek around the lower and upper campground loops--even though melancholy often colored my creative energy, the time we got to spend at this park was enough that I was able to photograph my experience there really well! Ultimately, we hope to come back and stay for another week so that Steve and I can hike all of the trails together, go beach-combing, and allow him to experience the park's grandeur too! A Lovely Morning on Humbug Mountain State Park Beach I went out to the beach many times and got to wander around, soaking up the beauty of the place. The wind was pretty fierce and maybe that's why there weren't many people on the beach most of the time, though families could be seen here and there each day. The scenery was magnificent and I enjoyed taking pictures of the craggy coast as well as macros of the things I found washed up on the shore. Today's Pictures You have to count your lucky stars when you see such a perfect scene for a picture. Arriving at the beach one day, I immediately noticed the pair in my main picture, seated on a log and enjoying the incredible view. I got lots of shots from many angles but I liked this one the best, creating a panorama from the image to give a sense of what they were experiencing. A slice of heaven. :) Insets include… A pile of prayer stones with a soft-focus boulder off in the distance… A magnificent craggy coast line where rocks of all sizes met the crashing waves next to the beach… Layers of sand with a granite rock jutting up for a focal point… A seagull flying overhead, just one of the many that often wheeled about overhead or gathered on the shore… A colorful crab carapace on the sand, glistening from the water that washed over it… A close-up of the shell to see the gorgeous texture… Kelp that lay in a Rastafarian jumble with a shallow dof so the end faded to artistic softness… And finally, a natural still life with a feather stuck to a bit of seaweed. That feather was very stubborn and though the wind tore at it, the feather merely waved around and would not be swept away! :) Here's hoping all of you are safe and healthy and having a wonderful day! :) Thanks so much for your visits, comments, stars, and for your never-ending encouragement and interest in my photography and our adventures! :) You're the best. <3 Explored on 8/1/20; highest placement #2.

(+8 insets!) Preparations are Afoot For Covid Trip Part 2! Steve and I are gearing up for our next trip and everything is falling into place! We Got Our House Sitter Again! We were worried about getting someone to watch our house while we were away because we didn't think the fellow who usually stays here could do it. This trip doesn't have a firm "end date" so we expected that to be a really big problem. However, it turns out that since Covid's turned the world upside-down, our friend's company has changed to allow the majority of its employees to work from home. So, instead of working in town, he can stay in our house and work full time! All of us are so happy! Projects Are Nearly Complete! When we got home, Steve had a list of important projects that he needed to get done…and one by one he's been finishing them and ticking them off the list! Pictures of My Morning Walk Around Humbug Mountain State Park I'd mentioned in an earlier post that I love to immerse myself in a state park's campground by strolling around its loops every morning. The show is a highlight of each day! However, I don't take my camera because I'm out for exercise and it gets in the way of my movement. So instead, I go on my walk again later with camera in hand and slowly cruise along, snapping away at everything that caught my eye earlier. So many pretty things to see!! My main picture shows the very last flowers of the season for the Western Azalea. How lucky I felt to get pictures before they'd petered away! When I discovered this one remaining bush that had flowers, I crossed my fingers for at least one blossom that was still in good condition--imagine my joy when I found a number of them to take pictures of! I loved the pair of flowers hanging down like pendants to create a wonderful natural floral bouquet. Insets Include… …a trio of perfect Western Azalea blossoms …three pictures which show the electric-pink blossoms of the Redclaws shrub (Escallonia rubra) and also called Red Escallonia,...I initially thought these were Red Currant flowers but Ron Hanko pointed out that they couldn't be because of the blooming time and looking closer, the blossoms are all wrong. After hours of searching between us, we began to wonder if the plant wasn't native. I came up with a plant I thought might be close but Ron was the one who figured out the answer to this vexing puzzle! YAYYYYYY!!! ALL HAIL HORTICULTURIST HANKO!! :D By the way, this plant is native to Chile and Argentina and has been naturalized in many other countries. It is now considered to be invasive. …a Himalayan Blackberry blossom and leaf …a pair of pictures showing Cow Parsley flowers and buds..they are so delicately beautiful up close, aren't they? …an artistic study of leading lines and texture that stars a dried blackberry cane with a blade of grass falling into bokeh and another cane in the background which softly leads the eye back to the dried cane! Thank You and Stay Safe! All of your visits and comments are so deeply appreciated! I hope everyone is doing well in these virus-filled days and keep your guard up! Have a lovely rest of your week and enjoy your photography if you can! <3 Explored on 8/6/20; highest placement #22.

(+5 insets!) (view large to see the pretty details!) We are busy getting ready for our trip so I will have to make this short and sweet! I'd planned on sharing some pictures which showed many of the things Steve's done to upgrade the trailer and truck but I am too busy running around so I'll post them at another point. Instead, let's get right to the show! Cliff Swallows Under the Bridge! One of the wonderful features of Humbug Mountain State Park is its proximity to the ocean--the park actually has their own beautiful beach! The way to get there is by walking down a short 5-minute trail which takes you under Oregon Coast Highway 101's bridge and out to the ocean and sprawling shoreline beyond. The first time I walked to the beach, there were three things I noticed. The first thing was the incredible wind tunnel! Humbug sits in a canyon and the wind is simply amazing at its narrowest point--and yet, out at the beach the wind dies down significantly depending where you are. The second thing I noticed was the bridge you must walk under to get to the beach. I couldn't help admiring the handsomely designed architecture and paused at many points to appreciate its lines from various angles. The third thing I noticed filled me with great delight! Underneath the bridge there were dozens of mud-based nests built by Cliff Swallows! At the time I had my Canon and 100mm macro lens, and though I couldn't resist taking pictures, I knew those fabulous nests would be best-captured with my marvelous Sony camera. Today's Pictures The main picture today shows the bridge from the beach with Brush Creek flowing by to the sea. Next is a picture of the bridge from the trail down to the beach--you can see that the bridge is not flat and is going down a hill! The following insets show the wonderful nests that lined the underside of the bridge. As I took pictures, I watched the birds as they swooped in and out to their nests. Some were feeding chicks, others were working on their nests. The last image shows these birds working industriously on the construction of their nests which I thought was really interesting. These birds (Barn Swallows too) are considered to be a nuisance in many places because of the mess they create and many people do not appreciate having mud nests built under their home's eaves. Of course, it that were me, I'd be happy to invite an entire colony to build homes! Perhaps that might be a bit much though, as large groups can number 2,000 or more! If you would like to know more about these wonderful, clever birds, Wiki has a very nice page on them here: American Cliff Swallow . (By the way, if you'd like to see another wonderful picture of Cliff Swallow nests built into cliffs, Ron Hanko took this marvelous image when he and his wife were exploring Big Bend National Park back in February: Cliff Swallow Nests by Ron Hanko ) Finally, I hope you all have a fantastic and safe weekend! **virtual* HUGS!* Explored on 8/7/20; highest placement #2.

(+17 insets!) Our 2020 "Escaping Covid" RV Trip I'm going to go through our trip, stop by stop and hopefully I'll be able to get through all the pictures before we leave for our next trip! (Hint...so many pictures!!!) I'm including links to other posts which show images from this stop as well. First Stop: Humbug State Park We were so lucky to book a week here because the dates included Fourth of July, our Independence Day. Trying to find reservations a week before and following this day is usually next to impossible but to our total amazement we got incredibly lucky! Furthermore, this park is small and we really didn’t think we'd ever get to stay here! We counted our lucky stars every day! :D Humbug Mtn State Park--What Sets it Apart This park's unique features are its small size and its own, almost private, ocean beach, complete with a creek that runs into the water. The walk along the ocean is fabulous! Another unforgettable aspect that wasn't so nice was the wind in some areas. This intimate park sits in a narrow canyon which funnels coastal wind under the highway 101 bridge and up through the campground in a ferocious gale that affects some areas. Yet, in protected spots, the negligeable breeze makes you question whether or not you were exaggerating intensity of the wind rushing into the canyon. What a lovely campground it is! With an upper and lower loop, surrounded by lush forest with trails that meander up and out of the canyon and along the original Highway 101, this makes for a wonderful, wide walkway overlooking the ocean in some places. Of interest to bike riders, another notable point is that there is no cycling allowed in or around this park. Today's Main Picture My main image features the underside of a fern with its octopus-sucker-like rows of spores. These plants, which number over 12,000 species, are among the world's oldest and have been around for over 300 MILLION years! Isn't that incredible? I love their unusual appearance and never tire of photographing them! Humbug State Park sits in a lush forest which included plenty of ferns for my enjoyment. . Insets You'll find three other fern images to appreciate; I also included pictures captured on one of my trail hikes: a spike of beautiful purple foxglove blossoms that towered above me and a tiny wild purple and lavender geranium that peeked out shyly from the ground; a view of a dappled trail that lead up to old Highway 101 and another showing the highway-path so you can see how pretty it was! A wide panorama format was perfect for fuzzy red leaves stretching out from the main plant (Geranium?), and finally, a tall, narrow picture showing resin droplets that I found dribbling down the side of a fir tree. I'm also including inset-links to the other Humbug State Park posts I shared some time ago if you'd like to see the beach and other wonderful sights of this gorgeous place! Thank you for your visits! It's been so nice having ipernity back up and running again! I've really enjoyed visiting you guys, and getting your comments, favorites and views has totally made my day! Please stay safe, warm and dry!!