Oregon Farm & Garden

The day after the eclipse the smoke is back even heavier than before. Evacuations are happening for the Black Butte area, which is only a few miles away.  Good thing we had planned to leave today. We decide to meet up at Belknap Hot Springs - a standard stop for us but is new for Cork and Cathy. After parking the registration area, we are immediately drawn to the Naughty Gnome art car. A passerby tells us it belongs to a woman who bar-tended at the big Madras eclipse celebration. Although we don't get to meet her, Cathy and Cork take lots of photos of her car.

Smoke fills the sky from wildfires

Naughty Gnome art car - Gnome Sweet Gnome

It's 5 o'clock somewhere

Say Hello to my Little Friend (my favorite)

After getting settled in our campsites, we take a short walk to the Secret Garden, a favorite location for weddings. It was built by Frank Perry Bigelow around the early 1900's and its design hardens back to the art of Maxfield Parish. It's a beautiful magical place even with smoke filled skies.

Reflections of trees along the path to the Secret Garden

Fast moving stream

Entrance to the Secret Garden

Waterfalls and hard scape

Smokey skies

David, Cathy, and Peter

No wonder it's a popular place for weddings

After spending a relaxing day hanging out at the hot springs, we saddle up for a short drive to Corvallis where we'll be staying with friends at their farm.  Along the way we pass through several old logging communities. All have been hit hard economically by reductions in commercial logging. Some have recovered but others are still struggling. When I attended Corvallis High School, my school would play football against the teams from these towns. The sons of loggers made pretty invincible football players. Soon we pass over the Willamette River into Corvallis.

This town is still praying for better times

Corvallis

Willamette River

Our friends Rick and Sherril live a few miles north of town on several acres of pasture land. Their home is a 100+ year old farmhouse.  The original owner/builders ordered it from a Sears catalog and built it themselves around the early 1900's. Recently the house suffered considerable damage from a fire and parts of it had to be completely remodeled.

Farmhouse front

Campsite out back

The back of the farmhouse

House shortly after it was built

Wonderful new kitchen

Great job Sherril on the remodel!

That afternoon Sherril takes us to the Airlie Winery, which is one of the few owned and operated entirely by women.

Passing farms on the way to the winery

Sign at entrance

We check in at the office

View of the vineyards

We ponder which wines to try as well as which snacks to order

After returning to the farm, Rick gives the guys a tour of his collection of old army vehicles.

Tanker truck

Classic jeep

Rick with all the guys favorite - the dump truck

While the guys are playing around with Rick's rigs, the ladies make good use of Sherril's new kitchen by rustling up a big dish of Paella.

Patti would love this S&P froggy

Salad & Paella

This is certainly a dinner we'll remember

We've all had a great time and are sorry to have to say good-bye the next morning.

Happy campers - Cork, Cathy, Peter, David, and me

Thank you Rick and Sherril - we had a great time

We all head for the Oregon coast, but split up as we near the ocean. Cork and Cathy head north while Peter, David and I go south to Carl Wasburne State Park.

The day's last rays filter through the trees

Our campsite

Campfire

Walking the dogs down the beach at low tide in the morning

It's a gorgeous day as we drive further south along the Oregon coastline... that is until we get closer to Brookings were a wildfire is raging out of control just east of town.  In fact, the smoke is so bad many of the residents are wearing masks to help their breathing.  The firefighters have set up hundreds of tents in the fields just outside town.

Classic Oregon cove

Smoke coming into Brookings

Large firefighters' camp

Speaking of smoke, we spot a large Smoke Shop just before we cross the border into California.  Giving into temptation, we stop to check it out and end up buying a small bottle of CBD oil. Later we discover it's pretty worthless.  Although we can't speak to the other products they carry, we certainly would never stop here again.

Avoid this place