Vacation Moments IV, Final Installment

As promised, some final images and remarks from our vacation.

After arriving in the wet land, Nick spent from the night of July 3rd, until we transitioned to my aunt and uncle's home, at my parents' home.  For the time I was at quilt camp (7/10-14) he was with them alone.  That's the longest amount of time spent with his Grandparents without me.  I think they did some spoiling with taking him to DQ, Wendy's and getting pizza.  I think he got bored though as he really didn't have a lot to do.  When I was a kid, my one set of grandparents had a farm so there was plenty to do, but my parents live in town, and Nick isn't very outgoing and we'd brought his computer, so much wasn't a whole lot different than had he been at home.

Within just a couple of days of our arrival we had an annual family picnic in a park in a nearby small town where also on the day before we left to return home, we went to a pancake breakfast where there was also a display of old cars and a group of square dancers on the basketball court.  

We had trips to the coast, a trip to an aquatic park, visits to fabric stores, quilt camp and shows, breakfasts/lunches/dinners with family and friends we only see one once a year, drives to rural areas of my childhood, drives past properties for sale that I could only dream of buying and moving to (any one of which could become a reality if Marty were to now find employment there - software engineer), conversations filled with lots of memories from past years, birthday celebrations including my own!  And we had time just hanging out with family doing 'nothing' but just enjoying their presence.

In my mom's garden...a Batchelor's Button.  Loved seeing these along the sides of road during my childhood.

Nick with my cousin's daughter Kathy and her daughter Isabelle.  Nick and Isabelle share the same birth date though different years.  We met at Lil Cooperstown, where we had met last year and I had enjoyed a garlic burger.  I was so disappointed that it was no longer on the menu.  I had really looked forward to that burger.  But it was still so much better to enjoy the company of my family :)

I forget the exact location of this view, but there's a little gift shop right there as well.

Nick and Aunt Irene.  Nick decided it would be fun for us to do some shopping at all the tourist traps gift shops at Depoe Bay, and of all the things he could have bought, he found this knit camo hat with attached mustache and beard and HAD to have it.  And for Marty he found a pair of socks - one had "Marty's Sock" written on it, the other had "Marty's Other Sock".  Keep in mind this youngster is middle-teens, lol!

The bridge at Newport taken from the ocean side.  This is the first time I've viewed it from that side.

And from where I took the picture of the bridge, there's a path that leads down towards the ocean and who knew that these little sand dunes were there?  I sure didn't.  These shown are really not very big, but there was one that we had to hike over to get this view that was, and for this totally out of shape person, it was quite the trek in water shoes that filled with sand...just walking on sand is quite a trek!  My muscles were letting me know they'd been used abused for several days afterwards.  What a wimp I am!

A beautiful quilt at the Coburg quilt show on 7/27.

Another stunning depiction put into fabric.

A lovely bargello layout.

I love barns, especially old design barns, and this quilt was great.  Notice the animals and such.

When I was a teen, I lived on a ranch, and life was all about ranch, cattle, horses, etc.  Then I foolishly left home at 18 and moved to the big city (ultimately) and this just reminds me of who I should have been: a cowgirl!

This store is in Corvallis.  It was my first visit.  They had lots of lovely fabrics, and this is  where some of the increase of my stash reported last week came from. 

If you're doing a cat quilt, is this not a great fabric for a border, or a backing?  I thought of Barbara at Cat Patches when I saw this.  It was in the back room where all the discounted fabrics are.

We saw osprey in the nest.  I'm not sure if this is one of at least two youngsters in the nest, or one of the parents stopping in to tend to the young 'uns.  We drove by here on two separate days.  I thought I video'd but it seems I may have experienced a case of user error as the video is not to be found on my disc.

Family and my birthday cake :)

Family

Nick and younger cousin viewing one of the old old cars.  No idea who the other three adults are.

A shot of the square-dancers.  I had video'd, I thought, numerous videos here too, but again, they seem to be missing on my disc due to that user that apparently didn't know what she was doing.

One of only a few deer we were fortunate enough to see.  This was zoomed in as much as I could, and unfortunately in the shadows.

And oh my, what is that growth in my cousin's wheat field (actually not his wheat field, but his property which he leases out).  My aunt had the sharp eyes that spotted the deer's ears poking up amongst the wheat.

My aunt Irene, and uncle D.L.  Aren't they a lovely couple?  I love these two!

And so ended our vacation.  That last picture was taken about 6:15 a.m. right before we pulled out of their driveway to head home.