EKjourney Backup

Back from Seaside and ready to start some summer adventure!  We have had a bit of a sluggish start to the summer with Phil having anywhere between 4-6 hours of homework a day, various meetings here and there, and appointments BUT we have tried to insert an adventure whenever possible.   Silver Falls adventure, 9 mile hike! North Falls Twin Falls Middle North Falls Drake Falls Double Falls Lower North Falls Lower South Falls South Falls Rim Trail LOVED these sweet little lilies! Upper North Falls Incidentally, I don't think that Upper North Falls, North Falls, Middle North Falls, and Lower North Falls are the most creative of names...in fact, I find it rather confusing since I am not a directional person LOL!

A few months back, I brought in a couple of felt paintings that I made over the winter and asked Lori (owner of the White Oak Gallery) if she would be interested in displaying some of these "paintings"  during the summer months since my crochet wool items are more seasonal.  She asked me to bring in a selection in July.  I brought in the following six pieces and they are now in the gallery.   "Sweet Peas" "In the Meadow" "Black Hollyhocks" "Midnight in the Fairy Garden" "Upper North Falls" Waterlilies"

We didn't have any plans for Friday.  It was still rather wet so we didn't want to play on the beach.  We decided to take a scenic route home through Astoria and along the Columbia River and just explore along the way. My firstborn is getting so big! Astoria is the oldest settlement this side of the rockies.  It is historically rich with early explorers, Chinook Native American history, and the Lewis and Clark expedition.   Astoria, looking across the bridge into Washington. And from the other side, looking across into Oregon. We clocked the mileage and figured it was about 3.5 miles across the mouth of the Columbia (at this section). Middle village, this was a settlement in the 1850's, where there was a cannery, and a church.   This is the McGowan church (named after the founding family) and it still holds service in the summer. This was across the street from the Middle Village site, looking toward Astoria. Fort Columbia was in operation from 1896 to the end o...