Mini Vacation

It's Tuesday evening and our little mini vacation is almost over.  I'm watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean and it's glorious.  But let's go back to Saturday when it all began.  We left home about 8:00 in the morning and made our way to Troutdale, Oregon, a suburb of Portland.  It was a six hour drive with lots of stops, so it was about 3:30 when we arrived.  We stayed at the Comfort Inn at the Columbia  River Gateway.  We highly recommend it.  Brand new, modern rooms and a wonderful breakfast.

We were right next to the Troutdale airport...see our car in the lower right parked at the hotel?  Just the corner, it's blue, not the pretty black one. Ha!  This is the airport that Brad flew out of all the time when they lived here.  I took this picture to send to him and then they knew exactly where we were.

We took our things inside and then drove to Tad's Chicken and Dumplins where we met Gracie, Dayle and Teresa.  (Gracie and Teresa's blogs are in my sidebar.). I just love these girls.  It was the first time our husbands met and I think the guys hit it off right away. In fact, Teresa and Dayle invited us back to the farm and look what I got....

A piece of Kristi's chocolate tart with Teresa's homemade whipped cream.  In case you don't read Teresa's blog you have to check this tart out over there.  It was amazing.  That's the only word for it.  Yummm!  I stole this picture from Teresa's blog.  She has the recipe on her blog.

We had such a great time visiting with Travis and Kristi and the boys along with Dayle and Teresa.  I sure wish we lived closer so we could do things together more.  Kristi gave me a tour of Teresa's craft room and it really is as nice as the pictures on her blog.  I've said it before, I want Kristi to come live with me and organize our house.  :-)

Here we are Sunday afternoon on the coast at Cape Foulweather.  No foul weather that day.  It was beautiful.

Just look at that view!  Gorgeous.

The view from our room.  Is it any wonder why I love the Oregon coast?

This is where we're staying. Right on Hwy 101 in Lincoln City.  You never hear the traffic after you enter the door and then all you hear is the ocean.

Yesterday we had grey skies but we still went out and played.

This was out our balcony door this morning.  Beautiful rainbow.

I thought this guy was going to join us for breakfast in our room.  :-). I loved watching the seagulls soar around the water.

A view from Boiler Bay just north of Depoe Bay.  There was fog and mist here with peaks of sunshine.

Yaquina Bay lighthouse.  So pretty.  The road was closed so we couldn't get any closer.

A little history lesson on the lighthouse.

It was raining lightly as we started toward the Bayfront and the Bay Bridge but Hubby was sweet and let me take his picture.

Hundreds and hundreds of sea lions were here on the docks, swimming around and on a huge rock in the bay.

You should have heard the raucus noise those sea lions were making.  Yelling at each other and claiming their spot on the dock!  I took a video so you could hear them but it won't imbed in my post for some reason.

Doesn't this guy look like he's getting a sun tan?

Back at our room this afternoon and a walk on the beach.  So pretty.

And about five minutes ago from our room's balcony.

There are no words.

I love the coast and wish we lived closer but I have to make do with a visit every few years.  I am very thankful for the times I do get to gcome here.

Thank you for coming along on our vacation with us.  We ate way too much.  I didn't have to cook at all.  Oh and I almost forgot to tell you, Teresa's son Travis sent us a big bag of goodies, cookies and crackers, but especially some smoked salmon.  He caught the salmon a couple of weeks ago and Dayle smoked it in his pellet smoker.  Oh yum!  We've been snacking on that every night.  It's time now for tonight's treat!!!

Homeward bound tomorrow.  Laundry on Thursday and another adventure over the weekend.  Life is good!

"The seas have lifted up, LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.  Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea-the LORD on high is mighty." Psalm 93:3,4

Blessings always,

Betsy