The Harbor Fence

While traveling along the Oregon Coast Highway we came to a small town - a village really - called Garibaldi. Rather an unusual name that I would expect in Italy but not necessarily in the Pacific Northwest.

Garibaldi has a rather big port for such a small place and like in any good harbor there was a seafood place we visited for a very late lunch. The food was delicious and afterward we walked around a bit. That's when I saw this fence.

I liked all the buoys attached to it or hanging from the overhang of the building right next to it.

It was quite colorful, and there different shapes as well. I really liked this sign:

Oh, and also this buoy!

I'm linking up with Theresa's Good Fences - always a great place to go to!

The Mountain

I'm joining Linda's Wednesday Wit and Wisdom again. I wish I could do so every week, but I think at the moment that's just not possible. But hey, here I am!  The challenge is to post a picture, then write a short story or a poem about the picture as a writing exercise. My inspiration today comes from this photo, taken in 2005 in Alaska.

They had been on the camper bus for six or seven hours - she had stopped looking at her watch, being too occupied looking at the landscape passing by. They already had seen so much wildlife here - a little fox, a grizzly bear looking for food at the hillside, caribou, another bear, two beavers busy swimming around their little lake. Now they were approaching the end of the journey - the campground in the heart of Denali National Park, at Wonder Lake.

You couldn't tell that it was already past 10:00 pm. It was still light as day, even though she started to feel a bit tired. But she was also excited. And besides, the day was far from over. They still had to walk up to the campground with their huge backpacks, pitch the tent and then finally they would be able to curl up in their sleeping bags.

No one seemed to sleep in the campground anyway. There was still a quiet buzzing around - someone was playing the guitar, campfires were hissing and there was the constant humming of mosquitoes. Oh, the mosquitoes of Alaska! Good thing they had their nets with them that they wore over their Tilly hats, and the gloves as well. Those mosquitoes were hungry for fresh blood.

Finally the tent was pitched, the mats rolled out and the sleeping bags ready for them. The sun was at an angle now. They knew that behind the clouds Mount McKinley - or Denali - was hiding, and they were also aware of the fact that you rarely saw it without any clouds, if at all.

And then the magic happened.

The sun started to glow - the best Alpenglühen you could ask for. The clouds were glowing, it was amazing! But what was that? The clouds were parting - as if to greet the new day, a couple of minutes before midnight. And through the clouds the most amazing mountain was appearing - huge, white, bold. She was speechless about the sheer height of the mountain. Majestic was the word that came to her mind. It was still and big - it reminded her of a stranded whale on the beach. 

The entire show lasted for five minutes until Denali retreated into the clouds again. She felt like it had just greeted her and let her know, "yes, you little human, you are in Alaska, and this is where nature reigns".

A Feast for the Eyes

I love markets.

It's a fierce attack on all my senses, but especially the eyes and the nose. My belly usually starts to grumble and I feel my mouth watering. I can hardly pass by a good market. I grew up with markets and I do miss the colorful noisy markets in Europe.

When we were in Vancouver, BC a couple years ago there was no way I would miss the Granville Public Market. It's situated on Granville Island (hence the name of course) and it's easy to get there from downtown Vancouver with the excellent public transportation.

Of course there are vegetables and fruits, and lots of them. Since I love color I was attracted to these displays. My photographer's heart was doing summersaults!

But since this is Vancouver and Granville Public Market is right where the marina is, a lot of fish and seafood is offered as well. My favorite food anyway!

Salmon as fillets and whole fish...

... but also in many versions of smoked salmon - this is so darn yummy!!!

Did you ever taste candied salmon? It is delicious and a rare treat.

Lots of shrimp and scallops, of course...

... and oysters...

... but also a great selection of cold cuts - almost like in Germany! That country style liverwurst looks extremely tasty to me (I bet there's majoram in it).

Then there was the bakery - oh my oh my oh my....

Eclairs anyone?

Or do you prefer cake pops?

Perhaps you need a glass of honey - if you can decide which one you'd like.

Oh, and the deli... Are you hungry by now?

Cliff Fence

Do you see the fence up on the cliff? It's from up here that we enjoyed those beautiful sunsets over the Pacific Ocean in Bandon, Oregon. There are stairs down to the beach as well and on top is a parking lot. The stairs are actually rather comfortable, I was surprised about that (we took them down one evening and then up again). It didn't take us longer than five minutes to climb up to the top of  the cliff.

It's a pretty big area - and so is the beach. Endless. At high tide most of the rocks are surrounded by water, but at low tide you can walk around them and even see some seastars clinging to the rocks.

You have to look hard to see the fence in this picture - it's on the very right.

And this is what the fence looks like from the top at sunset - you had already seen it in a different post.

I'm linking up with Theresa's Good Fences again.

Living by the Sea

I'm finally joining Linda's Wednesday Wit and Wisdom again. The challenge is to post a picture, then write a short story or a poem about the picture as a writing exercise. Of course my picture was taken during our vacation in Oregon. 

She loved the early mornings at the beach, when she had the long and wide stretch of sand almost to herself. There were only a few dog walkers around, usually with big dogs who loved to chase the seagulls and run into the water to retrieve a ball. Every now and then one would come to her, sniffing her out, get a pet on the head and return to its owner. She loved to watch them and witness their joy of life.

Every time she came to the beach she found some new treasure – an empty crab shell, a seastar, a beautiful piece of driftwood, clusters of barnacles. The oyster catchers danced around in the low water and the seagulls were yelling, always yelling. Could they ever be quiet?

She wondered what it was like to live by the sea. To have a little cottage on the cliff. First thing in the morning would be to walk at the beach. In the night she would listen to the waves crashing on the sand. It was music in her ears. She wondered what it was like to be in a storm, in the safety of your home, watching out over the grey and wild ocean while the wind was rattling around the corners with an eerie sound.

Was life different when you lived by the sea? Was it more laid back? Did some things just cease to be important? Would you live more according to the tides? Would you spend hours watching for whales to appear, scanning the sea to see their spout? Would life be more slowly? Have a deeper sense? Would you be more content?

She felt this stir in her soul, the wish to break out of her daily routine and opt for a slower life. A life that was dominated  by nature and not by money and working hours. A simpler life with just the things you needed for a basic life, not the things you wanted but didn’t really need.

She sighed and watched the dog running along the waterline, jumping for joy. So carefree and without a worry. She would have a dog if she lived here. Perhaps two. Big dogs. What was keeping her from this dream? She was free.

She would go to the real estate place she had seen the day before. And then to the animal shelter.

What's for Dinner on a Hot Lazy Summer Day

The past couple days have been very hot - that hot actually, it didn't even cool down significantly during the night. This is very unusual for our area. Even if it is hot during the day, the nights are cool and the best time is the morning with its fresh air.

But at the moment we're experiencing that kind of summer heat that doesn't allow us to sleep deeply but instead toss and turn with just a thin sheet covering us. The ceiling fan runs all night and the morning doesn't bring a break.

It's what I call hot and lazy summer days. It's too hot to get anything major done. I pretty much sit on the couch in the big room with the curtains drawn (we don't have a/c) and knit. That's all I can manage right now.

So what's for dinner on a night like this when I don't like to cook because it's too darn hot? (Do you remember this song from "Kiss me Kate"?)

Thank heaven for an abundant tomato harvest! Some mozzarella from the neighborhood store, some basil picked from our own plants, good olive oil and balsamico, salt and pepper - the Italians call it caprese and it's the best food on hot summer days.

Of course I serve it with whole wheat bread that I baked myself.

Oh, and don't forget the wine!

I love dry rosé wines at this time of year.

All I can say is "buon appetito"!

Sunset Fence by the Sea

While in Bandon we watched every sunset. There is a tiny wayside park on the cliff from where you have a gorgeous view over the Pacific - and into the setting sun.

This is the other side, away from the ocean. I loved how the sun was reflected in the window.

Or let's have a look through the fence.

But I don't want to keep you from a clear view over the ocean. The rocks in the sea are typical for Bandon - as for the entire Oregon coast. It makes this place truly wild.

I'm linking up with Good Fences again!