Vacation Catch Up - Fort Stevens Park, OR

A gray and driftwood scattered coastline.

Before heading back to Seattle, we made one more stop along the Oregon coast on Highway 101.  Fort Steven's Park, by the mouth of the Columbia River, is the home of not only a lot of beautiful forrest, but also of a terrific coastline and the Peter Iredale shipwreck.


Peter Iredale Shipwreck


There isn't much left of the shipwreck from 1906, but it was interesting to see.  Apparently they were going to pull the ship back out to the ocean, but before the weather could clear it got lodged in the sand and stayed put.







Before we left I asked for us to stop along one of the park roadside so I could snap a few photos of the woods.  It was so green and amazing looking!







That's when I got about 6 mosquito bites in about three seconds...so I hopped back in the car as fast as possible! maybe next time I will bring along some repellent and we may actually have time to take a hike through the woods!

Our last stop at Fort Stevens was to the South Jetty by the Columbia River.

Vacation Catch Up - Beautiful Cannon Beach Oregon

Let me just say that I am SO GLAD that we got to go to Cannon Beach.  While it had been cloudy and drizzling in Ocean Shores that morning, and cloudy in Astoria that afternoon...the 45 minute drive to Cannon Beach made all the difference!  We were just south of the line of clouds and the sun was shining on the water.  The beach was expansive, and so relaxing to walk along the water and listen to the waves roll in.  I couldn't think of a more beautiful place to celebrate my 30th birthday, than on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, in such a lovely spot.










Looking south down the beach toward Haystack Rock.






The water was chilly - but that didn't keep the kids from playing in the surf.




Mom and I walking in the distance.


Can you see the whale in the distance!?  (In the middle of the frame)

 I have more photos on my flickr to view.  I think this was by far my favorite part of our little road trip.  Such amazing views of the ocean.  And so clear and beautiful...unlike the coastline by New York, which is dirty and opaque.  I think that I badly needed some time with such pristine nature after being in the city for so long.  Really an amazing way to spend my birthday!

Some Thoughts on Turning 30

Taking a moment at Cannon Beach, OR to contemplate my birthday...

A little over a week ago was my 30th Birthday.  A lot of people look at their 30th birthday as a scary, anxiety provoking milestone.  I can say with certainty that it was not for me.  I really enjoyed my 20's - when I think of everything that I did and what I accomplished - I feel content.  My college experience was everything I wanted it to be (maybe with less A's than I wanted), I moved to New York City and accomplished my masters degree in a subject I love, I traveled to Europe for the first time (and what I thought would likely be the only time....boy was I wrong!), and I met my amazing husband, who I can safely say is the love of my life.

I had hard times during my 20's too...and things happened that will affect me for years to come.  My father was ill (gravely on several different occasions) and eventually passed away from cancer, I lost a friendship, one that felt more like family, and I made an unsuccessful attempt at gaining admission to a PhD program (but I did try! and boy it is competitive!).  These things were all difficult, and made an indelible impression on me - but it is for that reason that I don't feel bitter or allow them to mar the view I have of that time period in my life.  Both the good and the bad have made me the well rounded, semi-flawed, self-conscious and hopeful person that I am.

I look forward to what my 30s have to bring.  Who knows what will happen or where I'll end up.  In the meanwhile, to all my family and friends who read this blog - thank you for helping make my life what it is, and I can't wait to see where this decade goes.