Nick Visits

 Three days after I returned from Colorado, Nick arrived for a five day visit.  The weather cooperated most days, allowing us to hike around and enjoy nature.  We also had a run of savory meals, thanks to Nick and Gail.  I had birthday week privileges 😁

On our first full day, we went to a new area south of Newport that we had never been to, Yakona Nature Preserve.

 

We thought this sign was funny because below it was the first place we saw elk scat.

It was a beautiful day, with hardly anyone else out and about.  Thank you Super Bowl!

An amazing feature was this very classy outhouse, complete with framed pictures and reading material.

Nick clowning around with old artifacts.  The preserve had a town on it at one time named Oysterville.  Before that, it was home to the Yaqo'n.

We passed this beautiful old tree trunk.

There are some old growth trees like this big Sitka Spruce that were spared because they had nesting eagles on them.

The preserve is a peninsula on the Yaquina Bay flanked by two big sloughs.  

Ducks Observed

 Common Goldeneye, female

Buffleheads, females

Hooded Mergansers, female and breeding male

Back home, we played a balancing game of Totika.

Beachcombing at Strawberry Hill.

What do you see? I see Elmo from Sesame Street.

Nick and Gail made a delicious heirloom bean pot pie for my birthday dinner using Rancho Gordo King City Pink Beans that Nick brought us.  So good!

Whoopee!  76 trips around the sun for me!

Place setting by Gail

Getting better at Totika!

Why Neighborhood Watch came into being, ha, ha.  So long, Nick, we loved having you visit!