A great Oregon trip

 A group of us from Cambria......7 adults, 4 dogs, 2 RV,s and a car..... spent two weeks in Oregon. Four of us hiked selected sections of the Oregon Coast trail, accomplishing about 10-13 miles a day....at least by my fit bit. Other joined us on a few stretches and Treva, Mike and Joel gave us transport support. The trail meanders between Hwy 1 and the ocean going through the forest and often giving access to beautiful views and beaches. Thanks Janet, for planning a wonderful trip. 

Do we know where we are going?

The first night in Redding. 

Treva and friend Mike in his rv in the parking lot, 

The rest of us in a hotel and hot tub.

A nice lunch on the Rogue River

Then we follow the RV in the rain

to Seaside...

First hike from Seaside south

I call "Hiking in the Rain and Mud"

We did get to see the hiker camp

we would be staying at

if we were backpacking.

We chose to do this trip with daypacks.

  

The next day, more of the same.

Our first long hike....10 miles 

of sticky, ankle deep mud.

  We loved it....when it was over.

Janet slips in the mud

Our shoes need scrubbing and our

morals boosting. At the end of the day it was fun.

There were backpackers doing the whole trail

doing laundry with us.

Making time to play with the dogs on the beach.

That's where we are headed tomorrow.

Secret Beach

Camping at Cape Blanco

Let me introduce the characters:

Janet, our planner, Treva her daughter

 ready for any support task, 

Mike, her patient friend,

 full of good knowledge about RVs,

 Sue, waving hi to her Mike

who chose to stay home.

. Mary and Randy,

always at the front on the trails.

and Joel, who bravely drove the rental RV.

Good breakfast at Cannon Beach

Mike cooks the burgers.

 MJ joins  us and brings local

Tillamook Ice Cream

We gather for breakfasts in the RV

Sadie and I travel together.

 We meet up with Kathy and Lyle

and hike to the lighthouse at Point Blanco

We hike part way together ...some river crossings.

Very doable so far....although we were warned

that the Elk crossing was bad....

After saying goodbye to Kathy, Lyle and Joel 

we continued on our hike to agate beach

We removed our shoes to cross the mighty Elk River.

OK it doesn't look that bad in the photos...

but it swept Mary off her feet. 

Randy quickly gave the dog to Janet and went to rescue her,

   They both ended up crawling out, soaking wet

We were sensible and looked for another crossing.

To make a long story short,

we ended up climbing up onto private property,

meeting the owner, Carol. Charmed her into letting 

us trespass, called Joel for a ride and hiked down

her private road to meet him. We even told her 

we were Californians to which she bumped

her forehead and rolled her eyes.

Those are sheep between the trees.

In Yachats I stay in the hiker/biker rooms

Earlier,  we hiked to the lighthouse

at Point Blanco

We hike to the lighthouse

Treva's birthday dinner

Randy cooks a Tri Tip for Treva's birthday

More ice cream for dessert

and a good nights sleep 

in my cozy tent

Working our way south.

Great views. lovely beaches, good exercise

A great lunch spot

We used a rope to climb down to this beach.

Sometimes the trail is hard to find

Sometimes we emerge at the highway

We were able to hike from Arch rock

 to Brookings along the scenic corridor.

We stayed in a cabin at Whales Head resort

Our traditional harem pants photo.

Sadie sleeps well even though she doesn't hike.

Treva collects rocks

We see Banana Slugs

This is where the trail abruptly ends at Brookings

And Randy tries to get us a ride ...

actually, Treva picked us up.

We have so many more pics from

my camera and Janets....

more added later....

We said goodbye to our Dad, grandad, Great Grandad.

 

On May 22nd 2022 our dear dad, Grandad, Great grandad Oscar Farmer, passed away peacefully at the great age of 93. He led a happy and fulfilling life but is now happier to be united with his wife of 70 years, Gwen. Sue had the great honor of spending time with him in his last few weeks.

                                            

                                                          He was a great dad

                                

                                                 He enjoyed his six grandchildren

                                   Kelly, Cameron, Kristen, Danielle, Michaela and Alex 

                                  

                                                           He was a caring husband to Gwen, 

                                                Staying by her side until her death in 2019

                                               

                                              He loved to sketch and paint big canvasses.

                                                                   Bill playing guitar

                                             

                                                We enjoyed many family weddings together.

Visits from Cameron and his family

Simon visiting

Enjoying conversation with Bixby

Visiting three Granddaughters

Kelly, Michaela and Kristen and Danielle

and his great grandchildren

Chair dancing with Sue at Creston Village

during Covid restrictions

Playing fair games with Kelly and Bixby

They won a whole box of glasses

tossing the pennies.

Dancing with mom

He loved his work as an architect / Designer

especially his later work with his son William

designing Cap Juluca on the island of Anguilla.

And Temenos, a group of private villas

on Anguilla.

This project was published in Architectural Digest.

He took us there  for a vacation.

It was an honor to enjoy this beautiful work.

The architects....pondering

Three generations of Architects

We emigrated as a family from England to California

in 1965. 

We enjoyed a good family,

a good childhood

Our dad was a "bit of a wag"

fooling around with my moms mom

Nanny Gainsford.

and in Sherman Oaks at a Halloween party

On the beach in Spain with Sue 1964

This is our last outing together at an art exhibit

of Bixby's ceramics, and ice cream in the park

May 2nd. He passed away on May 22nd. 

Our thanks to Creston Village where he resided

 his last few years, and to Central Coast Hospice

who saw him comfortable in his transition.

I like to think of him dancing with 

mom in heaven.

  

 

March and April

 It feels wonderful when ones family is happy and following their dreams and making a good life for themselves. Arlo, working hard at university and his part time job finds time to go with his friends to Hocking Hills over Spring break. Jack brings home a report card full of mostly A,s and after his dad reminded him of how he used to dislike school, he says "what was I thinking !" The girls and Tina all doing well. Cameron has a full life with school and two jobs, but we are so proud of what they are all accomplishing.

When my mom died my friend Chris

gave me this beautiful miniature rose.

this orange color was often worn by my mom.

Its a beautiful reminder.

My dad is doing ok, happy here

 to be able to be outside and visiting.

Then he and many others tested positive

and it was back to isolation for 10 days.

He was asymptomatic fortunately.

Flowers are blooming in the garden

and enjoyed inside also.

Dad and I got to celebrate St. Patrick's day

at his place...playing pub pong

Flowers are blooming on the Ranch bluffs

An old picture from 1990 of

Sarah, Christian and Baby Oliver Garnett.

Now Ollie is married and living in San Francisco.

Sarah and Christian lived in the LA area

 while Christian was working as an architect.

We spent some good times together.

Dad worked with Christians Dad

 in the UK before we emigrated.

Cameron with Ollie at Bill and Patty's wedding

Picnics at the park

And a reunion a few weeks ago.

We were so happy that my dad, Kelly and Bixby

 could join us for dinner as Sarah and Christian,

 visiting from the UK ,passed through Cambria.

This is an old picture of myself and Judy Hightower

my friend and director 

 of Westminster Pre school in Westlake Village,

where I taught for 20 years.

She and I enjoyed working on the 

Outdoor Classroom project together, 

developing our playground, 

going to and giving workshops

 and mentoring other schools and teachers.

She passed away more than a year ago.

Mike and I attended a memorial service for Judy. 

It was nice to spend time with those special teachers, 

my past co workers and friends,

catching up with our lives.

 hearing about their grown families, 

sharing our stories, and visiting the Outdoor 

Classroom that we all helped to developed, 

and children still enjoy. Its a big part of  Judy's legacy.

Mike and I helped to plant this mulberry tree which became the beloved "house tree". When fruiting, the children would pile things to climb on inside and reach up through the branches to pick the sweet fruit on top. All we would see were little hands coming out of the top of the tree, feeling for the berries. A new bench in Judy's honor sits nearby now. The tree is thriving.

My friend Cynthia, a recreational therapist 

who often came "to play" with us,

working with our children who needed a little help.

She and I had fun popping rose petals. 

You are never too old to play....

And, lastly, the house in Cambria that we love....