WEDNESDAY, OCT 23, 2024
Mary took a few photos out our plane window as we began our approach into Las Vegas airport.

We think that's Lake Mead out there.

Blame it on jet lag: when we got to Jackie, Pepper and Kathy's, the only photo we took was of the puzzle Pepper had just finished. No people pictures!

When we got back to our room, this was our view out the window: sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

THURSDAY, OCT 24, 2024
Gerald, on the dunes at the North Jetty.
Gerald, Mary and Steve drove over to the North Jetty Thursday morning while Ron and Kathy went sand dune riding and Vicki stayed at the resort.

Gerald and Steve, on the North Jetty dunes.

Steve and Mary, on the North Jetty dunes

After a big game of 'sticks' by Jackie, Kathy H, Kathy S, Vicki, Ron and Mary; everyone piled into cars and we ran up to Heceta Head Lighthouse to look at sea lions from the overlook.
Gerald, Pepper, Jackie, Vicki and Ron

Gerald and the sea lions down below

Gerald, Pepper, Kathy, Vicki, Jackie, Mary, Kathy and Ron.

Everybody, in a selfie at Heceta Head overlook

Vicki, Jackie, Mary, Kathy

Pepper and Kathy

Gerald, Jackie, Mary, Kathy and Ron

Vicki, Pepper and Kathy

Gerald, Jackie and Steve

That evening, we went to Ixtapa Mexican Restaurant for our first celebration of Jackie's birthday. After eating, the restaurant staff brought out a dessert and the birthday sombrero!

The staff clapped and sang 'Happy Birthday.'

Kathy H, Jackie, Gerald and Steve

Kathy, Jackie and Gerald
photo from Vicki

Jackie and Gerald
photo from Vicki

Mary, Kathy S, Kathy H, Ron and Gerald join Ixtapa staff to serenade Jackie with 'Happy Birthday.'

Clockwise from the L: Vicki, Pepper, Mary, Kathy S, Ron, Kathy H, Jackie, Gerald and Steve

FRIDAY, OCT 25, 2024
Mary got out early and took a picture, from our 3rd floor landing, of the clouds in the east, just before sunrise.

Gerald, Vicki, Kathy, Ron, Mary and Steve went to the Darlingtonia State Natural Site to see the pitcher plants that grow there. This is the boardwalk leading to the plants.

Gerald, Ron, Kathy and Vicki, at the pitcher plant bog.

Some of the pitcher plants

Close-up

Pitcher Plants
photo from Vicki

Kathy looks like she's about to get wrapped up by the roots she's photographing.

Back at the beginning of the trail, we took a lot group photos next to one of the huge trees at the entrance to the park.
Gerald, Steve and Ron.

Gerald and Vicki

Mary and Steve

Ron and Kathy

When we pulled into the parking lot at Bob Creek wayside stop, Mary saw the gull on the car next to us.

At Bob Creek, Steve made his way across the inlet to get closer photos of the Black Oystercatcher, a life bird for us.

At Strawberry Hill wayside, just north of Bob Creek, we walked down a trail, then got out on the rocks to take photos of birds and seals on a rock island in the water.

Mary got this photo of the Harbor Seals lounging on the island. They must have tough hides to avoid being hurt by the rough rocks.

Along Highway 101, we came across this elaborate Halloween display.

Zombie Fishing Tournament
First Prize: Ole dead fish and a 6-pound Female Toddler

The display went down the driveway, but we were afraid to get closer.

Back at the house, preparations were underway for the next birthday celebration.
Kathy, Vicki, Jackie, Kathy, Pepper and Ron.

Gerald, Ron and Steve gravitated to the puzzle Pepper had started in Jackie's 'apartment.'

Ron left and Kathy took his spot. We were getting ready to go to supper, but the puzzle called.

Jackie, Pepper and Kathy's neighbor and friend, Colleen came over to go to supper with us and took this photo of all of us.

Pepper, Jackie and Kathy

The dessert spread was laid out for when we returned from supper.

Kathy H had gotten a cake and cupcakes and Vicki got Leslie to help her make some gifts from miniature chalkboards and brought party decorations.

Close-up
photo from Vicki

Close-up
photo from Vicki

We all went to the ICM fish restaurant on the pier in Old Town Florence. Steve tried to take selfies of the group, but his arm was not quite long enough. Why didn't we think to ask a server?
Steve's hat brim, Mary, Vicki, Gerald, Pepper, Kathy H, Colleen, Jackie, Kathy S and Ron

Back home, the finished puzzle

Jackie inspects her birthday present with Gerald and Vicki

Kathy S, neighbor Mary, Gerald, Jackie and Vicki

Jackie, showing Gerald and Pepper the giant bib Gerald and Vicki's friend Deanne made for her; it's reversible and has a pocket to catch dropped food.

Vicki is explaining the pocket.

Mary, Kathy, neighbor Mary, Jackie, Vicki, Gerald and Pepper

Kathy S, Mary L and neighbor Mary in back, Jackie, Vicki and Gerald

Kathy H, getting the cake ready to cut, with Colleen, Ron, Mary, neighbor Mary and Kathy S in the background

Kathy H, Jackie and Ann
photo from Vicki

Pepper, Jackie--making a wish--and Gerald and Vicki, with a cupcake with a candle on it

Ron, Mary L, neighbor Mary, Kathy S, Pepper and Jackie

Jackie, blowing out the candle

Dessert is served.

Next door neighbor Dick, Jackie, Colleen, Ron (in back), Neighbor-Mary and Pepper

Vicki, Kathy H and next door neighbor Ann

Jackie, Ann, Dick, Pepper, Neighbor-Mary, Colleen and Vicki

Clockwise, from the L: Ann, Dick, Pepper, Neighbor-Mary, Colleen, Kathy H, Vicki and Jackie

Ann, Jackie and Gerald

Mary and Jackie chatting, with Steve, Gerald and Kathy, working on a puzzle in the background
photo from Vicki

SATURDAY, OCT 25, 2024
Kathy, Ron, Gerald and Vicki got up early, put their luggage in trash bags (it was raining), loaded them in the back of their pickup rental and left in the rain for the airport.
We (Mary and Steve) left a little later, driving toward Eugene. Kathy texted that she'd seen some ducks in the Suislaw River, so we stopped to look at them. This is the view south along the river where we pulled off--pretty Fall colors.

This is the view north along the river.

Along Highway 136, we pulled off at the Linslaw roadside park.
Mary likes to take photos of the treetops.

Moss on the trees

More mossy trees

The trees were mirrored in the river.

We stopped in Veneta at a bakery and restaurant where we ate the last time we were in Oregon, a converted church they named 'Our Daily Bread.' We resisted the temptation to buy a whole marionberry pie.

Our next stop was the Peninsula Park at Fern Ridge Wildlife Area, where the water was very low.

Then we drove around the lake to Orchard Point Park. Mary was smitten by these trees changing colors around the border of the parking lot.

The fallen leaves in the parking lot made a pretty scene as well.

SUNDAY, OCT 27, 2024
Mary and I drove up to Newport, Oregon, Saturday evening and spent the night. We got up early and went to the Mark Hatfield Marine Science Center on the inner harbor. We had expected rain, but it turned out to be a sunny, though chilly, morning. We ran into some friendly local birders along the trail. The young couple in front showed us a King Eider, a life bird for everyone there! and the third guy down the line told us where we could see Harlequin Ducks, another life bird for us, on the other side of the highway, along the jetty.

We stopped a couple of times as we drove south along the coast and Mary got this photo; it started raining after we left Newport.
We made it to Florence in time to have one more birthday celebration with Jackie, Kathy and Pepper, another great meal, at Abby's Legendary Pizza. Jackie showed off her sweatshirt with a slogan that questioned "What's she up to now?"
Silly us didn't think about taking pictures.
After our late lunch, we headed toward Eugene to be close to the airport for our flight the next day.

On the way to Eugene, along Highway 126, we stopped again at the Fern Ridge Wildlife Management Area. It had been raining, so we only stopped briefly, but we got some pretty photos of a rainbow.

If you look closely on the right, you can see a bit of a second rainbow.

We spent the night in Springfield, on the east side of Eugene, and made one more brief stop to look for birds before heading to the airport. This is the trail we walked.

A leaf-strewn boardwalk.

They're not easy to see in this phone photo, but there were 1000s of geese flying into this refuge.
It was a nice ending to our very nice trip to Oregon.

Happy Birthday, Jackie!