Sun, water, and a sketchpad - great vacation!

Coves, tide pools, and sea stacks line the way to Cape Arago

Cape Arago tide pools and undersea garden - 7x7.5" - 30 min.

Cape Arago at low tide - 3.5x7.5" - 15 min

Sketching is like a meditation to me - I get lost in the process.  While sketching at Cape Arago, the following drama unfolded (as witnessed by a friend who was exploring the tide pools).  First, her attention was caught by a racoon screaming up in a tree about 70 feet above where I was sketching.  Then, the racoon fell out of the very tall tree, falling about 50 feet to land on the very steep hillside just to the left of where I was.  Then, he tumbled down the slope, attracting the attention of some beachcombers and their black lab.  The dog tried to chase the racoon but the beachcombers managed to call him back (loudly) and get him on leash. Then their children started to cry and scream that they wanted to see the racoon - this is when I finally tune in and look up to see what's going on.  Sheesh!

Waldo Lake - deep, clear water, pristine!

After 3 days touring around Charleston - Bandon OR scenic area, I traveled to Waldo Lake, near Oakridge, OR to meet some friends.  

Waldo Lake is Oregon's second largest lake and is entirely fed by snowmelt and rainfall.  Motors are prohibited on the lake (only small electric motors).  The water is so clear that you can see up to 100 feet down into the water.  While the mosquitoes can be very bad early in the summer (so bad that the Forest Service has a website dedicated to reporting on the current mosquito conditions!), by mid-August they have usually abated to a tolerable level.  I've occasionally been forced out by the bugs, but the last couple of years have been great!

This year my site provided plenty of sunshine for my solar panel, the Persied Meteor shower was just ending, and the sunsets were outstanding.  The clear water, extensive shoreline and little rocky islands made for really fun paddling.  As one of my friends remarked, "it's really a magical place."  She's right.

Waldo Lake - just West of the swimming area at N. Waldo Forest Service Campground - 3.5x7.5" - 20 min.

Home again - the cat shows her displeasure!

Fay Wray, my little 6 pound, pure-white sweet-looking maniac of a cat greeted me by biting me so hard she drew blood and left 2 puncture wounds in my forearm!  She had also broken her collar while I was away, so I replaced it with a very cute pink collar decorated with little black skull-and-crossbones - I think it fits her personality to a Tee!  

As I'm putting together longer and longer trips, I'm preparing to take this little demon along with me (daily cat care for an extended period is difficult to organize and still not really a good option for FW).  I've figured out most of the mechanics (cat harness, where to put the litter box, etc).  But, I'm not sure that gentle Molly, my greyhound, and I will survive the small quarters of my trailer with the determinedly bossy little Fay Wray.