A Superdeeduper Sunny Saturday

We decided to take a 'day-trip' from our beloved North Beach to South Beach to see the property my Dad just purchased in Tokeland. On our way back from the amazing Washaway Beach (more on that in later posts, I'm sure), we stopped at this new little winery at the Westport Y.

stoppin' by the Cranberry Road Winery for a quick taste...

At this point the sunshine was so glorious I decided to bust out the camera. And since I had it out now, we decided to pay a visit to the local lighthouse.

The Grays Harbor Light, Washington's Tallest Lighthouse

love these types of shots

even the details mimick the design of the Lighthouse

 Then, it was off to Westport proper, but most of the shops and charter offices were closed for the season. So, we went to see the water...

Westhaven State Park, Westport - the favorite hangout for the surfers...
no surfers today, though.

And the highlight of the day was our stop at the Westport Winery. Warm and inviting, it boasts gardens, a restaurant, a gift shop, and FABULOUS wines!!

My new favorite - the Westport Winery

Sadness. Is this really necessary?

Originally published in THE NORTH COAST NEWS

5:05 am - November 06, 2014 — Updated: 6:11 am - November 06, 2014

Voices: Navy’s plan an ‘intrusion of our beautiful Washington Coast’

I am writing in regards to the Navy approved Electronic Warfare Range to be conducted on the Olympic Peninsula with a fixed Radiation Emitting Tower erected at Pacific Beach in Grays Harbor County. I am a Washington native and longtime resident of the North Beach as well as Executive Director and Curator with the Museum of the North Beach in Moclips, Washington.

I strongly object to this unnecessary intrusion of our beautiful Washington Coast and Olympic Peninsula and encourage the U.S. Forest Service to deny the special use permit.

It absolutely amazes me that the U.S. Navy would even consider conducting war games along the Washington coast. This area is a Marine Sanctuary that extends from Cape Flattery to the Copalis River. It was established in 1994 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a habitat/species management area. The Olympic Peninsula is our last wilderness and is an ecologically sensitive ecosystem.

These are some of my concerns:

There is no guarantee that exposure to this type of radiation is safe regardless of what the “studies” proclaim. It may take years before evidence is proven that exposure has caused serious illness to the public as was the case when our American soldiers were exposed to the atomic bomb blasts in the Nevada desert in the 1950’s. Can the Navy say for certain this exposure will not affect those with pacemakers or those with severe immune deficiency? As history demonstrates, mistakes will happen regardless of the claimed precautions put in place by the Navy.

What will happen to wildlife exposed to this process both within the Olympic Peninsula and at Pacific Beach where the emitting tower will be blasting radiation waves? No one can prevent our eagles, seagulls, and migratory birds from flying in the path of the radiation from the 66’ x 40’ tower. How can the Navy guard against wildlife or humans (hunters, fishermen or hikers) from entering the 100’ radius of the “camper-size trucks” emitting radiation placed in Clallam, Jefferson and Grays Harbor Counties? What about the bees that are already having problems surviving (which is most likely human caused)?

There will be more military aircraft flying over our coast possibly projecting sonic booms as happened three weeks ago. This is not only disturbing to humans but also wildlife and domestic pets.

We are very concerned about our fragile economy on the coast. The Navy’s only response to this issue was that they will be hiring eight new employees at the Pacific Beach facility. Is that really worth mentioning? What’s going to happen when our thousands of yearly visitors hear about this proposal? Chances are they will choose to vacation elsewhere.

We are also concerned how this radiation will effect our computers, telephones, televisions and other electronic equipment.

Why can’t these war games be deployed in the Hanford area of Eastern Washington that is already compromised due to human involvement? It appears the Navy prefers to place the Electronic Warfare Range on the Olympic Peninsula as a matter of convenience.

We have discovered that the “advertisements” placed in local newspapers to notify the public of this proposal were actually “Public Notices” which nearly no one ever reads. Although perfectly legal, this gives the impression that this was done deliberately to notify the public with little or no attention whatsoever. It gave a very short window for public comment. To be professional and above board, notification should have been placed in all local newspapers as either full page advertisements or press releases. Better yet, mailings should have been sent to every household and business along the North Beach coast and the Olympic Peninsula. It’s widely known that the residents of Forks and Clallam County were not given any consideration except for a notice at the post office. This abominable failure of informing the public is not a good way to build trust or goodwill.

We would also like to see an independent environmental study; not one provided by the Navy. That’s like the fox guarding the hen house.

If the U.S. Forest Service grants this permit to the Navy, they would be in complete contradiction to what’s on the USFS website: “Caring for the Land and Servicing People”.

Those of us living in the Pacific Beach, Moclips and North Beach areas of Grays Harbor County have a right to know the truth and insist on a public meeting in Pacific Beach giving us a chance to voice our concerns.

Kelly Calhoun

Moclips

The Novice Surfers

I love capturing pics of the human activity on the beach, as well as the glorious nature of the surroundings. Saturday, a group of four novice surfers, along with the girlfriend of one of them, ventured out with all their new gear to tackle the beautiful waves on Damon Point. While I am not thinking the waves were surfing-perfect, it probably was a good choice to start. Unfortunately, two of them got out past the waves, and two didn't.

lost the surfboard

ah...there it is!!

a special greeting in response to the mocking from beyond the waves -
this shot was actually a surprise, I thought he was waving! Well, he was, kinda.

Now they were just going to wait until the others made their attempts.  

the patient girlfriend

We didn't wait around to see how their first outing went. On our departure, I did mention to the girlfriend that she should have brought a book, as it looked like they would be a while. She chuckled and said she didn't think they would be long, since it was their first time out. A rather sage young women, indeed.

I hope they fared better than the surfers walking off the beach ahead of us with the broken board.

Saturday Explorations

on Grays Harbor

what in the world?? Had to stop and shoot these
rhodies that are blooming at a pretty strange time of year!

 

Grays Harbor

we checked-out the Community Club - everyone who owns property in Ocean Shores must pay dues
to the Community Club. We were pleasantly surprised at how nice a facility it is! It has fitness room, game room,
pool, basketball/gym, a cafe, and a spectacular view of Grays Harbor.

on the Harbor side of Damon Point

A Beach Walk on Damon Point

Bullfinch's Mythology

Thomas Bulfinch (July 15, 1796 – May 27, 1867) was an American writer born in Newton, Massachusetts. Bulfinch belonged to a well-educated Bostonian merchant family of modest means. 

Although Thomas Bulfinch reorganized Psalms to illustrate the history of the Hebrews, he is best known as the author of Bulfinch's Mythology, an 1881 compilation of his previous works: The Age of Fable, or Stories of Gods and Heroes (1855) The Age of Chivalry, or Legends of King Arthur (1858) Legends of Charlemagne, or Romance of the Middle Ages (1863) Bulfinch's Mythology is a classic work of popularized mythology, still in print 150 years after the first work, Age of Fable, was published in 1855. The compilation, assembled posthumously by Edward Everett Hale, includes various stories belonging to the mythological traditions known as the Matter of Rome, the Matter of Britain and the Matter of France, respectively.

Bulfinch wrote in his preface: "Our work is not for the learned, nor for the theologian, nor for the philosopher, but for the reader of English literature, of either sex, who wishes to comprehend the allusions so frequently made by public speakers, lecturers, essayists, and poets, and those which occur in polite conversation." ~wiki

Interestingly enough, this "book was the primary resource for the study of ancient mythology for over a century, and was the most commonly consulted resource for classical and medieval literature throughout the Victorian Age in the English-speaking world." (p. xi)

"The religions of ancient Greece and Rome are extinct. The so-called divinities of Olympus have not a single worshipper among living men. They belong now not to the department of theology, but to those of literature and taste. There they still hold their place, and will continue to hold it, for they are too closely connected with the finest productions of poetry and art, both ancient and modern, to pass into oblivion..." (p. 11). ~Thomas Bullfinch, Chapter 1, Introduction (to The Age of Fable)

Grateful November 1st

Whether you feel compelled to express gratitude on Grateful Friday, are urged to proclaim appreciation on Thankful Tuesday, pray a special pre-dinner prayer of thankfulness on Thanksgiving, or silently thank your Creator when you hold the communion wafer on your tongue, professing gratitude for what you have and experience is essential. In fact, it was the impetus for this blog. I am so very thankful for the ability to think, say, write, and show my thankfulness for life.

This morning I was especially thankful to wake up at the beach house after two weeks of absence. I am so very thankful that we were able to make this dream happen. It has become the necessity to maintain my sanity throughout rather stressful days of schoolwork and the (ok, I'll just say it) crap that sometimes we all have to face. 

misty morning on the canal

I am thankful for fresh, salty air and the sound of the seagull's call.

I am thankful for the sunshine illuminating the leaves that are turning color 

from bright green to autumn's gold and red. 

I am thankful for all the talented people who have created music to enjoy as a soundtrack of my life.

Fiona Joy Hawkins is a particular favorite.

I am thankful for the sweet Mallards paddling around on the canal. 

I have always loved Mallards.

I am thankful for the ability to take photos that I can look at later...visual memories.

I am thankful for books to read aloud. 

We are enjoying Bullfinch's Mythology and The Age of Fable at the moment. 

I am always grateful for things that stimulate my mind.

I love the morning mist rising off the water.

 I am grateful for a comforting glass of wine.

I am thankful to enjoy that glass of wine in front of the fireplace,
in a comfortable chair, with my beloved companions.
I am so very blessed.

I am thankful for all my senses - to see beauty all around, 

to hear the beautiful sounds of nature and man-made pleasures (such as perfectly tuned wind chimes), to reach out and touch both those that I love and to observe with my fingers, 

and to taste that which gives a distinct pleasure of comfort and satiety.

On that note,
I am so thankful for my beach house kitchen
and the time to cook and create without feeling obligation or rush.

porthole created by the mist on my study window

love the golden colors of the surrounding trees and bushes
against the blue of the November sky

And, I am ever-thankful for my chosen field.
Even if I don't really know what I am going to do with what I am learning,
at least I have finally found my place.
A place I love and belong. 

from the book The Psalms of David ,
with illuminations by James S. Freemantle

I am thankful, not because it is a particular day,
but because I am urged to publicly profess what I feel
and think on a continual basis.
Gratitude.

I like to consider gratitude as the salt
that is referred to in three of the gospels of the New Testament,
(all references from the NRSV)

"Salt is good; 

but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? 

Have salt in yourselves, 

and be at peace with one another.” (Mark 9:50)

“You are the salt of the earth; 
but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? 
It is no longer good for anything, 
but is thrown out and trampled under foot." (Matthew 5:13)

 “Salt is good; 

but if salt has lost its taste, 

how can its saltiness be restored?" (Luke 14:34)