Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Astoria Revisited!

I can't believe it has been a month already since my Hubby and I went on our Anniversary trip to Astoria, Oregon. To read the post about where we stayed click HERE :)

On the Friday drive over to the coast the weather was glorious, one of those beautiful Spring days where you feel so alive and truly grateful to live in the NorthWest. But, on the Saturday morning we woke to this! (below)

"A Bridge to Nowhere" (the Astoria Bridge, shot taken from the Oregon side looking at the Washington side of the Columbia River.)

The North Head Lighthouse at Cape Disappointment, WA. ( see sunnier photos and more info HERE :)

It was a pretty bleak day and looking at the surf and rocks and mist below the Lighthouse you can understand why it is called "The Graveyard of the Pacific"

"Almost 2,000 vessels of all types and about 700 lives have been claimed by the treacherous waters off the Peninsula over the past 300 years." (from Long Beach Peninsula Visitor's Bureau)







These Fishermen certainly experienced the Surf first hand!


This Juvenile Seagull was looking at me like "Are you going to Feed me or What?" (Click on the photo for a larger image and see how wet those little feathers really are :(


We saw lots of these big Ships passing our Hotel, I love Ships! (I really think I must have been a Pirate Wench in a past life) (He! He! Dream on!)
Then, on the Sunday we awoke to blue Skies and Sunshine! (a typical Spring weekend weather pattern here in the N.W.)



We went to visit the Astoria Column.


The Scenes painted on the Column depict the history of the local area. From Native Americans thru Lewis and Clark's adventures and the coming of the railroads.


It is a beautiful Pictorial lesson in local History. (If you look closely on the right of the photo you can see one of the little wood gliders they sell at the gift shop for people to launch off the top of the column, such fun :)

Astoria Bridge from the Column.


One of the period homes in Astoria, this one sadly neglected but eerie and stunningly Beautiful in the state it finds itself. But there are many beautifully preserved too! (See HERE :)


Crab Pots at the Port of Ilwaco.


Colourful Fishing Floats.


This photo (2010) is of The Wreckage of the Peter Iredale grounded in 1906 on the Oregon coast.

I hope you enjoy reading about some of Oregon's history and it's beauty. We who live here really love it and I think we even enjoy complaining about the rain :) But we do have beautiful sunny days too :)
Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

16 comments:

Clare said...

Great photos!!
My partner and I just got back from a weekend in Astoria for my birthday, and we even stayed in the Cannery Pier hotel! I had never spent much time in Astoria, so it was fun to get to know the town a little.

My Life Under the Bus said...

Fantastic pictures !!! We just watched a few shows this weekend about haunted places ( likes the Execution Rock Light House ) and they would fit right in here ! Looks like an awesome weekend !

customdesigns4ubynan said...

I remember those overcast NW days from when I lived in Seattle, and how stunningly beautiful it was when the sun finally shone. Wonderful pictures - the bridge is amazing.

Anna K. said...

What beautiful photos!
My favorite is of the fishing floats!

Almost Precious said...

T - You've done it again, wonderful photography!!!
The photos of the crab pots and the fishing floats are absolutely awesome...holy moly, what a great jig saw puzzle they would make. :D

harrietshaven said...

BEAUTIFUL pictures!!!

T@PoppyPlacePdx said...

Thanks, you guys!

Anna, I am just having so much fun taking photos these days but I am still working on my art too :) T.

mywifesstudio said...

T, Thanks for showing me some SUNSHINE!!!! I should have been in Astoria on Sunday. I got caught driving back to Oregon City around 3pm today, it was pouring!! But I hear that there is hope of Sun this weekend. Thanks for sharing your pictures.

Annette said...

Beautiful photos, even if the sun wasn't shining! I love the neglected period home. There is beauty even in the shabbiness!

Anonymous said...

I love your photos, especially that first one!!!

VeganCraftastic said...

Beautiful pics, I'm dying to visit the Northwest again soon!

Jane said...

It's certainly a beautiful part of the world T - thanks for sharing.

Oh, My Darling said...

I've been wanting to go to Oregon for such a long time. This helps further solidify this desire!!!

Pink Dandy Chatter said...

super cool pictures! I love the waves crashing on the rocks. Makes me wanna be there =)

Fern said...

I love your photography T! Beautiful :)

Teddy Started It said...

Beautiful pictures, T. Personally, I love the coast in less-than-ideal weather. It seems much more intimate to me...and more wild. I used to 'winter' at the shore - and even though my folks had a house there, I almost never went during the summer.