"I started photographing my domestic world and writing not just about what I had made,
but why I made it, examining the thoughts that accompany creativity and the act of making."
Jane Brocket from The Gentle Art of Domesticity p. 189 UK edition

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Foggy Cape Lookout Camping

Youngest SIL Gary sitting by the fire ring after setting up camp









Oldest SIL Jason and eight-year-old Hayley
Elisabeth, Sarah, Mary, Molly and Joy

Two-year-old Rosie and six-year-old Molly

Grandma [me] and Sarah


My youngest SIL put these magnetic letters on the hood of the stove in the camper
Trying to form a sachet for lavender with one of the cloths I knit with size 3 needles and size 3 crochet thread
Our one colorful sunset all week...

Although pockets of fog gave us some fuzzy views of Cape Lookout and the surrounding area, our outlook on our trip last week was mainly positive.  This was my second year camping at Cape Lookout, but instead of being in a tent on an air mattress, I slept in a camp trailer on a couch/bed that was very comfortable without an air mattress. Trailer camping comes with its own set of challenges, but seemed less labor intensive than setting up our tent village the last time we went tent camping.  We were not hooked up to power or water though, so we had to learn by trial and error how much water and power we were using before we needed to replenish both, and then it was just a matter of running the generator or filling the water tank from a faucet with a hose to the tank... so nice not to have to haul buckets of water from a creek!

While we heard from our family in Portland that they were suffering through some very hot sunny days just two hours away from us, we had cool, fog tainted days for the whole week, with just glimpses of the sun, moon and stars, but beautiful in its own way, and we had fun.

While at camp we played some board games, my daughter and I colored and knitted, and I finished the book "Springtime in Magnolia", a heartwarming family drama set in the South USA during the Great Depression and WWII. I also finished reading a Cozy Mystery set in England and could not guess "who dun it."

One day we went to Tillamook and had good fresh made rootbeer and lunch at a pub.  We kept my youngest daughter company at a Starbucks while she used their WIFI to work on her Master's in Nursing homework.

On another day my oldest daughter and SIL, and their five little girls came over to play on the beach with us.  We had a grand time on the beach and also visited the interesting Tillamook Pioneer Museum

During our journey we had some tension in following driving directions, and dealing with road hazards, and not being patient, and then on the way home the wires between the truck and the camper glitched in communicating so the trailer had to be towed home by a tow truck, but we were safe and home by 10pm Sunday night...grateful for our safety and the good times we shared.

What has your outlook been lately?

27 comments:

  1. Blogger and I am fighting over the color of the link I made for Cape Lookout. On my editor it appears fixed but here it is not...sigh...

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  2. Gracie I was able to look at the lovely county pioneer museum and link to cape under wikipedia so lovely you had such a good time with all of those little girls too....it sure looks like a great place for camping....we would love for sure xoxo

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  3. Blogger can be tedious! It looks like a fabulous camping trip. Camp Lookout looks good in the fog, very Scottish actually. My husband always says that living in Scotland is a bit like living in Oregon, at least in terms of climate. The best about camping is spending time together and play games, I am glad you had plenty of opportunity to do so. I quite fancy a trailer tent but at the moment, we are camping with a normal (if gigantic) tent to accommodate all of us. xx

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  4. Despite the glitches -- nothing tests a marriage like getting lost! -- it looks like a fabulous weekend. The shoreline is amazing.

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  5. Oh my, this is a beautiful place you went camping. How fun to be with Your family and spend time together and make memories. I haven't been to Tillamook in years. We always stopped at the Tillamook cheese factory and took the tour. I'm glad you're home safe. Have a wonderful day dear Gracie. Pat xx

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  6. Good Morning sweet Gracie! I so enjoyed reading about your trip and all of the fun you and your family had. I do miss the coast, but with you and Teresa's posts of your visits, it almost seems as if I've been there too. I think your knitting bag is beautiful and what a great idea to make the sachets. I have some lavender from my plants I should do something with. It seems every vacation has to have some tension of some sort. It all ends well though, with a family who loves each other like yours does. When did you guys get a trailer? Much better than a tent isn't it although sometimes I do miss a tent? I hope you have a wonderful day my friend.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  7. Your photos are simply gorgeous. I want to camp now!
    My outlook: One day at a time. Keep the a/c on. Pack more, say less! Keep knitting!

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  8. Welcome home, Gracie! I'm glad you had a good week of camping. I loved all of your photos, my favorite being the rocky shoreline and ocean with fog shrouded headlands. I also love the shock of color from the hydrangea and the warm family times of walking together on the beach. Who won the Scrabble game? ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  9. Looks like you had a great family fun !! :) I enjoyed seeing the pics.

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  10. I am glad you had a good time away at the coast. When it's hot inland, it's usually cooler and foggy on the coast. I'm doing good this work week and it will be over tomorrow which is nice, til next week! It's been mostly good with times of tension when the store gets so busy and weird looking people come in and watch to see if customers are ok and not pocketing anything. I picked my first red tomato this evening and more is coming! Happy week and get all settled in now that you're safely home! Hugs and thanks for sharing your camping trip in photos! Nice way to get some crafting done, too! Hugs!

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  11. Such a beautiful photo of you and Sarah. Sounds like an amazing trip, creating some wonderful memories to treasure of quality time spent with precious family. That is just what I am doing right now spending quality time with my youngest daughter and two granddaughters, having fun.

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  12. Oh, what a beautiful trip you had, Gracie. We traded in the ocean for the mountains a few years ago and your pictures reminded me that there's nothing like the sight, sound and smell of the sea.
    I'm glad you were able to have your trailer towed and arrived home safely. It's those glitches that remind us to be grateful for the times things go smoothly. The Universe likes to show us a little contrast now and then. Hope you're enjoying these slow, summer days. xo

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  13. What fun Gracie! Great photos! I will never, EVER, again go tent camping. No how, no way! You are one brave lady. Isn't the trailer so much nicer?
    Nice to have such cool temps too!!!
    xo Kris

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  14. I really enjoyed your photos and words here Gracie, thank you for sharing your camping trip with us. It looks like a really beautiful area, with the mist and all those tall trees, plus all the knitting and family time. I don't love tent camping - I think I'd be a lot happier in a trailer! x

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  15. Sounds and looks like a great camping trip! Loved the photos of the beach and of your little ones. I noticed your Scrabble board--a great game, but a little too slow for me. These days I love Take-Two scrabble, otherwise known as speed scrabble. It's an awesome variant--and a lot faster! But maybe I'm in too much of a hurry. :) Your crochet-work looks beautiful! And the fresh root beer sounds awesome!! You might persuade us readers to start stalking you and join in on your next camping trip!

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  16. That sounds like everything camping should be (except for the ending!) It must be great to spend time with your whole family in that relaxing way. Enjoy the rest of your week. Jo x

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  17. Such a great way to spend the summer, Gracie, outdoors with your family. And I must say that I really like your knitting bag.
    Amalia
    xo

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  18. Great pics of your family and the beautiful coast! I SO have to make it to Cape Lookout one of these days! I know we camped there (or at least visited there) as kids but I have no memories of it at all and from your photos I know I'd like it.
    Hope you are well:)
    Blessings,
    Aimee

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  19. Some really lovely photos in this post Gracie! That rocky shore, the gorgeous hydrangeas, the beautiful sunset, the sweet grands. Looks like a good Scrabble game too.

    It's funny how road trips can create tension. I guess we're just not used to being cooped up in close quarters for extended periods of time. However did the pioneers manage?

    So glad you all made it home safely. I hope you got some cheese when you were in Tillamook. That used to be a favourite brand of mine, before we moved to the Dairy State. :)

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  20. Your camping holiday looks fun despite the fog on the coast, it must have been wonderful to be by the sea again. I'm sorry you journey home didn't go according to plan. Glad you are all safe. Sarah x

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  21. Your family camping holiday looks like a lot of fun with a mixture of activity and leisure time (when you were able to do some reading and knitting). I like the idea of making sachets for lavender. All the best now that you're back home.

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  22. Lovely camping trip, Gracie! It always amazes me that the weather can be so different in less than 100 miles.
    I am learning that I need to make those 'lesson plans' and daily schedules or I sit around and do nothing which is NOT what I had planned for retirement! Making my list, checkin' it twice...

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  23. Such happy family times on your camping trip...and your pictures capture the feeling so well. I love the beach on misty days too.....and never like to be too hot! Love the sweet photo of you and baby Sarah, and your pretty knitting and crafting bag. So glad you all got home safely after the rather scary ending to your trip x
    Wishing you a happy week ahead.
    Helen xox

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  24. So glad you all made it home safely. Looks like you all had a blast. The pictures are lovely, and the sky pictures as so pretty. I could almost feel the sand between my toes, too. Love the beach! Wishing you a lovely day. :)

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  25. Looks like a fun trip - beautiful scenery and relaxing moments. I used to camp there years ago with my kids and extended family with Mom and Dad. There were eagle nests in the trees then. It was always cold, though. I can remember wearing a winter coat to sleep! Glad you got home safe. xx K

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  26. What a fantastic trip!! So glad you made it home safely, after your mishap with the trailer. Lovely photos of a special family time.
    xoxox

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  27. GOrgeous pictures. Family ! I love the way a wooded path makes its shadows. There is such a unique and irreproducible light going on there.
    My Outlook: Relief and gratefulness. We've moved and it is so good

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