Five on Friday: Camping!

For quite some time I have been enjoying viewing posts published by bloggers participating in Amy's Five on Friday gathering.  Since I find myself creating posts about once a week, I am going to have a go at joining Amy's link up and share five highlights of my past week.

One: Forest camping between Rock Creek Reservoir and Wamic, Oregon, on the east side of Mt. Hood, for the last ten days has been wonderful! Some of the roads my family traveled on to go camping are part of what was the Oregon Barlow Pioneer Trail.  Although we set up my tent, my youngest daughter and her husband invited me to sleep in their camping trailer which was very comfy.

Two: Fun was had by all who came with me as well as those who just visited for a day. Our campsite was right alongside a manmade irrigation creek.  It was so relaxing listening to the water ripple past although we ventured away from our campsite nearly every day for a bit. One day we drove to the nearby lookout over the Tygh Valley and it was lovely to see the farm land below us. Another day we played a round of miniature golf, and then my son and son in law played 18 holes on the beautiful, nearly deserted golf course in around 100 degree sunshine! On Sunday we visited the local log cabin Wamic Community Church and enjoyed their Pot Blessing lunch after worship.

Three:  Firelight and heat was our friend for some daytime cookouts and in the cool evenings.  We enjoyed playing Scrabble, Pegs and Jokers, Bannangrams, and, Five Thousand here and there during the days and evenings. I finished knitting two dishcloths and crocheted three little round face scrubbers. During some days my youngest daughter had to use WiFi at a local cafe to complete homework assignments for her Master's in Nursing Informatics.  While she did that I colored some more pages with watercolors, and fiber tipped pens and sketched and watercolored a view of our campsite. Some of the time I spent reading, too, from the "One Year NLT Bible," and Jan Karon's  pastoral but driving Father Tim novel, "In the Company of Others."  

Four: Feathers were a highlight of our days. We visited Rock Creek Reservoir frequently and gathered many goose feathers and a pretty little orange and black feather that I think may have come from a red winged black bird. On one of the near 100 degree days we went swimming in the clear cool water.  Ahhhhhh....  While we were out in the water  without our cameras we were thrilled to watch a Bald Eagle swoop down to the water, catch a fish and then fly directly overhead so that we could almost see the scales on the fish! Family members and friends also went fishing, but unlike the Bald Eagle, no one caught a fish.

Five:  Flowers were a delight to see tucked here and there in the green grasses and bushes around us.  When four year old grand Joy visited for a day she picked a sprig of Queen Anne's Lace for me which I brought home with me although it is a bit worse for the wear. The photo of the Thistle I took with Jennifer of Thistlebear in mind.

Now that I am home and unpacked and reconnected to more reliable internet connections, I look forward to visiting with and finding out, "what is new or old with you?"

xx
Gracie