CLARK'S TREE~Long Beach-WA

May 8th: We were drinking our coffee, and listening to some tunes … and talking about driving down the road a bit to put diesel in Betsy's tank so I could drive to Rosburg and back, Thursday morning; while going that way I asked Holland if we could drive into Long Beach to Marsh's Museum to see if they had tiny dried starfish (I wanted to string them on my shells garland) - and maybe try to find 'Clark's Tree', too, before coming back home.

Holland agreed, and off we drove.

The sky was blue, and clear; wispy clouds were far and few between - the sunshine felt good on our exposed skin - and Dire Straits fit the mood of the Day :-)

Dire Straits 1979 - 'Sultans Of Swing' song: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaAE33rMTSk)

Along the way, Holland decided to take a side trip :-)

Holland showed me the lodge he had worked on; I was excited - I like to see the buildings he has worked on.

He lived onsite for 3 months, while working on the extension construction.

A surprise … Chautauqua Resort & Conference Center; #304 14th St NW, Long Beach, WA 98631

Holland took me to the lodge he did expansion construction on, in his early 20's.

Chautauqua Resort & Conference Center: 

(https://chautauquaresort.com/)

The Peninsula has exploded on growth since the 1980's.

A construction site fire happened, and they had to restart construction again.

I like it when my husband shows me a glimpse of his Past.

Then we turned right at the end of the street, and made tracks for downtown Long Beach-WA.

I went to Marsh's Museum in search of miniature starfish: they didn't have any … but, I walked the interior anyway, reliving childhood memories & I bought 3 necklaces - no metal on any of them; and I put one of them on, immediately. It matched my top :-)

Marsh's Museum; #409 Pacific Ave, Long Beach, WA

Marsh's Museum: 

(https://www.marshsfreemuseum.com/)

Figure of the PNW's legendary Sasquatch.

Sasquatch: 

(https://www.britannica.com/place/North-America)

A pretty, carved 'Reef Bench'.

Arcade Pirate.

Leatherback Sea Turtle Shell: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leatherback_sea_turtle & https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/a-sea-turtle-found-off-washingtons-coast-cold-and-barely-alive-recovers-at-seattle-aquarium/)

"Jake the Alligator Man”

A 'Jingle Dress' used for a healing dance.

'Jingle Dress': 

(https://www.powwows.com/jingle-dress-dance/)

American Flag & Glass Fishing Floats.

Glass Fishing Floats:

 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_float#:~:text=Norway%2C%20around%201840%2C%20was%20the,is%20credited%20with%20their%20invention.)

I had seen a sign for the 'historical tree' last time we drove into town … and I have read online articles raving about "seeing Clark's Tree": I was curious.

I like History - and walking across America always intrigued me; it must have been so exciting!

President Thomas Jefferson planned the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1803. They had found the sources of the Missouri and the major tributaries of the Columbia, followed the Columbia to the sea, collected detailed information about the plants, animals, geography, and inhabitants of the region, and laid the groundwork for American expansion to the coast. On November 8, 1805, the expedition arrived at the Pacific Ocean.

I used to take off on adventures all the time without undue concern over my asthma; but, I am no longer a carefree solo lobo - Holland's concerns now have to become my concerns … and I have had more than a couple serious asthma attacks since we got married: his concerns are justified.

So, I shot a few puffs off my inhaler into my mouth to assure my husband I would "be safe", kissed Holland … and started my walk. I think it was about a half hour, round trip, from start to finish.

On the search for 'Clark's Tree'; Long Beach-WA

A good stretch of the legs …

It was a sunny day - but the ocean winds were strongly brisk.

Looking over the landscape around me, I tried to feel some of what the explorers may have felt as they passed this way … I tried to visualize what they saw, through my eyes that were seeing this place for the first time, too.

Lewis and Clark Expedition: 

(https://www.historylink.org/File/5383)

Aha!

A FAKE RESIN TREE! They did try to make it appear realistic - but the shiny plastic patina gave it away.

That tree was ridiculous - BUT I enjoyed a nice, sunny walk.

And there, sits my Knight Errant - patiently waiting, in his red 'steed' ;-)

My heart rate was a normal range for walking speed.

On our way back to Independence in Ocean Park, we stopped by David's beach lot to visit with him. It was a good, long visit, and we'll set up on his property again when our time (a month's stay, paid for) at the RV Park, here is up.

We stopped by David's & stayed a while; we'll be close neighbors again, this time next month :-)

ROCK-N-ROLL DAY; Ocean Beach Peninsula-WA

Atlantis

May 7th: This afternoon I had a scheduled hair appointment around 2 … so, we drove to Cranberry Road first to get Holland's wave-watching in ;-)

Watching choppy waves rolling in, to the backbeat of Boston.

Boston - 'Feelin' Satisfied' Lyrics: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbrmA05SSFE)

We noticed that the rocking and rolling waves were starting further offshore before curling in and pounding the beach; I've mentioned before how Holland's eyes sparkle when he's watching the waves … and his whole body literally relaxes - if the fabled Atlantis was an actual place, I'm sure Holland would have been born there.

He's a true water baby ;-)

Atlantis: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantis)

Donovan - 'Atlantis' song: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvRknQIEoKg)

We had only been watching the waves for a matter of minutes, when Joanne called to tell me she had an open spot available to do my hair (an hour earlier) - and I jumped on it: my hair hasn't been tended to since we started living full time on the road; I've cut the bangs back over the months, but overall, my poor hair was long overdue for much needed attention.

Holland turned Betsy around, and off we went to find the 'best little hair house in Klipsan' :-)

Holland likes long hair … and logically, long hair will work best for full-time RVing; the best way to grow my hair out evenly, is to routinely trim the ends and stimulate growth. I had long hair for decades, though Holland has only known me since I had it shagged 5 years ago.

We are in the process of familiarizing ourselves with the lay of the land here on the peninsula, but we did locate Joanne's salon pretty quickly.

Best Little Hair House in Klipsan-WA; 21904 V Ln, Ocean Park, WA

The salon was clean.

The price was right.

Joanne was a fun person and entertained me while she went about her business … and I happily watched wispy hair trimmings roll across her salon floor.

I left satisfied with what I paid for.

Climbing into Betsy's cab, I suggested we check out some more waves before we go home since wave watching time on Cranberry Road had been cut short. Holland didn't waste any time rocking Betsy over the graveled sandy country lane to the nearest beach approach ;-)

Ocean Park Approach before parking at Home.

I hope to watch beach kites this year, at Long Beach's Kite Festival.

We spent an enjoyable half hour watching waves, kites, people, sea/sand birds; listening to music, and chit chat between us … before turning Betsy homebound, to roll to a stand still beside Independence.

Holland cooked delicious hamburgers; and I fitted & pieced my crochet design together.

Us parked currently at Ocean Bay Mobile & RV Park; #2515 Bay Ave, Ocean Park, WA

Shoulders pieces joined & prep work for edging.

WARNING SIREN~Ocean Park-WA

Long Beach-WA Peninsula

May 6th: The day dawned beautifully following the wet and windy nighttime hours.

We were just lazing around, doing as little as possible while drinking the  mid-morning brunch smoothies Holland whipped up for us … Holland was chuckling at some YouTube videos, and I was watching a pay-for-view Barbra Streisand movie, while finishing up the body work of the project I am designing.

After I finished my delicious smoothie, I went upstairs to lay down for a half hour-45 minutes: I had been up since 4 A.M., coughing, and hadn't want to wake Holland with all the tossing and turning - so, I got up to grab a cup of coffee, and just stayed up. Now breathing easier, I needed a quick power-nap ;-)

Holland's tasty 'Green Smoothie': ginger, garlic, tomato, carrot, spinach, & celery ;-)

Just about ready to wrap this project up …

I was just settling in and getting my body comfortably situated, when piercing weird music tore through the air outside and roughly brought my sleepy thoughts out of the drowsy cobwebs.

What on earth?

Cutting through the tweaked 'good humor wagon' music, came a verbal message. I instantly sat up when an uncomfortable thought ran through my mind - 'Wake your senses all the way up, Val! This weirdness is the Long Beach-WA Tsunami Warning system - weird, but true …' I stumbled to the foot of the bed, and groggily said, "Holland …" And he answered, "I hear it too, and I'm listening".

We listened for a few minutes; we stilled our breathing and waited for some indication of an approaching monstrous wave - the birds were still trilling, the ground was not quivering, and there was no hemispheric roaring … doomsday silence was absent, Independence remained standing on a firm sandy foundation, and there was no atmospheric disturbance happening.

It seemed to us, to be a normal day at the beach.

Curious, we drove down the Ocean Park Approach to see if we could visually see an approaching danger riding on the waves.

Nothing unusual.

The waves were a bit choppy - but nothing out of the ordinary. This is the Pacific Ocean; the waves are always in rebellious mode, here.

The sky was encouraging; seagulls lazed about on the warmed beach sand.

People and dogs trolled the beach; neither seemed unduly concerned about getting their feet wet in the beaching waves.

Holland and I exchanged 'I don't get it' looks, before Holland pulled out his phone to see if he could find out what the warning had been about.

All he could find was a tornado warning: you read that right.

I just shrugged my shoulders. Tornadoes don't come off the water … hurricanes, do; but at this point (with craziness erupting in all corners of the planet) in Life on Earth, nothing would surprise me.

Holland checked his phone for alerts, and got this instead of a tsunami warning …

The ocean looks 'normal'.

We watched the waves for a little bit - it was apparent there was no tsunami approaching … up, or down, the long beach ;-)

When we got back home, I went on line to see what I could find about nearby global disturbances that would have triggered the warning siren we hear earlier.

I also checked to see if I could find anything about an incoming tornado riding the local waves.

Nothing.

But what I did find was more disturbing: if a tsunami ever did strike this region, the State has decided the ocean can claim our lives!

Chinook-WA, Ilwaco-WA, Long Beach-WA, Klipsan-WA, Ocean Park-WA, and Oysterville-WA are all right in line with the beach line. The only high points, that might be considered safe havens, are Fort Columbia & Cape Disappointment … and those hillsides would be choked immediately with traffic jams of fleeing people; these sites would also immediately be filled to capacity as the hillsides can only contain a fraction of the population - they are steep hills with limited parking area, steeply dropping off on all sides to the raging ocean below.

It angers me that the State would not allow people the opportunity to risk waves leaving the peninsula, as opposed to hopelessly facing a monstrous wave wall of an incoming tsunami.

I am pretty sure Holland and I would be rebels, and break through the barriers. If we are going to die a watery death … we get to chose how we go down. We are not going to allow the State to chose our death for us.

On another note: the only warning I came across at all, concerning the waves in our immediate vicinity, was a warning to small ocean vessels about choppy waters.

WTH - the State cannot trap people on a spit surrounded by water!

The only warning was 'high winds' & 'stay off the water'.

So, we got on with out lives in the moment.

Holland cooked the meal he had been planning.

I watched movies and worked on my crochet project.

We banked on Love to securely hold us - Elohim's love; and our love :-)

Holland's pork stir-fry … Holland's 'Pork Stir-fry': seasoned/marinated pork bits, spinach, tomato, celery, garlic chunks - it smells wonderful. Slow cooking makes everything tender :-)

While Holland created a meal - I continued creating my design …

Holland's stir-fry was delish; Colby cheese & scrambled eggs added just before serving; YUMMY!

Just needs a final fitting & to be joined at the shoulders ;-)

Crystal Gayle - 'You Never Gave Up on Me Lyrics': (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EewSpqahsQM)