AN OLD ROAD TRIP TO BANDON, OREGON IN 2009

One of my old posts from the blog I started in April 2008 and closed in 2015. 

This rocky beach is in Bandon, Oregon. In the photo above you can just make out a figure walking along the beach with a dog. We met that lady earlier along a back road walking to this beach. We had just stopped at one place and she told us that there was a much better lookout further ahead, that it would be worth our time to stop. She was right. It was incredible and we were very grateful to her for pointing us in this direction. While taking photos we spotted them quite a distance ahead. The only other people we saw were a couple taking photos. We were very lucky with the weather. It stopped raining long enough for us to take in this magnificent view.

This area is famous for Face Rock. There is a local legend that you will find in more detail at this link.  It's rather sad as many legends are but below is a more condensed version. It has been passed on from one generation to another but is now written down so that the story will always be there for anyone to read. It is a very good thing that these old stories will be there for future generations. So very important to its people, the continuation of sharing their beliefs, their cultures, their legends, and may it always be so.  If you look at the rock on its right, you might be able to recognize the side profile of a face, forehead, eyes, nose, lips and chin, as if a face is staring up at the sky.  Those geological layers that stand out in the photo could almost be like tears. 

"Legend has it (from the Nah-So-Mah tribe) that Ewanua, a beautiful Indian princess was visiting tribes along the coastline with her father, Chief Siskiyou. While the local tribes lived in constant fear of Seatka, the evil spirit of the ocean, Ewanua and the other members of her mountain-born tribe, held no fear of the evil one.  Following a great feast set in celebration of their visit, Euwana carried her pets (one dog and a mother cat and her kittens) out to the edge of the sea with her before swimming far out from shore.

All of a sudden, a fearsome creature grabbed her, and Komax, her dog, fearing for Ewanua's life swam out into the dark water and bit Seatka. Hurt and furious with the animal, Seatka kicked off the dog and threw it, along with the cat and her kittens, out into the sea. Filled with rage over losing her beloved pets and knowing the power that lay in Seatka's eyes, Ewanua from then on, refused to look directly at him. Today, she lies in the ocean, looking skyward, continuing her refusal to look into Seatka's eyes, who sits nearby. Her beloved Komax, her cat and the kittens lie to the west of her, waiting in vain for their mistress to arise from the cold ocean."

The maps below all show Bandon, Oregon.  

The rocks mentioned in the story are at the bottom left of the map.

This is a larger version showing the whole state, marked by the dotted line. The state of Washington is above, and the state of California is below. Bandon is the red marker.

One more map showing Bandon, Oregon's location on the USA map.

RANDOM PHOTO OF A PLANT - WESTERN SKUNK CABBAGE

 I remember taking this photo on a road trip in the northwest, location not remembered for the time being. The following information came from this website:

"Its common name, skunk Cabbage, refers to the skunk-like odor of the sap which draws flies as pollinators. 

"Lysichitum" combines the Greek words "lysis" meaning loosening, and "chiton" meaning tunic, in reference to the large spathe or large bract enclosing the flower cluster. 

The spike of the Skunk Cabbage consists of minute flowers surrounded by a large yellow bract open on one side. The spike grows on a stout stalk in a cluster of giant, erect leaves.

It is an early spring flower which inhabits wet woods, stream banks and bogs.

The Skunk Cabbage is edible but has a concentration of crystals of calcium oxalate which can produce a stinging, burning sensation in the mouth when chewed raw. By roasting and drying the root, native Americans were able to use this plant. The young green leaves can be eaten but must be boiled in several changes of water. Even these repeated boilings may not remove its stinging properties. 

The Skunk Cabbage is related to taro, the staple food of the Polynesians. It also contains crystals of calcium oxalate. 

Members of the Arum family have been used throughout the world by many different native peoples. Through trial and error, they have discovered that drying or heating removes those stinging properties of these plants. 

Skunk Cabbage is also eaten by black bears."

I found it an interesting plant.  I hope you did too.

Thanks for looking and 

enjoy the rest of your week.

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - SANDWICH FOR ONE - EGG, AVOCADO AND MOZZARELLA CHEESE COOKED IN AN AIR FRYER

I have no link for this.  It was something I saw online. The page disappeared and I couldn't find it again. However, I remembered the directions. This is for an air-fryer. What I liked about it is that there is no butter or oil involved, and it fit in with my plan to eat a healthy breakfast.  

Gregg met up with an old navy buddy for lunch, involving an hour and-a-half drive there and back, and was gone for several hours. The time passes quickly, he enjoys his time and I enjoy mine. I do a tidy up of the house. Once that is done, I catch up on some computer time, I read, take photos of the birds and squirrels, look at the melting snow and ice and think to myself how nice it will be to take a walk once everything is clear again. I do a few other things, and before I know it, my dear other half is walking through the door. It was a fast day. 

And now for my lunch, a ‘sandwich for one’ cooked in an air-fryer. You could also do this in the oven but not sure on the timing. You probably have your own version but I like to keep even the simplest of recipes on here, to remind me to make them again if I like them enough.

Egg, Mashed Avocado and Mozzarella Cheese Sandwich in the Air fryer  

2 slices of bread - any favorite - my choice was wheat

1 large egg

1 small avocado 

1/4 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

Preheat the air fry to 350 degrees F.  

Mash the avocado. 

On one slice of bread spread the avocado corner to corner.  Place the second slice on top.

Using a spoon make an indentation on the top of the second slice of bread and crack an egg into the indentation. 

Sprinkle cheese around the egg so that it covers the entire bread but leaving the egg showing.

I put it all together on top of a piece of parchment paper, previously cut to fit the inside of the air-fryer.

Carefully, as that airfryer is hotter than hot, use a large enough spatula to easily transfer both parchment paper and sandwich into the air-fryer basket, and cook from 8 to10 minutes (I cooked mine for 8). 

What did I think? As you can see, I added a few cherry tomatoes to my plate.  

I made it with wheat bread and although I felt my sandwich came out too dark, it tasted great. It was crispy and delicious, but there were a couple of things I want to improve on. 

I made it twice last week. The second time I reduced the heat to 345 and cooked for 10 minutes. It still came out brown and the egg white wasn't all the way set, so back in for a couple of more minutes.  I am still not totally satisfied with the process.

I will try it a third time and use white bread instead of wheat.  I also thought of separating the egg from the white, just using the yolk. I know we're supposed to do this the other way around but the yolk isn’t the problem.  

I could cook it in the oven but would have to  experiment on timing.  

All this being said I thoroughly enjoyed the sandwich. It just looked too dark and I would like it more golden brown. There is definitely room for improvement.  

Here is an idea Denise.  Put the bread in your toaster, spread the avocado corner to corner on the toast and put a poached egg on the top of that. Voila!  Another go-to breakfast which I mentioned a few weeks ago. The new version was fun, just a little more challenging and I do love a good challenge.  

Maybe one of my blogging buddies has another suggestion.  I would love to hear any recommendations.

Thanks for stopping by, 

have a great day and 

Bon Appétit!

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE!

 I had a chuckle over this graphic. I sometimes wake up after a restless night’s sleep feeling not quite up to par, and have to ease into the day.  Apparently, I saved this graphic along with a few others?  I have no idea from where but it fits me like a glove today.

It sent me on a journey through Pinterest and I picked these up for you.

Dream Smiling!

I'm sleepy, think I'll sleep until tomorrow, staying right in my tree.

Even Kings of the Jungle get tired.

I know you're sleepy little one, but your mother is praying you don't sneeze.

I'm not sleepy!  Yes, there's always one in the crowd.

Oh, I would like to be that chirpy.

The perpetual smiler, gotta love him/her.  Bless you for the smiles darling!

That's a real good trick sleeping upside down.

I am way too busy to be sleeping.

I never sleep!  No kidding!

Pretty Art 1

Pretty Art 2

Well, gotta go, things to do, people to see.

Thanks for stopping by, have a great day, and don't forget to be kind to all alarm clocks, especially the chirpy ones.

SATURDAY MORNING AT THE BIRD FEEDER - SO CONFUSED!

 

These poor Dark-eyed Juncos are suffering from the after-effects of Camera Lady finding the photos of all those statues yesterday.  Wait until they see the photos from the zoo!

VIGELAND SCULPTURE PARK, NORWAY IN JUNE 2014

I chose a post from my old blog today. I noticed some familiar names in the comments over there, so you may remember it if you visited back then. I hope you will enjoy a revisit. For those of you who are new to my blog since then, I hope you enjoy. 

In 2014 we visited Norway. My photos show the fountain at Vigelund Park in Oslo.  You can read all about it at this link.  There are also other pages you can visit if you click on the ‘menu’ button top right.  It was an extraordinary park dedicated to the sculptures of Gustav Vigeland. I have included a link to his biography here.  At this website I learned that he is also the designer of the Nobel Peace Prize Medal. 

Its description reads: "Beyond the Bridge, the path continues through a rose garden to the Fountain, the earliest sculpture unit in the park.

In the center of the basin six giants hold the large saucer-shaped vessel aloft and from it a curtain of water spills down around them. The men, representing different ages, may be interpreted as toiling with the burden of life.

Water, a universal symbol of fertility, is used within the fountain complex in a meaningful juxtaposition with the twenty tree groups on the surrounding parapet, the latter evidently symbolizing "the tree of life".

The tree groups represent a romantic expression of man's relationship to nature. They also form the setting for life's evolving stages, stretching from childhood and adolescence through adulthood to old age and death."

This is one of those times where photos don't do it justice.  It is an amazing sight when looking with one's own eyes.

We experienced a lot of rain showers on this day, then there was sunshine, followed by a torrential downpour.  However, it soon subsided and as wet as we were, it was still a very interesting and enjoyable walk around this beautiful park.  The sculptures were magnificent.  

Across the road there is a museum containing all the original casts of the sculptures we saw outside.  

Here's a map. I have added an arrow pointing to the location of the park.  

Another map showing Norway and the countries nearby.

Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoyed this very famous park. I had a great time seeing all the photos again.

Stay warm, or stay cool wherever you are in the world.