Dec 30-- sunny following days of hail and rain

Yesterday there were intermittent squalls so I tried a late afternoon trip to the beach. No sooner than I had pulled into the rest stop then hail began.

 The approaching squalls made for interesting cloud formations.

After getting rained out of Ophir beach, I decided to drive to Frankport-fiver miles north.
After another deluge of white b b's, I took some pictures from the road.

Today I found a couple of  hedgehog mushrooms then I followed Steve up to the water tank and we both filled our bags. Mushrooms and eggs tomorrow!
 Lock helped me find the south property line--750 ft south.

Coming home, searching unsuccessfully for more mushrooms, i noticed a clear sky and a warm sun so I returned to Frankport for the evening colors.

Oh, By the way, a couple of days ago the sun came out in the morning and I walked down the beach where the rains had caused a spring to bubble out of the sand.

The last three were on the way to Port Orford, Dec 26th.

Dec 23 cloudy

Yesterday was clear and sunny but I worked at the food bank and missed shooting pictures until late afternoon when I road to Nesika Beach on my bike. Some quail caught my eye. Later, a neighbor's water feature and yard sculpture.

I've been away from fishing too long if I think a pile of dungie pots is a sculpture

I finally downloaded pictures from last week. I am practicing holding the camera so that the telephoto is more securely braced.
Its sad to know that my eyesight has deteriorated to where I was unaware of my out-of focus pictures. Good thing Andrew told me.

Clear droplets suspended in air.  It must be in focus!

I'm trying to scare myself. Reminds me of nasty Bering Sea crossings

Along the coast route south of Brookings. How formed?

Dec 17 Sunny and cold

Female Anna's Hummingbird

Thirty seven degrees this morning. Brr.The wood stove had burned out over night but the rock work around it did its job. It was still sixty five degrees in the living room.
 Locke and I made the fourteen mile round trip up Euchre Creek yesterday. My favorite ride. Even though it was 11:30 AM when we left, there were still spots of frost up where the canyon narrows. The creek water was raging and washing through tree roots. We explored a myrtle-wood grove. Those trees really stand out now because the poplar, cottonwood, and alder have all dropped their leaves. Myrtle-wood gives the impression of being deciduous but it keeps its waxy, bay-leaf like leaves all winter. I showed Locke how they regenerate from the base with numerous succors after the main tree is cut.  I broke off a few leaves that we rubbed for their pungent bay smell. The smell lingered on my hands and in my nose for the rest of the ride

Alders

In the Myrtle-wood groove

Oxalis

The bike trail, unused logging road,  up Euchre creek

.

Euchre creek heading towards the ocean

Locke crossing Euchre creek

Returning home, hummingbirds were fighting over the feeder. They dive-bombed each other and buzzed by me faster than I could turn my head.

Male Anna

I tried but could never get two hummingbirds in the same telephoto frame.

Dec 16 two sunny days in a row!

and the forecast had predicted rain!
I drove to Coos Bay to get Locke on Monday night.
Tuesday, I started volunteering for a program of disabled kids riding.  One of the helpers built the barrel horse for the kids to practice on.

It was great to have the new lens-Canon 18-135 mm, get here, and after Andrew helped me get the old lens off, I was able to use it. Locke and I went to the North Jetty so I could try out the telephoto.
 Its nice for shooting into waves although I felt that it overexposed shots. the exposure, color details were more mushy than the old standard lens. Also, when Locke found a tiny, 1/2" crab, I could not focus on it at closer than about a foot.

The focus and light adjustment seems fairly nimble but I have some getting used to the lens! I love how the telephoto compresses the waves and makes a confused sea more realistic.

Dec 12 sunny morning

The hourly forecast said that the rain would start in the afternoon so I called Helen (of Helen's guide service, recovering from back surgery) at 8:30 AM to see if she wanted to take a walk. We tried to get out on the flats below her house and where the elk hang out, but the river was too high so we drove up river to the "Ferry Hole." While we walked she explained that it was where, before the bridge was built(1934), a ferry crossed the Rogue.
The river was high but peacefully flowing seaward. There were some fall colors and some trees plump with spring buds. A few buffleheads floated in the eddies.

After about an hour and a half I dropped Helen off and drove down the south bank road.
Dungeness fishermen were able to start fishing at midnight. The bar seemed impassable, the ocean angry. Spray formed a cloud along the south jetty as it sparkled in the sun.

I crossed the bridge and continued down the north jetty. One cat hung out at the Jetty-cat houses. No raccoons, this time.

I walked out the jetty and down the beach, happy to be out on a spectacular day.

It started drizzling by 2:00 PM, and rained by 4:00. Another front is moving in and it may rain most of the week.