Oregon

This blog is a bit out of order, being about a trip I (Carolyn) did with my brother Mark at the end of March.  We went to Oregon to see family, while Tony was visiting his family in London.  It has taken me this long to figure out how to get the photos off of my (relatively new) phone. 

And a warning -- this post contains family photos not necessarily of interest to those without a Hafer family tree hanging in their living room.

The trip began with a 1.5 hr. ferry ride from downtown Victoria to Port Angeles, Washington -- here is a shot as we head out of Victoria's inner harbour.

  

At the end of a lovely drive down the Hood Canal area of Washington, we set up camp at a state park; it was very peaceful being early in the season (I think we were the only tenters there)

 

 Ah, nothing like a camp shave in the truck window.....

 After leaving the campground, we hit civilization with a microbrewery lunch in Portland, Oregon, along with shopping at REI (like MEC, for those outdoors fans) and a super fabulous gigantic bookstore called Powell's (no shopping pictures; shopping pictures are boring; food pictures are interesting)

 The reason for our trip was to visit Aunt Jerene (my Dad's sister) and her husband Jim, who live in a farming community (Scion) outside of Salem Orgeon.  Below is a historical bridge in the town of Stayton, near Salem and Scion (not sure why all the places around there start with an "S").

 

There is a very pretty walk there along a river (reminded us of a Huckleberry Fin story).  Here is Mark and Jerene along the river path.

 

Jerene and Jim's house in Scion.  Jerene is an avid gardener, just like her mother!

 On the Saturday afternoon, we had lunch with Holly (my cousin, Jerene's daughter), who lives in Salem.  Here are Jim, Andy (Holly's husband), Holly, Jerene, and Mark.  I told them to look natural and this is what they gave me.

 

I call this picture "Little Mark, Bit Water."  This is part of the amazing Silver Falls State Park waterfalls trail.  In the picture is one of two falls that you can hike behind (see Mark contemplating life from behind the falls)

 

The countryside in the area (on our drive back from Silver Falls State Park)

 

Happy hour in Jerene and Jim's backyard.

 

Just to prove I was there...

 

Some of Jim's antique tractor collection.  Yes there is a collection of these on their property, along with their 2 horses, Jerene's vegetable and flower gardens, Jim's woodworking shop, an outdoor pizza oven, and a vineyard, not to mention Jim's canaries (in an aviary at the back of the house), Jerene's weaving looms, and so on.  I really don't think they have enough hobbies.

 

On the Sunday, after a large farm breakfast, Mark and I drove all the way back to Victoria (of course a ferry was involved as well).  And that is all for the Hafer family trip.  Will post some pictures of the little neighbourhood where Tony and I are currently living soon. Till then,

love, Carolyn

(p.s. did we mention that there is an extra bedroom here??)