Since the compiling or my journal notes of my trip is turning into a book - geez, everything does, I can't even write a SIMPLE email!! - I'll just hit the highlights. First, it may help to know my boyfriend is an artist, a real and true paint with oils on canvas and sculpt with clay to create bronzes artist. Part of this trip was about taking pictures for new reference material. He will be doing more boats in the future. The other part was to deliver several paintings, one to a gallery, one to a woman who commissioned a piece from him for her new home, and a new painting for a long time collector of his work. I go with him on these photo trips whenever I can. We've had some wonderful times he and I. Big sigh (and idiotic grin).
We started somewhere near Portland Oregon with the woman who'd commissioned the painting. Her new home was beautiful - the old one on the back part of their property was no slouch either. The spot she wanted filled with art was over a river stone hearth with fireplace. She'd asked for a pond or a Tuscany scene and hoped he could incorporate some of the color scheme she had going in her new digs. She'd had special lighting run to highlight the painting. He doesn't usually do this, but he did one of each knowing the one she didn't chose would go to one of his galleries. We hung each in turn. Both paintings were stunning, the colors matched perfectly, but the river/pond scene he painted seemed to come to life filling the room with a gentle, but very tangible welcoming, soothing energy. It gave me goose bumps. That's the one she chose. (I love watching my man do what he does. I love watching him paint and sculpt, I love watching him struggle and stretch his bounds, I love watching him interact with his clients. I love the look on his face as when he knows his work has touched another person.) We spent that night at a motel literally on the lake (private balcony over the water right off our room) - her suggestion, and a very good one at that.
Next up, delivered a painting to a long time collector of his work. Guy had a gorgeous home - again with an incredible view. I'd never been inside a real true "Man Cave" until that day. The elk painting was for this mans personal space. The walls held giant mounts of the prize winning elk he'd bagged. He identified each. Spaces not filled with elk heads were filled with elk paintings or mountain men. And of course he had a bar.
After that we headed to Astoria Oregon. Spent the next night there, taking pictures of old boats with character at any marina we could find - and seals. Next day, headed to the Coast. We stopped at Seaside Beach, again for pictures and played in the freezing coastal water. The beach was beautiful, sand dunes fettered with tall wild waving salt grasses, soft waves on smooth sand and to my utter delight - SAND DOLLARS!!! Lots of them, full ones, not just shattered pieces. We refueled at Dairy Queen - people need refueling too. Then down the coast to Canon Beach. Again, the ocean was breathtakingly beautiful. This is the location of the well-known Haystack rock formation. We visited the tidal pools and watched church groups compete in a Mother's Day Sand Sculpture contest. (Mother's Day was the next day.) We stopped in a couple of art galleries in the town of Canon Beach then headed further down the coast. Our destination was New Port. We took pictures along the way as needed and stopped to take in a cool kite festival in a small beach town.
We got a room at the Hallmark Inn in New Port, I highly recommend this place to anyone and everyone. The staff was over the top friendly and helpful, and the room was OMG to die for! One large bed, living room space with fireplace, big screen TV and a balcony over looking the beach, kitchenette, large bathroom and a two person jacuzzi right next to the bed - big screen TV opposite the jacuzzi too. We got there just in time to take our bags upstairs and stand leaning on the rail of our balcony to watch the sun set. Another first for me, watching the sun sink into the Pacific Ocean. Dinner at a steakhouse then back to enjoy the amenities of the room. The fog had rolled in, that plus the dark shrouded the beach nearly from sight. Mostly, you knew the ocean was there because you could still hear the waves. Just before midnight, I got a wild hair, I wanted to walk the beach in the dark. My Love was game! We traversed the narrow sandy wooden steps winding through the dunes below the motel and came out on the beach. From this angle, the lights from the motel hung above us like a weight in the fog. The waves continued their rhythmic dance in the near distance. Shed of our shoes, I walked with my Sweetheart on a beach in the dark at midnight of Mother's Day 2012.
Mother's Day 2012, upon waking, My Sweetie opened the slider to the balcony. We laid in our bed watching and listening to the early days waves, the new sunlight a soft gold on the white frosted tips. No words. I took the Happy Mother's Day calls from my children right there in the sweet cozy comfort of that bed watching the ocean, hearing it's unstoppable forces and nestled next to my Sweetheart. Breakfast was down at the marina in a little place called "The Coffee House". Again, I highly recommend this place for the food and the atmosphere - an old Victorian home turned coffee house, rustic wooden balcony, rustic seaside atmosphere - and pancakes bigger than the plates! Literally hanging over the sides with piles of fresh strawberries and whip cream in the middle!
Next stop, two of my Sweeties galleries in Portland, visited with friends, enjoyed the galleries then headed back in land to Trout Dale where we spent our last night, after visiting yet another gallery - this is what you do when you hang with an artist.
Early next morning, motels continental breakfast, good-byes, last instructions on the bike rack, then he turned east on the highway and I turned west - in my new car with a filled but already lonely for him heart. The long drive home was quite pleasant. Listened to a book on CD, blasted favorite old tunes on the radio singing my little heart out. Arrived home safe, happy and sad all at the same time. Greeted by Piper, a wiggling, happy Ginger, and a happy playful Buntah.
We started somewhere near Portland Oregon with the woman who'd commissioned the painting. Her new home was beautiful - the old one on the back part of their property was no slouch either. The spot she wanted filled with art was over a river stone hearth with fireplace. She'd asked for a pond or a Tuscany scene and hoped he could incorporate some of the color scheme she had going in her new digs. She'd had special lighting run to highlight the painting. He doesn't usually do this, but he did one of each knowing the one she didn't chose would go to one of his galleries. We hung each in turn. Both paintings were stunning, the colors matched perfectly, but the river/pond scene he painted seemed to come to life filling the room with a gentle, but very tangible welcoming, soothing energy. It gave me goose bumps. That's the one she chose. (I love watching my man do what he does. I love watching him paint and sculpt, I love watching him struggle and stretch his bounds, I love watching him interact with his clients. I love the look on his face as when he knows his work has touched another person.) We spent that night at a motel literally on the lake (private balcony over the water right off our room) - her suggestion, and a very good one at that.
Next up, delivered a painting to a long time collector of his work. Guy had a gorgeous home - again with an incredible view. I'd never been inside a real true "Man Cave" until that day. The elk painting was for this mans personal space. The walls held giant mounts of the prize winning elk he'd bagged. He identified each. Spaces not filled with elk heads were filled with elk paintings or mountain men. And of course he had a bar.
After that we headed to Astoria Oregon. Spent the next night there, taking pictures of old boats with character at any marina we could find - and seals. Next day, headed to the Coast. We stopped at Seaside Beach, again for pictures and played in the freezing coastal water. The beach was beautiful, sand dunes fettered with tall wild waving salt grasses, soft waves on smooth sand and to my utter delight - SAND DOLLARS!!! Lots of them, full ones, not just shattered pieces. We refueled at Dairy Queen - people need refueling too. Then down the coast to Canon Beach. Again, the ocean was breathtakingly beautiful. This is the location of the well-known Haystack rock formation. We visited the tidal pools and watched church groups compete in a Mother's Day Sand Sculpture contest. (Mother's Day was the next day.) We stopped in a couple of art galleries in the town of Canon Beach then headed further down the coast. Our destination was New Port. We took pictures along the way as needed and stopped to take in a cool kite festival in a small beach town.
We got a room at the Hallmark Inn in New Port, I highly recommend this place to anyone and everyone. The staff was over the top friendly and helpful, and the room was OMG to die for! One large bed, living room space with fireplace, big screen TV and a balcony over looking the beach, kitchenette, large bathroom and a two person jacuzzi right next to the bed - big screen TV opposite the jacuzzi too. We got there just in time to take our bags upstairs and stand leaning on the rail of our balcony to watch the sun set. Another first for me, watching the sun sink into the Pacific Ocean. Dinner at a steakhouse then back to enjoy the amenities of the room. The fog had rolled in, that plus the dark shrouded the beach nearly from sight. Mostly, you knew the ocean was there because you could still hear the waves. Just before midnight, I got a wild hair, I wanted to walk the beach in the dark. My Love was game! We traversed the narrow sandy wooden steps winding through the dunes below the motel and came out on the beach. From this angle, the lights from the motel hung above us like a weight in the fog. The waves continued their rhythmic dance in the near distance. Shed of our shoes, I walked with my Sweetheart on a beach in the dark at midnight of Mother's Day 2012.
Mother's Day 2012, upon waking, My Sweetie opened the slider to the balcony. We laid in our bed watching and listening to the early days waves, the new sunlight a soft gold on the white frosted tips. No words. I took the Happy Mother's Day calls from my children right there in the sweet cozy comfort of that bed watching the ocean, hearing it's unstoppable forces and nestled next to my Sweetheart. Breakfast was down at the marina in a little place called "The Coffee House". Again, I highly recommend this place for the food and the atmosphere - an old Victorian home turned coffee house, rustic wooden balcony, rustic seaside atmosphere - and pancakes bigger than the plates! Literally hanging over the sides with piles of fresh strawberries and whip cream in the middle!
Next stop, two of my Sweeties galleries in Portland, visited with friends, enjoyed the galleries then headed back in land to Trout Dale where we spent our last night, after visiting yet another gallery - this is what you do when you hang with an artist.
Early next morning, motels continental breakfast, good-byes, last instructions on the bike rack, then he turned east on the highway and I turned west - in my new car with a filled but already lonely for him heart. The long drive home was quite pleasant. Listened to a book on CD, blasted favorite old tunes on the radio singing my little heart out. Arrived home safe, happy and sad all at the same time. Greeted by Piper, a wiggling, happy Ginger, and a happy playful Buntah.