Oregon Reunion--Day Five

We probably picked the most beautiful day to go to Cape Meares to see the Lighthouse and what we all now call the Elephant Tree. Before that, there was this scenic pull out and as you can see, its just breathtaking. Here is Regen looking so adorable, I can't help taking pictures of her...it's a grandma thing. Kirk, Ashley, Regen, Me and Alanna.
Rhiannon (my sister Tiffany's oldest) with Regen and Ashley.

Ryan and Jazmine
My sister Erica and her family.
Alanna
Ashley and RegenWe finally made it to Cape Meares, it's about an hour and a half south of Warrenton.Last time we visited I walked down to the lighthouse, this time I didn't because of my knee and hip, so Alanna and Ashley walked down. Erica took this picture, Alanna is with her cousins Olivia, Jazmine and Anna and her uncle Vince.Here is the lighthouse, it's one of the shortest on the Oregon Coast at about 48 ft. tall.There are white bird droppings all around the cliffs, we were able to look through telescopes and I've added the signs below so I could remember the types of birds. I could have added twenty more pictures of the same, I never tire at looking at the ocean.

This was taken from a little lookout point just around the cliff that I found when I walked up the trail to see the infamous elephant tree.


Upon closer listening, I hear the wind more than the ocean, but that's okay, now if there were just a way to bottle that ocean smell.....hmmmm.

Here is the elephant tree that everyone has named. Below is a description of how this tree came to be.





I believe this is the same wild rose that grows in Alaska.
Same with the Queens Anne Lace, I'm a little homesick.
Then it was off to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, where they have a fun tour and the best "squeaky cheese"(cheese curds) and ice cream.

They also have a food court and a really cute souvenir shop. A table of some of the girl cousins... Stephanie and Jessica must have been shopping with Lisa.Regen had had enough, that was a long day.

As we headed home we drove through one of my favorite town, Garibaldi. This is where my mother grew up and where I spent a few summers visiting my Grandma and aunts and uncles and cousins. If you look closely you can see the G on the mountain near the left of the picture. Grandma once told me there were ice skaters on the G, I wished I could go and see them. Later I found out she was teasing me.

Anna and Jazmine were our car mates during the reunion, we loved having them, they are so much fun.We finished that day with another trip to the beach with another bon fire and of course....smores!!!