Haystacks in Cannon

Barely a 30 minute drive north of our little haven is the artsy and adorable town of Cannon Beach. We enjoy a morning exploring the downtown and surrounding area, full of quaint stores and homes adorned with beautiful, colorful flowers. The contrast is quite palpable as we stray from the bustling downtown hub into the neighboring cottage lined residential streets just blocks from the beach.

Lush landscapes prevail and the residents clearly take much pride in their little heaven. We virtually have these back streets to ourselves as we peek through gardens and imagine living in several of these cozy, welcoming homes. Every corner brings even prettier sights and we spend a good amount of time exploring this peaceful, lovely place.

A trek down to the gorgeous beach showcases the famous haystacks landmark and, listening to expert advise, we time the visit at low tide so we are able to get really up close and personal with the natural beauty and witness the marine garden wonders with awe. Huge star fish are in abundance in a variety of rich, beautiful colors. Gorgeous!

We are amazed at what we are able to find in this pool of lushness and are thrilled at the ability to visit it so intimately. Though a popular place for tourists, we don't even mind as this is one really cool place! Well worth the hike down the beach for a tour. We will take this memory with us for quite a while.

Beach Fun

After a good night's sleep in our little beach cottage and a slow wake up this morning, a beach hike seems to be a grand idea. Though chilly and foggy, the coastline is spectacular and we enjoy an amazing journey along the shore.


The beach is easy to walk on once we pass the deep white sand at the entrance, the low tide brings hard packed sand and a very wide walking path. Exposed rocks toward the cliff area provides a fun and good workout, as well as a discovery spot for interesting marine life.

Horseback riders saunter down the dune area as we head back toward the little city's town core. The quaint town has a wonderful little book store where we spend a good amount of time finding new reads and make some great purchases for future escapes. It is well past noon by the time we finish our walk and book tour and the sun has still not peeked through. As we have several days in this area, we opt to stay close to home this afternoon, reading and enjoying the sleepy town's energy.

Later in the day, dune buggies traverse the pretty beach and kites easily float in the windy skies. With all the beauty surrounding, we don't even miss the sun. We throrougly enjoy our lazy day and the comforts provided by our little beach cottage. Resting up for a big excursion tomorrow seems to be the perfect decison. The quiet we experience here is very welcomed!

The Bridge to Oregon

It is a beautiful drive out of Washington heading to Oregon and as we reach the Astoria Bridge which will deliver us to the start of our coast drive, we start to truly anticipate the excitement that awaits. This drive has been on our wish list for quite awhile and it's about to become a reality! Yeah!!!








The bridge is the perfect entryway for our excursion, and after the initial traffic in Astoria, the coastal trail opens and peeks of the magnificent Pacific Ocean begin. It has been over three months since we left the Atlantic, and we are welcoming the ocean smells and sounds fully!


Though we've had rivers, sounds, canals, lakes and straits, along our journey, there is nothing like the ocean and we embrace it's magic! As different as the two coasts are in their terrain, it still almost feels like home for us and that feeling is just wonderful.

As we pull into Manzanita, the quaint little village proves to be the perfect first stop on our Oregon Coast adventure. Cathie, Linda's friend, has provided a cozy little beach cottage, complete with fire pit! (It's the same one we had back home - a gift from Linda, of course) and it finishes our nostalgic moments. Settling in for our stay here, the fire is lit, yes, a fire in August! Unheard of, we know. But, the 50 degree temperature on this balmy evening allows such a pleasure and we enjoy thoroughly after our busy travel day.




Welcome to Oregon!

Sunflowers and Wine

So, we've been fortunate enough to have several days of pampering here in Union. Sunning on the deck, massages, reading, hot tub soaks, and on our final evening, with one more beautiful sunset to watch, Linda and her husband, Greg, invite us for a little wine tasting. Can it get better!?










As morning dawns, we reluctantly ready for our next adventure. Columbo, their very sweet dog, looks a little sad, as well. We know he'll miss us as much as we'll miss being here. We take one final stroll around our little haven with Linda and Greg, Columbo and coffee, and realize that, of course, Linda has placed fresh sunflowers in her side patio the morning before we arrived.













They each grab a shovel and watering can to aid in a very special planting this morning. Linda is wearing sunflower yellow for the occasion. In their beautiful garden, we are sure to have a sprouting, no doubt!


















Goodbyes are especially difficult this morning. But, in the continuing vein of helpfulness, Linda has connected us with a friend of hers who has a little beach cottage on the Oregon coast. We'll have yet another special place to call home for our initial trip into Oregon. It eases our departure having this comfort. And, we'll be in touch with these special folks for a very long time coming!
















As we exit Union, it is a must stop at the winery that produces the delicious wine we sampled the evening prior. Walter Dacon Winery is en route to the coast, just outside of Shelton, Washington. And, what a lovely place we find. Holly is our hostess as she shows us about and allows us to taste many of their beautiful wines, including the 2006 C'est Syrah Magnifique. (Be sure and click on this link, the website is really special as it includes several videos created by our new friend, Linda. They are really good! Especially take time for the Appanage and Robin Hood Restaurant video, you'll see why we loved it so!)


It is incredible and we purchase this and a few other for our long road trip ahead. The perfect finale for our Washington experience. This is a state certainly asterisked on our list. And, the Hood Canal area a dream spot. With all it offers, and Seattle less than two hours away, we will be hard pressed to find a more special place!