Back to basics

I'm back to using my Mr. Coffee espresso maker, that my brother-in-law Bob bought me during one of their visits, after being somewhat dissatisfied with the Capresso milk heater-foamer I've been using for the past few years. The Capresso was quick and easy, and did really well at heating and stirring the milk, but it just didn't produce quite enough frothy foam for my liking. The espresso maker takes longer, with more involvement from me, and there's more to clean when I'm done, but we end up with a better latté and it all feels more "authentic." 

Memorial Day 2021

I’m sure that over the years, I’ve been guilty of wishing people a happy Memorial Day weekend, and I suppose there’s no harm in wishing happiness on others. But I had to remind myself that this Monday’s holiday is dedicated to remembering and honoring the people who died while serving. A very somber reason for getting an extra long weekend. Y’all be careful out there, as you enjoy your time off...

From history.com: Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. First known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.

I found this interesting list of military holidays and observances - most of which I was unaware. Did you know that May is National Military Appreciation Month?

Tired and sore

Today’s bike ride included a lot more tired and sore leg muscles than usual, thanks to our recent visit to the gym. C’est la vie... At least the mid-Spring views were pretty nice! Beautiful day at Chatfield reservoir.

As long as I was tired and sore, I took advantage of the nice little bench, to rest a second time, so here's a pic to show that it was also a beautiful day at McLellan Reservoir ;-) Always good to see snow on the Rockies. 

Visiting in Florence

We’re here in Florence, Oregon, visiting with Jennefer’s mom Jean, at her house in the Siuslaw National Forest - a quiet, beautiful location. The swallows are very active right now, coming and going from the birdhouse that John built before he died. 

We enjoyed wandering through town, looking for pretty Rhododendrons a few weeks before the Rhodie festival, and found a few nice ones here and there. This one was just hanging out right outside the house.  

The Siuslaw River Bridge carries highway 101 acoss the river, in downtown Florence. It’s got nice lines, and I suppose every visitor that carries a camera can’t resist snapping photos of the bridge from various angles. 

We stopped by the local Florence airport (6S2), a sweet little airport with a 3,000 foot runway, a self-service fuel pump, a nice pilot’s lounge, and a decent sized group of hangars for locally based airplanes. I’ve “flown” into this airport several times in Flight Simulator over the past two years, and couldn’t resist stopping by, to see what it’s really like. Glad to find a nice restroom in the lounge, at just the right time for me.

Here’s a collage of a few river views we enjoyed - at the bridge, after it makes a hard right and follows the sand dunes, and at the mouth where it meets the Pacific Ocean.