Smilin' Jack: Breakfast at Otis'

Or: A Bird Story

There's a whole bunch of stuff going on in today's blog. It covers two days and five mini-adventures. Plus, one of those mini-adventures was a check-off from our to-do list.

Hahaha, it's not a difficult list...things we want to do. As we muddle through our days, we will add a place, event or occasion to our list as the mood strikes us. We're flexible like that. It adds a bit of spice to our otherwise meat and potatoes diet.

First order of business today was getting ready for a trip to the doctor. The eye-doctor. Working with the VA now is quite different than it was. Before, I lived about 3 miles from the VA and it was easy to travel to and fro...if I had a problem it was an easy drive to the VA to get it taken care of. I was, now that I think about it, spoiled.

Now, it's decidedly different. Now it's 87 miles to the nearest VA Hospital in Portland. Ouch!! No quick and easy drive to the main VA facility now.

But the VA has recognized the problems and done something about it. I've mentioned it before but this VA system has, for me, worked exceptionally well. I've always gotten very good service from them. Oh, there were some things I've griped about but, doggone it, on the whole, for me, it's worked very well.

So now I'm not as conveniently close to the VA as I was. I knew they had a clinic in Newport, about 25 miles away, and figured I'd have to drive down there for treatment but, no. The VA has just opened a Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) right here in Lincoln City. Hahaha, great timing, eh!?!

It's only open one day a week so far but as it gets established they'll have it open at least two days a week. Unfortunately, it doesn't have an Optometrist which was the purpose of this appointment. So, it's off to Salem for us. That's the nearest VA facility with an optometrist in residence.

Woo, woo! Lookin' good, Jackie B.

Otis Cafe, April 17, 2015

But before we got there, we had to go through the small town of Otis, Oregon.

You may remember I've mentioned Otis before.

Fun Facts: Despite its small size, Otis has made the national headlines twice now, in 1999 and again in 2004, when it was announced that the town up for sale for $3 million. The owner's grandfather bought the land from the Siletz Indians for $800 in 1910.

Included in the sale were the gas station and mini grocery store, a Pronto Pup Corn dog stand, two houses, an empty 25-stall horse barn, a helicopter storage shed, a garage, a Grange Hall, the Otis Post Office, the Otis Cafe, an auto-repair garage and 190 acres.

Not a bad deal for just $3 million, right?

The Otis Post Office was established in 1900 and was named after Otis Thompson, the nephew of the postmaster. U.S. 101 used to pass through Otis until a curvy and hilly section of road was rerouted in the 1960s. Otis Junction is at the intersection of the former terminus of Oregon Route 18 and the former alignment of U.S. 101.

A lot of history for a small junction. It was the Otis Cafe that we were headed to as the first stop on our way to the CBOC in Salem.

It's a cool place. Really, it was definitely worth the visit just for the atmosphere in the small cafe itself. And small it was. They have four booths along the outer walls with two small tables pushed together in the center. Then, along the back, they have a counter with about six stools for seating.

Very informal, very 50s.

When we arrived, the tables and one booth were open. We grabbed the booth.

Here's a view of the cafe. Not a lot done in the way of decor. They already have their style and it is plain and simple. The booths were obviously homemade...not badly, mind you. Rather, it was evident they were not sold through some major retailer.

The whole atmosphere inside was cosy and intimate. You'd have to whisper to have a private conversation.

The pictures around the top reflected the history of the Otis Cafe.

And then it was time to make some decisions.

Me? I went for the Chicken Fried Steak with Sausage Gravy, Two Eggs, Hashbrowns and Homemade Toast.

Mmmmmmmm....

Yeah, I know, still eating healthy, hahahahaha. You'll see.

Carol went for the White Cheddar Burger.

I was really enjoying the place. Very friendly and inviting. This Mom and her son sitting across from us were having a good time talking. It's refreshing to see a young kid having a good time in public with his Mom. They were having a deep conversation.

Looking at the front door.

And the counter. Within just a few minutes of our arrival, more folks came in. The counter was soon full and there were two different couples sharing the center tables. Although they had sat down as strangers, they were quickly becoming friends.

Seems the younger couple, the ones nearest us, were on their way to California...and not relishing the idea particularly.

The diner back when...

Oh, man, love the decor. Hahahaha, wanna doughnut with your coffee?

Take note of the directions to the restroom. Yeah, you turned left at the kitchen and then the far back room, past the grills, and turn right to the one bathroom they have. Oh, and on your left you'll pass the small bakery. Hahaha, very informal.

And that bakery is a going concern.

I think we were both wishing we had sat at the tables. Meet some new folks. Hahaha, we slid over just in case anyone wanted to share the booth with us.

And, after a reasonable wait, breakfast came. Carol's Cheddar Burger.

And my Chicken-Fried Steak. Hahaha, a healthy serving.

Plus, the two eggs, over easy, and my black molasses bread toast.

Mmmmmmmmm....

Carol said it reminded her of the bread she would eat with Boston Baked Beans. We'll be stopping back for some bread soon.

Hahaha, it might not have been a healthy breakfast but it was sure filling.

What happened next is a very rare occurrence. It's not in my nature to leave food on the plate which, more than likely, is a prime reason I am just a wee bit chunkier than I should be. Nope, not in my nature. But, and this is a sign of my increasing maturity, I did...this time. It was good and it was filling and I was very full.

And I left some on the plate. Regretted it but left it.

Hahahaha, little Jackie is growing up.

By the time we left, there was a crowd on the porch waiting for an open seat. Place must be popular.

Feeling satisfied, we were on the road to Salem. That's one thing I'd like to stress here...places are far apart but it's not a chore driving to anything. The drives are usually very scenic .

Like this one on Highway 22 enroute to Salem. Every single time. We pass small hills and valleys, a casino and farms. Oh, and a wildlife refuge. It's not boring.

Here's the CBOC in Salem. A very nice facility. And, after some tests we were out and on our way back.

The Baskett Slough, April 17, 2015

And on the way back, we found a new road into the Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge.

There's a large population of Canada Geese there. Oh, heck, they're everywhere, really.

And there are farms all around the Slough (pronounced Slew).

Hahaha, this is just a precursor of the flying bird pictures you'll see in a little while. But it was cool watching the large flocks swarming.

We drove along Colville Road and there, about 20 feet off the side of the road was this grand fellow...A Great Blue Heron. Brassy fellow, too, standing there while I stopped, backed up and got several shots of him.

Then, just a few hundred yards further, we saw this guy having lunch.

Farmland by one of the pull-outs along Colville Road. When we pulled in there were already several birders there. They were watching a Harrier Hawk hunting. I tried but missed getting a picture of him.

There's a lot more to this slough than you can see from the road and so we're planning on getting a picnic lunch together and coming back for a day.

Audubon Bird Walk - April 18, 2015

We enjoyed our day driving yesterday. Oh, and we got our shopping done. Hahaha, win-win!! But it's another day now and we're off to some new adventures.

The Lincoln City Cultural Center (LC3). It's an old schoolhouse. They added the auditorium on the right to the school in the 50s. Even though Earth Day isn't until next Wednesday, they're going to celebrate it later today with booths and exhibits.

Hola, Mark, good to see you.

Once again, Mark volunteered to lead the group through the Devils Lake State Park. It was the same place as our first walk but still fun.

And right away the fun started. As we were getting acquainted in the parking lot huge flights of geese went overhead. And then I wondered what they're really called. Is it flights or....well, it's complicated.

You have to be careful around Birders because the language is very specific when you refer to certain types of birds. You can quickly show your lack of expertise in a conversation. With that in mind let's go to some....

Fun Facts: The term goose applies to the female in particular, while gander applies to the male in particular. See what I mean? Young birds before fledging are called goslings.

Now it gets complicated...The collective noun for a group of geese on the ground is a gaggle; when in flight, they are called a skein, a team or a wedge. And if that weren't confusing enough, when they are flying close together, they are called a plump.

Hahaha, I did not know that. So that was our first sighting of the day but certainly not our last.

Quick as that, we spotted this feather friend. Hahaha, I'm feeling sorta funky today so bear with me, please.

Like this cheeky fellow, a Chestnut-Backed Chickadee.

I have a soft spot for the Chickadee. They're bold and brassy guys and while the sparrows are fleeing when I come out to the feeders, they stick around until the last moment before flying away at my approach.

We had a fair-sized group today, there were 10 of us for today's meet.

Whup!! Another skien!! Wait!! They're flying kinda close together!! Could this be a plump? Argh!! I don't know!!

Hahaha, you see!! Birding can be fun!!

A lot of birds were posing on the very top of the tree....like this European Starling.

More of those doggone geese. Don't start griping. After I was done editing, I had 48 pictures of flying geese. This after I had deleted between 10-15 pictures of them. Hahahaha, I know. Hard to believe I actually deleted anything but I did. So, of those 48, I only chose 9 to put into this blog.

You're welcome.

Ol' Rockin' Robin.

The Turkey Vulture. I see too many of these guys. They're not among my favorites....

And they're pretty easy to spot. Large birds, the easiest way I know to identify them is by what I call the fingers, the spread feathers at the ends of their wings. I know that's not exact or scientific but it's what I do. Other easy ways to tell if they're Turkey Vultures is if they're flying in circles...a giveaway. Plus they always hunt in pairs or groups.

Moving along. We ran into Kathy. I'm sorry, I heard her last name but it didn't register long enough for me to keep it.

She's evidently well known in the area for building nests. Yeah, that's right. She builds nests. She's reputed to have built the world's biggest nest.

Some of the tools and materials she uses.

And the almost-final product. She doesn't build the nests for the birds, she builds them for education purposes; to get kids interested in birding and saving the birds.

She was out this morning along the D River with a couple of friends creating this structure.

A stately Song Sparrow.

Hahaha, today I was able to get some reasonably good shots.

Devils Lake.

And the group hung together, sort of. That's the neat thing about these meet-ups. They move and flow with no order but they're always organized and they arrive at the same place eventually. Oh, and everyone shares. They share their fun, their enjoyment of the day with each other. It's a good feeling.

Peek-A-Boo!! A wily White-Crowned Sparrow.

And his cousin, a gorgeous Golden-Crowned Sparrow.

Carol says these guys make her think of someone wearing a bike helmet.

Devils Lake.

Fun Facts: Devils Lake is a third of a mile wide and three miles long. At its deepest it is around 21 feet deep. The Amazing D River flows from this lake westward towards the Pacific. At 120 feet, the D River is one of the world's shortest rivers.

According to Oregon Geographic Names, the name, Devils Lake, comes from a Native American legend. In the legend, a giant fish would occasionally surface scaring the crap out of anyone fishing the the area.

But not today. Things seem pretty peaceful.

What the....another skien flying overhead.

Following the Leader.

There were lots of opportunities today.

Hahaha, a swift Stellar's Jay. I just wasn't fast enough to catch him. I got this one shot and, zoom, he was off.

But he didn't go far. Ha!! Gotcha!!

Just a bit windy today.

Ol' Rockin' Robin, Part II.

Hahaha, not too many more. Be patient.

A Belted Kingfisher. This fine fellow is part of the logo for the Lincoln County Audubon Society.

Just to give an idea of how many birds were moving today. Seem like every five minutes or so there was another large formation moving across the sky.

There's more to the park than just birds.

There's also camping. The season has started and the kids are out.

Here's our Happy Troupe. There's just so much to see.

Hahaha, you can tell birders. First by the binoculars then by the direction they're all pointed.

The path leading to the small dock on the lake.

And plenty to see here. Hahaha, it took us longer than it should have to move the hundred yards or so. Walk 10 feet, stop, look around, walk another ten feet, repeat.

Devils Lake. The dock...being used for fishing right now.

And Fun Folks are out on the lake already.

And the kayakers were out, too.

Well, this is a pleasant change...some cormorants flying.

Say Cheese!!

And yet another kayaker.

And a Rowdy Redwing Blackbird.

There is suppose to be a bird up there...somewhere.

After the walk, we moseyed on over to the concert in the LC3. They weren't quite set up with all the displays but we were able to listen to some good Blue Grass music.