Walkin' in the sunshine sing a little sunshine song
Put a smile upon your face as if there's nothing wrong
Think about a good time had a long time ago
Think about forgetting your worries and your woes
Walkin' in the sunshine sing a little sunshine song
La la la la la de ho!
Roger Miller, Walkin' In the Sunshine, 1967
Hahaha, Great music courtesy of Roger Miller. Chug-A-Lug, Roger!!
It's funny how, when I'm trying to think of a title I get these little snippets of songs in my head. Then it's just a little searching on the Internet and I've got the whole thing. Like this one. I had the first line but would probably never have recalled the other lines.
And, BAM!!, there it is. A title and a lead-in.
It's Payday!! I guess it's no secret by now that Uncle Sam pays his bills to a large part of the American population, at least those born in the first half of their birth month, on the second Wednesday of each and every month. Woo, woo!!
And so, on those days, we head to the local bank to take care of our financial business and enjoy a good walk in our new city. And we did both today.
But before we got started, we heard the noise of the city getting ready for the Summer Session. Lincoln City knows exactly which side of the bread the butter goes as far as the Touristas are concerned, and that is keeping them both safe and happy. You can see the little things the city is doing to get itself ready for the Summer Trade now.
Like this. We heard the noise and so I took a look-see and they were unloading this big brush-hog next the the stream that runs in front of our place. I wasn't quite sure what he was about so I took a wait-and-see position. (As if I could do anything about it, right?)
It was slow getting off the trailer as the cutting head kept digging into the pavement.
But he got off and, man, did he take a huge chunk out of the brush growing on the side of the stream. A big chunk!!
But you can see why, line-of-sight for people exiting the small parking lot. People have to be able to see on-coming traffic and that traffic has to be able to see what's going on in the parking lot.
Hahahaha, taking care of the money, er, ah, I mean The Touristas!!
I am given to understand that we will get a huge influx of humanity during the summer months. Cory, our neighbor, was telling us about the inappropriate behavior and loud people who use the beach access apparently at all hours of the day and night during the summer months.
Hahaha, we'll see, I guess. Not a lot I'll be able to do about it anyway except, maybe, wrangle an invite to the party. Hahaha, yeah, that'll happen!!
*Quick segue to a new subject: Sand Dollars*
Last week Carol found some sand dollars at the Cape Lookout State Park. Yesterday I found some of the postcards relating the Legend of the Sand Dollar for her. It's a good story; you should find it for yourself and give it a read.
So, finally, we were off on our walk. Surprisingly, it was a very nice and dry morning. The weather today has hovered, very pleasantly, around the mid-50s. Hahaha, I can deal with that. The wind, at least in the morning, wasn't bad either. All in all a good day.
There's not that many different ways to get to the bank so we just headed down The Jetty. It's an easy walk and eventually, we came to the small field/woods where we saw the deer yesterday. And, what the heck!! They had a small bridge heading into the woods.
Hahaha, why not? We took it.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Well, maybe it wasn't as dramatic as that, but we got off the beaten path.
I was, sorta, hoping we'd run into the deer again but, in my heart, I was really expecting to come upon an encampment for the Valued Homeless. It'd be a great place for them, secluded and semi-private yet still near enough to easily get to the commercial part of town.
Turns out, we didn't run into either one.
But we did get to see some new things.
It's not a large area but you can get a sense of being in a deep forest here.
Hahaha, regardless of where we were, there's always time for a selfie.
Always!!
CB
And this sits in the middle of the city and is just two blocks from the beach. It's a crazy place, this Lincoln City.
Dora the Explorer!!
She's always on the hunt and usually always finds something interesting.
Me? I'm on the hunt, too, but not exactly for the same thing. I saw a flash of color and that drew my attention.
All morning I kept expecting to get rained on.
A lot.
Hahaha, I'm getting a little gun-shy about rain here in Oregon. Seriously, Seattle doesn't hold a candle to Lincoln City (and Oregon) when it comes to rainfall.
Fun Fact: Have you ever wondered just what in the heck people mean when they say you can't hold a candle to someone or something?
Well, so have I. It's interesting...The saying came from the custom of apprentices to a trade holding a candle so the master worker could see clearly. If a person wasn't good enough for such a simple task, then they were worthless or, obviously, not up to par.
We've had a good time looking at all the unique homes here in LCO. The purpose of today's blog besides running down the exciting details of our day-to-day life is to also give you an idea of how different and interesting this city is. It's fun walking through the streets and seeing all the different homes and how they've decorated them.
And I will be working, at times, in the details of a place or house or life. Like this one of a window in a small cottage here. A great place for catching the sun, they've done a great job here. A pleasant home.
And this one. I really like the way they've used the hedge and the white picket fence to set the house apart from the street. I like these beach cottages.
Some folks just have that eye that let's them put things together in a pleasing manner. Not me. I tend to be undisciplined in my decor; all over the place.
And it's Spring!!
Hahaha, and that means flowers.
We decided to walk another block beyond the bank and visit the Community Center. Hey, why not? Let's see what they have to offer, shall we?
The main entrance.
And the lobby.
Isn't that cool? They've got a Soap-Box Derby car hanging from the ceiling.
Fun Facts: The Soap-Box Derby really started with the first automobile races. Kids everywhere used their ingenuity and Dad's tools to build their own race cars and take to the road. It was so popular that in 1914 they made a motion picture about it called The Kid Auto Race. It was filmed in Venice, California.
Internet
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| A scene from the movie 'The Kid Auto Race'. |
The races got their real start in 1933, when Myron Scott, a photographer for the Dayton, OH newspaper, The Dayton Daily News, put together an impromptu race for 19 boys. There was such an interest that Scott arranged a bigger race, with prize money for August 19. "An amazing crowd of 362 kids showed up with homemade cars built of orange crates, sheet tin, wagon and baby-buggy wheels..."
Some of the action during the first race in 1933, in Dayton, Ohio.
The next year, 1934, the first All-American Race was held, also on August 19. The National Winner was Robert Turner of Muncie, IN, who made his car from the wood of a saloon bar.
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| Robert Turner |
In 1935, the race was moved to Akron because of its central location and, more importantly, its hilly terrain. An accident in '35 captured America's attention and helped to boost the event's profile.
One of the race cars went off the track and struck NBC's top commentator and sportscaster, Graham McNamee, while he was broadcasting live on the air. Despite a concussion and other injuries (which resulted in a two-week hospital stay), McNamee described the collision to his listeners and finished his broadcast.
Newscasters were made of sterner stuff back then.
This town has some money!! Look at the gym!!
And upstairs they have even more!!
Hahaha, we got tired watching all these guys working out. After the bank, we just had to stop by the DQ so this one could get a treat.
Mmmmmm, DQ Ice Cream!!
We stopped by the IGA to get me my treat, an ice-cold DC and as we were leaving, we saw this!!!
NO!! Not the license plate!! Look above it. What kind of car is this?
No, not Chevy! It isn't a Toyota!!
It's an Edsel!!
A 1959 Freakin' Ford Edsel!!
Fun Facts: The Edsel was an automobile marque that was planned, developed and manufactured by Ford during the '58, '59 and '60 model years. With the Edsel, Ford had expected to make significant inroads into the market share of both GM and Chrysler and close the gap between itself and GM in the domestic American automotive market. But contrary to Ford's internal plans and projections, the Edsel never gained popularity with contemporary American car buyers and sold poorly. Ford lost millions of dollars on the Edsel's development, manufacturing and marketing. The very word "Edsel" became a popular symbol for failure.
Edsel produced four models before it folded its tent in 1960. The larger Mercury-based Citation and Corsair and the smaller Ford-based Pacer and Ranger.
Smaller!?!
Hahaha, and we'll see where they recycled a couple of those names.
Look at that wheel!! Hahaha, it's like a bus!!
Bench seats and puh-lenty of room in the back!!
Look at the side vent windows!! Look where the sideview mirror is!! Look at all that chrome!!
Wow!! Look at the playing field they call the hood!!
OMG!!
And then the owners came out.
We got to talk to them for a while about the car. Seems he's a good mechanic because he took out the trans and replaced it with a floor shift for better gas mileage. Then he replaced the gas-guzzler V-8 engine for a 4-cylinder job that gets 20 miles to the gallon.
Hahaha, well, it still looks like an Edsel.
He and his wife got married yesterday. They came up from Eugene and were driving along the coast on their way to Portland to pick up their daughter. What a honeymoon!!
Oh, they stopped at the IGA for some Pepto-Bismol because his stomach was upset.
He's been driving this car for the last 10 years and has pretty much done everything on it himself.
I'm so jealous.
Adios, Edsel!!
Ah, back to the more mundane things in life. Like this Steller's Jay.
Hahahaha, here's a graphic example of the term, Ruffled Feathers.
I like when we're just walking down the street and catch a glimpse of the ocean in the distance.
And you're always reminded that you live in a rural area.
By the ocean.
Hahaha, sometimes you wonder what in the heck they were thinking when you see some of the houses. Like that one on the right. Isn't that like a 60s style? And it wasn't that good back then, either.
OK, I know it's a Steller's Jay but in my defense, it is a different Steller's Jay.
Back on The Jetty. It's a quiet street, the speed limit is 25 MPH, but still it has traffic. Just not a lot. At least not now. I wonder what it will be like in July and August.
Next to one of the motels there is an open lot that overlooks the ocean.
From the lot you can look down onto the beach. It seems like everywhere you go you get a great view.
And a look in the other direction.
Nice day, eh?
These kids thought so.
And I was still a little leery of the rain. I couldn't believe we hadn't gotten wet yet.
Along the Surftides Motel.
Looking up The Jetty towards our casa.
And on the right is one of the few public bathrooms. At least this one has some interesting art on it. There, on the right, is the name of our little neighborhood, Wecoma.
Whoa!! It's been a while but here's another Window Reflection Selfie!!
Like Ralph Malph, we still got it!!
Flowers.
'Nuff said.
These are from a neighbor's house. They have a large plot of flowers in their front yard.
So we got back to the house for some serious R&R, Rest and Rehydration. And while I hydrated with a tall, ice-cold DC, I got some pictures in our house.
Carol is always on the hunt and one of the things she looks for are heart-shaped rocks. She's already found three, there in the lower left of the mantel.
And my Skipper's hat. Love ya, Jonas Grumby, the greatest sailer America has ever produced since Lieutenant Commander Quinton McHale, USNR.
Here's a close-up of her collection.
And here she is, styling on the front porch.
After a short rest we decided to head on over to Safeway to turn in our empty plastic bottles.
Hahaha, I can remember as a kid in La Puente collecting up empty coke bottles and taking them to the store for the .03 cents deposit. We use to scour the big vacant lot just across Puente Avenue for the empties and take them to the Giant T.
Now, here I am, fifty plus years later and I'm collecting up plastic empties and taking them to the Safeway for the .05 cents deposit.
The more things change, the more they remain the same.
Oregon has a law where they charge you .05 cents for each plastic water or coke bottle you purchase. To get your money back, you have to go to a stupid machine set toward the rear of the store. You have to put the stupid bottles in, one at a time. And if the stupid machine can't read the UPC, it spits the bottle out and...it's irritating.
But we were going on another walk.
Houses here like to play up the nautical thing.
Shingles are big out here, too.
And the views are great. This is looking north towards Roads End. That's what they call the northern end of LCO, Roads End. Yeah, I know.
A little patriotism mixed in with a nautical theme.
Here's some of the views we have as we walk up to Safeway. That is, when we decide to take the street route. Normally, we go up the beach to the Chinook Winds Resort and then come up the street to Safeway from there. Today we were saving the beach for the return trip.
I'm liking living here in LCO. It's a unique town with lots to see and lots to do.
Looking up NW 39th Street towards Highway 101.
Hahaha, shingles with a blue door. Classic beach house!!
A White-Crowned Sparrow.
There's the casino!! See the windows on the left? That's where we went for lunch the other day at the Rogue River Restaurant. Good view of the ocean.
I found these in front of the Rite-Aid.
Getting back into the swing of things.
This is the fun of walking along. You get to see so much. Especially after you unload all your empties and get $2.80!!
Score!!
I know. Another lighthouse. Hey, it's the nautical thingie and the Touristas love it!! And that love equals money, y'all.
Love this Spring thing.
And then we were heading back home. We walk down the street straight to the ocean and then hang a left towards home.
That's the Chinook Resorts motels on the left and right. Big money from beach-goers and the high-rollers at the casinos.
The path between the buildings leads down to the beach.
Hola, playa. Como esta, y'all.
Annnnnd, she's off!!
Looking for treasures.
And the beach.
Seagulls.
Fun Facts: Seagulls are clever. They learn, remember and even pass on behaviors, such as stamping their feet in a group to imitate rainfall and trick earthworms into coming to the surface.
Their intelligence is clearly demonstrated by a range of different feeding behaviors like dropping mollusks onto rocks to break them open so they can eat them. They've also learned to follow plows in fields where they know upturned grubs and other food will be plentiful.
Seagulls can drink both fresh and salt water because they have a special pair of glands right above their eyes specifically designed to flush the salt frothier systems through openings in the bill.
There is a great deal of diversity between different gull species, with the smallest being the Little Gull, about 11 inches, and the largest being the Great Black-beak Gull which is around 29 inches tall.
Hahaha, there's more on the gulls but I'll give you a break...for now. Looking south.
And still, I kept on waiting for that rain to come. It didn't rain once today.
Hahaha, this is a long blog and, honestly, I am pooped. You guys just enjoy the pictures of the beach. I'll be back near the end, 'K?
Here's Ol' Beachcomber Jackie.
CB
Here's where the stream next to our house empties into the ocean. Looking back towards our place.
Hahaha, there's always something happening in LCO. Here's our hometown newspaper, The News Guard. Comes out once a week...every Wednesday.
And now we have a Prehistoric Store.
Why? I don't know.
But, evidently, it's big news.
Go figure.
We saw where the sun was starting to set so we went out to take a look. It's great to stand on our knoll and get such a great view of the sun setting into the Pacific.
A wider view. Every night, it seems, there's a new light show.
I've said it before, fun is where you find it. Fortunately for me, I have an extremely low threshold vis-a-vis what constitutes fun.
Hahaha, it works for me.
Life is good.
Hooah!!
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