Saturday, October 3, 2015

Celebrate the Small Things: Good to Be Home



Oregon coast
After being on the road for over two weeks it's good to be home again. That said, the Oregon and California coast on Hwy 101 was breathtakingly beautiful. It's a 'must trip' if you have never traveled this route. I especially enjoyed seeing the redwood forest again in northern California. I was ten years old the last time I saw the gigantic display of Paul Bunyan and his faithful companion, Blue standing side by side. There they were, greeting me as we approached the "The Trees of Mystery" tourist stop. No longer animated (Paul's head moved before), I briefly turned into a kid again, much to my husband's delight. It was also his first time visiting the redwoods. 


The sun was magical that day


Some redwoods are ancient!!
I can't explain it......but the feeling here among these giants is almost spiritual.
We traveled on and parked the camper at our son's LA area home for 7 days hanging out with his family. We told them not to use their precious vacation time from work, that we just wanted to be part of their life for the week. Boy are they ever busy with the three boys. Soccer, school, homework, getting meals ready after work, laundry, dishes, household repairs, etc......it took me back to those crazy times when Vince and I were working, going to school, and raising our two. I sometimes wonder how we did it all, but I remember lots of mini vacations....bike rides, hiking, tennis, swimming; and downtime with books, video games and movies.
Our cute grandsons :) We went to the LA County Fair
Loved the giant book displays in the children's section


Alice and Wonderland display
 Leaving LA, we decided to head northeast through Yosemite National Park. Just 'think Ansel Adams' if you have never been through this magnificent park. I was pretty squeamish navigating those high elevation two-lane roads without guard rails in a camper. Plus, there was the problem of finding a camping spot, which we didn't find. We had to travel in the dark for an hour before finding lodging on the other side in La Pine, CA. Yes, a little planning on our part would have prevented that, but we are spur of the moment travelers, and it worked out in the end.  

 
Yosemite National Park - Glacier Point

 
Nice picture of hubby :)

From there we drove through Nevada to Carson City (the capitol) and Virginia City. Virginia City is pretty authentic if you are interested in an old mining town. In its heyday, a lot of wealth was invested in the community. Mark Twain worked there for a newspaper for two years before becoming famous. The buildings are original as are the boardwalks in front (some even felt unsafe to walk on). Being quite high up, the views are also incredible, and the train climbing to the top is still operational, offering rides to the tourists. We then drove through Reno. Anxious to get home, we didn't stop, but wouldn't mind a return trip. We are not gamblers, but the town is laid out nicely with plenty of other things to do. We noted that the views were more than familiar. Ha-ha. Divide Reno's population (apx. 233,294) by say 45 and you have where I live in Eastern Washington! 
Vince with our trusty steed :)
So...it's good to be home, my favorite hangout of all. I'm a homebody by nature, although I sometimes need a trip to remind me of what's important. I had some details to finish on my book when I returned but I'm happy to report it's officially done. Querying now for The Shells of Mersing and happy about that!


So how was your week? I'm ~exhausted~ but in a good way. 

Happy Weekend!

Celebrate the Small Things. To be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is visit the Celebrate page on Lexa's Blog for the rules, and then post every Friday about something you are grateful for that week. It can be about writing, family, school, general life or whatever. This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! (Originated by VikLitCo-hosts are: L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge and Katie @ TheCyborgMom






Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

22 comments:

  1. Sounds like you guys had a fantastic trip! Love those photos you took of the redwoods. So majestic!

    And oh, how exciting about the querying! (Nerve-wracking, too, I bet!) Will keep my fingers crossed for you... :)

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    1. Thanks Heather....I didn't realize how much work this would be. Who to start with first....indeed, nerve-wracking.

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  2. What glorious pics!! Those redwoods are amazing. Don't you wish they could talk? And your grandsons are adorable! Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful adventures with us! :)

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    1. I had so many more pics I could have shared....and will over time in future posts. It really was a wonderful trip, and yes I bet those trees would talk if they could!

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  3. Your pictures are wonderful. It looks like you had a fantastic, refreshing vacation. Miss you guys ... hope to see you in a few weeks, if possible.

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    1. Thanks, we did more than we anticipated. I love those spur of moment detours. Hope to see you soon....we'll have a slideshow of our trip ready :)

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  4. Oh how you must have enjoyed that trip. The grandkids are adorable & the pics are fantastic.

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  5. What a beautiful trip you had. I would love to drive along the pacific coast but I am terrified of heights so i would need to have a drink...or 5:) The trip in the park sounds scary enough and I can see myself weep. Love those giant redwoods. It is magical and so humbling. I love to travel but there is nothing better than coming home as well.

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    1. Ha-ha. You should know I have a fear of heights that dates back to a childhood trip to the Oregon caves. I fell to the floor into a fetal position and couldn't look out till we reached the top (this is before seat belts). Vince called me a wuss the entire time with my constant whimpering...."slow down, "watch that curve"...."oh I can't look." Deep breath, deep breath....you could do it, Birgit. If I can, believe me you can too!!

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    2. Oh I have been in the Alps whimpering like a little wuss as well. Once, with my mom, we were in Salzburg and we walked up stairs to the top of the castle, I started to hyperventilate and I thought my mom was wanting me to look over the edge so i started punching her until she grabbed my wrists and said she is taking me down. All I recall was that her face looked like a reflection from a coffee kettle-all out of whack.

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    3. Oh, you're kidding. Me, too. Visited Salzburg and saw King Ludwig's castle and Neuschwanstein Castle, but I don't remember the heights being a problem. Your poor mom. I can just see it. I remember sitting in the beautiful Swiss Alps sipping a drink with hubby, pinching each other as it was too good to be true, when a kid about 7 or 8 started complaining at another table.. "I don't want to look at anymore dumb mountains and dumb castles," he whined to his harried parents. We burst out laughing.

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  6. I so enjoyed reading your post and looking at your amazing photos :) You have a lot to celebrate - especially those grandsons! The redwoods are spectacular and here in England I feel very lucky to have a very tall Wellingtonia in my garden - and I often wonder what it would tell me if it could only talk about its life! Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace

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    1. Oh, I'm glad you enjoyed the photos and thanks for visiting! I love the history of these old trees too. Native Americans have always called the Redwoods a very sacred place, including the route along Hwy 101. The mist that hovers along the route in spots and in the Redwoods really adds to the effect.

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  7. It is lovely to go away but it's always wonderful to see the "Lights of Home"
    Wonderful to read,
    Yvonne.

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    1. Thanks Yvonne. We really enjoyed the trip but towards the end all we could think of was the 'lights of home' :)

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  8. Great pictures. My family had trouble finding a camp spot in Yosemite Valley back in the 1960's.

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    1. Thanks, Dennis. We had a wonderful time. Interesting those camping spots are still hard to find.

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  9. Thanks for sharing so many wonderful pictures!

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  10. I read this some days ago already Sharon and am commenting only now - but it's given me a chance to re-read it and gasp at the photos! I saw the redwoods many many years ago, early 80's I think when I was visiting the US. And again some years ago, maybe in the 90's, did a road trip along the Pacific Coast when we as a family were visiting my husband's sister in San Francisco.
    What a trip! Welcome home though! The grandkids are adorable!

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed the pics and also got to see the redwoods and the Pacific coast. I think I could visit every year and never tire of the experience. Thanks!

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You could call me an eternal optimist, but I'm really just a dreamer. l believe in dream fulfillment, because 'sometimes' dreams come true. This is a blog about my journey as a writer and things that inspire and motivate me.