What to do in Oregon When the Weather is Bad

This is a subject near and dear to my heart, because so many people complain about the weather here. Out-of-staters often wonder if we Oregonians stand around in 2 feet of water all year. In fact, so many jokes have been made about Oregon's weather it was the subject of many popular t-shirts a couple of decades ago.

Although we certainly have our rainy seasons here, (Spring and Fall) the climate is gorgeously mild. I personally think that affords more outdoor activity opportunities than places where heavy snow and extreme heat are common.

Here are some lovely outings/activities for the rainy and cold months of the Southern Coast:

1. Hiking: Put on a rain jacket and some boots if necessary. The air smells fresh and fantastic during the colder months.You'll feel energized and beat the winter blues.

2. Go crabbing: During the Fall and Winter the famous Dungeness crabs have full body meat. Dress warm, bring a thermos, chairs, a picnic lunch and a good book. At the end of the day, you'll have a crab feast to reward your efforts.

3. Fishing: Okay, this isn't for everyone. But if your just needing out of the house, it could be fun.

4. Beach Combing: Although our rocky coast breaks up many shells, there are beaches where excellent specimens can be found. Locals with 4-wheelers know where to find lovely unbroken sand dollars. The beaches between Coos Bay and Bandon are great for agate-hunters.

5. Artisan Glass Floats: The City of Florence hosts a program that hides hand blown glass floats on local beaches. They are 'planted' throughout the year and each one is both exotically lovely and completely original. Search Florence beaches for these beauties.

6. Mushroom Hunting: Yes, I've said this a hundred times before and I'll keep saying it. It's fun, good exercise and has tasty results. Just be sure to use caution and common sense.

7. Country Driving: One of my absolute favorite things to do. Why? Because so much of this area's beauty is down old country roads. Just take one and discover things you have never seen before.

8. Photography: The waves this time of year are big. Go get some pics of the awesome spray that shoots into the air when a large wave hits a tall outcropping of rock. Beautiful!

9. Surf: You won't catch me doing this, but for the young and adventurous it is a local favorite.

This is far from an exhaustive list, but it will get you started. The key to enjoying life is enjoying yourself no matter what the weather is like. Stop complaining and go have fun!

Happy New Year,
-E

What do roast chicken and crabbing having in common?

Well, they have Christie. You see years ago, my friend Christie wanted to go crabbing. Someone had advised her to use chicken. Now most people would take the cheapest raw chicken legs , put them in the crab net, and chuck it into the water. Problem is, Christie didn't know that at the time.

So , having been told to use chicken, Christie went home and got busy in the kitchen. She took an entire whole chicken, lovingly glazed it with honey, and slow roasted it for a couple of hours. When it came out the oven , she jumped into the car, and headed for the docks.

Imagine the looks from the fishermen and seasoned crabbers as Christie proudly walked past carrying a steaming hot bird. It must have smelled so good. Heads turned as she went by , catching the aromas of that glazed chicken.

Then, she took the whole thing, used it to bait the crab net, and tossed it over. The collective gasp of the onlookers must have caught her attention.

Eventually another crabber informed her of the 'raw chicken' method. Embarrassed, she pressed on.

And who had the last laugh that day? Yup, Christie. Lord knows why but she took home a bucket load of crab that day.

So the legend of the chicken lives on. We can hardly go crabbing without bringing it up every time. Like any good story, it never gets old.

It's about time

It's been a long time since I posted. Mainly I've just been caught up in life's busyness. Lack of inspiration and disgruntlement with my camera have also played a role. But I'm back and ready to let loose with a spate of posts and pictures.

Last week Dante', Max and I went crabbing. We didn't catch anything but a few kelp crabs.(No meat on 'em) Still, we had a great time and took some nice pics.

Winter Blues

Poor February, it has always been my most hated month. (August comes second.) My prejudice comes with good reason. The holidays are over, the cold weather is no longer novel and on the Oregon coast it's all about the rain.

There are no more mushrooms to pick, it's too cold to go fishing and crabbing. Ordering seeds and garden planning for spring brings just a little satisfaction.

And boy, does cold weather up the crazy quotient at my house! Max, in lieu of constructive outdoor time, cruises the upstairs looking for ways to make me scream "knock it off", "put that down!" or "Be quiet".

Every time the UPS truck rounds our corner, Dante' and I are pressed against the living room window like hungry homeless children. When the package turns out to be for the lady across the street, we turn ugly.

Even the dog hates February. Rex is so disgusted with only being allowed outside to pee, he has taken to running away. The next door neighbor keeps a fabulous smorgasbord of cat food on her front porch. Whenever I can't find Rex, he's there.

Only my 16 yr. old, William seems to handle this weather well. He sleeps. When he's not in school, he sleeps.

I'm going to bed. Wake me up when the temp rises above 65.
-EJ

Oregon, your personal 'Kitchen Stadium'

Have you ever watched the TV show "Iron Chef?". It's a cult classic. The original show was filmed in Japan but there is an American version currently running on the Food Network. In a nutshell, a challenger goes head-to-head with a renowned chef in a one hour cook-off. The objective being to make the best dishes with the themed ingredient. The winner gets , well, nothing. Except, I suppose, bragging rights on national television.

What really used to capture my attention about this show was the availability of the very best ingredients all in one location. When the starting bell goes off, the contestants get to grab anything and everything they desire to cook with. That just made me a bitter woman. I'd think "Yeah , I could make amazing meals too if I just happened to have filet Mignon and foi gras laying about the house every day!"

Back then I lived in the state of Virginia in a really big city. Now I live on the Oregon coast and I have to say, it is kinda like having my own kitchen stadium year 'round.

Salmon are in season, Deer season just ended and Elk are now up for grabs. At this time of year Crabs are filling in their shells nicely so its the best time to catch them. Black huckleberries are still fairly abundant and mushrooms are just everywhere.

Since coastal weather is mild, we are still pulling lettuces and beets from our garden. Some people are still harvesting squash, broccoli and cabbages. There are so many apple trees around here , we drive through neighborhoods and see apples just lying in the gutters. stores are bursting with inexpensive local produce. What's not to love? You can pretty much get what you want within reason and guarantee it didn't have to get shipped in from , say, Argentina.

So I'm not so bitter after all. Iron Chef can keep it's kitchen stadium.

The fine art of procrastination, part II

One of my favorite ways to avoid actual housework is to go to the beach. If I'm really indulging in avoidant behavior, I'll take the kids and go crabbing as well. Here is today's adventure: Dante' baited the crab pots with chicken. Then we all took a walk on the beach. Max found plenty of treasures to enjoy.


All the things featured in this and last post were done today. The only exception is the fall art. We did that yesterday. Is it any wonder I seem to always be posting at midnight? Maybe one of these days I'll wise up and learn time management.

Btw, I promised to be 'eating Oregon', and I did. We caught five crab that became an addition to tonight's dinner. They were fantastic!

-EJ