Out And About: N. Calif. Part II

While visiting my family in N. Calif. earlier this month, Oldest Sis and I traveled to S. Oregon to visit our brother and his girlfriend, plus I got to catch up with a childhood friend I hadn't seen in 11 years...along the route there, we stopped to pay our respects to the female Roosevelt elk herd at "the little red schoolhouse" near Orick, CA...the elk hang out there often. We didn't see any bulls... 

That old fire engine has been there for who knows how long...

Next we stopped for lunch in Crescent City...if the town name rings a bell, it could be because the recent Japan quake's tsunami waves hit this town and tossed fishing boats around like toy ducks in a tub, and the town was in the news...it's 80 miles from my hometown... 

The pier that the sea lions and harbor seals lounged on in the harbor near the restaurant was destroyed in the storm, so the critters have taken up residence on the short land ramp, also near the restaurant...

Also seen in the harbor, white-winged scoters...I believe I've seen these before, at a distance, but hadn't taken decent photos...

We stopped at the Botanical Garden heading NE to Oregon...

wild Western azaleas were just beginning to bloom...

The stars of the loop trail, the pitcher plants, which look like cobras...nesting in a bog...

A couple days later, back near home base, Oldest Sis and I walked the loop at the Humboldt Bay NWR...it was a blustery day and the birds were scarce, but we did see an American kestrel...

And a Savannah sparrow...

We discovered, back at the garden by the parking lot, this plaque honoring a local Fish and Wildlife employee who gave his life on the infamous United flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001. We'd never realized that someone from our hometown had been on that flight and, needless to say, it was a very emotional moment for us both.

On another day, OS and I made our way to a favorite beach, Trinidad Beach, where we had a picnic and enjoyed the view once again...above is Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse, overlooking Trinidad Bay...

The rock in the foreground is covered with mussels, and a few purple and orange starfish.

I'll have one more post with photos from my CA trip before getting back to SD posts...I went for a drive yesterday, first one since getting back and first one in our new vehicle, which we have named Tatanka Blanca (White Buffalo). I was dismayed to find that there are NO wildflowers in bloom, and it's almost May!

It's sunny today at least, nice out... Happy Easter everyone!