Pic-of-the-Week for August 8, 2013

Hello Friends and Family!

It has been a couple weeks since one of our emails have been sent out.  That doesn’t mean that nothing has been happening, just that I am lazy!  (That's Ben talking!!)

First of all, let me say that we have eaten out a LOT!  We just keep stuffing it in!  Not good on the diet.  (This kid REALLY stuffs it in...he loves to eat!)

Saturday, August 3^rd, we went to the Great Oregon Steam-Up at Antique Powerland near Brooks, Oregon.  There is much to see.  There are a lot of very old steam tractors.

And, many that are not steam.

The kids thought that the train rides were the most fun!  Even some of the train engines were steam.

Some of the other things that are at the same location are a car and motor cycle museum, a working steam lumber mill, an electric trolley, as well as John Deere and Caterpillar both have museums.  There is also a large truck museum.  My brother-in-law restored a 1948 KB-8 International Log Truck which he donated to the museum.

After being in Western Oregon for over a month, we said "goodbye" to Rebecca and her family, and then we were able to travel to the central part of Oregon.  We like it there because it is usually warmer, and dryer than the western part of Oregon.  We took a trip to one of our favorite places in Oregon, Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge.  Near Hart Mountain is the very small town of Plush.

Near Plush we came upon a cattle drive on the highway.  (That always makes for interesting “stuff” on our vehicles once we continue down the highway!)

At Hart Mountain we saw deer.

 

And antelope, which aren’t antelope at all, but are really Pronghorns.

Now that I have told you about the wonderful Central Oregon weather, I must say that a strange storm came through the Central Oregon area and the weather for about 4 days was cool, sometimes windy, and sometimes a shower or two as well.

We did camp next to a couple with a 5 year old,  Esther,  who came to our trailer often to play with Sam and Zoey, read some children's books, and play with our colored pens and dry erase board.  Her mother’s name was Harriet!  All 3 of them seemed to have a good time even though they were camping in a tent.  We did have them over for some red wine and cheese and crackers one evening, which gave them a break from the cool weather.

Besides the exceptional scenery at Hart Mountain, there is a wonderful hot springs, which is surrounded by stone walls (to keep the wind out... couldn't do anything about the rain, but it didn't really matter once you're in the nice hot water!)

Some of the scenery.

To see more photos of our travels the last few weeks, check out our August 2013 Picasa album.  There are quite a few videos from the Brooks Steam Up (including the grandkids on the miniature train ride), and some neat rocks (really!)

We don't know when Ben will be inspired to write again, and we're going to be in Bend for a week, anyhow, helping Ben's brother with a green house extension.  After that, it's on to Washington, Idaho and Montana (really, D & S, we're coming!) 

Until next time,

Your Baja amigos vacationing in Oregon...

Ben, Harriet, Sam & Zoey