Throwback Thursday! Too rainy to hike so here’s an image from the past. February 16, 2014 near Tumco, California, a ghost mining area. A piece of copper ore under a blooming cactus.

Back in the Heceta Beach Dunes we marveled at the patterns made by the wind blown sands.

A hike on the Siltcoos Lake Trail, only 9 miles south of Florence, Oregon, took us into a forest of big trees, mainly Sitka spruce, Douglas fir, western red cedar and western hemlock.

Today we walked to the edge of the residential development area we are temporarily living in and found a whole new world! An “Area of Critical Environmental Concern/Outstanding Natural Area” as designated by the Bureau of Land Management. A largely hidden hiking area of huge shifting sand dunes and wetlands, both permanent and ephemeral. No vehicles allowed!

Spaghetti Pie with a heart of Mozzarella!