ocean dreams

A feather on Cannon Beach with Haystack Rock in the distance, Oregon Coast. Copyright (c) 2009 Wendee Holtcamp.

‎"Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person."
- Mother Teresa

I am dreaming of fresh Pacific air, the sound of the surf rushing across the rocks, the feeling of my feet on cool, flat sand, and the scent of the misty coastal rainforest... these things bring my soul so much comfort. Everyplace has its own energy. And each person feels more at home in some places compared with others. Perhaps it is the place of our birth or the place where we spent our formative years. Perhaps there are some places that just energize us and other spots that soothe us. Oregon for me is a place that soothes my soul, a place where I feel truly at home. There, my spirit feels both energized and refreshed. I get so amped up when I step off the plane and even more when I get into Oregon's natural places. Just being there revs my engine! Hiking through the forests and walking along the beaches... sheer heaven.

Two years back I was there and I took a day on my own to go to Cannon Beach. I almost had a friend come but then I realized I really needed a solo day. I was in the midst of a temporary break-up and was in a contemplative mood, thinking about where I wanted to go from there. At that time, I decided ultimately to go back and work on it some more. But recently our paths have become solidified as separate. And the knowledge and the freedom this brings is such pure joy. That mourning and struggle is long past and the new day has dawned. Yes! Hallelujah. So this trip to the Oregon coast will be one full of... friends, family, and freedom! Bring it!

Do you remember your first real best friend? In 7th grade, I met Kelli and we became fast friends. I only lived there (in Beaverton which is a suburb of Portland) for one year before moving on to Minneapolis and then Houston, but we formed a deep bond and kept in touch until I went to college. Then we lost touch. But thank God for Facebook, aye? I found her twin sis on Facebook and then her, and last October I got to see her and another dear friend from that era of my life - Jennifer. We only had a short time over dinner then, but now Kelli and I will have a bit longer to spend together.

Me and Kelli at Doug Fir in Portland, Oct 2010.

Of course on my visit, I will stay my dad and his lovely wife Bev at my childhood log cabin home (it was literally like "Little House in the Big Woods" - very pioneer like at that time!) I also organized one of my Portland-area writer gatherings; This time we will meet at The Press Club. I've never been but it sounds like a hip joint!

And last but certainly not least - I will feed my soul and explore the Central Oregon coast. These photos are from Ecola State Park and Cannon Beach which are further north but nevertheless similar in spirit. My (step)grandmother lived in Lincoln City for many years - which I will visit - and I have a memory of spending one memorable Thanksgiving there many moons ago. I haven't been back since, and that was in the 70s! I grew up in Eugene in my younger years too, and may get a chance to stop and visit there also (it is inland from the coast). Maybe I will go see my childhood home and the cemetery next door where I used to "redistribute the graveyard wealth." I felt bad for the graves that didn't have any flowers on them so I would take some from the graves with a lot and put them on graves without... draw your own conclusions.

I'll leave you with a few photos- just enough to make you jealous! Don't get too jealous though... the forecast for my visit calls for rain. I'm hoping the weather-dudes are wrong!

View through the forest of the beach at Ecola State ParkFerns, moss, mist ... coastal temperate rainforest, Ecola State Park

The log cabin my daddy built in 1972 (or so) and has lived there since! This is where I'll stay during my visit "home." Notice the rainwater harvesting - long before it was the cool thing to do!