Another Successful Foray

These are the mushrooms we collected during a break in the storms at Siltcoos Lake on Saturday. The varieties include Blue Knight, Winter Chanterelle, Chanterelle, Yellow Chanterelle, Cone Chanterelle, Hedgehog, Candy Cap, Jelly, Cauliflower, and PORCINI. Oh yeah, check out the two giant porcini! Adam practically cried when he found those. We used them in our birthday dinner.

University Museum of Natural History

Claire was big on the do-it yourself exhibits of course. We went there hoping for dinosaurs but were told they were fresh out at the museum. Well, I don't have a picture, but Claire found a forgotten Pterosaur hanging from the ceiling in one of the lecture halls. She can spot a dinosaur a mile a way and always has her growl ready to greet with. The museum is free for us as students, so we'll be spending more time there. They even have an accordion you can play with!

Every Grandma Needs a Webcam!

Claire congratulates Hooma on her excellent hair growth during our at least weekly webcam chat. They are about tied for length now!
Claire kisses Hooma goodnight. Claire always adds in a "mmmuah!" sound effect when she gives kisses. It is totally invaluable to have this technology. We miss the Schmutzes very much!

Sweet Creek Falls

At the beginning of November, we decided to try this hike in the Siuslaw National Forest after seeing it in our atlas. It was incredible! Almost the entire hike takes place on a catwalk built out over the Sweet Creek, with innumerable cascades right under your feet! We also found bunches of Candy Cap mushrooms which smell like maple and walnut and are good in cookies and buckwheat pancakes. There was an exciting rainstorm throughout the hike, so we did the whole thing under umbrellas. Claire thought the tatoo of the rain on the nylon was very giggle worthy.

Newt Hike: Enchanted Valley, Darlingtonia, Pacific Ocean

We kept looking for unicorns to dash out of these mysterious looking woods but they never did...
Obligatory visit to the ocean after hiking. It's Claire's favorite place to "Run and run!" We go to Heceta Beach because it's the closest free access point. It never gets old! We are oceanphiles.
Adam holds a rough skinned newt, a native Oregon species. They were everywhere the day we hiked! We also saw beetles, hawks, slugs and snails.
This behemoth got Adam back for catching him by whizzing on his pant leg. Claire laughed herself silly.
A spider tree.
Claire's an old pro at hiking now. Thanks again to the Vance Family for their awesome hand-me-downs! The purple "super" boots really complete the outfit.
Munchie and Daddy play in the sand.
Notice Adam's cool mushroom collecting hip pack. We cut up a milk jug that we attach to a belt to make for easy collecting.
Claire's favorite place to eat in Florence is Bliss' Burgers. They have a 1950s theme, and as you can see in the background, they've got the Elders' Stamp of Approval.
Me with a tiny baby newt.

Claire loves this burger joint in Florence--she's offering to pray (in gratitude?) over the food again in this video.