astoria

This is the first time I ever remember my family going anywhere for Labor Day weekend. With school starting up and second or third hay cuttings waiting to be done, plus a million and one other projects, it’s just hard to leave home. (This definitely isn’t just the case with Labor Day, of course. This same excuse applies most of the year.)

Getting away was awesome, but our destination made it doubly awesome. It’s been five years since I was at Astoria, Oregon ... too long.


The beach pulls me in. It only feels right if I can feel it with all five senses. The salty taste, the fresh marine scent, the chilly wind, the roaring waves, the contrasting textures, and the palette of colors. I love them. I feel much the same way about the ocean as I do about mountains; I can only look for so long before I have to do and be. I love to play in the waves and get myself drenched; I love to construct things out of sand and collect rocks and shells. Sometimes my enthusiasm, compared with the serious maturity of my family, feels childish... but at least in some regards, I hope I never grow up. I hope I always have enthusiasm for beautiful things, new places, and amazing experiences.


One of the coolest parts about Clatsop Beach near Astoria is the wreck of the Peter Iredale, a British ship which wrecked on the shore in 1906. I'm no historian, but I have always been fascinated by the people of the past. According to what I've read, all the people onboard the Iredale survived. What might they have been like?

Linking to two photo contests: Little Miss Sunshine(State!) and His Sparrow

I. love. the beach.

Although I think the best places in the world include rivers, lakes, oceans, or mountains, the awesome thing about Earth is this: the sun sets everywhere. :)