Beach time

Friends - apologies.  Its been too long since i have tapped away at the keyboard.  Mostly this long hiatus has been due to us being away and off the grid for a few days.

We decided, with it being Mr Bigs birthday weekend and all, that we should head to the ocean.  Originally this was planned to be a visit to Ocean Village, Tofino in British Columbia

But sadly work took too long with a decision on whether to let me vacay or not...so we decided to venture to another ocean side paradise that we've never been to before....Ocean Shores Washington and the Oceanside condo complex of the Nautilus

This picture was not taken by me - and see that blue sky in the background, that did not make an appearance through out the 4 days we were there.  Note my notes on the picture.  Yes friends, not making it up.  If you decide to stay here (and its very reasonable, extremely clean and quiet)...just be aware that if you want to see the ocean you need to stay on the third floor AKA you have to schlep (or have your own Mr Big) your bags up not one, not two but 6 sets of stairs, its similar to the thousand steps to see Buddha but the difference is your mecca is actually a view of the ocean and a room filled to the brim with about 50 bazillion schmultzy ocean side nicky nacky noos.  I think that I counted (WITHOUT aide of leaving my blue velvet and skirted recliner) 7 lighthouses, a ship steering wheel, 3 gulls.  This was just in the living room.  Mr Big also pointed out that just to complete the retirement home feel...they had not one, but two stereo systems in the same shelving unit that held the worlds teensiest telly as can be seen below. 

One of my favs though was the stick on birds on the mirror....

Actually, scratch that - THIS is my favorite

yip - a fricken GRAVY BOAT as decoration right above the thunder box.  What the....?  I'm not certain who the interior designer was here, but hopefully the economy has set them into a more befitting career for them.  A GRAVY BOAT?  I ask you....

Ok, on to more pleasant things - look what Mr Big screeched to a halt for right by our temporary Castle Allen.  DEER, real, live deer.  They look unreal due to the tiltshift I was using on the camera but I can assure you they were real, and they seemed very unconcerned about us rolling up in Dora. 

Ocean Shores is like many west coast beaches ... you can drive on it.  On. The. Beach.  Though Mr Big relishes this, but maybe its because its where I'm from, but it just doesn't feel right to drive the rig down the shores...still, we did it...If you look through the drizzle you will see her there in the background

and though it was freezing with the rain and the wind and the sea spray there were a couple of nice pictures

While we were down on the coast we decided to drive to Ruby Beach, somewhere I discovered quite by accident when looking for perfect spots to visit on a road trip with a friend which we never ended up doing (sad face)..anyhoo, the drive up to Ruby is really beautiful.  You drive through a couple of forests including Quinault where there is an awesome lodge Mr and Mrs Allen will sometime stay - I give you Quinault Lodge

 so pretty around the lake and lodge - the lake even gave us a fleeting glimpse of a rainbow (look carefully)

OMG - the cottages, I heart

and the drippy moss all over the trees, just sensational

There was soooo much rain the right before so the river was really going for it, and the ferns, reminded me of NZ, making me all the more homesick for my country

so much water, that the access to the campground, in-pass-able, unless you have a canoe

ferns again, love em, and look how shinyyyyy

and who knew?  The worlds most giantist cedar tree..right here in this neck of the woods (pun intended).  Keep in mind.  My mister is 6 foot 5inches tall.

isn't this pretty, its a runner from the momma tree

We are standing under the big cedar in this next picture.  Though it might look like I'm standing on Mr Big's toe, he's actually laughing his a** off at something I cant remember at this time.  I'm unadorned with makeup sadly so this is moi, au naturel

oh wowwee - back on the road again and found an absolute stunning stunning lodge locale, smack bang in the middle of Quinault Forest and the Hoh Rainforest.  Kalaloch Lodge.  I REALLY wanted to take some pictures but it was pouring with rain again so thank you Internet...

http://www.muche-net.de/sea2002/pics/kalaloch_cabin.JPG

Its just a breathtaking view from this place straight onto the Pacific.  I can't wait to go back...but Ruby Beach was calling our name so on the road again....

and before we knew it, we were there.  Even the little hike down the path to the beach was delish

Majesty of nature in full effect, cue angels, part clouds...voila.  Ruby Beach all to ourselves (you cant really tell in this picture, but we are snogging.

Yes sir, sooo happy, even with the little bit of rain and wind we had

Stun-ning

I love that there are trees for driftwood, reminds me of Rarangi Beach in New Zealand - but with the large sea stacks its better

and as you walk along you see all kinds of beauty, even the simplest of things like a dip in the wood filled with rainwater

I honestly put alot of though into how the flippen heck to get over to this rock - there was no way over aside from using the zoom

I heart you Ruby Beach

We went to Forks.  A dismal disappointment.  For those non-yankies and non-Twilight fans this is the Northwest town where the Twilight saga was set and partially where it was filmed.  Sorry to anyone reading this from Forks originally or residing here now, but friends, what a dump...so.....hardly any pictures.  Two to be precise.  One must have, Bella's truck WITH smurfette on the hood:

We didn't stay in Forks long - mostly because everywhere we went I felt like someone was behind me

Anyway Ocean Shores, thanks for the memories.  It was nice to spend a few days in the company of my number one.  I wish it had been longer.