Day 8, Purple (and) Rain

Low tides seem to go out farther than any others I've ever seen. This makes the beaches prime clamming and crabbing spots. Clams can be harvested all year which makes it a pretty popular activity for locals and visitors. All you need is a license, a bucket, shovel and "clam gun." While this photo was taken today during gray skies and threatening weather, yesterday we saw lots of folks out in their waders digging up their 20/day limit.


I had written about clear-cutting the day we got here but hadn't gotten a photo. Today, we pulled over to take this one.

Here is a photo of an area closer to the road that had been replanted.

Because it was expected to rain much of the day, we planned to visit a couple of indoor attractions. The first one we went to is the Latimer Quilt and Textile Center. It is housed in a 1900 schoolhouse. The Latimer Family had donated the land for a school with the proviso that once it was no longer being used as a school, the land and building would be returned to the Latimer Family. Today, it houses a textile museum and center. There is a room dedicated to weaving with looms set up with projects in process. Apparently, if you visit on the right day, you can see the weavers in action. There is a quilters' room with a display of old quilts and lace made by tatting. But, the most interesting room was the one displaying the work of a thread artist. I am so sorry I didn't record her name since her work is so fascinating.

She begins with a photo that she changes into a grayscale image.


She then uses a variety of fabrics to recreate the photo fusing the pieces of fabric together.

She then uses thread to sew around the fabric and to create lines that give the image definition.


We all enjoyed her work of people, animals, and her recreations of famous paintings. Such precision!

In 2009, the quilt center partnered with local organizations to create a Quilt Trail in Tillamook County. They patterned it after the first North American Quilt Trail which began in Ohio in 2003. There are now 100 4x4 and 8x8 foot wooden squares displayed around Tillamook county. There is a Quilt Trail brochure that tells a bit about the history of the building or business displaying the square. They are all colorful and we enjoyed spotting them as we drove along. 


From there we went to the Blue Heron Cheese Company. While they do make brie, this stop is more of a gift shop and tourist stop. They sell many different kinds of cheese including Yancey's Fancy from New York State. I suppose we might have enjoyed it more had we been able to walk around and enjoy watching kids interact with the petting zoo but the weather was wet, windy, and chilly.


During WWII, seventeen blimp hangers were built in the United States. Today, seven still exist. The Tillamook Naval Air Station Museum houses many aircraft, including many from WWII. There is a blimp hanger at Moffett Field in Mountain View which I have stood outside of, but the thing that impressed me the most was how enormous it felt once I was standing in it.

The most impressive exhibit was one built by one man to commemorate the various battles in WWII. Steve Schramm of South Dakota spent 30 years building WWII dioramas which were housed in his attic. I can just imagine how excited his wife must have been when he found a home away from home for his hobby. This is only one side of one room of the dioramas. That said, it must have been a labor of love since he dedicated his work to his dad who had served during the war.



We were on our way back to the campground. The weather was rainy and getting windy and we still had to make dinner. But, yesterday just as we were leaving the Schooner, one of the folks at the table next to us got a neon purple drink. I was so intrigued that I asked him what it was; a Spicy Butterfly Margarita. We all left wishing we'd looked at the cocktail menu rather than just order beer to go with our fish. As we were nearing the Schooner, Ardith wondered if anyone else thought it might be a fun idea to stop in for a margarita. We all figured we may never pass this way again and before long


There were four but Jim couldn't wait for me to get the "perfect" angle before diving in. The spicy is Habenero tequila and the purple is from an infusion made from Butterfly Pea Flowers. We all thought the warming feeling was perfect for the stormy day.

The weather tonight is cold and rainy, with gusty winds. So far, our crash wrap is holding. Fingers crossed we stay warm and dry through the night. 
Location: Cape Lookout State Park, 13000 Whiskey Creek Rd, Tillamook, OR 97141, USA

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