The week before Mother’s Day, I headed over to the beach house for some “me” time. Mother Nature was looking out for me and my somewhat melancholy mood. The weather went from pouring rain and fierce winds, to sunshine and warmer temperatures literally overnight. I spent five glorious days at the beach before the weather turned around again, as it so often does here in the Pacific Northwest. Truth be told, most native Oregonians (at least the ones I know) enjoy a good storm almost as much as they enjoy warmth, sunshine and blue skies, but we have certainly seen our share of storms this year. We’re heading into summer and I would like to spend all my free time over at the beach. Our first summer with a beach house, big smiley face!
This post is a picture reminder of how much I love the Northern Oregon Coast, how much I cherish our beach house, and because a blog commenter asked for more pictures. I do love taking photos.
You can’t get much bluer than that.
Sunset photos on the west coast can be quite spectacular.
Home sweet beach home.
I’m working on my beach house cookbook collection. There is something about using recipes from a real bound cookbook in that house that feels right. Suggestions welcome.
My new home office.
My beach house terrariums are doing quite nicely. They like their new home.
On one of my many walks around the neighborhood, I took photos of a couple of the beach paths. Oregon’s beaches are all public and mostly very accessible to all who want to enjoy them. There are quite a few little paths on our fairly short stretch of beach, and actually, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Oregon Beach Bill, which safeguarded our beaches from development and kept them public for the world to enjoy.
There are also lots of old shingled beach houses.
A sunny day on the Oregon Coast beckons a little road trip. Nehalem Bay.
Nehalem, Oregon.
People hike and bike this area of Hwy. 101 in all weather, but warmth and blue skies really brings out the backpackers.
Northern Oregon Coast, Oswald West State Park. View down to Manzanita.
Oswald West State Park and the Pacific Ocean.
Sunset from our deck.
Waking up to this puts a smile on my face.
I will never tire of this view either.
Front Guest Bedroom. The Princesses’ bathrobe.
I have not been able to unpack my painting supplies yet as there is still touch up work being done on the beach house and I don’t want my things to be messed with. I have, however, commissioned a painting for that big wall from an artist we met in the tropical rainforest of Australia.
An original sketch/watercolor by the same artist I commissioned. This one is much smaller, and will also hang in the beach house…. somewhere, TBD.
As the weather changed from blue skies to stormy ones, a surfer showed up in front of our house at high tide. Ours is not really a surfer’s beach, so I stayed and watched until he came back in safely.
And then there were clouds, and rain.
But still a beautiful sunset for my last evening at the beach house.
My birthday fell on Mother’s Day this year, so I returned to the city for the occasion. I’ll be heading back over to the coast very very soon.
try not to cry on my rainbow 
OMMMGGggg,
I can see why this is your “Happy” place.
I mean, I want it to be mine, too!!
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I am a very lucky girl in many many ways!!! 🙂
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Thank you for the pictures! I absolutely LOVE the beach house. Everything, EVERYTHING about it. It’s gorgeous! And I love that you love to go there with no certain plan or schedule to come back. It’s perfect. PERFECT.
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It is my happy place! 😊
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Just beautiful Kat! What a wonderful, healing place for you! ❤️
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Yes, it truly is healing. I’m heading back tomorrow. 😌
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If you like Jerusalem and Plenty, you need Zahav. Next time you’re in NYC check out his stand at Chelsea Market called Dizengoff. Awesome shakshuka and of course that hummus to die for. I just saw his doc on Israeli cuisine and decided to go back to Israel this fall.
Plenty More is another of the same genre, ❤️ Otto.
Also if you like to cook Indian, check out 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer.
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Thanks, B for the suggestions! I love cooking Indian. Our Brooklyn son is dating a girl with the last name Iyer! I’ll pick that one up asap. I wanted to get all the Ottolenghi, but settled for three! 😐 You know what… I’ve never been to Chelsea Market! I know! Next trip is to Paris, but I never stay away from NYC for long! Did you have a blast in Australia?
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Chelsea Market is great. A huge variety of excellent (including some iconic NYC) food options including a sesame seed stand that sells a big variety of halvah, as well as tahini and zaatar etc. Solomonov is a Phila interloper! There is a Brooklyn crafts market in miniature at the 10th Ave entrance.
http://www.chelseamarket.com/index.php/Shops
I MADLY LOVED AUSTRALIA. I don’t think you went to Brisbane but I did; you missed the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary among many other things there. I cannot wait to go back but I need to find someone who will drive on the left since I don’t dare😝. Also need to have enough time to go to NZ; Bruce did 3 shows there but I couldn’t take more time off from work. I have a picture in my room, made at Apollo Bay on Great Ocean Road, of a crazy blue sky like your pics here, and a path to the beach line with beach shrubs. It taunts me daily. Among other strange and wonderful experiences was meeting a guy who now lives in Singapore who grew up around the block from me, in the pit at the concert in Brisbane. What a trip.
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Chelsea Market is on the list for next time. Nope, no Brisbane. We did a kangaroo and koala bush walk out of Melbourne and then held a Koala in North Queensland at a sanctuary… holding Harvey made the trip for me. We were in NZ same time as Bruce. I still have a few more travel posts to do. And yeah, it’s a small world after all, isn’t it? We met a mother/daughter backpacking duo at a Lighthouse in NZ. The mom lives 2 blocks from us. I’ll definitely return to NZ. Glad you had a great time!
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My new Zahav cookbook showed up at the house today. That thing is HUGE. I can’t wait to get started cooking from it. Thanks for the recommend. 🙂
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Oh Kat how lucky you are to live where you do. Your home is beautiful and I love how unobtrusive it is and how it fits in with the landscape without screaming “look at me!!!” It is lovely. I’ve never been to the Northwest but would love to see it.
LOL I recognize the punch list blue tape. Nail pops?
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Yep, I thought you might notice the good ole blue tape, TH! I left it on purpose. Time for some floating mud! 😁 Come visit ME in the Northwest! 🌲🐿🌦🦀🦌🌊
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Wouldn’t that be fun?? And TotallyCaroline because that girl knows how to sniff out the good places to eat!!!! I love rugged coastlines and angry oceans.
Yeah, well being in the business those blue tapes are the bane of my existence. But make them fix the nails not just spackle over it.
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They have a lot of fixing to do! And yes, TC… she’s a foodie extraordinaire and will be visiting us soon here in the pacific northwest! 😎
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I absolutely can not wait to discover Oregon for myself. Your place is absolutely stunning. Hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day and a very happy birthday ❤❤❤
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It won’t be long now… I do love that house! I had a very relaxing day! Thanks for the card! 😘
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Well, just WOW! That blue sky, the ocean, the architecture, the wood, the mountains, that wonderful art just make me think you found your own slice of heaven.
Happy Birthday!
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Yes, I think so too! Thanks for the birthday wish. It was a relaxing day after all.
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Absolutely GORGEOUS! Wow! Thank you for sharing the loveliness around you and the beautiful things you allow you to enjoy life. I love your pictures. Another place I would love to go…the Oregan Coast ❤ I've been told many-a-time I belong in Oregan…must be my hippy side that loves nature and the occasional storm. ha
Do you find the people out there to be typically genuine and friendly?
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please forgive my grammatical errors
oops!
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Oh, Joyful, we never worry about typos on here… life’s too short for that sort of thing. Yes, you must visit the Oregon coast. It’s a quiet place, fairly deserted for big chunks of the year. Lots of storms. Our house is on an exceptionally quiet stretch of beach as it is just a sleepy little community with no facilities. I’m born and raised in Oregon and I think we are quite friendly. Portland is a little more hipster than hippy these days, but still a good town. xx
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Well sounds glorious…I’ll take hipster with Oregon! 🙂 haha! Happy Birthday BTW! ❤
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Thank you! 😎
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Stunning. As always. As a kiwi used to changeable weather, I so relate. I love a good storm! Gets all the knots out. And I’m with laurel, those terrariums are so up my alley. Bought a gorgeous one for D’s uni hostel room. And SW is right about the design. Totally my thing! Can’t wait to dance on that deck (hahaha, hopefully BE will join me 😉.) And soak in that spa pool (hot tub.)
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Oh you know he will!!! LOL. I so wanted to post that video. Goof ball. Those terrariums used to “live” in BE’s office, but he never watered them and well, they mostly died. One plant was still living after two years with no water. They were re-done (not by me although my mom and I had great terrariums in the 70’s). They love it in the kitchen window at the beach house. Yes, you will dance on that deck. Just waiting for you to finish that darn paper!!! 🙂 xx
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Happy Mother’s Day/birthday! I love those terrariums…and the mountains. I’m not much of a beach person…sharks and shit…and way too much water! 🤣
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Ha, I get it lady. We don’t go in that ocean very often, but love to look at it. It is cold and it is powerful. The dogs like it, but they don’t go very far out either. The mountains come right up to the ocean in Oregon… the best of both worlds. 🙂 Thanks for the wishes!
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Wow Kat, as a student of design, let me just say WOW. That is a stunning beach house, the architecture is very post modern with clean lines and an almost brutal truth. The wood has been used masterfully. I see many hours of meditation and reflection taking place there. Enjoy. SWxo
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Thanks, SW. It was the last little piece of beachfront on this beach, and narrow. We let the architect do his thing. We asked him to design what belonged on the property and this is what he came up with. She’s like nothing else around and we love her. I am not a modern girl, but I love my house and it is indeed a place of reflection and tranquility. No televisions, but a phenomenal sound system. One day was all about The Beach Boys, the next, Chopin. xx
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