Oregon

Hello from Tillamook, Oregon! We arrived here at Tillamook/Bay City RV Park yesterday after a good but long trip from Randle, Wa. The trip yesterday (Monday) was about 200 miles but seemed longer because we got lost once and the route we took (Highway 101) was very scenic, had a lot of stops and starts and wasn't the smoothest road we've traveled. Today, we decided we needed a WalMart fix, a hair cut for all 4 of us, and a few other necessities so we headed to the closest Wally World in McMinnville,  some 70 miles east. The ladies went to a Great Clips and Al & I found a barber shop nearby. On the way back, we noticed a sign to a Monastery that was open to the public, so we decided to check it out. The pictures tell the story of our visit there. We also stopped at a scenic barn where produce was being sold and purchased some fresh green beans, blueberries, squash, a watermelon, and some hazelnuts. Now hazelnuts are totally new to me and I had to try them. I read where 99% of all hazelnuts grown in the US are grown in the Williamette Valley here in Oregon. They have the appearance of a large acorn before being shelled,  are pretty tasty and can be prepared in a variety of ways. Hazlenuts grow on smaller trees and are usually planted in orchards.

 One other interesting tidbit about Oregon we picked up today is there is no state sales tax here.First state I can think of we've visited with no sales tax.

Tomorrow, we plan to explore the area north of Tillamook along Highway 101 and possibly get our feet wet in the Pacific Ocean!

Sign at entrance to Monastery

Outer Sanctuary

Beautiful Stained glass

Inner Sanctuary

Outside of Sanctuary

Pretty lights on grounds of Monastery

Ever heard of a lemon cucumber? Us neither! They tell us it taste like a regular cucumber.

Market where we bought our produce & hazlenuts.

Flowers in front of barn

I've forgotten what Pat said this flower was called, but sure is pretty!

I know you've been dying to see what hazelnuts look like!

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