St. Patrick's Day in Florence, Oregon

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Greetings from Florence!

I certainly can't complain about some of the perks of my job. I'm spending four days this week on the central Oregon Coast in the small town of Florence. When I'm not conducting training, I get to explore.

So this morning, I drove south to the Oregon Dunes Recreation Area and spent some time walking the dunes and gazing at the ocean. I brought my recently acquired digital camera with me to test it out before the trip to Italy. I can't believe the unusally mild weather we've enjoyed all winter here in Oregon. I stopped for brunch on my way back into town, but alas, no green eggs for me today!

From my motel room, I have a terrific view of the Siuslaw River Bridge designed by Conde McCullough. It was constructed in 1936, and has elegant art deco lines. The Oregon coast is still graced with many of his bridges designed during his tenure as the state bridge engineer with the Oregon State Highway Commission. His philosophy was that crossing a bridge should be an experience unto itself, and not merely a way of getting from one place to another.

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Photos

Near Honeyman State Park
This picture was taken near dusk looking towards the dunes in the distance.