The Romance of Port Orford

Today is my last day in Port Orford, Oregon. Tomorrow, my brother will drive me back to Portland to fly home Thursday. If I had realized how much I would enjoy being here, I would have scheduled at least another week. Bruce and I tend toward the same relaxed schedule, arising late morning and watching movies into the late night. I'm not interested in doing more than sitting by the beach and drawing. Once I found gifts for the kids and Harry, my work was done. Today, after this library visit, I'll go sit on the beach and draw again, or I hope I do. It's getting late. It's always gettomg late when you awaken at noon. (It's a good life though!) I cooked steak last night, and tonight, it's to be pork chops. I've never made them before, but they'll be good.
The beach is overlooked by cliffs, where I have to stay. The way down and back from the beach is precarious. Bruce and I walked on the beach a couple of days ago, but it was terrible for me trying to walk back, into the wind, slogging along in the sand. There are jade rocks buried in the sand, into the cliffs. The monoliths stand guard on the shore and miles out into the ocean. There are mountain ranges in the distance. The water is warm now and Bruce tells me Great Whites come in when the ocean warms like this. I missed the sea lions the sharks feed on. The whales have gone north and won't be going south till next month or so.
I wander into galleries. The owners are all my age with long grey hair and beards. Nobody wears makeup or dresses fashionably. It's wonderful. Bruce says he wants to open a gallery when he retires here. I'll help him, I say. When I come, I'll take everyone elses work down, and put mine up. He laughs. I pray I can return next year, perhaps for a month. It's not a place for Harry. There is nowhere to go and nothing to see. Just the ocean and maybe, the fishing boats. Ask me and I'll tell you it's heaven, or close to it. I probably should have moved to the West Coast when I was young. I've always liked it better out here. I would never leave my kids though. And I like Delaware fine. But Port Orford is my place to be in the summer.