Giving Thanks in Bandon

A yellow door beckons

To be flung wide.

Hands open

Hearts wide-eyed

Ready to see.

A yellow door beckons.

...................................................................................................................

Each day we are moved with how immense a gift this journey is.

To see a door and open it

Together.

To say we are grateful seems not nearly enough.

But we spent a memorable week of Thanksgiving 

being just that.

With our arrival in Bandon, Oregon at Bullards Beach State Park,

we felt great excitement, relishing the exploration of somewhere new.

Once we set up camp, put things in their place, and shared a late lunch,

we biked to the beach to end the day,

gathering stones,

leaping seaweed 

in the afternoon light.

Sunshine greeted us again the next day,

so we took on the 6 mile ride

toward the Coquille River Lighthouse.

We were rewarded with

glorious views from the jetty,

places to climb

and explore,

a lighthouse to admire from near

and afar,

and great sticks for writing,

and battle,

and simply to hold.

The place we made home for Thanksgiving

provided a feast of local bounty

Face Rock Creamery

Vincent Family Cranberries

Vincent Family Cranberry Juice

and a beach for giving thanks.

This first holiday on the road was a simple affair -

A simple meal prepared & shared together,

And a day of simple joys.

Used to baking 50 or more pies at The Blackbird each holiday,

Adam whipped up a single pie for us in no time -

with a little help from Ava.

At our tiny table, we prepped and laughed

Casabella Cutting Boards

and sketched and wrote.

The weather warmed, and we enjoyed snacks outdoors

and then biked to the beach to give thanks.

What was in our hearts became sand-scribbled lists -

a temporary record of beautiful gifts.

There are wonderful things we will always remember

of our Bandon Thanksgiving week - 

a welcoming library with the best chairs for reading,

Bandon Library

a sweet shop with unprecedented samples,

Cranberry Sweets

so many smooth pebbles in unbounded colors,

fish and chips with cranberry slaw,

Bandon Fish Market

lovely garments for the 4 Birds shop,

1930's embroidered blouse

and Washed Ashore that turns trash from the sea into pieces of art.

As had happened before, we felt reluctant to leave

and compelled to crowd in just a few more sights.

Our last evening there,

Ava trudged through the rain,

eyes brimming,

to say a goodbye at her lighthouse's door.

Then we pulled up our roots

with our home on our back

to drive southward,

hearts wide-eyed to see.