Wintertime in Oregon offers a weather roller coaster ride of sorts when the gray shaded days of wind and rain are quickly followed by breaks of soothing warmth and sunshine. There’s never a dull moment this time of year.  Winter is the perfect time to check out the powerful natural drama that is found along Oregon’s coastline when he heads outdoors for a winter storm watch.

As winter surf floods and ebbs, beachcombers wander…seeking secrets from the tides.  Along the beach near Cape Meares, Don Best uses his camera to find the secrets that many of the beach strollers miss.  The longtime local has a passion for pulling out the best in a winter scene and his Best Impressions prove it.

“Sometimes it takes quite a few pictures to get the right one,” said Best. “There’s a lot of dynamic action; wave movement, breakers hitting the rocks or logs. Shooting the wind and the waves with a camera is exciting.”

That much is true on a day when sparkling sunshine clears away the gloomy gray as a powerful east wind stirs up a show on the ocean.

Best says those are the days to watch for “Spindrift” or “King Neptune’s Horses:”  “The wind blows the tops of the breakers back out to sea,” said Best. “It is stunning and the spray is like a white sheet that even has rainbows if you get the right angle.”

His photo collection of stormy coastal moments provides a unique angle to Oregon coastal life that many people never get a chance to see.  Many shots from Best’s collection of coastal photographs date back nearly a century and show that winter storms weren’t always so nice. In fact, they were terrible.

Like the winter of 1915, shortly after the Tillamook North Jetty was built and the Barview community was flooded by giant ocean waves.  Best’s album shows off images of railroad wreckage and homes that were lost as people watched helplessly when sweeping waves wiped out the town during a disastrous storm.

What were folks thinking about at the time?

“An escape route, where to run!” noted Best with a chuckle. “That’s what I would do too.”  Robert Smith, Oregon State Park’s Beach Safety Manager, said that when you head to the beach in winter it’s critical to stay alert because huge logs are often washed ashore. He said that just 5 inches of water can move a five-ton log.

“It’s such a big powerful ocean and we enjoy looking at that power, but people have to recognize that power can also prove dangerous and turn a log into a weapon.”

Smith added that rocky jetties might seem inviting because they offer a front row seat to the ocean’s action, but people should stay in their cars to enjoy the show and not walk out on the jetty rocks.

“The jetties are designed to protect the channels for safe shipping traffic and not designed for pedestrian use. The rocks – as large as they are – shift and can have caverns and sinkholes that you never see. Plus, you’ve got poor footing because it’s slippery. It’s just a recipe for disaster.”

Smith added that even the popular coastal hiking trails require caution:

“The amount of water and rain that we get here – coupled with the amount of sea spray  – adds up to increased erosion on our trails.”

But there’s no shortage of Oregon State Park Beach Waysides to enjoy winter storms, and Smith noted that some of his state park favorites include overlooks like Cape Meares or Heceta Head State Parks because both are fine vantage points that have lighthouses too.

“These sites are a little higher up, a little further away and definitely safer,” noted Smith. “You get a bird’s eye view of the power of the ocean. Perhaps the premier location for storm watching along the entire coast is Shore Acres State Park. It’s simply amazing when the surf crashes along that shoreline.”

There are many amazing places to watch nature’s drama play out along the northern Oregon coastline too – and if you’d like to enjoy a guided tour with a knowledgeable guide to show the way, check out Oregon Storm Tours in Seaside.

Darren Gooch and Patricia Murphy joined an ‘Oregon Storm Tour’ because it’s a safe and educational option and importantly; they “weren’t sure where to go.” OST’s David Posalski said that his driving tours stop at many north coast sites, but the Columbia River South Jetty viewing tower at Ft Stevens State Park is a favorite among the visitors who join him each winter.

“Usually it’ll be a single couple, like Darren and Patricia, and we decide what they want to see, what they want to do depending on their time and how active they want to be.

The wonderful thing about the tour is that David can present varied location options and you can tailor the trip to suit your time and budget and interests.

“We are the least touristy tour anyone has ever been on,” noted David.

If you are looking for a special St. Patrick’s Day celebration, take part in the 30th annual “A Wee Bit O’ Ireland” in Heppner, Oregon. Located southwest of Hermiston, Heppner doesn’t look like the Old Country, but the Irish spirit will be alive and well at the March 15-18 event. Enjoy food, drink, music, arts and crafts, sheep dog trials and amateur boxing. “The Gothard Sisters,” a popular Pacific Northwest fiddle and dance trio, will perform Saturday night. Visitors will enjoy the welly toss, the Great Green parade and road bowling.

March 16-17, the town of Lakeview in southern Oregon remembers the history and heritage of its 19th Irish immigrants with the annual Irish Days Festival. Friday evening features a corn beef and cabbage dinner along with traditional Irish step dancing. Saturday will see unique competitions like potato hockey, a bartenders race and outhouse races, along with various food competitions and a parade, music and a barbeque.

Portland Highland Games celebrates its 60th anniversary on July 21, 2012, at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham. The event showcases world-class pipe bands, Celtic entertainment, and top competition in heavy athletics, Highland dancing, solo fiddling, piping and drumming. The kilted mile run, sheepdog demonstrations, caber toss, and parade of massed bands are among traditional favorites. Bring the kids for games, a fun run and a tug-o-war.

Head to the village of Yachats on the central Oregon Coast for the Yachats Coastal Celtic Music Festival Nov. 9-11. In its 11th year, the festival features Celtic music from world-class musicians from Ireland, Scotland, Asturias and Galicia as well as dancing, food and spirits. The weekend usually includes whiskey and beer tasting, Irish step dance classes, and fiddle, flute and whistle workshops.

Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” takes the stage on Feb. 17. Director Laird Williamson offers the familiar and timeless tale of two young lovers and their feuding families in a new setting — California in the 1840s. Bringing this tumultuous period in American to the foreground adds a modern twist to a beloved story.

Feb. 18 will see the world premier of “The White Snake,” a play by Tony-award winning director Mary Zimmerman. Based on a classic Chinese fable, this is the story of a snake spirit disguised as a beautiful woman who falls in love with a young scholar. She must use magical powers to defeat dark forces and win her lover.

Libby Appel’s adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s, “Seagull,” opens Feb 23. Set in 19th-century Russia at a lakeside estate, “Seagull” tells the tale of four passionate artists each in love with someone who does not return the affection. “Seagull” is a story about theater, art and unfulfilled desire.

Making room on the dramatic stage for comedy, OSF opens “Animal Crackers” on Feb. 19. Originally created for the Marx Brothers, this slapstick musical recounts the adventures of Captain Spaulding, African adventurer and wise-cracker, at a posh Long Island party. High jinks meet high society and mayhem ensues.

These four rich plays are just the beginning of a packed season for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which runs through early November.

For a morning start, Fuel up at Helser’s on Alberta. Might we suggest the smoked salmon hash? If lunch is the meal in question, stop in at Pine State Biscuits (also good for breakfast, dinner and late night snacks on the weekend). Try the McIsley — fried chicken on a biscuit with pickles, mustard and honey. Wow.

Adequately fortified, it’s time to hit the shops. Start at Shoe Shangri-la pedX for gorgeous shoes, boots, handbags and jewelry. Browse an elegant collection of women’s clothing at Tumbleweed Boutique and pop in next door at Grasshopper for kids books, toys and clothes. Garnish, a stylish boutique in a petite storefront, offers its own line of lovely hand-made dresses, skirts jackets and tops. Red Sail Boutique, Frock, Abrahams & Duffy, and BillyGoat Vintage complete the fashion itinerary.

Feeling crafty? Check out Close Knit for the yarn of your dreams and Bolt Neighborhood Fabric Boutique for colorful cloth to inspire your next sewing creation. Collage is the place to buy arts and crafts supplies as well as a creative space to get down to work.

Wind down from your shopping adventure with an espresso at Barista or a steaming pot of tea from Townshend’s Teahouse. If dinner is on the horizon, try the delightful Italian fare at Ciao Vito or much lauded, recently reopened Aviary and celebrate your victory over the winter blahs.

Smiley the 'Loop Ninja'

It’s going to sound clichéd to say so, but you haven’t lived until you’ve seen Tony Smiley play music. Also known as The Loop Ninja, Smiley is a one-man band who singlehandedly puts most multiple-member bands in their places. Using loop technology, which stacks musical segments on top of one another, Smiley builds an entire, totally rocking musical world, live on stage weekly in Oregon and around the Pacific Northwest.

Smiley grew up in Hood River, and his approach to music is very “Oregon”—independent, open-minded, spirited and personal. The lifelong musician and former member of many bands endured the break-up of several groups before deciding to just do his own thing—lucky for all of us. I saw him for the first time a year ago and was instantly hooked.

It works like this. Smiley gets on stage, surrounded by a mess of instruments and wires, a couple of microphones, and a Boss Loop Pedal, which looks simply like a few levers at his feet but is actually the portal to Smiley’s unique brand of musical magic. He starts to lay down some rhythms, one instrument at a time, eventually looping them all on top of each other. Totally adept at guitar, bass, keys, drums, and beatbox, Smiley masterfully builds a song before your eyes. Smiley plays a fun mix of rock, world fusion dance, old school 80s/90s and new wave, as well as songs he writes himself. Half of the fun is trying to guess the track before the loops are all in place. Before he even begins to sing, the audience is a sea of bobbing bodies, tapping feet and happy smiles.

Then Smiley throws in the vocals.

His awesome deep growly voice rocks any house he plays, and he plays many. Smiley tours around the Pacific Northwest weekly, regularly appearing at Portland, Oregon, locales Buffalo Gap, Doug Fir, The Woods and The Bagdad, as well as around the state at Astro Lounge in Bend, San Dune Pub in Manzanita, and McMenamins pubs all over. Wherever he goes, a dance party ensues.

I last saw Smiley play a few weeks ago at McMenamins Old St. Francis School in Bend. He’d played two incredible sets and had easily paid his dues to the venue, but the audience was far from finished with that awesome Smiley vibe. Leaving his many instruments and mics behind, he leapt from the state directly into the crowd, launching into a utterly fantastic sing-along rendition of The Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down,” supported only by his un-amplified acoustic guitar and his own voice. The totally blissed-out looks on the faces of the audience made me think I’d better see as much as Smiley as possible while he’s still touring the Pacific Northwest, because I believe this man is bound for bigger and better things.

See www.theloopninja.com for tour dates, to buy music and for more information.

This week, I visit northeast Oregon to visit a family who risked it all for the promise of a new start at a place you can visit called ‘Hot Lake Springs.’

Outdoor moments in Northeast Oregon’s Grande Ronde Valley are stunning and spacious with scenery that takes your breath away – When you step inside David Manuel’s art studio, it’s clear that it’s the little things that keep the past alive. Manuel is an artist who owns a love affair with Oregon’s past – like his latest sculpture of the ‘William Price Hunt Expedition.’

Hunt led a group of rugged explorers through this part of Oregon 200 years ago. They were on assignment for John Astor and determined to bring an American presence to the British-dominated region at the mouth of the Columbia River.

“I want to make sure everything that I do tells a story – it’s so important that way – that’s what keeps me interested.”

For Manuel, the journey’s truth is etched in short strokes with a sharp blade across soft clay.

“I spend a lot of time on each buffalo hair too. I don’t like the sharp edges because you can cut your hand on some bronzes with sharp edges. So I create them to overlap and it’ll really shine that way too.”

You may have seen Manuel’s work before – at Portland’s Chapman Square where “The Promised Land” shines as a monumental bronze statue.

Now, his new gallery and studio provide a glimpse to his genius as one of America’s finest artists.

“I love history and that’s what keeps me going! That is why it’s so hard to go home at night too because I get so involved in these pieces.”

But Manuel doesn’t have to go far when he goes home. That’s because he works where he and his family have lived for nearly a decade: Hot Lake Springs. It is a 60,000 square foot hospital turned hotel that rose above the Grande Ronde Valley floor more than a century ago. In fact, at one time Hot Lake was center of a ‘good health movement’ that drew people from across the country.

They came by train seeking cures for what ailed them in the mineral hot springs that bubbled up from deep in the earth.

But the place hit hard times – capped by a devastating fire in 1934.

By turn of the last century, the building was ready to fall: holes in ceilings reached to where there should have been a roof, all but two of the 350 windows were broken out and floors falling down and the locals thought it was only a matter of time:

“Everybody thought it was dead,” said John Lamoreau, a former Union County Commissioner. “There was no hope, no chance and some people were skeptical because so many had tried to restore it before and failed. To me, the Manuel family looked like the best hope.”

It wasn’t just a mess, it was dangerous and bulldozers waited in the wings to tear it all down.

It was against this dramatic backdrop that the Manuel family bought Hot Lake in 2003.

Despite a personal cost that would rise to more than $10 million, the Manuel family was ‘all in’ for the enterprise.

David’s wife, Lee Manuel, explained that they risked everything because ‘holding on to Oregon history’ was something they could not let go.

“It was as though this ol’ lady, this ol’ building, this history rose from the ground and spoke to us and then it took on a life of its own. We were drawn into that.”

Today – the transformation is nothing short of magnificent!

The successful Hot Lake Springs Bed and Breakfast boasts 22 stunning rooms, a restaurant and the new Restore Spa that is sure to please any woman interested in rest and relaxation.

Plus, there’s David’s gallery and the bronze foundry where you can watch artisans transform his work into lasting bronze art. Plus, David’s uniquely impressive collection of American Indian artifacts and US Military memorabilia that date to the war of 1812.

Still – for many people it is the promise of rest and relaxation in the “Valley of Peace” while enjoying the mineral hot springs. It is all so hard to resist.

Lamoreau observed that it is a place to soak up one of the most remarkable Oregon pioneering stories of the 21st century.

“Not only do we in Union County give thanks to Dave and Lee, but I think the whole state needs to give thanks for what they did here. They brought this place back to life.”

Some call it the ‘rugged edge of the Oregon coast’ where the sun and surf meet to leave you spellbound and breathless. This week, I escaped to Cape Perpetua Scenic Area where in winter – except for surf and wind, the coast slows down – that’s easy to understand – few distractions, few folks around…especially along Oregon’s rugged edge of life.

It’s more than forty miles of central Oregon coastline beginning at Waldport and continuing along a southerly stretch of Coastal Highway 101 marked by steep headlands, jagged volcanic outcrops and jaw-dropping scenic drama. In fact, it is so significant and prized a place that 2700 acres of massive Cape Perpetua is designated a National Scenic Area. Two miles south of Yachats, Oregon you will find the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center and it is open daily.

Oregon State Parks Ranger, David Weisenback, said that the sheer beauty of the place surprises many first timers:

“It is such a beautiful and unique area – you can hike to the overlooks, the viewpoints, across the rocky shorelines. No matter where you travel in the world, this is still one of the most scenic areas.”

USFS Manager, David Thompson, noted that atop Cape Perpetua you can turn in any direction for views that surprise and amaze:

“Certainly the coast is the most dramatic the part that captures your attention first,” noted Thompson. “And yet if you turn and look the other way, you’ve got this unbelievably green sitka spruce forest with a wealth of moss and ferns and giant trees – it’s all special.”

The Visitor Center provides a wealth of hiking choices too: over 11 different trails for a total of 27 miles and the wonderful thing is that at one point or another many of the trails inter-connect with one another.

The Captain Cook Trail is wheelchair accessible, leads you from the Visitor Center to skirt the shoreline. At low tide, the trail puts on quite a show as waves crash into rocky crevices and cracks at a place called “Spouting Horn.” If you wish to wander longer consider the astounding collection of Oregon State Park Waysides with names like Neptune, Ponsler or Strawberry Hill where tide pools invite closer inspection during the ebbing tide.

Nearby, Washburne State Park Campground invites you for an overnight stay where winter campers are welcome in a tent, trailer or r-v. For those who love to camp, but lack the right gear, Park Ranger Deborah Edwards said to consider renting a yurt:

“Camping in winter can be just as exciting as the summertime, you just have to deal with a bit more rain and a yurt is perfect. You get a bunk bed which sleeps two on the bottom and one on the top, a futon, table and a couple of chairs, plus heat and light.”

Little more than five miles away, another site requires you to take a short stroll on a paved trail and then a quick ride down the face of a cliff for 208 feet in an elevator to reach Sea Lion Caves.

Sea Lion Caves has been an Oregon coastal icon as far back as most folks remember; more than 100 acres of the adjacent land has been in private ownership since 1887.

It’s been a drawing card for the curious,” said Manager Boomer Wright. He explained that the massive cave is largest along west coast and where 250 stellar sea lions are a raucous, rowdy crowd.

“They are very social animals with their barking, crawling over each other and even nipping one another. They are very social animals.”

Wright added that up to 1,000 stellar sea lions use the cave from November through late summer: They are often seen lounging, loafing or just plain sacked out on the rocky interior cliffs or boulders.

Of course, there is the large center rock that we call ‘King of the Hill,’ noted Wright and there is usually quite of a bit of fighting between sea lions to see who gets to rest atop it.”

The stellar sea lions are not the only wildlife species that are easy to spy at Sea Lion Caves. Back atop, keep eyes out for soaring raptors like hawks and eagles that are often seen on the hunt – or flocks of shore birds that dance and dazzle and skirt the surf.

David Thompson said that it is a remarkable scene and one that is often overlooked in winter:

“Without a doubt, it’s the most gorgeous stretch of the Oregon coast with the collection of rocky shores, so the geology, the geography and certainly the forest add up to a wonderful place to relax and wonder and wander if you want a place to decompress.”

Ski Trillium Lake’s four miles of trails for unparalleled views of snowy Mt. Hood. Nearby Teacup Lake Nordic offers 20 kilometers of groomed track for skating or classic skiing. Don’t miss the chance to take a break in the quaint warming hut. No dogs or snowshoes are allowed here or at Mt. Hood Meadows Nordic Center’s 15 wooded kilometers of groomed trails and set track.

Anthony Lakes Ski Area near La Grande offers 29 kilometers of groomed track as well as 11 more of singletrack and snowshoe trail. You can bring your dog on the Mud Lake Loop, and check out the historic Nordic Center Lodge, built by the Oregon Civilian Conservation Corp. during the Great Depression.

On a sunny day, you’ll be rubbernecking at the awe-inspiring beauty of Crater Lake at your elbow as you ski some (or all!) of the lake’s 33-mile perimeter trail. Shorter trails are another option for appreciating the quieter, colder season at the lake — Mazama Loop (1.7 miles), West Rim Drive (1.2 to 6 miles) and the Hemlock Loop Trail (1.3 miles), among others.

Folks at the Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center are well prepared for Nordic skiers. The 56 kilometers of trails there are groomed daily for cross-country lovers. Enjoy more than a dozen routes as well as a long season — sometimes stretching into May!

As with all wintertime activities, check for current road and terrain conditions before you go, and be prepared. Bonus: If you are interested in seeing these clear skies at night — check out the Feb. 7 full moon for a night ski.

In eastern Oregon, Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer move down out of the mountains to graze in open pastures in places like the Elkhorn Wildlife Area and Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area. Ladd Marsh is open year round and can be easily access from I-84. Elkhorn is officially closed during the winter to protect the animals, but elk can be seen from the Anthony Creek Viewing Site or with T&T Wildlife Tours, which offer horse-drawn wagon trips to feeding sites. On the west side of the state, Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area is a great place to see Roosevelt elk (the largest of the four elk species in North America) and other wildlife during the winter months. It’s located off of Highway 26 west of Portland.

Some say the best winter bald eagle viewing in the lower 48 can be found in the Klamath Basin at the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges and the ODFW Klamath Wildlife Area. Check out the local Audubon Society’s Winter Wings Festival Feb. 17-19, the longest running bird festival in the nation. Near Portland, Sauvie Island Wildlife Refuge is home to overwintering bald eagles, Canada geese, ducks, sandhill cranes and many varieties of sparrow. The Willamette Valley hosts bald eagles at Fern Ridge Wildlife Area and Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge.

A variety of interesting birds and other creatures can be seen during the winter at White River Wildlife Area south of The Dalles, around Harney County, Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge on the coast, Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge in Portland and Summer Lake Wildlife Area near Lakeview. Search for information and directions to these and more wildlife spots around the state at the ODFW website.

Map out a short list of art galleries in the downtown area. Then find a parking spot at a meter, a free parking garage like Marion Parkade or Chemeketa Parkade, or a Park and Ride with a public bus connection, and walk the many-covered sidewalks of Downtown Salem. (Here’s something else to help with parking.)

My favorite gallery so far is The Pheremone Art Gallery. The artist, Christopher Marley, has preserved brilliantly-colored insects and interestingly-shaped bugs into fascinating layouts. His work looks a little like a bug collection, of pinned things to white blocks, except there are no pins and he arranges them not in rows, but in clusters or spectrums.

One piece might contain several dozen species of bug, all the same shape, but each a different color. There are no labels, so if you just want to look without reading art plaques to learn more about the bug, you can.

He’s got other stuff other than insects, like crystals and shells, but my favorite is the bugs. That’s weird for me to write because I hate spiders and wouldn’t touch a live beetle if you paid me. I’m good with ladybugs and roly-polies, but those are not what Christopher makes art with.

It helps if you read the second paragraph of his ‘About’ Page: he tells us that he was just as squeamish about them as we are until he saw them as a designer and decided to show us just the bugs on a clean, white surface, behind a sheet of clean, clear glass. In the art gallery, they’re fascinating– huge stick bugs that I’ve never seen close up because I can never see them. Giant morpho butterflies of lots of brilliant blues and indigos. I’m even fascinated by the beetles with the huge horns because they’re not surrounded by dirt and dung and other bugs.

My favorite part about the art gallery is the knowledge that kids in the area often have field trips to this white-filled space. There’s a three-seater coloring table at the back of the gallery with walls that are plastered with completed coloring pages.

There are copies of a matching game made with Christopher’s art around the gallery for sale, but there’s another open copy that the kids can play with while they’re in the gallery. There are sets of markers and crayons out for kids to freely reach for. There’s great music playing while they color and you continue to absorb. Sounds like a great family vacation activity.

It’s clear Christopher has kids and that he’s a kid himself. He’s a small geek with his exciting bug collection, and you can tell by his tone in the placards next to his pieces. He’s excited about the color and form in the natural world, and he’ll have you walking away, feeling awed as well.

Kate is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. As much as she’s learned to seek out the subtle colors of the desert, Kate has found that she really is a tree girl at heart. She posts on parents’ tips for kid-friendly traveling havens from a curious newcomer’s perspective; Kate is a very recent resident of Salem and thrilled to be here. Kate writes personally and with just as much enthusiasm here.