Our friend, Brock Thorne, lives in Vernal, Utah. Brock takes some of the most beautiful photos we’ve ever seen. He agreed to share this one with us for our picture of the day feature of which we are doing several during the next couple of weeks. Brock hikes to find some of these and said this one was taken at Dry Fork Canyon in Deep Creek out of Vernal. He snapped this just a few days ago. We think this photo is representative of the West and of Christmas for many of us.
Much of the country is gripped in snow and cold. The high country of Wyoming is particularly susceptible to spending the winter in very cold temperatures and with lots of snow. The picture of the day was taken in Thayne, Wyoming. You probably don’t know where that is. It is a very small community not far from Jackson and out of Alpine Junction. It is very beautiful country. This photo was taken by one of our family members during the first major snow a couple of weeks ago. It just doesn’t get any prettier or more Wyoming than this.
We visited several neighborhoods in the Phoenix area this holiday season, including our own. At night. To see the lights! We want to share them with you. The first one is a cul-de-sac in Mesa where every house is lit up like the proverbial Christmas tree. Enjoy!
The lights kept changing on this first one!
This almost seemed like one house but it was two.
Sign over the door in the garage says “Pop’s Garage.” It’s probably a year around man-cave.
These were the biggest blow-up figures we saw on all our light tours.
Star Wars will always be classic!
These are moving ice cycles. They look like they are falling when you can see them moving.
Many homes have the newer laser lights. They are hard to picture but you can see them dotted over this house. They are often directed up trees which are pretty (and not photographable), but recent reports say they are blinding pilots! At home, we directed ours only on the house and not up into the sky.
This house was in a different Mesa neighborhood. The lights danced to holiday music changing colors and patterns. These are difficult to photograph but we thought the purple lights were pretty.
Watch for more holiday lights coming here on the blog!
Christmas in the desert is a bit different than what much of the country experiences. There is no snow. Temperatures hover between 60 and 70 degrees. Light displays can be elaborate without interference from cold, snow and moisture. There has been a bit of rain this year but that is always welcome. There is also discovery of holiday displays not to be missed and we will now visit one that is definitely on the list to see.
Mesa, Arizona was the site of the first Mormon Temple built in Arizona in 1927. It was the first temple to present the endowment in a language other than English. The first non-English session was presented in Spanish in 1945. Considering that so much of Arizona’s population is of Hispanic origin, this is significant, but especially so for 1927. The Mormons were progressive for the day!
So…you want to know what this history has to do with holiday lights? Visit the Mesa Mormon Temple during December and you will see what! The entire campus is filled with light displays. The 3 Wisemen and their camels blaze out over the landscape in colorful holiday lights. But, it is the statuary that is spectacular. There are statuary displays around every corner and in between as you walk among the lights. They depict the Nativity, of course, but also every day life during the time of Jesus’s birth. Each statuary display is literally breath-taking as you approach. This is especially true if you have never visited before.
You have a chance now to visit this beautiful holiday lights and statuary display here on this blog. Following are many photos taken this year of 2016 during Mesa’s Mormon Temple seasonal celebration. It will continue through the New Year and the public is welcome.
The photos do not do this beautiful experience justice but you get the idea. If you are in or near Phoenix during the holiday season, be sure and visit this one. You’ll be glad you did! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Christmas 2015 at Umpqua River Haven was a special time as 3 of our younger family members were with us. It was fun, relaxing and just plain great and doesn’t happen every year. So…we are going to revisit Christmas 2015 for you and all the traditional coast things we do when our family is together. Also in this 2015 post is the object of one family member’s comment: “You win the ugly Christmas Sweater Contest” hands down! Ugly Christmas Sweater Contests seem rampant this year, so do check it out when you find it and let us know if you think it’s a winner!!! Merry Christmas!
Christmas on the Oregon Coast carries some traditions with it. Rain is one and there was plenty of it leading up to the 2015 holiday. But on Christmas Eve the rains stopped long enough for our traditional family visit to Shore Acres as seen in the previous blog post. What you didn’t see were the two newest light displays. They generally have at least one a year and additional lights strung among the plants and trees each year also. But the two new displays can be seen below.
These critters in the middle on a portion of wood fencing are the newest addition.
And the Lady Bug amid the flowers is also new this year.
It is traditional for us to stop at the Umpqua River Lighthouse looking out over the mouth of the Umpqua River into Winchester Bay on the way back from Shore Acres. This beautiful lighthouse is even more so at night as it casts light and red butterflies out onto the trees and ocean night guiding any ship at sea into port. The full moon wasn’t too shabby either!
Christmas Day turned into glorious sunshine after many days of rain. Traditionally we don’t like to cook and clean up and find someplace to go for a mid-day Christmas dinner. This year it was to Newport to Georgie’s Beachside Grill. This was the view from our table.
The food was as fabulous as the view and the price was reasonable. We recommend Georgie’s any time you are in Newport! www.georgiesbeachsidegrill.com
Outside the restaurant were ocean waves and sunshine!
We left Georgio’s and traveled to the famous Nye Beach. We love the beach but it was so sunny eyes had to squint.
There was a great view of Yaquina Head Lighthouse (from a previous lighthouse blog).
We traveled back on the scenic ocean view road and stopped at the whale watching shelter. Whale watching officially starts on December 26 but they can be seen either side of that. We didn’t see any but we did see the Coast Guard fly by close to the beach to entertain some teens jumping and waving and dressed in costumes on the beach.
We then headed back to the state park where we had this great view of the Yaquina Bay Bridge.
While there weren’t any stores open, we went to Bay Street to see the sea lions on the docks. They are very entertaining with their antics.
With regret we left Newport and headed back to Umpqua River Haven stopping at Devil’s Churn for a short hike.
It was a gloriously beautiful Christmas time on the Oregon Coast. My family awarded me the Ugliest Christmas Sweater award of all time, hands down! Comment and let me know what you think of the sweater! Did it deserve this award???!!
If you are traveling on Arizona’s I-17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff, you will pass this unique tree. It is growing on the median between the north and south double lanes on I-17. It is up “on top” as you have climbed up out of Phoenix into the Arizona high desert country. Every year, apparently, Santa’s Elves decorate this tree while no one can see as it is unknown who/how it becomes adorned with holiday decorations. Keep watch if you are traveling this route, but, you really can’t miss it!
From Shore Acres on the Oregon Coast, we head inland to Arizona and the City of Phoenix. All of Arizona is a retirement destination for thousands, but Phoenix is a mecca for retirees. Many of them, along with other Phoenicians, go all out with their holiday light displays. Recently we did some touring in Phoenix looking for lights. Our main stop was in Arcadia, a unique housing area within the city. Here exists one very zealous family at Christmas time.
The Sepanek Family Home at 4415 E. Calle Tuberia in Phoenix, is the sight of a huge holiday light display. Lee and Patricia Sepanek must spend hours and days and weeks setting everything up. Not only the outdoor light displays running from the tops of trees to the edges of their pond, but there are window displays with moving dolls and a climbing Santa with a train running around him. More windows display bears, porcelain dolls, miniature moving carousels and much more. Too much to describe so below are a bunch of photos we took when we visited. You can shop the tables of holiday items and partake of some hot chocolate, also. Enjoy these pictures.
You could sit here by the fire and sip cocoa if you wanted to.
And do some Christmas shopping!
Santa climbs up and down that ladder on the left.
Lots and lots of bears!
We loved the frog!
Desert dwellers are noted for growing cactus and for decorating them at holiday time. The Sepaneks were no exception with their beautiful Organ Pipe Cactus.
Yes, it is spectacular and not to be missed if you are in the Phoenix area at holiday time. And, if that isn’t enough, you can cruise the Arcadia neighborhood to find these and more:
Watch for more holiday lights to come from Phoenix, AZ very soon!
Every holiday season we make our annual visit to Shore Acres State Park for the ever expanding light display there. This post is from a year ago, but you will see all of these displays and more. This is a not-to-be-missed Oregon Coast Adventure for everyone!
Shore Acres Botanical Gardens just outside of Charleston, Oregon, on the coast is lit up for 30 days over the holidays. Starting at Thanksgiving time, this beautiful coastal place is filled with lights, light displays and decorated Christmas trees. The Friends of Shore Acres do most of the lighting work and man the cottage and grounds during December every year. Various groups, such as the local Corvette Club, decorate the trees.
Starting at the entrance to the gardens, you are greeted by the lighted tall ship.
Just past the tall ship is this display from under the sea.
Moving along, the garden lights open up for a full view that is spectacular to take in.
This post is about the lights. Following are some of our favorite light displays.
Walking in past the Under The Sea display, these sea lions dive into the water and will make a splash of light.
In the opposite direction are 2 whales. One whale leaps and the other one, a grey whale, spouts.
Continuing around the walk is a somewhat new lighthouse display.
The plants here are filled with colorful lights creating their own display.
Continuing on you will come to the Puffins.
And next is the pond. I am just giving you an idea of the displays. It is best to visit here in person during December to take in the full beauty of all the various displays and decorated trees. The frog actually leaps from one side of the pond to the other creating a splash when it enters the water.
As your walk around the pond, the sounds of ‘Ribbit, Ribbit’ can be heard. It’s a bit of a surprise!
The pond supplies endless, lighted views. The cranes and salmon are no exception.
Shore Acres sits up on a cliff above the Pacific Ocean a short distance past Charleston, Oregon. The core of this property originally was the home of pioneer timber baron Louis Simpson who built a large mansion with formal gardens overlooking the ocean. The State of Oregon purchased the property in 1942 and added land as it became available. The gardens were let go until 1970 when they were restored even grander than before with flowers and plants from all over the world. One of our favorite parts of the gardens is hidden a bit. There is an area with many rows of all kinds of roses!
The mansion no longer exists, but there is an observation area where it once was where you can read all the history. However, the caretaker’s cottage survives and is now the Garden House. It, too, is filled with all things Christmasy and is on the tour.
Inside you can sign the guest book and then head on upstairs to visit the front bedroom, Santa’s bath and the back bedroom. You can sign up for the raffle to spend New Year’s Eve in the front bedroom with a catered breakfast.
There is a Christmas tree in the bedroom also.
And the view out the window is spectacular!
And don’t forget Santa’s bath.
As you pass from the front of the house to the back, you are greeted by many volunteers giving out cookies, hot apple cider, punch and coffee which you can enjoy there or take out to the pavilion.
You can sit and sip and enjoy the evening’s entertainment. There are a variety of groups that play/perform/sing on any given night and there’s often a sing-a-long. One year this bell choir performed beautifully.
If you are on the Oregon Coast during the month of December, do not miss the opportunity to visit Shore Acres Holiday Light Display! There is a $5.00 charge for parking that is worth every penny. Don’t forget to visit the gift shop on the way out. Shore Acres State Park, 80939 Cape Arago Highway, Coos Bay, OR. It is just a short drive from Umpqua River Haven!
The original story of the Nutcracker, by E.T.A Hoffmann, was a typical fairy tale of the 1800s. It was dark and rather unhappy with the heroine, Clara, ending up living in the doll world with her ugly nutcracker prince.
Legend has it that in 1833, Alexander Dumas who also wrote “The Three Musketeers” and “The Count of Monte Crisco,” created the modern, child-friendly version at a holiday party where his daughter was a guest. The children tied a sleeping Dumas to a chair and demanded a story. The imaginative Dumas improvised the story that is now everyone’s favorite Christmas time tale. He later published “L’histoire d’un casse noisette.”
In the mid-1800s, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, composer, and Marius Petipa, chief ballet master of the Russian Imperial Theater, were commissioned together to create a ballet based on the Dumas version of the story of a nutcracker prince dueling a 7-headed mouse king in defense of the child-damsel, Clara.
A technical note here is that the ballet was actually created before the music was. Tchaikovsky had to literally compose music to the choreographic movements of Petipa’s creation. The most interesting feature of this way of putting a ballet together is that each dance actually starts before the music does. It is like a clarinetist taking a long, full breath before a note of music comes out of the instrument. The dancer not only breaths but actually starts the movement of the first step before the music plays. The precision of the composer is what makes it all work together so well. They were both genius in their fields with Tchaikovsky’s beautiful music matching Petipa’s intricate and difficult choreography perfectly. The challenge for the dancer is to not be late! The challenge for the orchestra is to not be early or late which is the greater challenge! For those of us “in the know,” it makes watching the exactitude of the performance that much more enjoyable. I am often awe-struck as an observer.
The 1844 performance of this work was met with mixed reviews. The Czar was delighted but critics and audience members found much to criticize and it was a failure. With the Russian Revolution in 1905, most of the dancers in the Maryinsky Theater fled Russia and the original nutcracker prince committed suicide. The ballet and the dancers were forgotten.
The Russian dancers took their Russian high culture with them across Europe and “The Nutcracker” showed up here and there over the years, in London in 1934 and in San Francisco in 1944. But it was in 1940 that Disney used the entire score in “Fantasia” causing the music to become familiar to the public in the United States the same way television commercial theme music does.
In 1954, George Balanchine brought the ballet he learned as a young boy in the Maryinsky Theater to life with his New York City Ballet Company. He was true to the Dumas story and to his Russian technical training—which, by the way—is very very difficult. However, Balanchine had revolutionary ideas that fired up the imagination, one being that there should be equal numbers of dancers of color to the number of white dancers on stage. This is tough to reconcile even today as the number of white dancers way out-weighs the number of dancers of color. But, what a statement for equality on the part of Balanchine!
“The Nutcracker” ballet is a must for most dance companies. It is a popular audience draw that is needed to pay the bills. As with the 1892 debut, there is drama and controversy still in the ballet’s components and often with the dancers themselves. But when you are sitting in the theater and the curtain goes up and strains of Tchaikovsky’s beautiful music bursts through the air, or the overture starts to play for Mikhail Baryshnikov’s creative televised version, none of that matters. The story, beauty, joy, sparkling costuming and spectacular dancing of this ballet takes over to provide an evening of feel-good splendor one takes with them for days and even weeks afterward.
Don’t miss a chance to see “The Nutcracker” during the holiday season wherever you are. There are performances all over the country. The Eugene Ballet production is particularly delightful. Toni Pimble’s vision and wonderful choreography are uniquely excellent. They are giving performances at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts in Eugene on December 16, 17 and 18.
On December 17, in Cleveland, Moscow Ballet will present 2 performances of the “Great Russian Nutcracker” at the Public Music Hall. It doesn’t get better than Russians dancing this particular ballet. Moscow Ballet is accompanied by orchestras through the Musical Wunderkind Program.
Check your local listings for this delightful, holiday ballet and don’t forget to take the kids! There are battle scenes for the boys with the evil mouse king and his army and the hero nutcracker prince and his soldiers. Mother Ginger may appear with all of her ‘ginger snaps’ to engage the little ones. The iconic dances in the land of sweets are popular with everyone. Every girl dreams of becoming Clara. Adults will love every minute, too. There is something for all ages in this charming ballet.
The Heceta Head Lighthouse Keeper’s House just 11 miles north of Florence on the Oregon Coast is one of the prettiest homes around for any era. It is certainly a cut above what most keeper’s homes were. Every year at this time, a Victorian Christmas Open House is held here.
On December 10, 11 & 17 and 18, the doors of the Queen Ann style Lighthouse Keeper’s House are open to the public from 4-7 pm. The house is majestically decorated in Victorian style with fresh garlands, colorful Christmas lights, and festive holiday decor. Each evening local musicians play holiday favorites. More locals provide warm drinks and sweets. Santa Claus will be on hand each evening handing out candy canes.
Restoration of the Heceta Head Lighthouse was recently completed and it is beautiful. For this 21st Annual Victorian Christmas Open House, the lighthouse tower is also open to visitors. This is one of very few times during the year that the tower is open at night.
As with most historic buildings and grounds, funds are needed to restore and maintain. Admission is free but donations are always welcome. You can enter the holiday raffle to win a free night’s stay at this Bed & Breakfast or one of many great prizes from local artists and businesses. The Lighthouse Gift Shop will be open and full of special lighthouse gifts for Christmas shopping.
There is a fee of $5.00 to park but admission to the Keeper’s House is free. A shuttle runs from the state park below up to the house. You can take the beautiful beach walk up but be sure to have warm rain gear and a flashlight for the hike.
If you are going to be on or near the Oregon Coast during the next couple of weeks, don’t miss this holiday event. The light from the Lighthouse revolving at night is a spectacular sight! Drop in and say “Hi” to us at Umpqua River Haven, pull in for the night or weekend. We are just a short drive from the Lighthouse.
Adventures along the Umpqua River and the Oregon Coast 