Things are different here in the PNW

Transitioning from our urban life in the densely populated city of Philadelphia to a house-sitting assignment on the Oregon coast has been a radical shift in landscape and way of life. I think my blood pressure has dropped several points already.

Here’s a list of things that stand out to us as recently arrived North Easterners:

at the 15th street beach in lincoln city, or.

Tall, tall trees. These things are huge. They’re not redwoods—they’re Sitka spruce.
Logging trucks.
Banana slugs.
Marijuana dispensaries (everywhere!). I count at least 8 in Lincoln City alone. The sign of a green cross indicates medical herb.
Sneaker waves (see a future post on FEAR while traveling).
Sea lions and seals at the beach. We haven’t seen them yet, but this sign (see photo at left) makes it so.
Fog that rolls in on off the ocean and hangs among the trees. “There’s cloudy stuff in the forest,” Luca says.
Rapidly changing weather/seasons across the course of a day or a drive up Highway 101.
Highway 101. Living right off this iconic route makes me swoon each time I see the road sign. I think it’s a symbol of every East Coaster’s romantic visions of the West Coast.
Espresso and coffee bars/shops on every corner. Almost all of them have a drive-through, and it is a special treat to grab an impeccable latte for your ride up Highway 101. It is also extremely convenient not to have to take the toddler out of the car.
Beautiful blue jays with deep blue and teal, almost iridescent feathers and black mohawks on their heads. They’re called Steller’s Jays. Luca feeds them peanuts everyday.
Tide pools. Oregon beaches feature large rocks along the coastline. When the tide recedes, it leaves behind pools of water with all kinds of sea life, including starfish, urchins, anemones, etc. Tide-pooling is a popular past time.
“Go” bags (this is the bag you grab as you run out the door in an emergency).
Speaking of the above: tsunamis. Twenty-one tsunamis reached the Oregon coast between 1854 and 2008.
Seaweed that looks like a giant bull whip with a large bulb at one end. Called bull kelp, it is named accordingly. David thought it was some kind of sea snake at first.
Donuts! Light and airy and fried and sometimes filled with Bavarian cream. I’m not sure why they are so plentiful and varied here, but it is a highly dangerous fact. Have I mentioned that donuts are my favorite?
Grey whales that you can spot from shore by the little white puffs of blow they send into the air every few minutes.
Roses. Portland is called the “city of roses,” and they are more numerous than dispensaries and twice as lovely.