A Walking Tour of Some Eureka Houses

Monthly tours of various Eureka neighborhoods are led by Ruth Moon. This month's was of the Clark District and included the Jefferson School which has lately been in the news.

Ruth has been leading these free walks since 2003. This was the 4th time for this particular itinerary. They are quite popular as evidenced by the participation. It was a lovely cool but sunny morning.


Ruth's printed flyer details many of the homes. This Italianate home has a hipped roof. Decorative fish and flowers have been added just above the windows on the frieze. Patterned shingles on the 2nd story add texture.

This little beauty is for sale.

It is late March and the Calla Lilies (Alcatraces) are in bloom. Look closely for dew drops.

Can only imagine the work ahead for this owner. Already there has been a great deal. Looks like it will be in keeping with the historic theme. Thank you Mr. Owner.

Many of the homes have been converted into apartments. See multiple mail boxes. The window sports a guard kitty.

A small sweetie with renovations totally in theme.

This is a rental and recently painted we are told. Great detailing in the vintage window glass. With all the colors available, one has to wonder about this particular choice.

A favorite! But Ruth says it is deteriorating since it was turned into rentals.

The controversial Jefferson school site, also rapidly deteriorating. Only one of several local schools now facing financial stress and decreased enrollment issues.

A fully restored Craftsman nicely done.

A little divergence from the designated Clark District tour on to Hillsdale street and Eureka's most noted "Painted Lady" The decorative elements (i.e., circular porch entrance) place it in the Queen Anne category. I wonder if they get a bit tired of being photographed.

And her neighbor -- "Painted Lady 220" The Mowry house is another Queen Anne/Eastlake, sunburst details on the brackets, scrollsaw ornaments on the upper frieze, beautiful corner porch, stained glass.

Still a painted lady, but more modestly so. Lovely!! 1904 late Queen Anne with complex gabled roof and classical portico

Another color combination that works well.

The context.

Nice! Across the street with the view in the previous shot.

A little detail -- green growth in the eaves.

Nice character.

At least 3 mailboxes here. AND it takes up the whole lot. You can't say it's inefficient use of space.

Fresh paint. Always an eye pleaser.

Queen Anne with a Colonial Revival porch, built in 1903. Two kinds of patterned shingles and an oval window

I liked the period lights in front as well as the circular balestraded porches -- different!
A very nice way to start a Saturday

Palco Marsh - REALLY close to home

We heard that the Palco Marsh had some interesting features. We lived quite close -- just half a mile and thought it might be the closest bit of bay life to us geographically and a potentially pleasant place for a lunch. So I packed up some fresh tabouli and and orange each and set out. Here's what we found.

Scotch Broom in full blossom near the RR track- one of several which once serviced the various mills around Humboldt Bay

Unhappily, the brush partly concealed various campsites and various former campsites that were less than pretty. Not pictured were assorted dead shopping carts, rotting sleeping bags and mountains of plastic debris.

We had our lunch near here and watched the little sail boat cavort in the mild breezes.

Kinetic sculpture? Not quite. Not even kinetic. Someone's idea of sculpture tho.

More art. While graffiti is something of an art form in some places, I suspect this isn't.

Perhaps a bit better. More colorful anyway.

There is even a bit of marsh here and there.

ok this is a bit different

Ah, the tell tale signs of an artist and his tools

You've heard of riding the rails? This is writing the rails.
"So long Humboldt -- East bound '99
you will be missed" A bit sad, I'd say.



The marsh has potential but lacks a certain care. A high school class could adopt it as an environmental cleanup project for a few years. Ah, yes, but then there would need to be another place for homeless to stay.

Closer to Home - Humboldt Bay South

Inspired by a local history class, we take a sunny Sunday drive to parts of the bay we haven't seen for 40 years, as well as parts we never saw back when we lived here in the 60's.


South Spit looking north


Hookton Slough on a good day for clouds

Field's Landing and what's left of the landing part.

I'm cheating here a bit, but if you will click on the title above, you will see a website devoted to the sights we saw on this day.

Nov/Dec 2009 A Different Kind of Journey

Indeed! Things had changed a bit. I was able to spend some good family time: one birthday as well as Thanksgiving. I ended up staying almost a whole month.
















Among the things I was able to accomplish were:

1. Dad enrolled in VA and had first physical exam.
2. Applied with Area III on Aging -- Meals on Wheels 3x/week.
3. Decluttered back room and Dad’s office as well as some clothes closets
4. disposed of boxes of outdated supplements and other assorted items – at least 10 banana boxes
5. organized a file for money management/ collected statements from since 2007 and before.
6. engaged housekeeper/eldercare person of Pat’s recommendation 2hr/day 5 days a week and oriented her
7. set up pill box and reminder list system for meds
8. Cooked lunch & dinner meals most of the time.
9. got Dad in the habit of fixing their own breakfasts – albeit only instant oatmeal
10. got dad using his cell phone again
11. Arranged for Mom to meet new Doctor – provided background, list of Rx and list of family concerns.
12. programmed "home" and other common destinations into a GPS for getting around town

Like many diseases, there were good days and bad days.

Nov/Dec 2009 A Different Kind of Journey

The county gets more dramatic and different for me as I reach the high desert country north of Lakeview, Oregon. Lake Abert has been a favorite lunch spot along this route, but this day is was a bit too cold and too early for a stop much longer than a photo opportunity. Miles to go . . . and all that.

Nov/Dec 2009 A Different Kind of Journey

The drive from Eureka to Boise is 15 hours. I was by myself, so I didn't try to do it in one day. I took my time and tried to enjoy the scenery. Which happily IS very enjoyable.
This picturesque barn is on the Igo-Ono road to Redding on my way to highway 299. It is very typical of the ranch country near our Mad River home with black and white oak which at this time of year are shedding their leaves.

Nov/Dec 2009 A Different Kind of Journey

It was long past time to pay respects to my family in Boise. I had only visited once since I helped move them there 2 1/2 years previously. My two sisters who live there would welcome a little respite. Our mother was deeper into Alzheimer's and we daughters were concerned about the health of her primary caregiver: our dad.

Keith and I had bought a humble little house in Eureka in which to spend winters, so I decided that after Keith was settled in, I would drive myself to Boise to see what I could do to help.