Home-grown Oregonian. Musician. Gardener. Muddy boots type. I love adding a book to the library, finding a new toy for the kitchen, landscaping with native plants and, as well, slogging it out in the rain, rebuilding a fence when a tree has kindly dropped a limb on it (OK, maybe more fun when it's all safely over and I'm warm and dry). I also love sharing the house with our guests, many of whom have returned again and again for 10 years or more, the memories of themselves and their children becoming intertwined with the house itself.

I spent a good part of my childhood summers vacationing at beaches up and down the Oregon coast but never found this off-the-beaten-track area until my 20s: The 25-mile-long 3 Capes Scenic Road skirts the coastline but is hidden away, since Hwy 101 turns inland at that point, bypassing the coastline. It’s the Oregon Coast of the old days…Even at the height of the summer season, you can usually walk for miles without encountering another person. When we looked for a place to buy, Tierra del Mar was the only place we considered, and the quiet location of the house just half a block from the long, pristine beach was absolutely perfect.

* Long, quiet, pristine beach. One can often wander for hours without encountering another person. Dunes, bluffs, and shore pine forest adjacent to beach are protected land and accessible only on foot or by horseback. No structures or development at all – just peace and quiet.


* Unsurpassed beach for dogs: The vast majority of the beach being far away from any roads or structures, dogs (and kids) can safely run to their hearts' content. Our fully fenced backyard with doggy door into laundry room of house is the ultimate in pet-friendly.

* Unique dichotomy of utter seclusion, with no commercial establishments whatsoever, in Tierra del Mar with near-by Pacific City’s (5 miles south) plethora of fun things to do:

*** Pacific City: Excellent pubs, restaurants, and shops in nearby Pacific City. Crabbing, clamming, fresh-water river fishing, boating, kayaking; deep sea fishing and dory boat excursions launched from the beach at Pacific City. Surfing, scuba diving, wind surfing, jet skiing as well as hang-gliding along with equipment rentals for all of the above.

*** On the quiet side: Two capes (Cape Kiwanda and Cape Lookout), each with their unique character. Bird & wildlife sanctuaries. Estuary and protected breeding grounds for birds and wildlife. Waylen Island State Natural Area. Unique whale-watching vantage points. Dunes. Lots and lots of hiking in nearby state forests. Surf fishing, clamming at Tierra del Mar’s beach. Great biking (rentals available) along 3-Capes Road.

* The spacious cedar balcony peers into the shore pines and native landscaping. Birds, deer, and wild bunnies abound, along with an occasional black bear. From your second-story perch, the ocean breeze and sound of the surf just half block away is mesmerizing.

* The house unashamedly reflects my own tastes: Lots and lots of books and board games. Although there is free high-speed WiFi and flat-screen for DVDs or streaming, we intentionally have no television. The quiet atmosphere encourages coming home from hours at the beach to laze by the woodstove, reading, snoozing, watching a movie or re-discovering the art of dominos; maybe later cooking up something purely for fun, or relaxing on the upstairs balcony listening to bird song and the ocean's roar and doing... nothing whatsoever…