I spent Memorial Day weekend in Long Beach, WA, traveling to Astoria, visiting the Columbia River Maritime Museum and Fort Columbia.

The walk through Fort Columbia was creepy and beautiful at the same time. I found the iron doors telling about war. At the time, they were built to defend and look how nature took over. The way the light poured into the cave-like, claustrophobic bunkers made the doors feel like you were leaving hell for a better place.

We took a long winding path through the woods to the parking lot. I was still a little creeped out so it helped to stop and hold fingers with a baby fern. They’re so soft and sweet.

Back at the Columbia River Maritime Museum you could see how less than 100 years ago, the fisheries were incredibly lush and how greed collapsed the industry and environment. It was pretty sad to see how much sea life was decimated in such a short period of time.

I did have stop to admire the artwork for all the different kinds of seafood cans. The artwork was gorgeous and I wondered about the artists who painted them. Were they disturbed by the destruction? I left yearning for my little fern friend again.