Homeward...

Up early for breakfast, then we worked our way out what used to be the back way into our neighborhood. Now it's all houses and roads and traffic. We visited our old house, walked in the park by my old riding stable, then followed the back roads into the valley east of Yakima. It's the route we often took when we came home for a visit, and I have such memories of the hop farms in the valley. On a hot summer day, we'd follow tractors pulling trailer loads of hops, heading to the dryers. For years it wasn't profitable to grow hops here, but the valley is once again full of hop fields.

At the end of the valley, we climbed up into the hills, and finally found our way up onto the edge of the eroded hill that looks west toward the mountains. It was too cloudy to see them today, but I'd bet the view is spectacular on a good day. And I can't think of a better place to watch the sunset (or the sunrise).

This was a great find, but we made another one today: the Cowiche Canyon bistro in Yakima. Awesome food in a modern space full of custom wood furniture and with an open kitchen. Don't miss this place if you're ever driving through.