Guideposts...

There was plenty of building material along this river in the Cascades. I like to think the architect marked the perfect spot to photograph the river.

This rocky riverbank reminded me of our time spent at Ruby Beach last summer, when we made a game out of finding the perfect stack-up of flat stones to make a tower.

Spring comes...

The high country is the last to see the brilliant spring greens of the deciduous trees, so a detour home from the east side was definitely a must. Yakima canyon to White Pass, then over Chinook Pass toward Mount Rainier. The mountain was playing hard to get today, buried in clouds and invisible from just above Tipsoo Lake. But the Naches River was picture perfect, and we even saw a big spring salmon.

A new dog in the neighborhood

We'd stopped for the mail, and our neighbor waved us over. We waved "Hello," in return, then noticed the cute bundle of energy at his feet. Cool... a new puppy!

Koko is a mostly black German Shepherd, just 7 weeks old, one of eight in the litter. His dad was mostly black, so it will be fun to see how Koko changes as he grows. Inn the way of all puppies, he's absolutely adorable. I'm so happy to have a dog living next door again!

Lilac is the scent of spring

Life is short, and life is beautiful, and everything is lovely. 

Love it, embrace it, smell the lilacs, play with the dog, 

and love endlessly and fiercely with everything you've got. 

Live without regret.

― Daisy Whitney

There are four old lilac bushes on the farm, planted along an old fence line, long gone, that separated a small paddock from the young orchard. The bushes are spectacular this year, full of fragrance and blooms, overgrowing their allotted space.

But I never mind this kind of exuberance. And when pruning is mentioned, I say, "Wait until after they bloom." It's always my response when pruning is suggested.

For lilacs are heady and rich with scent, not lightly scented, not barely detected on the warm evening breeze. Lilacs are demanding, and I never ignore their desire:  that I come close, gather up an armful of blooms with both hands, bury my face in their spicy fragrance, and inhale as deeply as I can. Only then am I released to walk away.

Arbor Day

For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree 

is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver

~Martin Luther

Along the Snoqualmie Valley trail

Detailing day

A few days ago I turned my back on the gardens (again) and spent a couple of afternoons with my wee red roadster, affectionately called TrueRed.

We planned to go on a road trip with our old Miata club in a few days. So the car got a bath, then rubbed all over with a clay bar to remove all those little bits that get bonded to the paint. Silky smooth, it was ready for polish, then wax, then a final top coat.

Until it looked like this... polished to a mirror finish.

Back roads...

I took a back road instead of the highway today, on my way to the plateau for another try for my favorite mountain. This small pond is usually deserted except for geese (the snowy variety in winter, the Canada variety in spring). But today there were no birds, just a couple of fishermen in a small boat, barely ruffling the surface.

It was so peaceful, I decided to spend some time hanging out by the sturdy gate with its obviously ignored signpost. In spite of the telephone pole gatepost and the beefy timbers of the gate, gravity has pulled it even with the slope of the land.

The rusty sign, the silent fishermen, the trees and grasses turning the green of spring... so beautiful and peaceful in the early morning light.

And while I was there, the mountain peeked out briefly from under its cap of clouds. You can just make out its perfect "ice cream cone" shape.

Exploring...

It was such fun today, exploring and taking pictures with a long-time friend who loves photography as much as I do.

The lilacs are in bloom, and the native maple trees are full of plump catkins and bright green leaves, and the river is swollen with runoff from nearby snowfields.

Today we explored in the Snoqualmie River Valley. Next time, who knows? But I know it will be just as much fun as today.

Nisqually

We went out for the day with our old car club today, for a drive along the Sound, then ending the day at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge.

The property was once a dairy farm, with dikes to hold back the river water (and the tides), and create grazing land for the cows. It's a beautiful spot, currently chock full of Canada geese looking for nesting spots.

I loved the pair of white dairy barns. From this viewpoint, you couldn't tell there were two identical barns, but the trail eventually led to a viewing platform right next to them.

for more information, see Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

Wandering... Victor Falls

My camera and I headed out on the back roads today, and while following my nose toward Buckley, I stumbled across a brand-new parking area for Victor Falls. I knew about the falls because a very popular mountain biking area bears the name, and had always intended to ride there. But I'd never seen the waterfall before. There is probably a way down to the creek bed for better views (there was mention of a steep root ladder) but I declined... I was satisfied with taking a few photos from the top.

Victor Falls near Bonney Lake

Curtain-type waterfall, 70 feet high