Rainy Day Roadtrip + theme day ~~~Wood

Today was a foggy rainy dreary gray day so a friend and I decided we needed to get to the mountains. We headed to the North Cascades Highway. We have had such a mild January that there is no snow where there should be. Just wetness. Look at the fuzzy green moss on the trees. You couldn't find the north side on these guys. We stopped at little company town of Newhalem
Newhalem is a small, unincorporated community in northwestern Washington, USA, located in the western foothills of the North Cascades along the Skagit River. It is located within Whatcom County.

Newhalem is a company town owned by Seattle City Light and populated entirely by employees of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project, or in local county, state or federal agencies. The town is not open to permanent residents who do not work for these certain agencies. The Ross Lake National Recreation Area surrounds Newhalem on all sides, and the North Cascades National Park boundary is approximately one mile to the north and south of the town.
We stopped there to take a little walk in the Trail of Cedars. beautiful trail with some good sized trees.





They grow them big out here. Doug fir and Cedar. Theme day is wood.
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Fort Casey guns

The other day when I was visiting my Mother we went to Fort Casey. I posted some pics then. today as I was looking over some pictures I noticed that as I was taking a picture of Mount Rainier it showed the top of part of the fort. It was so dark so I cropped it and lightened it up and it looked amazing. You can see how the fort was hidden from view and one of the guns was up. the guns retracted so when they were down the area looked like a bluff to invaders from the water.
Construction on Fort Casey was started in 1897. Her big guns were on on disappearing carriages, which could be raised out of their protective emplacements so that the guns were exposed only long enough to fire. Anyway I thought the differences were interesting. MB

Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Reflections in the pond

Trees and sky and even a pony in the pic. I like the way the leafless trees look in the water.



My Koi. there are about 15 of these big guys and they come when I whistle for them. I don't have to feed them because I try to keep the pond as natural as possible so these fat boys don't need me.

And today is here---already

My Mother's house hasn't sold yet and she is unhappy about that. I was in a small shop before I left to go visit her and saw this small sculpture and immediately thought of her. It reminds me of her---the 20s-30s beach girl. But it was the wistful expression on her face that got me. So I had to get it for her--of course! Even though she doesn't want to leave the Island she is ready but her house isn't moving. DRAT!!


I did go to visit my Mother on Whidbey Island yesterday. It was a nice day but no sun but also no rain. Fantastic clouds and all the mountains were out at times. (no mt. pics Jacob)
We visited, I took her shopping etc and we went for a nice ride. We went to Coupeville and Fort Casey.
Fort Casey State Park is located on Whidbey Island in Washington state. Admiralty Inlet was considered so strategic to the defense of Puget Sound in the 1890s that three forts, Fort Casey on Whidbey Island, Fort Flagler on Marrowstone Island, and Fort Worden, were built at the entrance with huge guns creating a "Triangle of Fire" that could theoretically thwart any invasion attempt by sea. Fort Casey is now a 467 acres marine camping park. Fortunately there was never an invasion. Just tourists today.

Just stuff

I am drawing a blank today so you have a mish-mash of pics.

Mt. Rainier from my front room taken yesterday morning---just to make Jacob yawn. I am off to visit my Mother today so will see y'all tomorrow. MB


Here is another Cedar Stump house. It was found up in the woods and moved to the Stanwood fair grounds. Much smaller than the one in Arlington.

The tree full of birds I found interesting and silly. All in a row.

Museum pieces

Stillaguamish Valley Pioneer Museum in Arlington Washington is chock full of neat things. It doesn't open until February but some items are on the grounds for all to see every day.


Western Washington is logging country---but all the huge logs are gone.
Enlarge this cut and see the story it tells. Look at the date when this was donated.

These Cedar Stump houses were quite popular with Native Americans and Loggers alike. The stumps were huge and Cedar can make a cozy large room.
As you can see this stump was dedicated to this Doctor and the paper is dated 1934. I couldn't get it all because it got wet somehow. Not here where it rains ALL the time.


Old timers cabin

The Zoo

I love these animals made out of mufflers and pipes. I would like the horse and maybe the little pink pig.
Made at the Arlington Muffler Shop. MB

Oh no, I didn't even see the Eagle until I enlarged the pic. huh!!

Road trip to Omak

I took these pictures a while back, on a little trip I took to Omak in Eastern Washington.

To see more mosiacs or to participate go to:http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/

Late Winter Flowers in the PNW

Winter Jasmine A shrub not a vine.

Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera) very fragrant. A shrub not a vine

Primrose

Heleborus 'Ivory Prince'

Dawn Viburnum

My kitchen mural

Ever since I could remember I wanted a mural in my kitchen. When I was little my Aunt and Uncle had a mural in there kitchen--it was a small village with a train running through and the train looked as if it was going to come right out on the kitchen table. I was fascinated by it. Well times have changed and by golly I have grown up--but still no mural. I met an nice lady and her husband---they live in Florida--and they have a vinyl art business and they made me a fairy girl with butterflies and I added the poppies and--here she is. Now I have a sorta mural and it is in my kitchen and she is standing just above the table. I like it. MB

Sunrise on Sky Watch

This was the sunrise that went along with that great pick of Mt. Rainier. I do feel so lucky that I can observe this beauty right from my house. I never tire of it. MB

To see more spectacular sky photos go to: www.skyley.blogspot.com and join in yourself. MB

Wednesday Morning Mountain and Abe Lincoln

I went to visit my Mother today.

I got up early to get all my chores done and to enjoy the early sunrise and see Mt. Rainier in all her glory. Look at all the clouds boiling around her.

Went to catch the ferry to Whidbey and when I went through Everett I remembered reading in the paper that the Abraham Lincoln just returned to it's home port at the Everett Naval Station



USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), nicknamed "Abe", is the fifth Nimitz-class supercarrier in the United States Navy. She is the second Navy ship named after former president Abraham Lincoln. Her home port is Everett, Washington.

This is the best shot I could get of the ship. It is hard to get too close. MB

Tuesday Morning Mountain

The Mountain (Mt. Rainier) was out in beauty this morning. The sunrise lasted about 5 minutes and then--poof--it was gone leaving a very cold looking mountain and very gray skies.
MB

More Eagles

More Eagles on a gray day. The Wildlife Dept. says the Eagle Population is down this year because the chum Salmon run is down. It could be true. It is a cyclical thing. Still there are a lot out there to observe and I feel fortunate to get to see so many. Not that I am bragging or anything. LOL MB

Yep, I'm it!

Yes I have been tagged by Don and Krise of http://olympia-daily-photo.blogspot.com/.
Aren't I lucky. I usually avoid these types of things but thought "what the hay, I'll do it". Thanks to Don and Krise's clever manipulation. Well they chose me (and 7 others) so isn't that enough.
So I have to make lists of 8 things in 8 categories. I'm winging it here Ladies and Gentlemen so don't be too hard on me.

8 TV shows I occasionally watch
1. Jeopardy
2. Two and a half men
3. Law & Order Criminal Intent
4. What not to Wear
5. Any Rodeo
6. Cold case
7. Discover Channel
8. RFD TV

8 Places I like to eat or drink (just eat)
1. Bostons Smokey Point
2. Gordons Langley Whidbey Island
3. Lorenzos Mount Vernon
4. Elger Bay Cafe Camano Island
5. Beach Fire Grill whidbey
6. Christophers Whidbey
7. IHOP--the grandboys like it
8. Home of course

8 Things I look foward to
1. Road trip
2. Photo ops
3. Sunshine
4. Working outside
5. Horses
6. Visit my eldest on the Ranch
7. Stay at the Fire Outlook post in Oregon
8. Being in the Mountains

8 things I like about winter
1. Fire in the wood stove
2. Thanksgiving getogether
3 Christmas time
4. Snow
5. Family at home
6. Photo ops
7. Grandkids here on winter break
8. More snow

8 Things on my wish list
1. More money
2. New car
3. Finish garden plans
4. Cross fence the pastures
5. More road trips
6. More money
7. A piano
8. A big adventure

8 Things I am passionate about
1. My life
2. My family
3. Horses
4. Photography
5. Friends
6. Reading
7. Humor
8. Love

8 things I learned from the past
1. Never worry about things you have no control over
2. Be happy
3. Be honest
4. Smile at grumpy people
5. Love a lot
6. Always say please and thank you
7. Try
8. Try again

8 things I want and/or need
I am happy with what I have. The end

So now I am supposed to tag 8 newbies---but I am very bad at choosing so I will just say if any one wants to try this---go ahead. Just let me know if you are. Thanks, MB

Ruffled feathers

Lots of Eagles out and about today. It was a perfect day for them. They love to play in the windy weather. Swooping and flying. I like the frilly feathers in the second picture. I never can catch the flying ones. MB

Dawn Viburnum

These look almost like little Cherry trees and are so pretty in the dead of winter. And they smell good. The buds sometimes freeze if we have an extra cold December or January. this year we are quite mild so lots of blossoms.

This winter flowering viburnum is best planted in front of evergreen shrubs so the flowers stand out against a green background. Since they are fragrant plant them along a path that is frequented during the winter months. They bloom in the dead of winter and flowers hold up well during frosts. Excellent as a cut flower.

January 15th--Blog Day---Best photo of 2009

Red Tulips---April 2009

It is very hard to pick one photo out of thousands. so this is the one---Red tulips from the Skagit Valley. Largest bulb farms in the US.

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Reflections on the Lake

I went into Seattle today to visit my late husband's Aunt who is in a nursing home. It was a wet and rainy day but cleared a few hours around noon. I visited with the Aunt and thought I would take a little visit around where I grew up. I haven't been back that way for years. As I came around a corner and Green Lake popped into view I was greeted with this lovely view. I spent most of my summers playing around this lake. And other times too of course. A wonderful area to grow up. MB