And on the other side of the walk, RED!

 

Wow! The white rhodies are popping near our front door! Spring!

 

A proud poppy, and some bashful bluebells...

 OK---   My error.  It's a tenacious tulip!

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We've found these tiny flowers, all from one plant, in only one spot on the wetlands path. They are very small, very delicate, and very beautiful!

 

Sometimes different trees and different light can make for surprises in the forest.

 

A Spring explosion!

 

Take your time. Enjoy the moment. The rest will drift away.

 

It's a lovely day to be together...

 

It's true! Spring has come to the wetlands!

 

Shape up, people!!

 He seems quite agitated...

It's like the tall evergreen conifers are sheltering the maples! And the new leaves on the maple trees are absolutely glowing!

 

A little bit of everything!

 

OK, let's just hang out here for a while...

 

The chipmunks like to hang out in this one tree at the wetlands. This one is enjoying his lunch.

 

He's glad to be there on a beautiful Spring day!

 

Flying low...

 

Mrs. Redwing Blackbird looks quite charming on her lily pad.

 

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A grand display as some heavy showers move through the area!

 

Showers on and off in the wetlands as the day is ending...

 

A little rain, a little sunshine, but it's still a perfect walk for late in the day.

 

Look! The pale green newly sprouted leaves on the deciduous tree on the right are a welcome sight!

 

She's just an ordinary domestic white duck, but I think she is very beautiful in this natural setting...

 

Finally, it's Spring! Our camellias are popping out!

 

The days are getting longer. Early evening light on the meadow near our house shows off the green grass that will probably have a few cattle grazing soon.

 

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A wonderful old barn...

 

But look what happens when the storm passes and the sun comes out!

 

A very active surf during the storm...

 

Stormy!

 

All by themselves...

 

It's always good to see the ocean...

 

Ready to light the way..

 

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Matilda says the weekend is the time to be lazy and sit in the sun.

 

Turn around, look at me... The first wild rose of spring.

 

This is why we love the forest...

 

He's very tall.

 

On an afternoon when the light was very special, the mainline railroad bridge over the Cowlitz River was very beautiful.

 

It was a perfect, bright, sunny day-- Looking over the wetlands and Silver Lake to a Beautiful Mt. St. Helens.

 

The old barn on Hazel Dell Road...

 

Shall we go this way, or that way?

 

Once upon a time...

 

Coldwater Ridge looks especially nice with the sunlight on the snow. The Visitors Center on the ridge offers the best view of the Mt. St. Helens caldera since the road to Johnston Ridge was washed out last year. The lake is as far as you can go until the middle of 2026, they say.

 

It's peaceful. It's a place where one can think about things more clearly.

 

Looking inside, and looking outside.

 

The Southwest has many beautiful old missions. The Northwest has many beautiful old lighthouses!

 

At the end of the day in the wetlands...

 

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