Outside, Looking Inside, Looking Outside

Now, don't move...

Finding beauty everyplace!

That's what we like to do...

Grandeur

Twins

Windy In the Gorge!

There appears to be a convention of water birds in foreground.

Old, Sun Baked, Well Used

Glorious!

Mallard In Twilight

This duck isn't quite sure about the man with the camera...

Come Into My Parlor...

These colorful critters all come out this time of year.  They can build a web across the front walkway in 10 minutes.  Sometimes I'll see one in a giant web---waiting for dinner---and I'll blow on him.  This will cause the spider to shake, almost vibrate, to scare me away.

Early Morning Mist

We've really been enjoying being up by the mountain really early in the morning these summer mornings.

It's MY Tree!

An osprey, high above the wetlands walk

Very Early This Morning...

Waiting...

The Sun Says Goodnight

But I'm not sure the mountain ever sleeps... 

Meanwhile, Back In The Gorge...

We love living on the "wet" side of the Cascades, but

we are really looking forward to a trip through the gorge to the "dry" side--in the Fall when it's cooler and the wildfires will be out.  

Wildflower Bouquets

Even in the Mt. St. Helens blast zone, the wildflowers thrive in August--right next to the remains of trees blown over all those years ago.

And Two Ospreys In A Fir Tree

...waiting for the super moon.

Scamper!

Just Past Sunrise

...at the south end of Coldwater Lake

Early Morning Fishing 

Coldwater Lake was beautiful this morning when we got there very early.  Very, very early.  We even beat these guys, and when you beat the fishermen, that's early!

Near Sunset Light

Originally this path was a log-train right of way.

The setting sun makes it even more beautiful.

Mallard In The Twilight

Twilight in the wetlands, after dinner last night...

Hey!  It's Not Fall Yet!

This little tree is decked out in fall colors.

And this was just yesterday afternoon!

Where's my calendar......

A Forest Friend...

I always look for my friend on our favorite path at Seaquest State Park.  Today I couldn't tell if he was saying "Welcome!", or "HELP ME!"

Loosen Up!

The Back Porch Choir

These swallows almost look like musical notes

lined up against the white wall of the

Brusco Tugboat floating building in Cathlamet

Warm...

...dry weather has pretty much zapped all the snow

on Mt. St. Helens, but the result is a clear view

of much of the top third of the mountain now

spread out around the northwest side. 

Rain and snow runoff has carved huge canyons in the flow.

I wish there were some way of really showing the 

gigantic scale of this scene.

Always Beckoning...

No critters around, but the wetlands path is always waiting 

with a new view-- and a new mystery.

Peaceful...

No, I'm not going to take up fishing, but this scene of the single boat out on Silver Lake sure made me think about it.