We've had quite a bit of snow in the mountains in the past few days-- way overdue. Here's a shot, looking across the wetlands, and Silver Lake. Mt. St. Helens is peeking out of the clouds here and there...

 

I love the fact that we live as close as we do to the wetlands and the forest. This is the tree-lined part of the wetlands walk. It never gets old.

 

Old wood and old hardware, the old barn has moss growing on the windowsill.

 

Marvin and Millicent Mallard, enjoying the occasional sunbreak...

 

I don't hang around churches or graveyards much, but the St. Francis Xavier Church near Toledo is a lovely, peaceful spot I always enjoy. I've even seen a family of bald eagles in the trees there. A plaque says that the Cowlitz Mission, founded in 1838 was the first mission in the Pacific Northwest, and that the church was the first Catholic church in what later became the state of Washington. The present church building came much later, of course.

 

RIP Log Train

 We always enjoyed seeing the Weyerhaeuser log train, especially up in the hills.

The log trains were removed from service a few years back, but we caught the tail end of this one headed toward the steep grade down toward the mill.

But here's the exact same spot just a week ago.  The rails have been removed, and nature is reclaiming what belongs to her.  People seeing the right of way today have to use their imaginations.  RIP log train.

The coots are calm, and so is the pond in Toledo.

 

Castle Rock's wonderful Riverfront Trail, as the evening fog starts forming over the Cowlitz River...

 

A peaceful early evening moment along the Columbia River near Cathlamet.

 

Following the sun...

 

I love this fence!

 

A dark, wintry day at the wetlands...

 

The sun was gone-- This is just an outdoor light on the side of a house nearby. But it was the shapes and shadows that really surprised me when I first looked at the image with the computer!

 

This is one of two trunks from a large tree in a shady spot by the river. It's a great example of how things grow just about anyplace. There are two different kinds of moss growing out of the tree, and there are ferns galore growing out of the moss! All on the trunk of a tree!

 

The impossible sky! Thursday night's sky was lit up in a way we have never seen before in the 35 years we've lived in our little town. The whole sky was on fire!

 

The weather can add a lot of mystery to the mountains...

 

And the wheels go round and round... 130 year old farm equipment.

 

The tree knows. The tree knows we're there. I think it's glad we're there.

 

This road near Olequa was originally the first Northern Pacific right of way as the railroad built its route from Portland to Seattle. It, along with a bridge across the Cowlitz River, dates from 1871. A station was built in Olequa, but early travelers had to switch to stagecoaches there if they were headed north. There was a store and a hotel —and a surprising number of people living in the area —including a long-time Native American village near Olequa. The Northern Pacific moved its route later, including a new bridge. The old bridge was at the end of this road, where you can see a fallen branch. The flood of 1906 wiped out what was left of the original bridge, leaving only a single concrete pier. As for the town of Olequa, there's little to show that it ever existed.

 

Absolutely no AI, no additions or subtractions! This guy with the green hair was discovered peeking at us through the trees. It's completely natural, and downright scary!

 

The magical, hidden-away barn...