Have another grape!

 

Almost Autumn in the wetlands--- and, yes, there is water under the various plants in the flat areas.

 

Once there was a farm...

 

A secret meeting?

 

Looking into the Mt. St. Helens Caldera. The clouds come and go.

 

Coldwater Peak is on the left, and that's Mt. Adams in the distance.

 

Have a grape!

 

Forest magic...

 

Just sitting in the sun...

 

The storm...

 

Getting ready...

 

A change in the air-- There's a hint of Fall along the Toutle River.

 

Sharing today with Mersad's Through My Lens

Coldwater Peak in the spotlight of the early evening sun. Minnie Peak, far left, is in the shadows.

 

A daisy and a fern--- That's a nice combination!

 

Cloudy, but no rain---

 

For 87 years the Weyerhaeuser Log Train climbed up and down the hills and crossed the rivers and creeks, moving logs, lumber, equipment, and people. But the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980, along with changing needs eventually led to the end of the log train--- It will be 10 years next march since the last train ran on these old rails. I miss seeing the log train.

 

Always the same, always different, this part of the wetlands walk is glowing in the early evening sunlight.

 

I don't care what it is, I just want to hear the stories it could tell...

 

I have no idea what all these little red berries are, but they are lovely to see in some of the corners of the forest. The birds and the critters don't eat them, so I'm not about to try one.

 New information:  Susan, a long-time hiker, tells me that these are huckleberries!  Not very tasty, but safe.  Thanks, Susan!

There's one of the biggest dogs I've ever seen keeping watch up ahead. Keep smiling...

 

This part of the wetlands is glorious as the summer colors anticipate the fall!

 

Chipper just came to say hello!

 

It's very quiet around this barn today...

 

And poof! The day is done.

 

And in the late afternoon light, there's a glow to Coldwater Ridge, with Minnie Peak standing proud in the background.

 

Morning light at Coldwater Lake. Johnston Ridge rises in the distance, with Mt. St. Helens beyond that.

 

Sharing today with Mersad's Through My Lens

Let's sit by this little pond for a while...

 

Deep in the woods, this beautiful fungus looks a lot like a bird bath. Wouldn't it be great if some craft person could make a trickling fountain that looked exactly like this!

 

Summer light in the forest...

 

Isn't it amazing! And I have no idea what this little flower in the woods is. I've never seen anything quite like it.

 Thanks to Helen and Antonia, we have the answer!  Prunella Vulgaris--- Heal All!

Take-off!

 

We had a little rain this morning--- the first in a few weeks.

 

A swallow resting a bit in the wetlands. The lily pads are beginning to "rust."

 

A beautiful street light, and a gorgeous flower basket soften the look of the little jailhouse. It was built in 1907 and is unused these days

 

OK, this is just for fun: Our Garden of Earthly Delights--- featuring our chainsaw-carved Tasmanian Devil. The birdhouses often have tree frogs living in them. That's OK-- They're rent-free.

 

Solitude...

 

Here's another bulk cargo ship on the Columbia River-- the Josco Changzou, out of Hong Kong--- fully laden and headed West toward the Pacific.

 

Way up on top of the navigation sign, an Osprey watches from its nest as the POS Oceania motors on by, heading to one of our nearby ports to load up. The ship is a bulk carrier (usually grain in this part of the world), built in 2012 and sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands.

 

Tug boats are a vital part of shipping on the Columbia River. The two in this picture are the most common types we see. The Amy Brusco, on the left, pushes barges. The tall tower is so the captain can see over the barges to navigate. The larger Bo Brusco (on the right) is for towing vessels or guiding the larger ships that dock in the ports of Longview, Kalama, or Vancouver/Portland. And yes, that's an Osprey nest atop the pole in the center.

 

Bright and cheerful wildflowers and grass always find a way to grow-- even on top of these old pilings in the Columbia River.

 

I'm surprised that the boat named Tigger is still afloat. Wildflowers and other plants have taken over the old dock. They don't care if they have dirt or not!

 

A little wood duck came by to see us...

 

Summer colors in the clearcut meadow...

 

Ready and willing!

 

We can't see over the top of the hill, but the flowers make us hopeful...