Canyon Lake Ridge Hike 7.4.10

Stopped by to take a look at the BJ launch on our way to the trail head.


Wood and windsock.


A fun hike with creek crossings (winter was unkind to the foot bridges), grouse family, bear scat...lots of it, and fossils. Oh, and a bit of rain.


So hard to get a decent photo of this guy.


Jan pointing to our starting point at the lake.

Blanchard 7.3.10 and 7.5.10

Murdoch


My launch.


The fox glove are thriving.


Wolf on his way to launch and looking at me with great suspicion.


Too strong and north for us, but just right for the kite surfers.

Idaho 6.27.10

A single cloud forming near Pendelton, OR.


Watching a dramatic thunder storm moving in.


The sky was swirling.


When the rain hit, we moved our storm watching headquarters indoors. Mother Nature once again provided the best entertainment.


And, in a different living room, Grandma, Mom and I posed for pictures to document a fun summer visit.

Vancouver Island, BC 4.10

Our version of the unexpected: meeting a family from Alberta in an otherwise deserted rain forest, getting our feet wet on the boggy trail, hail, remnants of a tropical garden, and the song of a bugling elk.


We have nurse logs in Washington forests, but nothing like what we found on Vancouver Island.


We had some sunshine and beautiful dramatic clouds on the beach at Tofino.


Dinner on the beach at sunset. Perfect.


Lots of moisture to feed the moss and giant trees.

Kiona Eagle Release 2.19.10

Stories of eagles and ancestors.


Golden eagle feathers.


This Golden will never be released into the wild because it lost most of its sight after getting hit by a car.


Getting ready to release a Bald Eagle nursed back to health after eating a tainted carcass (someone didn't dispose of a euthenized animal properly).


Back in flight. Good luck, fly strong, be well!


http://www.bluemountainwildlife.org/

Guemes Island 1.30.10

Beach games


James & Sandy


Sandy & Meg


Cary & James


James & Meg


Meg & Cary


Look, a bird!


Sandy


Anna


Finds

Whidbey Island 1.9.10

We spent 3-4 hours enjoying a sunny, blue sky day. Winds were too strong to fly, so we made due with walking on the beach. Back at launch, we walked the bluff trail and stood just south of launch watching an RC flyer and scanning the wind and water for change. Beth noticed that the low bank of clouds that had been sitting in a band next to the Olympic Peninsula all day was moving toward us. As we watched, the cloud moved closer and closer and after 15-20 minutes surrounded us completely.