First storm of the season coming through here so I’m using a picture from years ago. This a picture taken on our trip to Hawaii on 2017 at the Dole Plantation in Wahiawa.
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Where did the Summer go? The damp weather is setting in here in the Pacific Northwest. I sure will miss the sunshine but I’m looking forward to the holiday season. My favorite time of the year!
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I am working at it!
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This is a picture I’ve taken of Snoqualmie Falls in Washington State during the summer. The Falls can get pretty ferocious during the rainy season.
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It was quite a rainy and cloudy weekend. We were happy we chose not to go camping but we were also looking for something fun to do outdoors with the kids. We decided to check out Theler Wetlands in Belfair, WA. I’ve never been and neither has our 2 younger children but my husband has been there. It was fairly quiet with a few families and individuals out walking or jogging the trails. We decided to take just a short tour around a small part of it to accommodate our 5 year old and myself (*wink – it’s been a while since I’ve done any exercise.)
It was neat trail. Perfect for families with small children. Lots of different trees and plants. There were art and informational kiosks about native species along the way. There was also a big skeleton of a whale hanging from the ceiling of a shelter.
We were able to walk down a wooden pier and see the wetlands up close. It was low-tide so it was especially cool to see how deep the crevices ran in the marsh.
Someday I’d like to go back to extend our walk in towards the river side and hopefully catch some shots of birds with my camera. There’s no cost and no pass required to go on a hike there but there is a donation box to help with the upkeep and storm clean up.
The two pictures above are of the same gate just taken from different angles.
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Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it. ~ Maya Angelou
This photo of Mount Rainier was taking on a camping trip on Anderson Island, WA. Such a beautiful and relaxing place to be. We were fortunate to spend some quality time with wonderful friends.
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Our attempt to visit the famous hiking trail “Staircase Loop”, located along Lake Cushman in Hoodsport, WA, was thwarted by a Park Ranger and his truck with blinking lights. The trail head area was congested with too many other hikers. We were a little bummed but understood and knew that we were taking a chance of even getting to the trail on a Saturday. Note to self for next visit: Go early!
Instead we parked and walked across a bridge at the headwaters of the lake that allows residents to get to their homes on the other side of the lake. It was a pretty chilly day but there were so many visitors. Some were lounging next the water and others braved it and jumped in. It was great to just people watch. It was almost like things were somewhat normal.
It is such a beautiful lake. Everything is lush, green and and serene. The private campground that we’ve stayed at before is closed for the season, due to Covid-19. Hopefully things will be back to normal by next Summer so we can enjoy a stay. Skokomish Park
Here are just a few pictures on the lake. Not the best pictures because I’m still figuring out using the manual setting on my camera for distance and moving pictures.
Some white flower weeds found alongside the lake.
Madrona Tree
Camping finds.
Little crab with an “X” on it’s back hiding among the rocks.
Banded Alder Borer Beetle. Odd to see him hanging with the sea life.
Looks like this dried up clam missed going into someone’s cooking pot.
Yay! We finally made it to the Tulip Festival for the first time. We have lived here in the Pacific Northwest (Washington State) for over 20 years and I can finally check the “Visit Tulip Festival” box on my bucket list.
It was the usual rainy day for Washington and most of the tulips were still not in bloom in Skagit County but the flowers that were in bloom, including daffodils, were amazing to see. We were very happy to make it over despite the chilly weather. Here are some of the pictures I was able to capture during our visit to Roozengaard in Mount Vernon, WA.
Our daughter wanted jumped from one flower to the next, not really taking in the different varieties of tulips that were available for our eyes. She just loved the colors of all the “pretty flowers”.
Our son on the other hand is much older and took his time to observe the different flowers. He was even able to capture some of his own photos with his phone. At times he seemed really interested but for most teenage boys looking at flowers are not at the top of their “Spring Break” check-list. *wink*
What a beautiful sight. I can only imagine what it looks like when the rest of the tulips are in bloom. We decided we’d love to go back again. Hopefully next year… and the next… and the next.
Tips for our next visit…
Note: This would make a wonderful sisters, mother & daughter, or girlfriends trip!
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We live in such a wonderful community with so many great family friendly and budget friendly things to do. One of the activities that we are fortunate to have is the mini train rides from the Kitsap Live Steamers. Our mother in-law has been asking us for years to take her to check it out and this weekend was the perfect weekend to do it. She loved it so much they let her ride twice in a row. It was definitely an activity enjoyed by all!
The Kitsap Live Steamers is a non-profit organization and provides mini train rides for donations. The mini trains are located right in the South Kitsap Regional Park (Port Orchard, WA.) It is a beautiful park with walking trails, a large grassy field, a picnic shelter and a huge playground for young children to play on.
https://www.facebook.com/kitsaplivesteamers.org
Our Artsy Fartsy Family 