Point No Point Lighthouse

We visited the Point No Point lighthouse in early July.  It sits at the very northern edge of Bainbridge Island on the shipping channel leading to Seattle.  There is a narrow beach and lots of people were out enjoying the sunny afternoon.  A twig and some waves are all that is needed for some delightful entertainment.  Letters written in the sand come and go with each wave.  A beautiful old lighthouse and keeper's quarters grace the grounds.  Beautiful and picturesque.  And refreshing.

Poulsbo Bakery

Look where I was on the Second of July.  I was in Poulsbo, Washington.  It is a Norwegian town on Bainbridge Island.  And, these goodies were on display in Sluys Bakery.  Very patriotic, don't you think?  We got one of these delicious cupcakes to share.  ummm.....delightful.  It was a very hot day so we also stopped for ice cream.  Excellent.  Yummies all around!!  And a nice way to celebrate the Second.

Seattle's Space Needle

         Just a nice picture of the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington.  Very iconic landmark!!

Snoqualmie Falls

I took a trip to Snoqualmie Falls in Washington recently.  It is in the Cascade Mountains east of Seattle and is a very beautiful area to visit.  The above picture was taken with the artistic feature on my camera.  Below is the color version.  Natural beauty at it's best!!

pancake puppies

My sister and I ate at a well known restaurant while in Vancouver and I saw this on the menu.  Pancake puppies look like a combination of hush puppies and drop doughnuts but taste like pancakes.  They are made from pancake batter and these were sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.  They were served hot with a side bowl of syrup and they are as tasty as ever!!  Yum-m-m-m-m!!!

Queen Elizabeth Gardens

We visited the Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Vancouver, B.C.   The sculptured gardens are amazing.  Small artichoke plants are used to create patterns and borders.  I have not seen this done before.  The gardens cover several acres and include two sunken quarry gardens.

The garden is also the home of the Bloedel Floral Conservatory.  I think it looks like a space ship.

The gardens sit at a high point above the city and offer a panoramic view of Vancouver.

My Sister Is A Butterfly

                               Happy Birthday to the most wonderful sister in the whole world!!!

Capilano Suspension Bridge

We went to see (and hike) the Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver, B.C. the other day.  The bridge was constructed in the early 1900's and is still "hanging" in there today.  We went in the morning when the crowds were still eating breakfast somewhere and we were able to walk around and enjoy the area without any lines.  The bridge crosses the river below and leads us into a temperate rain forest lush with greenery.

Elevated boardwalks led us through the forest.  There were small plaques along the way telling about the flora and fauna found in this special place.

On one side of the bridge is a granite rock wall that has an arched walkway engineered into the rock wall that allows people to walk over the forest as if suspended on air.  This is the Cliffwalk.

                                    The beauty of nature abounds.....and so do these little guys.

Grouse Mountain

My sister and I took a trip to Vancouver, B.C. and ended up on the top of Grouse Mountain.  Actually, we took a gondola ride to the top and we certainly knew what we were doing.  And we had a blast.  The scenery is spectacular and the mountain air is refreshing.  This is a view from the gondola ascent looking back at the buildings below.

                               Log carvings were plentiful.  I especially liked this growling bear.

                                   There is a falcon handler who gave a great talk about the birds.

Two lumberjacks were having a log rolling contest.  They both got dunked.  The mountaintop was filled with walking paths, nature gardens and an incredible bee hive area.  Everything on the mountain is geared to bring the visitor closer to understanding the intertwining elements of nature beginning with the flower and the process of pollination.  On the way down the mountain we were able to witness a magnificent view of the setting sun's copper reflection on the river.

Leavenworth, Washington

Here we are in Leavenworth, Washington.  The main street has an Alpine theme and all the store fronts and facades have been transformed to take on the look of an Alpine village.  The town was a former railroad hub that lost the railroad to a town farther to the south.  In order to keep the economy of the town strong, the residents decided to transform the town into a tourist destination.  It is located on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.  Lots of fun.  Enjoyable stay.

today's thought

                                                                  Need I say more?