Cabrillo

I have been here before.  The Cabrillo National Monument sits out at the end of Point Loma and overlooks both San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean.  The monument commemorating Juan Cabrillo for his exploration in this area sits high on a cliff.  There are walking paths that take the hiker down to the tide pools or up to the lighthouse.  It is a place that I enjoy visiting every time I come to San Diego.  Even on a crowded day I can find a spot on a bench and sit quietly while gazing at the blue waters below.  It is a very peaceful place to be while taking in the beauty of nature.

fruit bunny

I put this fruit bunny together as a special surprise for the grandkids.  Can you see the bunny face?  I really worked hard on this.  I understand the Food Network is not interested in this work of art.  Their loss.

cascades

I was in Washington recently and I had the opportunity to drive on some of the mountain roads that wound their way up into the Cascades.  We drove until the snow covering the road stopped us.  It smelled so good with all the pine surrounding us.  We took lots of hikes and had a great time.  The views are spectacular.  How refreshing!!

the ice caves

While I was visiting Washington recently I had the opportunity to visit the ice caves.  The caves are formed when the melted snow runs off of the mountains and runs under the snow field at the base of the mountain.  The caves were just starting to form for the season as the temperatures were rising.  The ice caves are at the end of a well marked hiking trail and are located about a mile or so off of the main road.  There is a nice parking lot at the head of the trail.  It proved to be a popular hike the day we were there.  A lot of people were playing in the snow field that day.  It's definitely something to see and a nice hike in the refreshing outdoor air, too.  

blue flowers

On our way up to the Johnston Observatory that overlooks Mt. St. Helens we stopped at the Weyerhaeuser  museum and learned about how the company was instrumental in the re-forestation program in the area after the volcano eruption wiped out hundreds of acres of standing pine.  I noticed these patches of beautiful blue flowers growing near the building.  I couldn't resist snapping a few shots of the lovely blue plants.  Enjoy the colors!

Mt. St. Helens

It's amazing what beauty and destruction can be found in nature.  Take Mt. St. Helens in Washington for example.   On May 18, 1980 the volcano within the mountain blew away one side of the mountain and sent mud, trees and other debris down the Toutle River and created this mud flow plain.  Hundreds of acres of timber were blown over and the topography of the land was immensely changed.

Here is Mt. St. Helens thirty eight years later.  Forests were replanted and are now ready for harvest.  Wildlife has returned and flourishes and on a clear day the mountain looks at peace.  This photo was taken while visiting the Johnston Observatory.  Beautiful!  Just a reminder though...the mountain is only sleeping.   shhhhh

Multnomah Falls

I've been here several times before but it is always a pleasure to see the falls whenever I am driving along Interstate 84 in Oregon.  This visit was a little different, though.  The upper bridge was closed to the public because of falling rocks in the area.  Last year there were massive wild fires in the region and the burn area suffered a great loss of ground vegetation.  With the plant growth gone, the soil eroded away and the end result was falling rocks.  So, no upper bridge this time.  phooey!