Beachin'

The last day of school L called me and proposed a very-last-minute (as in that very morning) trip down to Cannon Beach.  I was packed and in the car in 25 minutes.  We picked up the girls when school let out and off we sped for a couple of glorious days being beach babies, walking the beach, playing in the tide pools, looking for sand dollars, riding the banana bikes, and just relaxing and enjoying.  It didn't hurt that Cannon Beach is an incredibly beautiful place to do all of that!

Abstract

Oil and water don't mix.  All I can say is "Thank goodness!"  Amazing colors and designs occur...

Sylvan Glade

A path along the river offered several little side paths that led down to the river.  At this spot, it was so mossy, and so shady that the light was nearly green.  It was an enchanted spot, with only the sound of the birds and the river rushing by.  Mosses covered everything...rocks, trees, branches...making everything look upholstered.

Deception Falls

Due to the rain lately and the snow melt, Deception Falls was rushing, gushing, tumbling, rolling, crashing, thundering its way down...  Standing on a footbridge, looking upstream

 The view when you turn around, looking downstream

 Along the side of the creek, a large group of boulders offered a quieter, smaller offshoot, perfect for slow water shots.

Color Along the Way

A meander down a side street in Startup yielded an old barn, which had too much clutter surrounding it, but there was a wonderful little outbuilding with a pile of bricks along side.  Kudos to ML for spotting it!  I love the combination of lines and textures and tones.

 Couldn't decide whether I like it solo, or framed by the branches...

 A river rafting/kayaking business in Index had vividly colorful kayaks all lined up, waiting for someone to brave the waters of the Skykomish River.

Mountain Majesties

 

As we poked along Hwy. 2 on our way to Deception Falls, the mountains played peekaboo with us behind the Doug firs lining the road.  Hwy 2 is a 2-lane road with narrow shoulders, and very few places to pull over, let alone any that offer a view.  When we found one, we peeled off the road as quickly as possible to take advantage of the vista in front of us.

 Later we stopped in Index...it's so small I don't even think you could call it a village.  The view, though, is spectacular!

Big Eddy

Ml invited me on a ramble on a beautiful sunny warm Friday, and off we went in search of waterfalls.  On the way to Deception Falls, we came across Big Eddy State Park on the Skykomish River.  A railroad trestle crossing the river made the place scenic; it would've been even better if we could've timed it to have a train on the trestle!

 The water color was phenomenal.  As we walked along the edge of the river, we kept "oohing" and "aahing" at the changing colors of the river.

Spring Beauties

My favorite rhodie...love the outlined edges of the petals.

 I don't know what this is...but I want it for my yard!  The blossoms are abut the size of your thumbnail, and so delicate and pretty.  I love the way the backside of the petals are pink outlined with white. 

The Benefit of Rain

We are enjoying some sun and warm weather right now, which is so welcome after all our recent rain.  One of the benefits, though, of that rain are the opportunities to find refractions in the raindrops.  I end up with wet knees at the very least, but it is worth it!

Sunny at Rattlesnake

Went out to Rattlesnake today--me and a zillion of my closest friends!  Parking lots full, people parked on both sides of the road for at least 1/4 mile before you even reached RS.  Fortunately I know a little-known parking area and headed straight there.

 

Gorgeous weather today--warm, sunny, a little breeze, bright blue skies--just the kind of weather that we live for here in the NW. 

 The little falls that runs down to the lake was full and gushing from all the rain we've had recently.   Hard to get nice slow shots in full sun, but I tried.

 I couldn't resist focusing in closely on this section of the falls with the underlying color...

 ..and this little larch leaf, caught on a rock and bobbing in the current, resisting being swept away.

Sidetracked

On our way up to Granite Falls, ML and I were sidetracked by this barn with the charming attached mini-barn.  Don't know what the purpose of the smaller building was, but it certainly caught our eyes and caused us to take an unplanned side trip.  Well worth it!

 Across the road was another old barn...not as charming, but one that was showing the patina of the years.

 Next door to the dual barn was this barn; I really liked the windows set on point flanking the loft doors.  Even with a metal roof this barn had character.

 A hawthorne tree was blooming profusely in the front yard of an abandoned house.  So gorgeous!

 Purple iris and yellow buttercups---what a perfectly lovely combination!!