September 19th Usually
September is a month to slow down, harvest the tomatoes after fending
off frost a couple times... That has happened except for the
slowing down part. I got in a performance of music with
Old Plank Road at my local library a couple weeks ago. Then last
week we combined a trip to a new pottery supplier in Tacoma with a trip
to Rainier National Park. The National Parks are mostly suffering
from overuse, but by this time in September there was ample camping
spots available even with half of the campground getting repaved... The
trip started by going down to US 12, and taking it west across
Washington. Near Clarkston the hills were desert dry, and the
Snake river still behind a dam:
Our
first view of Mt. Rainier was about 30 miles outside the park. It
proved to be the only view without a clouded top, but since it was
backlit looks a bit dark:
In
the park were interesting walks to waterfalls, with this deep ravine
showing how high the water sometimes comes, depositing trees high above
the blue water...
This snapshot as we drove shows the fall colors and some of the volcanic spires along the way to Paradise...
Here's the view of Rainier from Reflection Lake (too breezy for a reflection)
This
view shows a dark gray clot of glacier covered with overburden with a
small stream pouring down the middle of the characteristic U shaped
valley. (Also a couple of tourist heads)
About a mile away on the glacier we spotted this ice cave...
Finally
back home I spotted a coyote crossing a field on our way up to church.
The lighting was poor, but it's the best coyote photo I've
gotten...
Sept. 26 We
finally made a trip this week to see Upper Priest Falls, also known as
American Falls. We'd hiked a couple miles up the 7 mile trail to
it last year, and drove to the end of the road, where a shorter 2.5
mile trail started to the falls. The shorter trip was down 1000
feet in elevation, meaning you have to climb 1000' to get back to the
car. The 10 switchbacks made it a slow but tolerable climb.
We had a perfect fall day for it, and the rains the week before
brought out the "flowers of fall"--mushrooms in all their various
glories...
With
a record drought this summer the falls was not overwhelming, but
pleasant. My son went for a short swim in the pool (air temps
below 70 degrees that day).
We had the whole hike and waterfalls to ourselves, our own private Idaho... Actually
this dipper bird, or ouzel, joined us. The aquatic bird is
equally at home on the rocks by rapids or diving in them.
Usually when I see them they are in dark valleys, but the lighting was
excellent. The above photo catches the wild rapids they forage
in. This photo is the best I've gotten of the bird itself...
books read
The
Inspector Graham mysteries. A fine set of English detective
mysteries with a bit of warm human touch and clever denouements...
Available on Amazon Prime.
