Trilliums Galore!
2019/04/17: Today I stumbled upon one of the best patches of trilliums I've ever come across. They were growing in a small copse of woodland that's surround by farmland and have obviously been there since there was a lot more woodland and a lot less farmland!
2019/05/28: The perfect stop for the last day of our Sedona trip. The Phoenix Dessert Botanical Garden is only about 10 minutes from the airport and so an easy last stop before heading home.
2019/06/25: Hedgehog heading out on the town at 12:20am. Staggers home with a smile on it's face at 2:30am :)
2019/06/23: The end of the Apre Canyon trail where is meets up with the Loowit loop trail. Trees and clouds most of the way but we were rewarded with some views at the end.
2019/06/22: Hedgehogs are still visiting Mum & Dads back Garden & Dad is still getting some good pics!
2019/06/19 A quick after work hike of the Multnomah - Wahkeena Loop!
Caught in the Vortex! (Movie_)
Chiyoko caught in the cowpies Vortex!
2016/05/27: Still trying catch up on our Sedona pics. Our last hike in Sedona was the Mud Wagon Trail to the Cowpies Vortex. Rain and the threat of thunderstorms kept us at lower elevations that we would have liked but still a good hike. We got caught is a short but quite violent hail storm when exposed at the Cowpies vortex!
2019/06/15: Chiyoko, Pascal & I spent a work day up at Nesika Lodge. We got two coasts of paint on the eaves of the roof and the doors. Looks spic and span now!
2019/06/16: Working at Nesika Lodge on Saturday we wanted something easy for our Sunday hike. We settled on the "Other" Eagle Creek trail in the Salmon Huckleberry Wilderness. partly because it was relatively low elevation old forest hike and partly because it had been nine years since we last hiked it!
2019/06/11: A few hours in Nashville! After attending a plant conference in Raleigh NC I drove with Kit one of our company salesmen the 530 miles to Winchester TN. We spent Monday & Tuesday visiting nurseries in the area then I had a few free hours in Nashville before heading home to Oregon.
The people you run into on the streets of Nashville!
2019/05/26:Sugarloaf Mt. was an easy 1 mile jaunt about a mile away from our B&B we went up in the evening for a look south over Sedona.
2019/05/26: The Boynton Vista vortex
2019/05/26: For our Second hike on the Sunday we headed for Boynton Canyon. Boynton Canyon is a bit different than many other hikes in the Sedona area. A 3 mile one way trip into the Canyon. As the Canyon walls close in and provide more protection a forest of Oaks, Big Tooth Maples & Pine trees takes hold & thrives. Isolated & cut off in the Canyon from the outside world. Also our 4th Vortex ticked off the list
2019/06/02: 2019/06/02: A usual spring climb up to McNeil Shelter and beyond! A few weeks earlier than we usually make this trek but the snow if melting fast. We did take the scramble route both ways as there was still a bit too much snow for comfort on the regular trail, especially on the steep north facing section.
2019/06/01: A few late night test shots up on Larch Mt with Pascal.
Typical Sedona!
2019/05/25: Our second hike of the day was a loop around Bell Rock & Courthouse Butte. Lots of big open views and 2 Power spots, Bell Mountain itself & Spaceship Rock.
2019/05/25: Our second day in Sedcna began with a 7:00am start on a loop around Hogwash to Arrow Point. From there we hiked over to the Chapel of the Holy Cross which was swarming in tourists! From here we walked the final half mile down the road to complete the loop.
2019/05/25:Our second day in Sedcna began with a 7:00am start on a loop around Hogwash to Arrow Point. From there we hiked over to the Chapel of the Holy Cross which was swarming in tourists! From here we walked the final half mile down the road to complete the loop.
2019/05/24: Our first hike in Sedona on the day we arrived after flying into phoenix from home then driving North to Sedona.
2019/05/22: A Nix Silver Effects Pro version.
2019/05/19: Very very green, the low water section of the larch Mt. trail.
2019/05/19: A drive in the country in a 1931 Buick with Kazuko, Chiyoko, Pascal & Pavel!
2019/05/13: We got to see this goat doing what Mt. goats do best! Scrambling around on the steep rocks just below the Johnston Ridge observatory on Mt St Helens.
2019/05/13: In keeping with our recent theme of hiking to places before they are "open" today we hiked up to the Mt. St. Helens Johnston Ridge observatory from the Hummocks TH where the road remained gated until the 18th. We only ran into a couple of other folks in the morning a few more in the afternoon! we need to go back in 4-6 weeks when the flowers are out!
2019/05/09: I never pass Maryhill Stonehenge without stopping!
2019/05/09: A quick stop at the Ginkgo Petrified Forest Near Vantage WA. Unfortunately it was a disappointing stop! A super interesting area but with all the petrified trees in pits behind think black bars it's impossible to really appreciate them.
2019/05/09: My second Columbia River crossing of the day on my way home from Wenachee. The Wild horse overlook near Vantage WA & the Ginkgo Petrified forest.
2019/05/08: A quick there and back trip to Wenachee for work. The Columbia River as it rolls through Wenachee on it's long winding way to Oregon & the Pacific ocean.
2019/05/05: Margaritas as post hike refreshment to celebrate cinco de Mayo & Chizurus birthday!
2019/05/05: Hard to believe on such a beautiful day but we had the whole area to ourselves! A 2.3 mile walk in from where the snow blocked the road. Then the very snowy Anthill trail over to Tomlike Mt. Stunning views as always from the top of Tomlike. From here we traveled cross country down to the PCT and the lake shore. Just shy of 11 miles all told.
2019/05/02: A quick after work loop around Trillium Lake, the loop is still mostly snow covered but melting fast!
2019/04/28: A April trip to Burnt Lake, we were prepared for and expecting a lot of snow but found none until the last half mile before the lake. Perfect conditions, we had the lake to ourselves for the morning, past some other groups hiking up in the afternoon. On the way back down we made a short detour to Still Creek Falls.
2019/04/26: Driving through The Dalles on Friday we could see from the freeway that Seven Mile Hill looked to be at peak bloom so we decided to go and check it out. Probably the best display we have seen there over the last few years!
2019/04/26: We finally got around to visiting Tsagaglalal (She who watches) and the other Pictographs at the Colombia Hills State park. All those before the train photo are in the public viewing area and have been moved from their original locations which would now be below the water level of the Columbia River. Those after the train are still in their original locations on the rocks they were painted on between 200 & 1000 years ago.
2019/04/25: We finally got around to using a gift card I was given 4 years ago for a stay at Skamania Lodge. We decided to use it to celebrate our 11th Wedding anniversary, all very fancy!
2019/04/25: A walk around White Salmon, kite surfing, street art, craft beer, old classic cars and the best junk yard around ☺
2019/04/22: My first go at opening and cleaning Butter Clams from the Oregon Coast. Next step a Panko dressing then into the fryer!
2019/04/21: A great Easter Sunday at Lost Lake! Cloudy and cold in the morning but the Sun came out in the afternoon. We managed to make it around the lake loop trail even though it was under water in a few spots!
2019/04/18: The best place to finish an evening walk about town!
2018/04/18: An evenings walk in the rarefied air among the palatial homes of Alameda Ridge in southeast Portland. Our main reason for the walk was to take in all the public stairways in the area. The "official" route is 4.4 miles we made it a bit longer by starting and ending at the Moon & sixpence!
2019/04/17: Today I stumbled upon one of the best patches of trilliums I've ever come across. They were growing in a small copse of woodland that's surround by farmland and have obviously been there since there was a lot more woodland and a lot less farmland!
2019/04/17: Mum & Dad, an evening walk along the bay © Jane Meacham
2019/04/14: Our first "Flower hike" of the year, the Gorge flowers are late this year, normally in full force by now they are just getting going! Another grey and gloomy Sunday in the PNW but we did find some bright yellow!
2019/04/12: Celebrating Mana, Pascal & Gregg's April Birthdays with our first go at an escape room. We got close but didn't manage to escape within the 60 minute time limit! Still lots of fun!
2019/04/11: We took a quick after work trip down to Willamette Falls to see how they looked after all the recent rain.
2014/10/27: Back to sorting through more of our 2014 Japan Trip pics. Time to say goodbye to Shizuoka and family as we head to Saitama near Tokyo for 2 days of nursery tours with our friend Isamu. On day 1 we toured Isamu's family nursery as well as the famous Akira Shibamichi's nursery, Kobayashi nursery & a quick stop at Garden Kinsato where you will find more unique plants crammed in a small place that you will find just about anywhere else in the world!