A Walk in the Arboretum

The clouds have been gathering and the sky is getting dark.  Soon I will begin to hear the sound of raindrops on the roof which will probably last the rest of the afternoon and into the night.  Last week however, it was a different story as my cousin came to visit and we were able to enjoy a lovely walk in the sunshine at the Evergreen Arboretum located in one of our local parks. It's not very large which makes it a perfect place for me to enjoy all the beautiful plants without getting overtired.  There are many types of evergreen trees in this garden.  However, I was more interested in the flowers and shrubs.

Here were the last of the late summer dahlias still in bloom and such a pretty shade of yellow tinged with peach.

Nearby was a section filled with different shades of pink and purple.

I don't know if this is a type of fuschia or something else altogether.  The color combination is striking.

This bench was the perfect place to stop and take a break and to enjoy the tranquility surrounding us before moving on to navigate the steps up to the fountain.

  

 

The green leaves on this maple tree won't begin to turn golden until November, but the seed pods have already turned a bright orange-red, and it won't be long before the wind causes them to propel down from their clusters like tiny little helicopters.  When my children were small they used to love to watched them slowly spinning down to the ground.

Autumn seems as though it has barely touched this garden, but the trees in other parks in the area are telling a different story.  Across the way from the pool where The Investigator and I go for some of my Physical Therapy  these trees have already shed many of their leaves leaving a crunchy carpet to walk upon.

And once again, I have brought a taste of autumn indoors.

If you look through the windows you can see the autumn colors both outside and in.  So I leave you with this wonderful quote by Albert Camus which says everything I feel about this time of the year. 
  

"Autumn is a second spring

when every leaf is a flower" 

 Thank you for stopping by. Adieu.

 

Remembering Oso

It was a quiet summer for us this year, but as the warm summer days have drifted into Indian Summer and now the beginnings of Autumn we decided Saturday was a perfect day to take a leisurely drive.  I truly love the fall with its crisp sunny days and chilly nights.  It always makes me feel much more energetic than during the warm, lazy days of summer.

We decided to head North and East with no particular destination in mind, just enjoying the beautiful blue skies and open farmland nestled under the Cascade Foothills.

 

 After a couple of hours in the car we stopped here at the North Fork of the Stillaquamish River so I could stretch the stiffness out of my leg.  

Ordinarily when I would spot a trail like this I would be on my way to see where it ended up.  But it was much too rocky to attempt with a cane and I have come too far in my recovery to make a mistake now that could cause a fall.

 So, I contented myself with enjoying the lovely view from above.

 As the afternoon progressed we found ourselves driving past the site of the terrible Oso landslide which took place March 22, 2014. The slide covered over one square mile blocking the highway and filling the river with mud and debris.  Forty-three people were killed and forty-nine homes or buildings were destroyed.  The American flag was posted on the top of a tree trunk, all that was left of the home that once stood there.

We live a little less than 30 miles from where this took place and every community was shocked and devastated.  More than 600 people took part in the search and rescue efforts. One month later President Obama took the time to come out to meet and comfort the survivors and families who had lost loved ones.  

While spending time near Oso was a sobering experience we very much enjoyed our little outing and look forward to more of them as I get stronger and stronger.  I know it has been a while since I have been here myself, but I do thank you for stopping by and please feel free to leave a comment if you like. Adieu!