A Neighborhood Walk

On Saturday afternoon we went to visit friends who had recently moved into a new home located in a lovely older neighborhood near a park, which made it a perfect place to enjoy another long walk.  Naturally, I had my little camera in my pocket and had to stop and snap a few photos here and there.  There were lots of pretty gardens along the way. 

~~~  

The light wasn't the best here, as I was taking the picture into the sun, but I really like all the different colors of green accented by the red tree. 

Maybe I will come back and take another walk in a few weeks to see if these trees have changed color.

Don't these yellow coneflowers (rubeckia) look striking against the red leaves of the plum tree?
 

 I love the way this evergreen tree as been shaped by the winds off the bay, as well as by careful pruning.  See the long shadows cast on the ground by the late afternoon sun.

Soon we made it to the park which sits up on a bluff overlooking the bay.  There was a little arboretum where we stopped to take a stroll.

Palm trees have been popping up all over in local gardens for the past 15 years or so.  I'm still surprised by them.  When I think of palm trees I think of a tropical setting, not the chilly northwest.  However, this type seems to do very well here, even in the snow.

We came upon some stone steps that led up to a fountain at the top.  It was a little too modern for my taste but the sounds of the water were pretty, and the spot felt tranquil in the dappled sunlight.

Entering the main part of the park we crossed over to the bluff overlooking the bay below. 

 There wasn't time today to just sit and stay, as it was time to head out for dinner with our friends. One day soon we will have to return to watch the sunset from this spot.

 Meanwhile, I hope you enjoyed our little walk.  Come back and visit again soon.

Nature Walk

As most of you already know, things have been pretty quiet around here the last couple of months.  But now that The Inspector is starting to have more energy we decided it was time to take a nice long walk with one of my favorite cousins who was up visiting for the holiday weekend.  So we hopped in the car and made our way to the lowlands under the local trestle.

This is where we began our rambles, along the Snohomish River which flows into the bay beyond.   Doesn't this tree look like a perfect place to sit and read a book?

I love rugosa rose bushes.  These were growing all along the riverbank.  They usually bloom all summer long but as fall begins to close in all that's left are the rose hips.  I was tempted to pick some and bring them home to dry for rose hip tea.

My cousin is admiring the pretty pink pods.

 

As we continued our walk along the river we notice various kinds of wild flowers and plants.

Wild Sweet Peas
 

Little Purple CanadianThistles
 

Yarrow
 

Gold Buttons (Tansy)

Tiny Yellow Daisies
 

  Wild Blackberry Brambles
 

 
Some plants were already dried and perfectly preserved, all ready for someone's floral arrangement.

Gradually we made our way into the actual estuary looking for birds along the waterways but none were to be found.  It must be the wrong time of year.

 

 We spied a large waterway in the distance and decided to make our way across the marsh to see what we might find there.

The trail led us through a huge field of cattails, some that were taller than we were.

Imagine our surprise when we discovered  that what we thought was water was a low tide mud flat!

My cousin and I

By now it was long past lunch and time to start heading home.  As we made our way out of the marsh and back to the car we passed this pear tree laden with beautiful rosy fruit.  The animals in the area are going to have a feast!

 As we left the quiet marshes behind and headed towards the parking lot we finally saw a large flock of mallard ducks.  And where did we spot them?.... in a large pond right next to the busy and, I might add, very noisy freeway!!  Go figure.

 With the long Labor Day weekend over, Summer is officially at an end and this was a perfect way to let it go.  Autumn, here we come!
 
 

Summer's End

 After days of stifling heat a welcome change was in the air on Saturday morning.  A cooling breeze had made its way across the miles from the Pacific Ocean beyond causing the window blinds to sway.  Outside we could hear the rustling of the leaves and the clatter of the wind chimes.  As I stepped out onto the front porch I could see clouds gathering from the west.  Watching them sailing quickly past, I noticed the sky was rapidly changing from bright blue to soft gray and I wondered if it was just marine cloud cover or if a storm was coming.  

The sky was mostly blue with just a few clouds when I first stepped outside.

You could hear the flag flapping in the wind.

Within a matter of minutes the sky was gray with clouds.

As it turned out, the clouds remained for a couple of days, but there were only a few sprinkles, just enough to dot the bricks before moving on.  By Monday the sun was back.  It was a gentle reminder though, that the summer is almost at an end.  September is just a few days away and school will begin next week after the long Labor Day Weekend.

It is time to stop and reflect on the passing season.  It has not been a summer filled with big trips, relatives coming to stay or exciting events to take part in. The Inspector has been recovering nicely from his health issues and it has rather been a time of sticking pretty close to home.  So there are no exciting photos or stories to tell, just a gentle passing of days and experiences.

1.  Summer Roses in a Vase

I picked these from the rose bush in my mom's garden, planted in memory of my father.

2.  Sunflowers rising up to the sky.

These are actually in my neighbor's garden but I can see them from my front courtyard every day.

3.  Deer in the Garden

Always welcome as long as they leave my roses alone!

4.  Fresh Summer Fruit

Fresh Cherries from the orchards over the mountains.

 

Raspberries from the bush I planted in a pot on the back deck.

There were a lot of berries for the first year and they were delicious!

 Ripe pears picked straight from the tree.

 

Then eaten fresh or canned for the winter.

 5.  Watching the kids learn to paddle board on the Lake.

Our son-in-law getting his bearings.

Our daughter isn't quite ready to try standing up yet!

6.  Helping our son move into his new home.

Backing up to a lovely greenbelt.

A lovely corner fireplace in the living room.

Our daughter-in-law and her mother putting the final touches on the bedroom.

 The boys are putting in the garage door opener.  Ordinarily The Inspector would be up on the ladder but he can't lift anything right now.

Unpacking the kitchen

 7.  Reading, Reading, Reading!

I have discovered the historical mystery series Maisie Dobbs and I have been voraciously reading them ever since.   I read the first book at the beginning of the summer and I am now on book number nine!

And so, summer is coming to a close and I am content.


 

A Quiet Day

I woke up to the sound of rain this morning.  It almost felt like an early fall day but I think summer will be back tomorrow.  The last week has been spent going through stacks of old papers that all needed to be sorted and that has required hours of shredding and organizing.  Feeling the coolness of the morning I decided this was a good opportunity to get away from this rather thankless job and do a little baking.

I baked a patch of Snickerdoodles, a family favorite.  Some will go to my oldest son and his wife who so thoughtfully sent over a pot of homemade soup for The Investigator when he returned home from the hospital.  Some are going into the freezer for later and the rest we will enjoy for dessert this evening.  Yummy!

I also went out this afternoon to pick some Gravenstein apples from the yard.  I thought I had better get some before the deer eat them all.  There has been a pair of young bucks who have been showing up almost every evening to munch on whatever has fallen to the ground.  I will make some of my favorite apple nut bread to enjoy both now and to place in the freezer for later.   I have blogged on this before here.  Maybe later in the week I will make some applesauce too.

Today has really just been a slow quiet day.  I think I am going to like this being retired.