The river has flown...

Can it be that the pacific northwest has celebrated my visit with sunshine? Yes it has!

Gray skies gave way to sunshine for one of the lovely days that this area can offer on occasion. And just about everyone seemed to be taking the day off to enjoy it.

Gordon and I won the world record for the longest period of time ever taken to drive 90 miles and I think maybe tying the record for the most stops along the way.

Turn two people loose with cameras and that sort of thing just seems to happen.

Although he was caught up in scenery while I was absorbed in the details.

The Columbia Gorge is one of the most beautiful spots on earth and if you drive along it on the Washington side there are tons of turnouts to pull off the road.

And so many trails and camp sites and just wonderful places to stop and enjoy a gorgeous day.

I was so excited to spot an Osprey.

Ravens. hawks and turkey vultures abounded and every few feet was something else amazing.

We stopped at Grace's Meadow, left over from pioneer days.

Crossed numerous rivers and streams.

Spotted rocky outcrops straight out of a Chinese watercolor.

And even stopped to ask if I could snap a shot of a very nice dog.

Flowers were blooming absolutely everywhere and I said that they reminded me of static fireworks, permanently embedded in the earth,

Quaint little houses tucked in here and there.

And birds everywhere.

Even the expected riverboats of yesterday.

Sheer faces of rock where only the most durable of trees could perch.

As we drove along the Gorge, the scenery changed due to the lack of rain, becoming a sort of green desert.

And everything stunning and stark against blue skies.

Tiny rock flowers growing out of the most forbidding places.

Railroad tracks swept along the banks of the Columbia river.

Breathtaking vistas around every bend.

The way only the pacific northwest does vistas.

It was a very stellar day for a visit to the Gorge. I haven't been here in so many years.

I can promise I will be back again.

The pacific northwest has got to be one of America's most shining treasures.

Back to my old haunts...

Yesterday it was business first, but business is so much more pleasant when it's out in the country. I enjoyed visiting with some goats.



Misty Washington on a spring day.



Where the evergreens are greener than green.



We arranged with my brother to drive down from Seattle and join us on a day trip to Salem, where I went to school forever ago.



Our first stop was to do a little shopping at one of my favorite spots.



Which is always a fun way to start a day.



Then it was off to Salem to spend the afternoon.



We stopped by Jonathan's but it was temporarily closed.



But we enjoyed downtown Salem anyway.



And all the amazing architecture which had filled out my art education once upon a time.



After a leisurely stay in Salem, we headed back towards Portland.





Chasing the sunset.





Even though it meant detouring here and there to catch it.





Eventually it was time to part ways with my brother who headed north again and we took a walk down by the boat docks.



Between all of us, it was a fun photo safari and a nice day. Its sometimes fun to retrace your steps from the past. And definitely fun to spend some time with my brother who I don't get to see enough of.

The Pacific Northwest

Berlin was beautiful yesterday around dawn.



But Gordon and I were off on a business trip.



Headed back to the pacific northwest where I grew up. I was very surprised when my brother met as at the airport in Seattle so we could spend a few minutes together before Gordon and I had to head south for a meeting.



I snapped a few picts as we drove...loving all the lush greens of Washington and the beautiful old buildings.



And the flowering trees everywhere and rhododendrons growing everywhere.



Back to the land where sushi restaurants are more numerous than fast food.



Rainbows and sunsets.











And though it was sad to not be able to call and talk to the puppies to see if they were behaving...their sitter said they were being mostly good. Its good to be back on the west coast for sure...!!!!

Why hunt easter eggs when you can hunt geocaches?

Marja, Jim and I were off for a walk this afternoon and about the time I was saying "this is where I saw the owl", Jim spotted the owl. And getting close enough for a picture, Marja spotted Domino's missing back pack...missing for almost a year and still intact, though most of the pit bull buttons were gone. Some animal must like pitbull buttons I guess.

We were just out for an afternoon jaunt on a pleasant Easter Sunday. Charm retrieved sticks.

And we all climbed up to enjoy the view.

Where we were joined by a pair of turkey vultures.

After some time spent with the dogs romping through the woods, we geared to go searching for a geocache. Geocaches are boxes hidden all over the world which you can find through an online guide which gives you clues and coordinates and codes to decipher. We weren't having much luck with it, but Charm did find a cat who promptly climbed a tree.

Don't worry, the cat quickly climbed down and dashed off home. Finally after much searching, Marja discovered the geocache and we were all anxious to see what was inside.

But I'm not telling. There are so many of them hidden all over the world, and dozens and dozens in my area alone. Its like a global treasure hunt...So while others were out hunting easter eggs, we were geocaching. And no chickens were harmed in our endeavors.