among the gray...

it was a Charlotte Brontë dreary gray kind of day

                so after breakfast we headed over to 

                       

 Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

              

southern Washington near Kelso and Longview 
on the Columbia River just north of Portland Oregon

the refuge is a 4 mile auto tour around the little lakes and ponds 
speed limit ~ very very slow 

          turtle-ing along .. we saw so many beautiful birds 
                  

     and my favorite .. swans 

there must have been at least 500 out there

if you were born without wings

do nothing to prevent them from growing

>>.. Coco Chanel  

the earth has music for those who listen

>>.. George Santayana

the reason birds can fly 

and we can't 

is simply because they have perfect faith

for to have faith is to have wings

>>..  J.M. Barrie  {author of Peter Pan}

in order to see birds 

it is necessary 

to become a part of the silence

>>.  Robert Lynd

and this little guy was the favorite of the day

... American Bittern ... 

he is a stocky fellow in the heron family

so well camouflaged in the dense reeds we could hardly see him.  

As soon as he knew he was found out he hid so you could see 

nothing but his striped head which he pointed up

disappearing and out of sight.

truly a fabulous trip .. we love the wildlife refuges

          a delightfully fun inexpensive day 

                               even among murky gray skies.

I hope you enjoyed it too ..........

seasons end . . .

summer season is coming to a close

school busses were on the road at 6:30 am

leaves are tinged with red & orange

my primroses have returned with the cool in the air

Boston Harbor

north of Olympia 5 miles

South Puget Sound

I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Autumn is the mellower season

and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits

Samuel Butler

we would sing and dance around
because we know we can't be found
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus' garden in the shade

he found himself wondering at times

especially in the autumn

 about the wild lands

and strange visions of mountains 

that he had never seen 

came into his dreams

J.R.R. Tolkien

Fall has always been my favorite season

the time when everything bursts with its last beauty

as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale

Lauren DeStefano

Autumn...the year's last loveliest smile.

William Cullen Bryant

can we call it summer yet? ...

we went to visit my family

just south of Spokane

on the edge of the fabulous rolling hills of the Palouse

what you see here is our last day

... as we were leaving

>..  thee only day of sunshine  ..<

do not be angry with the rain

it simply does not know how to fall upwards

Vladimir Nabokov 

non the less ..

the trip home was marvalous

a 6 hour trip filled with

waterfalls and wild flowers

just living is not enough

one must have sunshine . freedom . and a little flower

Hans Christian Andersen

pluck not the wayside flower

it is the traveler's dower

William Allingham

You belong among the wildflowers

You belong in a boat out at sea

You belong with your love on your arm

You belong somewhere you feel free

Tom Petty

Splendid Mt Rainier showed her pretty head

to the natives she is Tahoma

mother of many waters

Cascade Range .. and Dragon's Back

..it was a good ride..

_________________________________

new in the little ZiBagz shop

Apache Wind Bohemian Cowgirl Shoulder Bag

the phoenix hope
can wing her way through the desert skies
and still defying fortune's spite
revive from ashes and rise
♦♦ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Barely There Keepsake Wristlet Clutch

She is mine own,
And I as rich in having such a jewel
As twenty seas, if all their sand were pearl,
The water nectar, and the rocks pure gold.
♦♦ William Shakespeare 

Sarah Lynn Mini Zip

for we put the thought of all that we love 

into all that we make 

J.R.R. Tolkien 

enjoy ~

.. Road Trip ..

kids and I traveled across the 

Cascades to visit family

my dad made me beautiful 

Adirondack chairs for my porch

the drive was splendid

the weather was a bit chilly

we hit snow in White Pass

and not just a little

tulips were out in all their glory at Mossy Rock

we all love Spokane

especially Manito Park

Gaiser Conservatory, Manito Park

 

it was just one massive explosion of color!!

the west wing is the cactus garden

  orchid cactus

the grounds were abloom as well

** W A R N I N G **

you had to watch out for those crafty 

law enforcement personnel 

Spokane is an awesome little city 

on the eastern border of Washington

downtown is full of history and detail

including the absolutely divine 

Davenport Historic Hotel

{left corner}

Spokane is famous for her falls

which were quite ravenous

now you may be thinking

"Spokane, Spokane

seems familiar..

how do I know Spokane"

Benny & Joon ... of course

"You can't throw him out, I won him!"