Washington, Seattle - Our Hell's Kitchen!

After dinner it's clean-up time. Here we are clowning around in the Kitchen. Gordon Ramsey's got nothin' on us!




















Nancy and Eimhin working on Lisa's window covering project!

Washington, Seattle - Our Newest Graduate!

It is a time for Celebration! Our newest graduate, Lisa, receiving her degree from Seattle University. Way to go Girl! Hard work, determination and grit for sure.

Oregon, Smith Rock State Park

Smith Rock State Park in Terrebonne, Oregon is a sanctuary of majestic rock spires that rise above the winding Crooked River in central Oregon's high desert. It is an internationally renowned destination for rock climbing. The appearance of the park is a result of the cumulative forces of vulcanism and the erosive power of running water. Several miles of developed trails access the top of Misery Ridge and parallel the rock climbing areas. Wildlife is abundant. We were able to view an active Bald Eagle nest. There are ten nests in the park, all used by one nesting pair.

We've visited Smith Rock before, and returned for the wonderful hiking. Starting at the Chute, near the parking area, we headed straight for Misery Ridge (appropriately named) to the summit. Just past the Summit is Monkey Face, a popular rock climb. We worked our way down from the summit rocks behind Monkey face and connected with Mesa Verde Trail and River Trail. We spent two and a half hours climbing up and down the spectacular rocks, and hiking along the river. We watched rock climbers dangling from ropes on the cliff walls. I scratch my head on that one....but they seem to be enjoying themselves. We enjoyed a marvelous day, clear skies, sunny and cool - perfect for hiking.

Oregon, Bend - Visit from the Swans

We're back in Bend for a second visit. After checking into our hotel room, we heard honking from the patio door. As I peered out up came a big beautiful swan, then her buddy! They were looking for a hand-out which we happily provided. They stayed around looking for more, but they finally lost interest in us.

Oregon, Crater Lake National Park

We arrived in Klamuth Falls and decided to take the drive to Crater Lake NP. It is hard to believe how different the weather can be when there is a reasonably small elevation change.

The amounts of snow on the ground in the park are phenomenal! It was quite cloudy, cold, spitting rain, and the piles of snow drifted around the Visitor Center was huge! We presumed the weather would allow for a nice hike around Crater Lake, but we were wrong. I cannot recall the last time we were here, but it must have been in August or September because it was dry, clear and almost hot. Completely different today....we'll have to come back in the fall.

Nevada, Great Basin National Park

This little National Park is tucked away in the eastern part of Nevada. You will seldom find noisy crowds, long lines or traffic jams. The Park is filled with High peaks over 13,000 feet in elevation, cool high-desert streams, caves, hiking trails and amazing star studded night skies. This area is so remote, there is no light pollution to ruin an amazing display of the Milky Way! Few people will ever have an opportunity to see this constellation. We weren't here after dark, but it would be an amazing place to enjoy such a wonderful display of the stars.

We enjoyed a nice drive to 10,000 feet elevation of Wheeler's Peak. Up top we were amazed at the snow that is still here! We are told that here in Great Basin there is a possibility of snow at any time of the year.

We didn't have time to take the cave tour, but if you like being underground there are amazing formations to view.

As you drive through the Basin, long stretches of highway go on for miles in a straight line.....you can see amazing distances here. It is a fascinating region.

Utah, Kolob Canyon at Zion National Park

Today we left Utah for the Great Basin National Park. We'd been on the highway about half an hour when we noticed a sign for the Zion National Park - Kolob Canyon Visitor's Center. What the heck...we were in no hurry so we decided to stop by to see if there was something we missed. There was a five-mile scenic drive through Kolob Canyon and were sure glad we stopped. This is one beautiful canyon and it is not to be missed. It is located in the Northwest section of the park and must be accessed from Utah Highway 15. The canyon is lush and green, amazing geologic formations and the colors were stunning.

The drive doesn't take long, and we were able to snap a few photos even though the morning light was at the wrong angle to best capture the images. Soon we were on our way to Nevada.