The Long Way Home~

Morning arrived with heavy gray clouds that soon opened & dropped a torrential amount of rain!  I'd been writing emails & checking the County web site searching for information on  the development.  I couldn't find a thing, - besides the tax parcel number - by finding ours & going from there.  I also contacted a friend who works for Parks.  He was incredibly helpful in obtaining the information I was unable to find.  Just about the time I was finishing up - the clouds parted, blue sky appeared & I loaded Farah!

On the Trail~

The afternoon was simply stunning.  Mid-70's but with enough of a breeze to keep the high humidity tolerable.  Only one other trailer in the parking at Victoria.

White moth?

This must be the year for these pretty little things...  They've been fluttering through the air for a couple weeks now - so many that they look like very large snowflakes, especially when they free fall in the breeze :-)  So quick - I was excited to get a photo of one - as the other took off!

Culvert work~

Several culverts are being replaced, the old metal with new black plastic corrugated pipe.  Much larger that the old ones.  All the ditches have been cleaned out along the road.  It was nice to see straw over the raw earth - preventing erosion.

Where I was thrown~

No bears today!  I took it darn easy through here & for most of the ride.  The light was just incredible, sparkling sunshine, deep beautiful shadows.  Again, I had to remind myself that we're almost to the mid-point of July!  Nothing like the heat & drought of last Summer!

Native Trailing Blackberry~

I Had to stop!  Dismount & partake of the ripe berries!  Freshly rain-washed & oh so good! 

Fireweed~

The heavy thunderheads continued to roll overhead, dropping the temperature as they did.  The Fireweed makes such a bright impact against the shades of green - natures landscaping at its finest.

At the Monument~

I'd just sat down for my snack, Farah grazing nearby - when she suddenly spooked!  Slipping & about falling on her face on the wet grass!  She ran off a short way - whirled around & faced the four kids who'd walked up over the hill from the south.  Looking sheepish - she went back to grazing :-)

Puget Sound~

They had hiked in from the Glass School, new students for the summer session.  What a nice group of young people!  A guy from Norway, another from Ireland, another from CA & a girl from New York City!  They asked lots of questions - what were they seeing out there?  What were things like here?  They have four weeks to enjoy at the school & visiting the Pacific Northwest!

Foamflower~

We took a couple of the wooded trails, this one lined with the beautiful, tiny, white Foamflowers.  The ferns had been weed-whacked - giving more sunlight for the little flowers to bloom.

Down the slippery trail~

With the rain, the trails were incredibly slippery...  Farah slid more than she walked.  I went ahead & walked on foot down to the bottom of the big hill to the southern trails.  We turned back & suddenly my mare - who'd been easy going all afternoon - burst into a gallop & tossed in a buck that lifted me well up off the seat of my saddle!  She exploded up the hill & we both had a blast :-)

What are these?

Every year when I see these bright red berries I wonder?  I'm going to take the time to find them!  Doubt there edible - at least to humans!  :-)  We took the long way back to the trailer - my thoughts full.  Thinking of my trails from home - the trails I'm about to lose & what if anything I can do...

Once back at the parking, I ran into Duane & Tracy - who were resting from their work of clearing all along the sides of the road.   This Sunday is the yearly open-house at the Pilchuck Glass School.  Butch & I have wanted to go for several years - maybe we'll get there this time!