Bowl and Pitcher, Riverside Park

soft yet jagged rocks, this is the bowl and pitcher at River side State Park, where the osprey live and fish  in prolific numbers and don't have any issues with shyness.
i had one poop for me - well i caught it on camera- so it felt like a special performance but i am sure he just had to go, although i tend to elicit this reaction from birds i observe ...
i know no one is pooping for me its just serendipitous...

Wild Turkey in Greenwood Cemetery, Spokane, Wa

on our way down the hill these fellows were taking a slow stroll through the shade of the hilly cemetery.

osprey at riverside park, spokane, wa

Osprey were nesting through out Riverside Park
it was amazing- how many osprey there were, visible nests and swooping diving birds mamas feeding babies, although your bigger looking baby bird mind!
they were everywhere up and down the river here.
and what a fantastic park to have within a city you would be hard pressed to keep me from having a daily walk here were i to end up living in Spokane - a thought i ponder, it has many beauties - i think i might miss being encompassed by mountain ranges though- or not seeing a big body of water at hand. But then again you are near the Scablands and all that wonder that would take a lifetime I am sure to thoroughly explore, and Idaho to your east.

Riverside Park, Spokane, Wa

 a short drive form our downtown location this park is full of birds of prey- literally, nests and them everywhere with their sharp sounds only birds of prey can make - swoosh.

Lizard on the grave, Rosyln, Wa

it was a hotter day then the day before our Saturday August 25th.
We were journeying from Ellensburg to home and stopping for some down time in the cemetery.
Birds of Prey on view through out journey, pelicans at the turnbell nature preserve and a lizard on a grave. these are the wild friends we saw this adventure.
so many B.O.P...and just this one little lizard.
Talula got too close and he scuttled away very quickly into the long grass.

Lake lenore Caves

see them the caves are up there

stairs up to the caves

 as we were driving in - we saw the caves hollowed out above.

 on our first day of traveling through our 2012 Scablands adventure  we went from seattle with a loo stop just past Ellensburg for all including dog.
perfect spot to photograph the windmills.
traveled past wild horse sculptures just over Columbia river- quick stop again photo op.
our main destination to come was Soap Lake, then the Lake Lenore Caves , Dry falls and ending the day at the Grand Coulee Damn to stay the night at the Coulee Inn and Suites.
This is Lake Lenore-
it was about 94 degrees and the dog could not take it up the incline- Talula almost copped out but I got her there and she was pleased with the results. entering the first cave- it was completely silent - it was amazing aside from us who speaking and our presence caused the bats in the walls to squeak and squawk.
it was hot we had water. and made it to the 2nd and 3rd caves before needing to head back.
it was worth a see and a feel of the hollowed out cave of touring man from long ago. the discover pass is getting a work out this holiday.

Scablands and Palouse adventures 2012 our map!

we have returned from our Scablands - Palouse tour 2012!
it was amazing - so many types of lands traversed- great distances felt to be passed through not so great a time- from one alien landscape to the next Washington state is quite exquisite.
 this was out map photos are many over 2,000 and will come in drips and more the drops i hope.
not all of the places were used on the map but a good portion were hit- my tops were palouse falls state park, steptoe butte, riverside park in spokane...just to name a few.





View tour of scablands and palouse in a larger map

dead flower

end of flowers bloom.

fern explorations

 it feels a little too close and personal with this fern perchance?
the bottom too are rather lush in their gleaming little hairs glistening with fernyness.

odd maple leaves

half grey ridge

playing with filtering in photomatix.
not sure if it works for me or not...

boulder river trail

 boulder river trail a nice trail to some waterfalls , pretty easy going good for kids and dogs...
which is what we got!x