Merry Christmas

I knew yesterday was my birthday, because we decorated the tree!

More about Lyle

Photographing Lyle
Trains in Lyle
The Columbia River at Lyle Point

celebrating 30 years

In the words (more or less) of Jackson Browne ....."The next thing I remember I was all moved in, and he was buying me a washing machine." Our dishwasher has been faltering, but Doug is investigating. It's not nearly as old as we are! Before household repairs, we celebrated this past weekend with a stay at the Lyle Hotel, on the Washington side of the Columbia River.
We drove over to the Oregon side and got to see what the little town of Lyle looks like from Rowena Crest on the historic scenic hwy 30.
One of the places we stopped was the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. There is a raptor center there and one of the birds they had rescued was a Northern Sawhet Owl, only about 7 or 8 inches tall. He had lost an eye because of being hit by a car. His name is Hootie.








We also drove to Goldendale one night and met up with Lydia and Dave for dinner and a trip to the observatory. That was a unique experience. We didn't get to gaze much at stars because of lots of fog, although we did get to look through the telescope. Doug and I drove back through Goldendale on our way home, up the Klickatat River along the route that was used in the olden days by the

Goldendale-Lyle railroad. That was a great drive. We had our first picnic in the eurovan (I still think of it as a bus). I'll post those pictures later today.

wonders never cease

well, the cat sitting on the mouse is not so unusual, but the mushrooms growing out of trees was kind of unique. Those white ones were real tiny and in too much shade to get a good picture of. They look like something that should live waaaaay under water or something. Of course, Woody wants you to come over and play ball, any kind you'd like. And, yes that's a VW bus with the hood up.

three trees

going


going


gone














Woody won! We're just trying to make hay while the sun shines in Olalla.

dead batteries

everywhere I looked, so I couldn't take these pictures with my actual camera. Here are pictures from my phone of one of the beautiful maples out our back window, and what I presume to be a chanterelle mushrooom. It is the height of fall. I knocked down a bunch of tall weedy stuff, planted some little landscaping trees that have been surviving somehow in pots for a year, and discovered what could be a tasty mushroom.



And a picture from a walk I took about a week ago. Love that madrona tree with the sky behind it.

transportation

that's the big issue in my life now. Danny's, Tyler's, Doug's, mine. Transportation. Life would be so much easier if we could all just stay put. Here's a picture of summer's last bloom. It's so fall. I had a nice 24 hours in Ellensburg with Lydia. We stayed at a place called the Inn at Goose Creek, which was described by one of the guests who signed the little book in our room as "almost too cute". It was a nice comfy room and the breakfast was leisurely and delightful. We ate a couple of delicious dinners out with Gene, and Yusuke and other friends of Gene's from his dorm. We haunted St. Vinnie's and Goodwill and I picked something up for Andy at Lydia's urging (29 cents). Had a wonderful walk around the CWU campus and got to watch the marching band practicing for their performance on Saturday at Qwest field at the battle in Seattle. Brought home apples from the fruit stand at a rock bottom price. Sorry I don't have any pictures. I forgot my camera. Lydia?