North Cascades Hwy (In red)
For the third year in a row my wife and I, along with another couple, traveled the North Cascades Highway to spend three nights in two chalets surrounded by farmland and open range. As always it was a fantastic time.
The North Cascades Highway is part of The Cascade Loop described by National Geographic Traveler as "One of America's grandest, most spectacular drives." I couldn't agree more. I thought I'd share some of the pictures I took during our trip.
Join me below the fold and travel with me through the most spectacular gardens of all - nature's own!
Leaving Seattle it doesn't take long before a person is off the freeway and entering scenic country. This is a picture taken only one and a half hours after leaving our home.
Beautiful farmland with Cascade foothills in background.
Within the next hour we are seeing scenes like this.
Snow in late August. It warmed my heart to see this.
This is where we stopped for lunch. We've camped here before! One of our favorite spots to stretch our legs and breath in the fresh mountain air. Haven't had any luck catching fish here though but that is a consistent report when it comes to my fishing luck.
Diablo Lake
A short drive further east on Highway 20 you come to Ross Lake, a large reservoir spanning both northern Washington State and southwestern British Columbia. High peaks surround the lake. The building of Ross Dam made the lake possible. Ross Dam is operated by Seattle City Light generating hydroelectric power for the city. The lake also serves numerous recreational activities including fishing, canoeing, kayaking and hiking. The trout fishing in particular is well-renowned.
This photo was not altered. This is the color
Ross Dam
As we drive over Washington pass at 5,477 feet it doesn't take long for the landscape to change into a more arid one.
Close to our destination we pass through the small touristy town of Winthrop.
In just a few minutes out of Winthrop we arrive. Two chalets off by themselves in a very private and peaceful natural setting.
Our hideaway!
The view from the deck of our chalet.
The view from the deck of our friends chalet.
I have seen as many as thirty-eight deer in these fields at one time. Suffice it to say they are everywhere around our two chalets and most often very close.
And it's not just deer. Check out the eagle at the top of this tree a short walk from our chalets.
I'm not a photographer but I did the best I could!
We love to go on walks in the fields and meadows. Here are a couple of shots of the wild flowers dotting the landscape. I have no idea what the names of these are.
After three great days we headed back refreshed and rejuvinated. But my streak continues. After fishing in both surrounding lakes and rivers I once again came away empty! Oh, but it was fun!
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Author's Note: I spend a lot of time trying to stay current with environmental issues and in particular climate change. With the Yosemite Rim Fire currently in the news it behooves us all to stay up to date on how Climate Change affects our natural treasures. You can do this starting tomorrow by participating in this blogathon. Thanks in advance for your support!
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"Hummingbirds" Blogathon: September 9-September 13, 2013
In May 2006, the late environmental activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai addressed 7,000 international educators who had gathered in Montreal for the 58th annual conference of the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers (NAFSA). Here is the story she shared with them.
One day a terrible fire broke out in a forest - a huge woodlands was suddenly engulfed by a raging wild fire. Frightened, all the animals fled their homes and ran out of the forest. As they came to the edge of a stream they stopped to watch the fire and they were feeling very discouraged and powerless. They were all bemoaning the destruction of their homes. Every one of them thought there was nothing they could do about the fire, except for one little hummingbird.
This particular hummingbird decided it would do something. It swooped into the stream and picked up a few drops of water and went into the forest and put them on the fire. Then it went back to the stream and did it again, and it kept going back, again and again and again. All the other animals watched in disbelief; some tried to discourage the hummingbird with comments like, "Don't bother, it is too much, you are too little, your wings will burn, your beak is too tiny, it’s only a drop, you can't put out this fire."
And as the animals stood around disparaging the little bird’s efforts, the bird noticed how hopeless and forlorn they looked. Then one of the animals shouted out and challenged the hummingbird in a mocking voice, "What do you think you are doing?" And the hummingbird, without wasting time or losing a beat, looked back and said:
"I am doing what I can."
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In this time of escalating climate change, this is our challenge.
To refuse to surrender to the apathy of denialism and fatalism.
To be fierce in our defense of the Earth.
To continue to fight in the face of overwhelming odds.
And always, always, to do what we can.
Because it is only by each of us doing what we can, every day, that we will save the Earth – for ourselves, and for the generations to come. Like the hummingbird.
Our Daily Kos community organizers are Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse, boatsie, rb137, JekyllnHyde, citisven, peregrine kate, John Crapper, Aji, and Kitsap River. Photo credit and copyright: Kossack desertguy and Luma Photography. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
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Originally posted at
http://holyshitters.com/